Kiwi thoughts on life, travel, politics & everything else!

Life in upper Cuba St

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:41:07 PST

Bubbles are always fun! Thought a very house-proud neighbor had moved in! When I come home I find the veranda had been painted.

Message for Lauris Edmond

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 21:11:11 PST

Message for Lauris ( Lauris Edmond) Umbrella up, zigzag down Grass Street, what happened to the letterbox? Nasturtiums, bamboo, ti kouka, flourish beside signs:No nukes. No GE.And no mailbox. Wooden planks hang on long ropes for local swingers, but where’s your letterbox? Hungry mouth received rejections, accolades,acceptances, the letterbox gone, like you I miss its painted pens, plumes,

Summer sun in Wellington

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:18:55 PST

Check out Boxing Day in Wellington New Zealand: see pics here

Tape Art artists in Wellington, New Zealand,

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:58:38 PST

These local artists have created some 250 murals around the world .. here they were playing in their own backyard, on the wall of our national museum Te Papa, during a recent Wellington festival. You have to be quick to see their art as they last only 24 hours. See more about them on their webpage

Visit New Zealand in Auckland Zoo!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:51:05 PST

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Great traffic slogans in India

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 19:49:48 PST

Loved the road signs in India .. this was a visual notice to either pedestrians or train drivers Mobile off - Seat-belt on Destination or death – the choice is yours Drink and drive – you will not survive

Pukeko wins 2011 "bird of the year" in New Zealand

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 18:23:25 PST

Pukeko wins 2011 "bird of the year" in New Zealand

Long banned book found - And now what?

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 20:03:44 PST

A book that was banned in the 1970s has been seized from a book shop in Wellington this week - read more. And, see what I've written about Courage Day and censorship New Zealand Pen said .... NZ PEN appalled at book seizure in Wellington The NZ PEN Centre was disturbed to learn of the seizure of Bloody Mama from a Wellington bookshop earlier this week. The book was banned in 1971 by the

Advice to aspiring writers: Anne McCaffrey

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:25:40 PST

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Funky views on, & around, Cuba Street, Wellington

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 20:28:07 PST

Just some things that caught my eye Saturday 19th October 2011

Christchurch updates -visitor centre, mall, and free wifi

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 18:51:56 PST

And of course the container mall is open in Cashel Mall .. with FREE WI_FI read more here I have just been sent this information from the city of my birth! "After eight months in temporary premises Christchurch’s i-SITE Visitor Centre now has a specially-designed portable home beside Canterbury Museum on Rolleston Avenue. “It’s an ideal spot for the visitor centre because it is in an area

Butchart Gardens: BC Canada

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 22:03:40 PST

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Lonely Planet top ten regions includes NZ and Borneo

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 22:09:01 PST

Here are Lonely Planet’s picks of the regions to put on your map from Best in Travel 2012. Chosen by a panel of Lonely Planet experts, they’ve been written up by Lonely Planet authors to give you that most contagious of ailments: the travel bug.1. Coastal Wales2. La Ruta Maya, Central America3. Northern Kenya4. Arunachal Pradesh, India5. Hvar, Croatia6. Sicily7. Maritime Provinces, Canada8.

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 21:17:43 PDT

Wellington - New Zealands capital city:Lonely Planet called it the coolest little capital in the world. Population under 200,000

New Zealand and the Rugby World Cup

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:24:33 PDT

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No more jazz in catherdral ... but jazz in the park

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:18:18 PDT

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Tui sings and NZ is in the RWC finals

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 11:22:20 PDT

Like most kiwi, this tui ( a native NZ bird) sings for the All Blacks New Zealand plays France for this cup next weekend - the Webb Ellis Cup, in the Rugby World Cup

Tonga beat the French: Rugby World Cup NZ 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 22:15:42 PDT

Tonga beat the French in the Rugby World Cup (RWC) NZ 2011 yesterday - here are some highlights from day - players and fans! French captain interviewed after their 19-14 loss un baggette French fans fold up their flag pre-game challenge photographers line up Jubilant Tongan captain go hard Tonga Tongan haka at start of game Very happy players A

Random acts of kindness ... do something get something!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 21:38:37 PDT

Random acts of kindness: do something get something! Check out the Act of Kindness facebook page New artwork and project combined in "The Workshop Picture Framing" shop (NOTE: currently 241 Cuba St Wellington BUT shifting to 276 Willis St mid-November 2012) Swap an act of kindness and pick an artwork for yourself .. leave a note explaining what you did in it's place The photographer who

Another great spring day in Wellington, New Zealand

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 16:40:29 PDT

As it's another great spring day in Wellington, I thought I'd post a daffodil - from on my balcony - to you all! See my tub of herbs behind it too PS: please note I have a new blog too "My inner city garden" - the garden is about a 10 min walk from my apartment, up through Central Park, across the road and up to Tarena Park.

Hail and new city street art in Wellington

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 19:31:48 PDT

Woke yesterday to find new street art across the road ... where the garden shop used to be. Took some photos to add to my collection of street art, and now look at it with an unexpected (to me) hail and thunder storm.

KiwiTravelWriter arrested!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:25:18 PDT

Have a peep into my 30-year-old photo album .... protesting against apartheid in 1981

How to pick the best team to follow during the rugby world cup!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:44:03 PDT

How to pick the best team to follow: If you don't have a particular local team to follow during the world cup colours are a great way to choose one. So, find the team whose colours suit YOU best and become their fan. If black makes YOU look cute, follow the All Blacks. If green and gold are your favourite colours well it's the Australian team for you as that's their sporting strip. There are

"The icing on the quake" they called it - now the snow is back!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 19:37:26 PDT

Check out the photos I posted this morning .. but as the day continues it's not so nice to go out walking in the slush!

Quake socks ... will they help?

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Hapeta - downunder in New Zealand.) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 22:10:25 PDT

Wearing my Rural Women quake sox to Christchurch on Monday ... will they ward off quakes or just keep me warm? They are merino wool so guess it's only the warmth factor I can rely on with the snow that's forcast! I was in Christchurch for the biggest, and first, quake but which the least damage - funny how nature is! I'm travelling via the Interislander ferry, then TranzScenic rail, and