And yes, I'll consider Marlborough as well for my New Zealand home after getting all your stellar reviews! Napa is awesome as well, Callum, and IMO more a little more interesting than Avalon/Catalina Island, but then I'm a wino...

In fact, looks like a GREAT place for a SOLO shindig weekend!!

You may well be right - even got its own private beach. Got to furnish it first though
Last I heard, most of the tobacco was being replaced by green tea growing ... gawd.

You mean you can't go tobacco picking in Motueka anymore?? Sad.

Congratulations on your new holiday home... the water looks absolutely beautiful. In fact, looks like a GREAT place for a SOLO shindig weekend!!

I haven't been to the Sounds for years.

Thanks Callum.

Landon, that did use to be one of the main crops up there. Not anymore though; no tobacco plantations left at all in fact, as far as I know.

Or as Kiwis like to call it: Mowlbra

I'd think that tobacco would be their main crop.

---Landon

Never mistake contempt for compassion, or power lust for ambition.

http://www.myspace.com/wickedlakes

Congratulations on your new home, Mark! I hope it'll serve you well.

The Marlborough Sounds is also another place to consider, mv. Very beautiful and out-of-the-way.

"Socialism may be dead, but its corpse is still rotting up the place." -Ayn Rand

Speaking of Napa Valley, the NZ equivalent, which produces some of the best wine in the world, is the province of Marlborough, right at the top of the South Island, close to Wellington. It has all-round sunny weather ...

Yep. I just bought a holiday property in the Marlborough Sounds

To get to Santa Catalina, I already get to fly (with an instructor) the occasional Cessna as part of Air Cadets here in NZ. It shouldn't be too much different.

However, failing that, I could always have a home in NorCal. They have some incredibly beautiful scenery up there, Yosemite, and Napa Valley.

Speaking of Napa Valley, the NZ equivalent, which produces some of the best wine in the world, is the province of Marlborough, right at the top of the South Island, close to Wellington. It has all-round sunny weather so you shouldn't miss SoCal too much.

"Socialism may be dead, but its corpse is still rotting up the place." -Ayn Rand

Though a good chunk of the island was recently burned up last fall - might be able to pick up some property really cheap, especially for California!

Another plus - most Catalina Islanders cruise around in golf carts which would be an easier method to get used to the 'other side of the road' driving that we do over here in the Americas...

mvardoulis, could you now return the favour and buy me a house on Santa Catalina Island?

"Socialism may be dead, but its corpse is still rotting up the place." -Ayn Rand

I think Wellington and immediate areas win for my future NZ home, with the assumption that access to the South Island has improved a bit since I was last there over a decade ago. The places you mentioned I will definitely have to see on my next visit, but I enjoy being in and around a city (hey, even in the worst traffic in the world I'm still less than an hour away from Los Angeles and 90 minutes from San Diego - and I get to live in the more comfortable suburbia in between).

And I'll always be up for a quick swing through Texas, though preferably not in the summer p-d...

Which part of NZ do you plan in having a holiday home?

During the winter, I'd recommend the South Island; that's when the North Island is covered in rain. Central Otago, near the bottom of the South Island, would be the best, as it's very beautiful, especially in snow. But be prepared for very, very cold temperatures, much different from what you're used to in SoCal.

The other place I'd recommend is Nelson. It's isolated for car travel and has no rail access, but is 5-10 mins from Wellington if you use a plane. It has a really fantastic location, and is pretty well-off. It's a town of 65,000 people so all amenities are there if you need them.

"Socialism may be dead, but its corpse is still rotting up the place." -Ayn Rand

DFW is an impressive place.  Texas as a whole right now has an atmosphere of economic progress.  All the major cities are sucking up corporations from across the nation.  However, our air is positively toxic.  I'll be looking for some place that has better weather and a better environment. 

As for three homes: I don't know if you've ever had more than one residence, but the more stuff you have, the more time and money you spend performing maintenance.  My father has several, and he spends much of his time (he's a hands on fellow) maintaining them.  It's great for my family as we always have a nice place to go, but of my siblings I'm the one that usually ends up spending my vacations fixing stuff.  Therefore, I have decided to keep my own life a bit more manageable. 

Again, during my many travels during the 90's - Dallas Ft Worth has a fun night life for a blues nut like me even during the summer where it is 95 F AT 10PM!!!

I agree with you, p-d, both the UK, NZ have a certain appeal for different reasons, especially to 'yank' outsiders. I'm planning the summer home in the UK, the spring and fall home in California, and the summer (winter by Northern Hemisphere calendar) home in NZ. Best of all worlds.

Both nice places for different reasons.  Is that too PC for this crowd?  I've been to quite a few places in the world and given the choice I'd much rather live in NZ than UK. 

