What a great post and lovely photographs! I loved reading about your love for New Zealand, and I understand your feelings. I'm home in Scotland at the moment and loving visiting family and all my childhood haunts. I too appreciate things here a lot more now than I did when I left!
Thank you very much! It's amazing how our views can change as soon as we experience something different!
I thought the same as you did when I was younger - boring place with nothing to do! But now I appreciate all the hiking trails, clifftop walks, mountains, waterfalls, castles etc. etc.!