Letters From New Zealand

30/12/99 Dunedin

We're happy now. The sun has shone, we've seen two movies (one crap, one fun) and eaten cheap sushi outside the home of Dunedin music (the Empire). The Arnie Schwarzenegger film ('End Of Days') is truly atrocious. It's sacrilegious (not that I care: but it was done with so little attention to detail, and so much attention to gore), needlessly messianic (Arnie on a cross, anyone?), disturbing (in its self-seeking pomp) and... well, dire. The Devil returns to earth, and... you've guessed the rest. Still, it's classic Arnie. 'Inspector Gadget' pleased. Matthew Broderick is so naturally dumb, he's the perfect choice as the accident-prone, cartoon-drawn detective. Rupert Everett is a perfect cad as a villain. And that female lead in her purple rubber dress... rrrrrroww!

What else? We stared aghast at the World's Steepest Street Official, and opted not to drive the car up it, the car being a reluctant automatic and everything. We stared aghast at the Millennial toy shop wigs, all the ridiculous streaks of colour. I won a free Chupa-Chup at the cinema.

We're still no closer deciding where to spend the dawn of the new Millennium. Shall we stay in Dunedin, with its promise of slightly flat celebrations (the world's press will be notable by its absence) and chilly dawn fireworks, or shall we return to Moeraki, where the boulders await us and doubtless tens of otherwise disaffected, hardy revellers? Remember: the boulders are a few K away from the campsite.

next installment...