Nostalgia sets in early

I made this comic last year for the Metro Best of Auckland issue. I approached this task with some ambivalence – my novel was up for the best-of lists and I was already bracing myself for the scores of omissions. And no, it didn’t make it onto the Metro best books list. But I set about collating my favourite things about Auckland all the same – scrumping free fruit, seeing the steam punks at MOTAT, watching the black swans fight and sing like oboes. And – of course – taking the ferry to Devonport, which always makes me feel like I’m off to Melbourne.

Anyway, to explain the title of this blog post, my husband has been offered a job in Wellington (he hasn’t got the paperwork yet, I’m probably jinxing him) and it looks like we may be leaving Auckland at the end of the year. I’m going to be sad leaving, and the endless summer is not making it any easier. I will miss the multiculturalism and the amazing beaches. I will miss all my friends I’ve made, and the growing sense that this is an international city. I will miss the electric trains that have been promising to come ever since we arrived almost 7 years ago. Of course Wellington is a great city and I loved living there in the past, particularly before I had children and I could go to all the bars and bands and restaurants…I’ve got lovely friends there…you can’t beat it on a good day… but… but…

The best is yet to come, right?