Kia ora koutou,
I hope you are well and surviving the end of 2020. The year is disappearing so fast – school is finishing soon and Christmas is just around the corner. What do you have planned for your summer holiday, I wonder?
During the last school break, I went on a road trip from Auckland to Wellington with my girls. We had so much fun. We loaded our gear into the boot of the car, put lots of cushions and blankets in the back seat, filled up with diesel, coffee and trip sweets, and made our way south.
We stopped at Kuratau near Lake Taupo to stay with our oldest friends for a few nights in their family bach. We played Monopoly, walked around the lake, went for a soak at the hot pools and had a pie in Turangi. In Wellington, we had fun in Cuba Street and went to the top of Mt Victoria, where we nearly got blown away.
Along the way, I was reminded of other road trips Toitoi contributors had made – we drove the Desert Road and I looked out for Kaimanawa horses, like Stella Weston, and we visited Te Papa and gaped at the colossal squid, like Thomas Dean. We even spent a little bit of time on State Highway Three following a Google maps detour, like Barney Gould.
If you have an adventure – on the road or at home – during the holidays, write it down while it’s fresh in your mind or create an artwork that captures your experience. Think about it carefully, show it to a special friend or family member, and listen carefully to what they have to say. Then, work on it some more and send it to us for Toitoi 24. The deadline is not until April 16, 2021 so there is plenty of time to do something you are really proud of.
In the meantime, I hope you have been enjoying Toitoi 21. It is a special journal, chock-full of awesome stories and art to entertain and inspire you.
Aroha nui,
