The point of departure was Michigan, USA, then it was onto Los Angeles. After virtually all day in a cramped plane Bruce and I would have been happy to collapse into bed … but that was out of the question. At precisely 15 minutes before midnight we were in the air again, this time heading for the “City of Sails” -- Auckland, New Zealand. Auckland is the largest city in NZ and it’s also my old stomping ground. It’s where I created my first art studio, had my first art exhibition and plenty of other firsts before that.
Fifteen hours later we entered Godzone. One of the first indicators you have arrived in this revered zone is when you walk outside the airport terminal and realize you can not SEE what you are breathing. It’s safe to take long depth breaths, despite being in a large city. My Mum, Melva Collins was there at the airport to meet us of course.
Auckland sprawls out over an isthmus, which is a narrow piece of land surrounded by water, lots of water. This is the view from my Mum’s house in Western Auckland. You can see two of the most famous landmarks of Auckland in this shot, the Auckland Harbour Bridge and Rangitoto Island, once an active volcano but now extinct. The funny thing is that no matter where you are in Auckland, Rangitoto always looks the same. That’s because it is shaped like a flat round pancake with a little peak in the middle, the point of volcanic eruption many moons ago.
Well, I have to say, it’s great to be back in New Zealand – a land of endless inspiration for an artist...
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