Founders Heritage Park.

I always enjoy visiting Founders Heritage Park. It has a lot of history about Nelson and is free for locals to visit. It has train rides, which are awesome considering Nelson does not have any active railways. I remember Newman's buses from the early 1990s before InterCity came on the scene. Founders also has old fire trucks, which I think are cool.

Tasman v Bay of Plenty

On September 24th, I went to see Tasman play Bay of Plenty at Trafalgar Park. It was a Thursday night and there was a crowd of 3,000, which Mum and I thought wasn't bad for a Thursday night rugby game. The Mako won 45 to 26. I hope the NPC stays, as it is great for regions like Nelson to see top-class rugby, and New Zealand Rugby would be very stupid if they tried to end it. I was lucky enough to meet All Black Emoni Narawa, who played for Bay of Plenty and recently went to South Africa with the All Blacks.

Free Palestine.

Every month, I go to the Free Palestine march at the top of Trafalgar Street. There are always Israel protesters there looking for a fight, and I think the new government's handling of it is piss-poor. They want to suck up to Donald Trump, and I believe that if they are elected in November, they will bring nuclear ships to New Zealand and we will become the 51st state of America, which I think is wrong.

Ayesha Verrall.

I think Ayesha Verrall is a smart cookie in the health sector. Ayesha worked with former Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield during the first covid lockdown in March and April 2020, before entering Parliament in October 2020 alongside our current idiot Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon. Ayesha is running in a new Wellington seat—I am not sure what it is called—but she would make a good health minister after the general election, with current Health Minister Simeon Brown out of his depth, like this government is.

Tasman Mako.

On August 22nd, I went to see Tasman play Southland in the NPC at Trafalgar Park in Nelson. It was a good game, and the Tasman Mako won 46 to 17. The Mako are going to be a hard side to beat, in my opinion, as there are so many Super Rugby players in the Mako team. Although I only watch rugby sometimes, I have always followed the Mako because they are local. While I am not going to see the games in Blenheim this year, I will go and see the Mako's final home game against the Bay of Plenty in September, which is being played in Nelson. The Mako will also play games in Blenheim against Wellington and Auckland.

The Government.

I hope that in this election, the troubles for the current government continue, with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon looking out of his depth. I think the government will continue to be bad for New Zealand; they have borrowed more than the Ardern government did when COVID was a big issue. From ministers I have met in the past, Erica Stanford has no warmth and doesn't understand ordinary people, while Mark Mitchell is okay. This government has been bad for New Zealand, and the National Party is dying, I think, with the ACT Party growing into the new major right-wing party in New Zealand politics. I think ACT leader David Seymour is an idiot and smug. Luxon handled his leadership challenge badly by sacking National's best minister, former Defence Minister Christopher Penk.

Maura Healey.

On August 5th, I got a wonderful surprise in the mail: it was from Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, a Democrat who was first elected in 2022. Governor Healey was born in 1969. I wrote to her in May of this year via snail mail, and her reply was dated July 15th. I know Donald Trump would not be a fan of hers because she is a Democrat. I always write overseas via snail mail because it is a bit more personal, and when I get a reply like this, it is very satisfying.

Mako.

On July 31st, I went to see the Tasman Mako play North Harbour at Trafalgar Park. It was the first game of the season and it marked 20 years since the Mako first started in the NPC, which was originally against North Harbour in Blenheim in July 2006. The Mako are awesome both on and off the field. They have developed All Blacks, Tongan, and Western Samoan rugby internationals, as well as Māori All Blacks and Super Rugby players. I am looking forward to the next home game in Nelson against Southland on August 22nd at 1:05 PM, which will be nice because it is in the afternoon. The Mako won 31 to 29, and I thought it was a good game.

NPC.

I am looking forward to seeing the Tasman Mako play in Nelson this year, with home games in Nelson against North Harbour, Southland, and Bay of Plenty, and games in Blenheim against Wellington and Auckland, which I am not sure I am going to see at this stage. I was lucky enough to have a photo with former player Noah Hotham. I am really looking forward to the NPC because I think it is better than Super Rugby since it is more grassroots, which I like.

Harvey.

