AMERICAN COUPLE REVISIT N.Z. AFTER 35 YEARS

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28920, 13 June 1959, Page 2

AMERICAN COUPLE REVISIT N.Z. AFTER 35 YEARS

Mrs A. R. Thomson, of Burlingame, California, who returned to New Zealand recently after an absence of 35 years, said yesterday that she found the country far more beautiful than she remembered. “This is my first visit to Christchurch,” said Mrs Thomson, “and I think it is one of the loveliest cities I have seen.” Mrs Thomson was born in Chicago, but was educated in Wellington, where met her husband. He moved to America in 1922, and she followed two years yater. They were married soon afterwards in San Francisco. They have two daughters, one of whom is flying out next month to join her parents on a sight-seeing tour of New. Zealand. Coming from a highly mechanised area, where everyone travels by car or by bus, Mrs Thomson was interested by all the bicycles in Christchurch. “At home, a bicycle is a rarity,” she said. But it was the prams hooked on the front of buses which caught her fancy. “I think that's the cutest thing I’ve ever seen,” she said. “Women don’t use baby buggies in California.” Leg of Lamb Costs £1 15s 6d Mrs Thomson remarked on the price of meat in New Zealand. “I have seen a side of lamb for 23s 6d here,” she said. “My husband was so curious that he went into the shop to inquire if that price included everything—and it did. In California a leg of lamb costs five dollars (about £1 15s 6d) but I have seen it for 8s 6d in Christchurch. I sent my butcher a postcard asking him if he could do better than that.

“I am surprised that New Zealand women don’t use more spices,” said Mrs Thomson. “American women generally used spices such as rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves when cooking meat, and cinnamon in apple pies.”

Mrs Thomson said that she missed salads with avocados, the large California artichokes, canteloupe melons and real American coffee. As she had left the California sunshine behind, she also missed “warm weather.” Reminded of California New Zealand reminded Mrs Thomson and her husband of California in many ways. The people had something of the same easygoing nature, she said. The view of Christchurch from Cashmere Hills was reminiscent of Los Angeles seen from Beverly Hills, even to the wisp of smog, and the area round Diamond Harbour and Quail Island reminded them both of San Francisco Bay. “The people in Christchurch are

very gracious and go out Of their way to help visitors,” said Mrs Thomson. “You have many beautiful buildings, but there are very few leaflets available describing them to the tourist. So while my husband has been taking pictures, I have asked passers-by for information. Almost every time, no matter how busy they were, they stopped and described it all to me.” Travel Plans * Now that her husband has retired, Mrs Thomson hopes to be able to travel frequently. Next year she plans to visit Scotland, where her husband was born. Already, however, she has travelled more than most people, having visited, South Africa, Mexico, Australia, Canada, Hawaii, and Tahiti. While in the South Island she and her husband plan fly to Dunedin, visit Lake Wanaka and Milford Sound, then fly over the Southern Alps and the glaciers back to Christchurch. Both Mr and Mrs Thomsoh like New Zealand so much that they say if they could, they would choose to live six months of the year in California and six in New Zealand.