ROSS THORBY: AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 WAYS

"This scene is oh so familiar, of my many trips to the land of the Pharaoh, and yet - it’s not.”

It has been two and a half years since we were plunged into this pandemic. But now we are finally able to emerge from the safety of our cocoon, cautiously peering around the opening doors of our internment to tentatively step across the threshold to rediscover everything that used to be so familiar. Slowly Roscoe - just baby steps first.

As New Zealanders, we were known for our wanderlust and this confinement has been difficult for many of us. Never before has our national flightless bird symbol been so appropriate. The more adventurous of us are now stepping over the threshold to rediscover Europe, the Middle East, South America, Africa. For those less adventurous - maybe a tentative trip to Australia or Fiji.

Once again becoming familiar with queues, security guards, immigration officers, bag searches and (horrors) the possibility of a more invasive body search. The longest journey of a thousand miles always begins with the first step and we have to start somewhere.

The first of the cruise ships have begun to return and before we know it we will be welcoming international students and foreign workers and life will begin again - until the next time. So here I am - sitting beside a long colonnaded sandstone and block wall surrounding a sanctuary. Brightly painted columns cast shadows over a shallow reflective pool reflecting the image of a distant blue sky while the mirrored surface is occasionally disturbed by fish flitting about the lotus and papyrus plants just beneath the surface.

At the end of the colonnade sits a temple decorated in the images of a long forgotten Pharaoh and his Queen, making offerings to an also long forgotten God; the colours painted on the hieroglyphs and carvings so bright and colourful, that they could have been painted last week. The flagstones - hot beneath my sandalled feet help create a microclimate that protects the enclosure from beyond the walls; the air here is calm and the atmosphere reflective and tranquil.

Any minute I am expecting a pesky peasant in a dirty white galabeya to jump out from behind a column and try to sell me an “original” fake ushabti figurine, or offer to guide me to some ancient tomb just off the beaten track, behind some dodgy looking building, occupied by equally dodgy looking characters - also in dirty white galabeyas. This scene is oh so familiar, of my many trips to the land of the Pharaoh and yet - it’s not.

I have discovered that we don’t need to leave home to discover the delights of the world or my beloved Egypt. It is in fact, already on our very own doorstep. This is not a garden in paradise, but in the Waikato, not a twenty four hour flight away, but a short trip down the newly opened Waikato expressway.

Car-lotta, the wonder van, had been sadly neglected over the past few months and it was time for a trip around the North Island to blow off the cobwebs, charge up the icebox and further deplete the lagging supply of duty free gin - with the first stop being the Hamilton Gardens.

All through the pandemic, the trust that runs the gardens, has been continuing to work, and in May this year opened their latest opus, the ancient gardens of Egypt.

On this 55 hectare site bordering the Waikato River, you can visit just about every type of garden you can imagine. It’s a tourist attraction that, pre-covid, drew one million visitors a year, and yet a lot of Aucklanders have never heard of Hamilton Gardens, let alone visited them. If they did they would return again and again.

Begun in the early 60s in the city's rubbish dump, they now exhibit twenty eight gardens covering their evolution throughout mankind. And more are planned.

So Egypt is not quite your thing? You can walk around the corner and visit gardens inspired by the Taj Mahal, maybe the Char Bagh - the “Paradise Garden,” its flowers laid out in front of the open pavilion like a beautiful Persian rug, or maybe the Japanese garden of quiet contemplation, then finish with the Italian Renaissance Gardens where, any moment, Romeo and Juliet may expound their undying love from the balcony, or perhaps wander an English flower garden before exploring the castle ruins. All of this is within a 90 minute drive and not an immigration officer with rubber gloves in sight.

PONSY KIDS PRESCHOOL – THE FUN NEVER STOPS!

Tamariki get to experience so many different things while at Ponsy Kids Preschool.

Along with art and crafts, storytime, building blocks and carpentry, the sandpit, climbing boxes and water play, we have extra interactive programming happening throughout the year. One of our regular experiences is Snow Day – real snow is trucked in for the children to play in!