Between June 19th and July 10th, I have been looking after my beloved mate Harvey, who has been back in Nelson for a three-week holiday while his owners have been away. Harvey is now based in Christchurch, but he still comes to Nelson every couple of months to visit, which is awesome. I am sad when he leaves, however, there will be a next time and I know it will come around pretty quickly. He stayed a couple of nights at my place and visited during the day; he loved the fire and slept on my bed because he likes routine, just like I do. He has stayed a total of five nights at my place this calendar year. I have known him since he was eight months old, way back in 2016. I look forward to the next time Harvey comes, perhaps later this year. My mum and I love him heaps.

International Cricket.

I am really pleased that Nelson will continue to host international cricket again this summer. Nelson will host the Bangladesh women on December 10 and 12 for two Twenty20 matches, as well as Twenty20 matches against the Sri Lankan men at the end of January. I am looking forward to all of it.

Hurricanes v Chiefs.

On June 20, the Super Rugby final took place between the Hurricanes and the Chiefs at the "Cake Tin" in Wellington—a venue I have visited a number of times over the years. I was pleased the Hurricanes beat the Chiefs from Waikato 60–5. I was hoping for a closer game; I clearly thought the Hurricanes would win, but not by that much. It was disappointing, as it would have been better if it had been a hard-fought win rather than a cakewalk.

Transport Policy.

I believe the Labour Party's transport policy is excellent because it helps average people who are struggling with the cost of living. I think it will reduce congestion and help New Zealand address climate change. I also believe the current government is providing corporate welfare to its wealthy friends, such as the tobacco industry, which I think is wrong.

Palestine.

Every month, I go to the Church Steps for the Free Palestine protests, where there are always Israel supporters hanging around with flags. I think Israel's Prime Minister is wanted by the World Court for war crimes and is a thug, much like U.S. President Donald Trump. I don't like how Christopher Luxon is so aligned with the U.S. and Israel.

Climate Change.

I think this government's priorities are wrong, and they are climate change deniers. We have had so many floods in the Nelson and Tasman area. Christopher Luxon could walk on water and turn water into wine before becoming Prime Minister. The media does not like him. He wants to build more roads, which makes me angry; spending something like $56 billion on "Roads of National Significance" is something I may never see the benefits of in the future. We need fewer diesel and motor vehicles on the road and more electric ones.

Jazz.

I have an Indian bus driver friend named Jazz, who is a Sikh from the Punjab region of Northern India. He is always friendly and down-to-earth. He knows many of my Indian friends around Nelson, such as my friends at Big Barrel, who are also Sikh. I am lucky to know Jazz.

New Phone.

On May 21, I bought a new phone from One NZ (formerly known as Vodafone). It is a Smart Phone 26 that cost about $100. It is an awesome phone, and my mum likes it so much that she is keen on getting one too. I really like that it has YouTube and the internet, and it is fast.

Blenheim.

Blenheim is a growing region located near Nelson, about an hour and a half away by car. The last time I went to Blenheim was in March 2024, when I took a bus ride through to Picton. However, the last time I actually walked around Blenheim was in July 2023, when I walked over the Blenheim Bridge.

The population of Blenheim is about 25,000. It is famous for its wine and has a large number of vineyards. I think it's a pretty place, and the main reason I would want to stay overnight there would be to catch a Tasman Mako game. That said, I always thoroughly enjoy the scenic bus ride over. 

New Shoes.

On May 7, I got some new Adidas shoes from Rebel Sport in Nelson for NZ$69, down from NZ$109. I like buying Adidas shoes because they fit well and last a long time, which is exactly the way it should be. Adidas is my favourite shoe brand, along with New Balance. Mum also liked them and thought they looked very smart.

Hurricanes v Crusaders.

On May 1, I went to Wellington for my yearly trip away from home to see the Hurricanes vs. Crusaders. It was a fantastic game between the two rivals, and I have attended this clash a number of times over the years; I always enjoy it.

I was lucky enough to meet Du’Plessis Kirifi from the Hurricanes, who is an All Black. The next day, I also ran into the Crusaders at the airport, including All Blacks Codie Taylor and Fletcher Newell. There are several Mako players in the Crusaders squad, like Macca Springer and Ethan Blackadder, who were real gentlemen. Ethan is a lovely man and seemed genuinely pleased to see me.

The Hurricanes won 38–31 in what was a great match. For a change of pace, I am planning on going to Christchurch about the same time next year to see the new stadium and watch the Crusaders play.