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.

Motueka.

I remember Motueka from when I was growing up. I went to the Abel Tasman Education Centre in Riwaka, just outside of Motueka. I remember the bus stop from 1999, when I traveled over there between March and mid-June.

"Motu" means island and "eka" means bird. I also remember the information centre. Motueka brings back old memories of my youth, and the region has truly grown since then.

The E-Buses.

I think the e-buses are awesome; they pass my house between 7:30 am and 7:30 pm. I get on them to go to places like the Mad Butcher, where the meat is better priced than at the supermarkets. There is a bus stop right outside the Mad Butcher on Songer Street in Stoke, which is a suburb in Nelson.

It only costs one dollar to get from my place to Stoke and back. More people are using public transport now because petrol is four dollars a litre, thanks to Donald Trump’s illegal war with Iran. 

My Favourite Beatle Songs and Why.

My Top 5 Favorites

1. Twist and Shout I love this because it's from the early days of the Beatles, released in 1963. I have always liked it since I first heard it in 1992.
2. The Long and Winding Road It is a sad song from the final days of the Beatles when their days were numbered. It was released in 1970.
3. Maxwell's Silver Hammer Sung by Paul, this is part of the Abbey Road album, which I really like.
4. Norwegian Wood From the album Rubber Soul (released in 1965), I particularly like the unique instrument used in it.
5. A Hard Day's Night I chose this because I really enjoyed the movie, which was released in 1964.

Donald Trump.

I think Donald Trump’s war with Iran is bad for the world; I believe it is as bad as, if not worse than, COVID-19. I think he started this war to stop the release of files regarding his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

Donald Trump should be put on trial as a war criminal for his attacks on Iran, along with the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. I remember Netanyahu was first elected Prime Minister in 1996, and I believe as soon as he is no longer in power, he will face war crimes charges.

Dave Rennie.

I am pleased that Dave Rennie is the new All Blacks coach. I didn’t think Scott Robertson was up to the All Black coaching job; I thought he picked too many players he simply liked. While I know that is a tempting thing to do—much like in my own NRL Fantasy coaching—it isn't the right approach.

I play NRL Fantasy online, and after six rounds of the competition, I am currently ranked 188th out of 150,000 players across New Zealand and Australia. With Dave Rennie taking over, I reckon Ardie Savea will be captain, and some of "Razor’s" favorites will likely be dropped. Simon Parker comes to mind.

I don’t watch enough rugby to have a clear idea of who all the new All Blacks will be in 2026, but I have read that Caleb Tangitau from the Highlanders could be selected for the first time this year. Good luck, Dave Rennie! I will be sure to watch some of the All Black tests throughout the year.

Harvey.

On April 1st, a black lab named Harvey came to stay at my house. I have known him since he was a puppy way back in 2016. He comes up from Christchurch every now and then. He loves staying at my house, and my mum is a big fan of his now that he is older and wiser.

He loves my mum's cooking; he even had some crusts from her cheese and tomato toasties, as well as some quiche. Mum and I are looking forward to having him back in Nelson, where he might stay from Sunday to Friday next time.

I know Harvey is coming back later in the year. He loves sitting on the couch, so we have a plan for next time: Harvey will sleep in the lounge rather than on my bed. When he needs to go to the toilet, he is always on a lead, and we keep him safely inside while he is staying at our place.

J.B. Pritzker.

On March 30th, I received a nice surprise in the mail from Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, who is a Democrat. I had sent the Governor a letter earlier in the year. In his reply, he thanked me for reaching out and mentioned that Donald Trump dislikes him because he is a Democrat and has tried to send in the National Guard. I think Governor Pritzker could be a Democratic presidential candidate in 2028.

I think it is quite sad that the Pakistan Super League is playing behind closed doors like during the COVID-19 days. This is because of the terrorism risk in Pakistan and the conflict with neighbouring Afghanistan. There are no players from India and Afghanistan. I have also noticed that foreign players are withdrawing for either personal reasons or to get Indian Premier League contracts. They are playing in only two cities in Pakistan: Karachi and Lahore.

