A special place in a special situation. Priestley’s closing words appropriately sum up his feelings and conclusions on what he found in New Zealand during his six week visit to that place ” too far away” and with such ”dull, dour people”.

This delightful book reads more like a series of letters from good friends that one had persuaded to visit New Zealand – something I urge on anyone still willing to tolerate and endure the arrogance and indifference of modern air travel. Priestly visited in 1973 and expressed several fears for the future of this “eden” he and his wife (Archeologist and author Jacquetta Hawkes) explored, and fearing similar erosion of my own charmed memories of both the islands, of Te Kuiti, Chateau and the people I undertook a little research.

The 2006 census offered:- Half the USA birthing-death rate, 60% European (20% indigenous peoples) of a 4 million population, and despite its founders reputation more than 40% cite disbelief in any religion, a life expectancy of 80, literacy of 99%, just 9% for the cost of a total health care system and a meager 1% spending on military. Despite a climb in urbanization there was minimal, significant increase in the type of violent crime we read of (or even personally experience) on a daily basis – there is, it seems, still room to breathe and live a reasonable and companionable family life there.

J.B. was no empire champion, not of that vanishing breed of Englishman with a ‘gun boats and dear-queen’ type voice. In fact as any reader of his books on travel, history and theatre would know he was rather radical with a “fairly marked” north-country accent. In fact Betjeman teased that he was best known as “Eeeh Ba Gum Priestley”, not J B! Accordingly he met only friendly, charming and enlivened people in his trip and was convinced that the “Kiwis’ were far from dull – and the country stupendous.

“Too far away” – but with mountains with ski-slopes, beaches, lakes, volcanoes and breathtaking scenes to ‘paint’, and no snakes, ‘mozzies’, gators or bugs that bite.

A special place.