Brackets and Backpacks!

There has been an incredible furore in our little town over the past couple of months - the name of the town has been Wanganui for absolute EVER, but just recently, it has been claimed that the name was incorrectly spelled in the original documents and the town should actually be spelled the same as the river which runs through it, namely Whanganui.
Now, you might say, what is the issue - the issue is that the town is fiercely divided and there have been intense discussions and accusations of racism and favouritism and lack of respect for the Maori culture and traditions ad nauseum! Other folks feel that the cost of changing the name is unjustifiable and adding an 'h' is beyond what is reasonable - all the signs, maps,letterheads for everyone etc etc etc etc!
At the end of the day, what has transpired is that you can do whatever you like! Yes, you read correctly - if you want to spell the name Whanganui, you do that - if you prefer Wanganui - then that's what you do! As a result, some folks, fed up with the nonsensical and absurd side of the whole argument have opted for spelling our town's name W(h)anganui!
When we saw this café at O.R. Tambo airport, we felt that we should take a picture of the name since we are becoming accustomed to titles containing brackets!

And after we had spent the time in South Africa for the wedding, there was the little matter of Pierre's guitar to get back to New Zealand for him. Since he has been using one of our guitars for a few months, we thought it would be great if he could use his own for a change. Naturally, easier said than done, but here you see me with handbag, hand luggage and guitar - all ready for the security guards positioned at every entrance and exit to want to unpack and search.

The guitar also had a 'favourite warm imported jacket' in the case - fuelling ideas of contraband! Eventually, after many discussions about whether to load the said guitar into the overhead lockers on each plane we travelled on, or whether it would be better to house it somewhere up front near the pilots, we finally handed the instrument over to it's happy rightful owner!

Dis al!