I flew back into New Zealand on Wednesday having taken redundancy from my day-job at The Sydney Morning Herald a week or so earlier. That's why blogging has been light this week. The Girlie got the window seat, of course, but I was still able to see Kaipara Heads and that little windy river that leads north to Helensville, glistening, on the way in. Then we did a slow turn and the entire Hauraki Gulf swept past the window.

It's good to be back after five years away. Very good.

Last night I caught up with my oldest crew for a Christmas nosh-up and to see The Furys at the King's Arms. The band used to be a mainstay of Auckland music in the early 1980s and they are even better now. Last night they were magnificent. Big Dave McLean's voice has grown deeper and stronger and it was already deep and strong way back when. He is a greatly under-rated songsmith as well (samples here). The combo was also the original Furys line-up with the self-effacing Rob Galley on guitar and Simon Elton on bass. A great night out.