Hi Galen, I just read this blog post of yours, and really enjoyed it.
"You'd have to be an Aussie or a Kiwi to understand the dynamic."
Gimme back our pavlova and Phar Lap, and you can keep Russell Crowe. Deal?
Yep, I'm a Kiwi, living in West Auckland. I haven't travelled much, but I did spend some time in Te Waipounamu (the South Island) in the past. It sure is lovely there, very tranquil. I particularly enjoyed the wide, meandering river beds, like the Waimakariri River.