Travelling’s easier when people go out of their way to help. Three incidents during my latest travels in the United States have reaffirmed my faith in the essential decency of human beings. I was travelling from Memphis to Nashville by Greyhound bus. I duly arrived at the terminal, handed over my suitcase to the loader and got on the bus with a shoulder bag and a laptop … [Read more...] about Kindness of strangers
General
Waiting for a train
It's an old, red-brick building in less than well-cared-for condition; with a cavernous hall that used to be full of people when people went most places by train or bus, and a barbershop that has a sign on the street saying open, but the shop itself is very firmly closed. A gift shop is selling to nobody although the Cold Beer sign is prominent. It is 10am on an already … [Read more...] about Waiting for a train
Experience trumps expectation
Experience, it is said, is a great teacher. Given these four experiences I could have coped with ignorance. My wife and I set out from Wellington to New York – a long-planned trip. That was the easy bit. Here are four expectations we made, make that I made, that were not met. One: If it’s OK internationally, it’s OK domestically. I bought a couple of little bottles of … [Read more...] about Experience trumps expectation
Abby’s tale
When I first saw her she was huddled in a near tearful conversation with another young woman of about her age, seeking comfort, information and reassurance, but clearly getting none of those. The first girl – I’ll call her Abby, although throughout our brief encounter I never knew her name – was clearly distressed about something. The second was listening politely in that … [Read more...] about Abby’s tale
Marijuana: a legal, policy and administrative proble
Back in 1970s New Zealand, idealistic young reformers saw marijuana as a wonderful recreational drug which enhanced other experiences like eating, drinking, sex, music, images and the enjoyment of nature. They campaigned for its legalisation, and in the utopian state they envisaged, big tobacco companies were the enemy and wouldn’t be allowed to sell marijuana. The friendly … [Read more...] about Marijuana: a legal, policy and administrative proble
The Treaty of Waitangi and the 1835 Declaration of Independence
With Waitangi Day on 6 February, some attention will focus on the status and relevance of the Treaty of Waitangi in modern times, and on whether it is the founding document of our country. Some claim that the 1835 Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand is a better model for relations between Māori and other New Zealanders. John Bishop uncovered some … [Read more...] about The Treaty of Waitangi and the 1835 Declaration of Independence