August 21st, 2021

And Now for Something Completely Different . . . 

We've totally enjoyed our unexpectedly lengthened sojourn in New Zealand, in no small part because of the New Zealanders themselves. Kiwis are hard-working, earnest, warm-hearted, kind. They have a strong sense of community and family, while at the same time possessing an independent, individualist spirit. And one of the more amusing expressions of that individuality, at least that we've found, is one of the most mundane: the post box. In every town we've visited, mailboxes vary widely and wildly in design. Many seem to have been fashioned from found materials or recycled items. While all fulfill their primary function of holding mail, each one seems to in one way or another reflect the personality of the individual or family whose mail it is. Below are just a few examples.