As a Texan, and expert on sweltering weather (unfortunately), 30 c = about 85 f (gorgeous weather).  During a typical Texas summer we can spend two or three months around 100 f which would be about 37-38 c.  40 c can happen for a month if we are unlucky.  If you ever get to spend the summer in northern Australia you can experience sweltering. 

Is exactly what you've picked up on there, Olivia - and Bostonians are as I write preparing for their football (the American kind where the ball is shaped more like a rugby ball and you can pick it up with your hands and wear body armor, etc.) team's potentially perfect season if the win the Super Bowl this Sunday. There may be many Bostonian accents for you to enjoy should you be able to get coverage of the game (or after-parties) in NZ.

Far less interesting in the American spectrum of accents I assure you is the bland, slow, California accent with which I am cursed. Notice no California football teams made it even close to the Super Bowl this year? Coincidence?

And I concr the sports page is just about the only thing worth reading in the United Police States newspapers either. Although I am blessed with the overtly libertarian opinion page in my local newspaper but they may be the only one in the country, at least that I know of.

on that score I agree entirely. The only thing worthy of reading in any paper is the sports section. Turn the thing over and read it in reverse and stop after the financial section I say.

The only way to avoid the perpetual whining about the state of the planet.

Seriously, has there ever been a journalist who thought the world was doing OK?

Yes, Wellington on a good day is gorgeous. World class.

Apart from all the bureaucrats, of course. And driving on the wrong side. ;^)

I thought that was the funniest bit in the Sunday paper. That and the race results were the only things worth reading.

I LOVE the American accent - especially the Harvard one (Bostonian?) and the way on Fox news that they say "Keep it here on Fux!"

It's probably a good thing you're only reading my posts instead of *listening* to them - American accents (add the extra misery of slow-moving California inflection) must not be much better in your ears...

Doesn't seem fair that I love all accents apart from my own! Love kiwi accents in particular...

And Callum, Wellington was sunny when I last visited back in the 90's (believe it or not), and it reminded me of a pleasantly small version of San Fransisco (only affordable to live in and, you know, driving on the other side of the road and such).

Until last year, 4/5 days in Wellington were either overcast, drizzle, or downpour. Then in 2007 the weather decided to be nice to Wellington, and we were the sunniest of the five main NZ cities -with no sign of abating!

"Socialism may be dead, but its corpse is still rotting up the place." -Ayn Rand

that's why so many of them come here. Warm, sunny and friendly... and we get to hear them whinge... oh joy! The accent itself sounds like a permanent complaint... *shudder* (Unless it's Queen's English).

The South Africans on the other hand.... I love 'em and I could listen to their accent all day.. and night. "Come hyear!"

Ok!

can't possibly conceive the UK reaching 100oF! If you actually enjoy the season known as SUMMER (regardless of the calendar dates it appears), you'd have to leave the UK to enjoy it...

The weather here in NZ at the moment is like southern California, the only difference is that it is much more humid here (I'm not sure if that's for all NZ or for certain parts; one time when I was in Christchurch, the heat was sweltering, well in excess of 30oC, or 100oF).

"Socialism may be dead, but its corpse is still rotting up the place." -Ayn Rand

Both the UK and NZ briefly in the 1990's I can say my impression of both countries was quite favorable for different reasons. I agree with Robert that the author is just being self-indulgent in his 'shock' factor to sell books, etc. I imagine New Zealand around this time of year is probably much more like my Southern California, a claim I don't think the Brits can make *any* time of year.

An even number of things to poke fun at exist between all three parts of the globe I mentioned - NZ, So Cal, and the UK, but New Zealand has at least one positive thing the others do not: ROOM TO BREATHE. Oh sure, the UK has it and even California has it if you don't mind driving at least two hours to sweltering heat or treacherous mountain terrain. But you kiwi's will likely ALWAYS have more space! Henry David Thoreau (and those who share a similar perspective) would have loved today's New Zealand (apart from the IRD, RMA and the NZ government which he would no doubt find pleasure in ignoring and defying the way he did the US government).

I don't remember "incipient" being prefixed to the adjective "paranoid."

" '... it's possible not merely to squat but to launch oneself into space, to spread one's wings and fly. But that quiet, friendly, hard-working Protestant modesty holds them fast.'

This is bang on and a criticism I myself would make."

Yes. This (and perhaps incipient paranoia) holds them back too often from taking on new adventures. The challenge of being a strident, colourful political candidate, for example...

I’m doing a bit of a competitive, patriotic bat-bat – the title of this thread is “the British” after-all so I’m chiming in with my two… um, pence worth.

From the different articles that quoted Fallowell, one thing is clear, he made some perceptive insights (none too flattering) and some absurd claims in this new book of his about NZ.

“The narrow emotional ledge on which the nation squats does indeed have a grand view, but its population must suspect that it's possible not merely to squat but to launch oneself into space, to spread one's wings and fly. But that quiet, friendly, hard-working Protestant modesty holds them fast.”

