Ewen and Gail have been welcoming, generous and wonderfully thoughtful in sharing their Christmas with us. Gail’s parents, brother and his partner arrived for lunch and all were exceptionally welcoming to allow two strangers into their midst at this time of year, and especially ones who are vegetarian. Gail’s parents are a charming, educated, easy-going couple who were delighted with the books Ewen had chosen for them. Bruce, Gail’s brother, is a philosophical, political and engaging guy whose partner Robert had the chore of staying sober to do the driving. Nonetheless, his dour demeanour may be the result of illness, but that cannot excuse the ill-assorted striped plaids, shorts, socks and loafers he had assembled for his festive garb. Because NZ is so small, everyone has a chance to be ‘the’ something other than ‘a’. They all loved politics and given their press interest in UK politics, knew as much as we do! All are able to namedrop, and indeed of Ewen’s neighbours, one was the lead fiddle in the NZ Philharmonic, one is an ex-minister of education, another a part-time ministerial adviser…..etc. Everyone is/was/ or is directly related to a TV newsreader, politician in the news, prominent business figure or recognised in the arts/culture. So we passed a pleasant afternoon comparing notes, then going for a walk round the Marina to blow away the cobwebs before a meze supper and a further nightcap.