Wanganui

I lived here for a huge portion of my life – its one of those places which is quiet contemplative and beautiful . But it also has an edge with poltical , social and cultural issues . My love for the city revolves around the people , namely the many artists who reside here making it a thrivng center for New Zealand art especially in the area of glass arts where creations are amongst the worlds best .

I have to be fair though… the city (more like small town) is probably one of the least attractive ones you’ll come across, but the boarding school I was studying at is one of the oldest and most beautiful ones in NZ. Also the surrounding area is extremely pictureque. I’ve had the honor to visit ranches and homestead as well as visit the black sand beaches in the area. I love going where few have been, and I loved the places I got to see. Geography fields trips couldn’t be more interesting. The city sits on a major fault line though, but nobody really seems worried. I myself have encountered a lower-medium intensity earthquake while I was there.

Wanganui is a pretty little city with an amazing river. It has the only earthbound elevator in the Southern Hemisphere (inside Durie Hill!) Also a good place for the kids is Kowhai Park on the edge of the Wanganui River. There are some great river activities further upstream, but in the town itself the riverboat is about it.
Be warned, the people are crazy! Some in a great way and some in a crazy way. But they make great friends.