Other events include Music Man Antonio, who comes to sing and play instruments every Thursday, and Coach Kylie, who comes every Friday to teach different sports. We also had some scientists visit to do some experiments with us recently!

We love to celebrate everything that makes Aotearoa special by creating activities for events like the Commonwealth Games, Matariki and the Chinese New Year.

Surprise visits from superheroes are also par for the course…

PONSONBY COMMUNITY CENTRE, 20 Ponsonby Terrace, T: 09 378 1752, www.ponsonbycommunity.org.nz

Sessions available for tamariki aged 2-5yrs!

email admin@ponsykids.org.nz or phone us on 376 0896

A t P o n s y K i d s C o m m n i t y P r e s c h o o l , c h i l d r e n a n d t h e i r f a m i l i e s a r e a t t h e h e a r t o f e v e r y t h i n g w e d o . . .

LOCAL NEWS 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PONSONBY PEOPLE'S UNION

The Ponsonby People’s Union was established in early 1972 at an old shop in the Western Park buildings (since demolished) at 15 Ponsonby Road, says spokesperson Roger Fowler.

The Union ran a food co-op, which soon became very popular, slashing the cost of fruit and veges and some locally sourced grocery items. They offered advice and advocacy on tenancy and civil rights issues (like a CAB), and free bus services for visitors to Paremoremo Prison each Saturday, and Waikeria Prison each month. such as the Polynesian Panthers, ACORD and Ngā Tamatoa to defend civil liberties and against harassment and the Dawn Raids etc. They published 22 editions of the ‘Ponsonby People's Union Community Information Service’ free newspaper. They also ran a child care programme, and many local campaigns for the community. Members of the Food Co-op supported these activities.

The Ponsonby People's Union mobilised the community in support of tenant’s rights, such as halting evictions and fixing substandard housing. They worked closely alongside other organisations The Ponsonby People's Union closed in 1979 with the pending demolition of the block and the trend to gentrification of the area and the migration of families to South Auckland.

LEYS LITTLE LIBRARY NEWS

Tēnā koutou Ponsonby. We are sorry we have been closed or only able to offer an ‘at-thedoor’ library service several times in the last few months.

However, we have some new people joining the team at Leys, so hopefully closing at odd times will become a distant memory. If you are lucky enough to meet our new team members on your next library visit, remember to say ‘Kia ora’ and welcome them to the best suburb in Auckland.

After the fun that was had at Tales by Twilight in July, we here at Leys Library have decided to do it all again. On Friday 9th September at 6pm pop on your pyjamas or onesie and join us for a little Leys special after-dark storytime. There will be stories, music, dancing, bubbles, plus milk and cookies to close the evening. We look forward to seeing you all for a cosy night.

We have a few more sessions of Wriggle and Rhyme this term before we break for the October school holidays. Join us on Wednesdays at 10am or 11am at the Ponsonby Baptist Church Hall (corner of Seymour Street and Jervois Road) for a half-hour session of songs, rhymes, bubbles, and fun. The last session of the term will be on Wednesday 28 September, but we will be back on Wednesday 19 October. Over at Grey Lynn Library this September they have a very special guest. The gorgeous doggo Maggie. Maggie is a qualified outreach therapy pet and all-round good girl. She will be at Grey Lynn Library 3:30-4:30pm on Tuesday 6 and 20 September to listen to children read aloud and help them build some confidence in literacy by providing them with some snuggly judgment free support and comfort.

At Parnell Library on Friday 9 September, we are celebrating the Mooncake Festival. The wonderful team at Parnell are hosting a mooncake-making workshop for adults (children 12 and over also welcome to attend). (CHLOË – Community Library Manager)

To book your place phone 09 377 0209, email parnelllibrary@aklc.govt.nz, or message us on Facebook/ParnellLibrary. Hours: Monday – Friday 9am-6pm, Saturday 9am-4pm.