Heading up the Wainuiomata hill, Wazzer grits her teeth and listens, keenly, to her ’92 Nissan’s engine. The car is dragging a bit, but it manages the great ascent all right, even weighted down with Wazzer, Wazzer’s mother, and Wazzer’s mother’s weighty presents for her grandchildren. “It’s Mum’s Day, Mum, we’re supposed to give you […]
Entries Tagged as 'geography'
Return To Wainui
May 10th, 2011 Comments Off on Return To Wainui
Tags: geography · hutt valley · wainuiomata · wazzer
The Underwater Museum
December 29th, 2010 1 Comment
“What d’you want to do?” “I don’t know. What do you want to do?” A pause. All the money has been spent at the Boxing Day sales. Bilious livers cry out for a little mercy between Christmas and New Year’s. A walk would be Just The Thing, or better yet, a beach excursion. Unfortunately, the […]
Tags: geography · government · te papa · tourism
Melbourne Questions
September 10th, 2010 1 Comment
Winona is back at work, smiling at everyone who asked her, Did You Have A Good Time in Melbourne? In reply, she murmurs “Yes, no…” Something was a little off, in Melbourne. The spring clothes in Melbourne were just as hideous as the ones in Wellington. Perhaps that was why the hordes of commuters were […]
Tags: geography · other cities · winona
Rattled
September 9th, 2010 2 Comments
Wellington has a soft spot for the Cantabrians who leave Christchurch for Wellington’s windy hills. Not given to flashy plumage themselves, Wellingtonians appreciate the low-key Cantabrian style, and have even adopted their genteel, crooning “Hello! Hellooooooo!” They fit seamlessly into government and private work alike, put down roots, and lived happily. Until last Sunday’s earthquake. […]
Tags: geography · other cities
The Starfish
May 11th, 2010 1 Comment
“Get in the car! I said, get in the car! Get in the car NOW!†Helena Hutt takes the deep breaths familiar to any mummy trying very hard not to scream at the children. Right now she is driving them all to an ear specialist doctor, 30 minutes and a parking nightmare away in Newtown. […]
Tags: geography · helena · romance · social mores
The Lay of the Land
March 3rd, 2010 Comments Off on The Lay of the Land
Winona trembles with recognition as they are driven away from the airport. (Her father’s news, that the construction under way at the airport is to construct new terminals shaped like gigantic copper rocks, was so surreal that her jet-lagged mind has gently suppressed it.) It’s all so small after London, so clean yet shabby after […]
Tags: Cuba street · geography · newtown · winona