Day 79 - Football fields with great views

If you could play football on a pitch with views like this, why wouldn't you?

Day 79 - Rialto cinemas

The best art cinema chain in New Zealand and a haven for pretentious film snobs like me who'd rather see something in Croatian than a Hollywood action movie...

Day 78 - Street art

No one likes criminally motivated graffiti, but there are a significant number of seemingly authorised works of street art in Auckland that demand recognition.

Day 76 - Oranges and lemons

Citrus fruits grow well in New Zealand and we're lucky enough to have some blooming orange and lemon trees in garden. Handy if you have a craving for a fresh juice or lemon tea.

Day 75 - Lots and lots of rainbows

The locals look at me and my fellow ex-pats a bit strangely when we exclaim joyfully at the sight of a rainbow. That's because, further to my last post, the highly changeable weather means rainbows are extremely common in New Zealand, whereas back home you might only see one a handful of times a year. Suffice to say, they make me fondly recall the Wizard of Oz.

Day 74 - Sunlight after a rainstorm

Auckland is known for its 'four seasons in a day' schizophrenic weather, and while it can play havoc with your weekend plans, those moments when the sun suddenly bursts through after a heavy deluge are always magical.

Day 73 - Wood for winter fires

It's the time of year when everyone starts stocking up on their firewood supplies to feed their Rayman's and pot-bellied stoves ahead of the winter chill. While I'm still struggling to adapt to the lack of domestic central heating over here, I do think there's something magical about this more old-fashioned method of keeping warm.