New Plymouth

November is a month for new places - New Plymouth!

New work gets me out an about a bit more these days, so here are some pictures of New Plymouth. 

I really like this place, having never seen it or touched it before having to go there for work. The locals are friendly, hard-working, and ever so cynical about the beauty of their surroundings, from the black oily coastline with its tumbling surf, shoot-green lowlands, and the spectacular maunga Taranaki - ancestor, adopted name of the region and its people. There's money and dealing done here, mainly in energy and farming. The local beauty is just a side hustle.

The city is also arty - home of the Govett Brewster and rippling-chrome Len Lye galleries, and whalebone/tree fern Te Rewa Rewa Bridge. It's rather photogenic; don't think I've used my camera phone so much in one day

And like smaller places it has quirks. Intriguing second-hand shops, old architecture, and curios. I haven't even mentioned the Bowl of Brookland (because of work I haven't had the time to visit it!)

I will return - soon, of course, for work. But hopefully not too long before I can bring the family.

May the Fork Be With You.

Jet Jr's birthday cake this year, taken in the quiet moments before some unspeakable scenes of disassembly and consumption.
Few Bothans died to bring him this, but there was a lot of blistering language from his parents as they put it together on a very hot day. Cutting Artoo was even more of a logistical exercise than 2010's Dalek cake.