One benefit of being back in Sydney is that I can get over to New Zealand much more easily. I took advantage of this and went to Auckland for Alan's birthday — just a long weekend but I had a lovely time.

The national flower of New Zealand is the kowhai, which blossoms in September and October. All of my visits to New Zealand in recent times have been in January or March so it was a long time since I'd seen a kowhai in full bloom. Alan knew of a conveniently-located a tree in Grey Lynn and we stopped for a photo session — probably raising the suspicions of the neighbours who wondered what why we were taking an interest in that particular tree.