I ♥ New Zealand

All of my life, I have known that New Zealand is a special and magical place, long before Peter Jackson cottoned on to the fact.  My Mum's one, true love, was a New Zealander and they met when he was in the NZ Navy, and stationed at the port of Liverpool.  Ashely was the love of my Mum's life and after marrying, having two daughters and sailing to NZ, my Mum spent a couple of years in that magical land. 

Mum docked in NZ, via a very long sea voyage with two babies, lived for a while on a sheep station with her new family, then moved on to Seafront Road, Castlecliff, Wanganui, before homesickness brought her back to Liverpool were two more daughters followed.  Death stole Ashley at the age of 35 and left Mum with 4 daughters, an iron will, a tough exterior, and numerous sister's-in-law, cousins, nephews, nieces, and all of them, friends and family, for a lifetime, regardless of distance.

Present day and my best friend has relocated to New Zealand.  Coincidence?  No such thing as coincidence.  I love how life twists and turns, the good, the bad, the heart breaking.  It's all part of the journey and while it can bring tears to your eyes all too frequently,  that's the ride. 

I have NZ cousin's, who aren't actually my cousin's, (but no-one mentions that.)  When I joke to a sister that I'm the odd one out, they don't get the joke, I mean that I have a different Father, they just don't see it.  I am the black sheep in the family except the family seems to be colour blind.

NZ will forever, have a very special place in my heart, whether it's because that's where the love of my Mum's life hailed from, or because it houses my quasi cousins or because it's your home of choice, the home of my best friend.  How could I not love NZ?