The Covid Report.

I think the COVID report by this government is nothing but a witch hunt. Winston Peters sucks up to anti-vaccine people, and in my opinion, this is nothing more than political point-scoring because I think everything this government touches turns to crap. I think the last government did a good job of handling COVID, which was a once-in-a-hundred-year pandemic. Christopher Luxon couldn't handle a COVID crisis.

The National Government.

I think this National-led Government is the most unpopular government ever in New Zealand. It has got rid of pay equity for women. It wants to suck up to the worst president ever, Donald Trump, who has started a war with Iran illegally, in my opinion. They are more interested in building roads than upgrading hospitals and schools, which is totally wrong. Luxon is a terrible Prime Minister, and hopefully, we get a change of government in November.

The Dolphins.

On February 24th, I received a nice surprise in the mail from the courier. It was a poster of the NRL Redcliffe Dolphins. It had a couple of signatures from the players, which Mum and I thought was cool. My favourite Dolphin is Herbie Farnworth, who plays for Great Britain. The Dolphins are my new favourite NRL side, along with the Wests Tigers, the Warriors, and the Canterbury Bulldogs. 

The Botanics.

The Botanics is where the Centre of New Zealand is located, and it is also where the first rugby union match was played in the 19th century. It is a nice place to walk around, and walking up to the Centre of New Zealand gives you a good view of Nelson. It is very popular with tourists. It takes about 25 minutes to get to the top, but if you walk slowly, it will take you longer.

Meeting Damien.

On Friday, February 27th, I met Labour List MP, the Honourable Damien O'Connor, former West Coast-Tasman MP. Damien now lives in Otago and is running in a National Party safe seat called Waitaki, which is in Central Otago, against sitting MP Miles Anderson. I think National will win despite the tide going out on them. I have met him a number of times over the years, and he enjoys getting my letters. He was the Minister of Agriculture in the last Labour Government. He is a nice person and very approachable.

New Shoes.

I got my first pair of good shoes for the year. It was a pair of Asics, making it my third pair of shoes overall. They were down in price from $129 to $89, so I believe they should last a long time. I am still currently wearing the Adidas shoes that I bought in October of last year. I always buy my shoes from Rebel Sport, and I always buy them when they are on sale.

My Grandparents Place.

I have wonderful memories of this house. It's so close to town, and I remember playing soccer and cricket on the grass when I was seven and eight years old. It is where my father was brought up alongside his brothers and sister. Out the back, there used to be a vegetable garden and a grapevine. Built in 1934, the house is located in one of the most expensive parts of town, right near the Rutherford
Hotel—the tallest building in Nelson.

Jacinda Ardern.

In my opinion, New Zealand was incredibly lucky to have Jacinda Ardern during the COVID-19 pandemic. She handled the situation very well, especially when compared to Donald Trump in America. II will see the COVID-19 inquiry released by this terrible government, and I am sure it will have some nasty things to say about the previous administration. I met Jacinda a total of five times—the most I have ever met any Prime Minister. I think she was wonderful.

Founders Park.

Founders Park is a lovely historic park showcasing a lot of Nelson's history. It even features a train station, something Nelson hasn't had since the late 1950s. We are one of the few regions without one; even Blenheim, which is much smaller than Nelson, has a train station. I really enjoy visiting Founders Park. It has a great cafe that serves local beer, and you even get the chance to ride a train.

Alex Wharf.

I am a big fan of international cricket umpire Alex Wharf, who is from England. I was lucky enough to meet Alex in December 2023 when he was in Nelson for the NZ vs. Bangladesh One Day International match at Saxton Oval. He was very down-to-earth and approachable. He is from Yorkshire in England. He joked about going to Pakistan for his sins. Alex Wharf is regarded as one of the best umpires in international cricket. He was promoted to the ICC Elite Umpires in April 2025.