This is bang on and a criticism I myself would make – it is this very “Protestant” repression which promotes the “tall poppy syndrome” which many of us are all too familiar with. It's tedious and boring.

And: "The women seem very confident. The girls can be outrageous, rushing at you while waving a chunk of fast-food, squealing inanely, and lots of them have lesbian haircuts and they don't do cleavage. But however high-spirited, it all takes place somehow in slow motion.

Interesting observation from an outsider. I have found that on the whole, Kiwi girls seem to have a lot more confidence than Kiwi guys... they're louder, cockier and seem to have a strongly competitive spirit. I wonder if this is because we are very much encouraged to pursue outdoor activities like athletics, swimming, cricket, touch rugby, rowing and the like that develop these characteristics - not an essentially traditional version of femininity. The guys on the other hand are very often shy with a "don't make a scene" kind of an attitude, but if women like those mentioned above are their mothers and sisters, perhaps we've emasculated them somehow! The girls in Kiwi-land often wear the pants and I've heard a few Americans say that Kiwi girls tend to be hen-peckers... I hate to admit it, but I think that's probably true. As for "not showing cleavage," heck, in summer, we even go shopping in our bikini tops and shorts! Remember the togs, togs, undies" ads for Trumpet. (Ok this is a guy, but us girls do it too!)

“There is something androgynous in the look of the Kiwis . . . and you don't see skinny people either. Hairlessness, chubbiness, androgynousness are also features of the Pacific Islanders, so maybe it has something to do with the geography, which gets to everyone eventually, regardless of genetic origins.”

This criticism seems like a hotch-potch of several separate ideas, none of which is very clear or observant on his part. A comparison between European Kiwis and Pacific Islanders is like comparing Eskimos with Scandinavians and how he links this with “something to do with the geography” is just beyond me. Too lame to intelligently comment on.

The guy is obviously the shock jock of tourism journalists. Replying in kind is only going to stir up people and help sell his bound paper turds.

For instance:

"Fallowell, who has published three novels and other books, also despairs our lack of sex appeal: "I'm fed up with people being fat and ugly and covered in tattoos. I'm fed up with unwashed hair and spotty complexions."

"The women seem very confident. The girls can be outrageous, rushing at you while waving a chunk of fast-food, squealing inanely, and lots of them have lesbian haircuts and they don't do cleavage. But however high-spirited, it all takes place somehow in slow motion."

Seeing as he's pushing 60, I'm not surprised that he wasn't buried in panties thrown by young, straight NZ women. What attractive young girl anywhere would bother to give a fossilized, corrosively pessimistic hipster a second glance?

His prose suggests that is personality has been an effective contraceptive throughout his life, and the fact that his book retails for a measly $30 suggests that he was unable to afford quality commercial relief either.

I would suggest writing off the rest as the rantings of a sexually frustrated old fart.

again  - attacking the author/authors country proves nothing.

Both of you have actually agreed with the author in your posts - admitting he has it at least partly right.

We
kiwis are just too precious about any criticisms...we get 'godzone' and
'clean, green' rammed down our throats from as soon as we are born we
don't know any other way to react.

If the English rugby team is anything to go on, they more than win the ugly stakes! What is it with British people and bad teeth and ruddy noses? Don't they have good dentistry over there? They often look positively medieval! I put it down to centuries of syphilitic miasms.

England's big cities are so OLD and over-used - dirty, smoggy, crowded not to mention teeming with mad muslims and people who utterly munt the English language... think Coro Street and Northerners.

NZ is a slice of paradise all its own (though I tend to agree with him about the bogan tattoo-bearing species all over the place)... and we are a bit isolated.

Apart from that and our revolting Prime Minister, this is a gorgeous little country! It has a creative, New World feel which I put down to being young, clean and fresh.

As for Lakes, Peaks and Dales, we have that a'plenty! Plus, our cities are clean (all 3 of them!) our beaches are pure - and there are so many within a short drive that they're never over-crowded.

Hi Mojo (Brent), welcome to SOLO.

I agree that there are many great things about Britain -its history, villages, rolling hills, etc. But I simply don't think that someone should bash NZ and NZers for being fat and ugly, while not addressing such issues in his own country. To be fair, NZers do do a fair bit of that (for instance, calling GWB a dictator whilst not pending to the increasing power of the Labour govt).

"Socialism may be dead, but its corpse is still rotting up the place." -Ayn Rand

Callum - I work with your father and he sent me this link.

First of all Britain is a beautiful country - anyone who has been to the Lake District, Peak District, Yorkshire Dales etc will attest to that.

But I don't think attacking the author or his home country is the right thing to do - attacking his argument is more worthwhile.

NZers are fat ( not uncommon in the OECD), our cities are bland and ugly and our wine is only any good in a couple of varieties.....but there are many good points about NZ - how has the author addressed these?