What should i get?

Toronto suffers from this notion that it is the center of the country, even though it is about 1000km off to the south-east. It has a city rag that refers to itself as Canada's national newspaper. It refers to those little pepperings of snow that it sometimes gets as blizzards.

;-)

Mike Tommasi, Six Fours, France email link

Yes it does, very much. Thank you for the edification. I had seen the term LCBO used in several posts, and had formed a few ideas - some correct, but most wrong. I appreciate the time that you took to make this all very clear for me.

Hunt

I was when you, Jacquie and "Lipton the Learned" visited; but a wee spot of ill health forced a "reappraisal" and we are now about 30km north of metrop Auckland in a coastal settlement about 1min 33secs walk from the waters edge of the South Pacific.

Why don't you visit sometime?

Don't you just love English place names?

This is actually true - he is the *strange* one, and Africa is a good place for him!!!!

Hundreds of those buggers down here - Croats and Serbs and Dalmatians - they were the true pioneers of the NZ industry - although some of that fortified *plonk* they produced made excellent paint stripper!!!

No, you are correct - my sister [family genealogist] has traced antecedents back to Southern Ireland [de Burgh - Norman conqueror of some note - thence rapists and pillagers nr Limerick] - and being a feisty bunch, itching for a bit of biffo, there has been much [antipodean] ancestral blood spilled during the Boer War, WW1 and WW2 - but I do believe they all came home (although some minus bits of body parts!)

My father, the late Major-General Sir Kenneth Archibald o'Bourke, 9th Earl of Hokianga, batman to the [then] Lord Beaverbrook served in Italy, where he, single handed, attempted to solve the little known Chianti Crisis of '43.

I credit him with sending me down this "vinous road-to-ruin" with a raffia wrapped rough red when I was four!

He was trying to teach me a lesson - however, I loved the stuff, and much to his chagrin, he was forced to share any future openings , while we crowded around the wireless, listening to battles of the rugby kind in far off places at ungodly hours.

Oh, those were the days !!!!!

Ah - presumably the world famous institute for dipsomaniacs....;-)

Where is that relative to Waipukerau (Hawke's Bay)? Had a nanny from there once.....

Never been to NZ but want to come down and visit the Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust one of these years.

Yeah those Dalmatian buggers really whip you with their tails when they aren't chasing fire trucks.

We have a saying - "World Famous in New Zealand" !

Six hours drive south and east of Auckland City: Hawkes Bay = Wine Country !!!!!

"Had" in a biblical sense? "you lucky so-and-so!!"

Hey, pack a few things (including Mrs. Legal Eagle!) Vancouver to Hawaii to Auckland via Air Canada is an easy 15/16 hour jaunt, and allow 7/10 days in NZ so I could take you on a wine and wodo wander!

Pukeiti is an absolutely fascinating place; on the side of a volcano; valleys, streams, and waterfalls; sufficient species and hybrids of rhodos to make your eyes water; native birdlife almost tame - I have been a frequent visitor for nearly twenty years.

Last week in October is Rhododendron Festival week in New Plymouth.

Next year perhaps!

Don't tempt me!

SWMBO would be booking tickets if she heard of this!

Maybe one of these days, though!

I understand that the trout fishery in NZ is second to none. Bi!!