"The British are coming! The British are coming!" *
He must be reading my blog, for what did I happen upon whilst reading through my (free) newspaper at the hotel last weekend: a coupon to order a ticket to a luncheon hosted by Bill Bryson! Yes, he's coming to Auckland, New Zealand, next month to talk about his childhood in Iowa and his latest book, Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid. He'll relate his life growing up in the Midwest to how it led to his becoming a world-traveling, witty, and insightful author.
I mention that he must be reading my blog (which is pure vanity to even think that, so I say it in jest) because a few posts back I wrote about him and how he should come to New Zealand and write a book about this country. He's written them about the UK, the USA, and Australia, so it remains that New Zealand needs a book written about them in his pantheon of novels! I'd quite like to read about experiences he'd have in this country, although to be honest he could spend a fortnight in Antarctica playing on the computer and trying not to freeze to death and I'd read about that.
But the coincidence is there (I wish for him to come to New Zealand, and so he does), so not wanting to ignore this pure act of kismet I have decided to make a serious effort to go listen to Bill Bryson's speech. It's on a Wednesday, which is my day off, but of course it's all the way back up in Auckland so driving up there is right out. Plus, I work late on Tuesday nights, not getting home until nine on many occasions. So my only hope is to fly up there late Tuesday (or even first thing Wednesday morning), hear his talk, then fly back that night and I won't miss a beat at work. I can't take any more time off right now as other vets are gone during that time frame, so that is also not an option. Flights here within New Zealand have just become quite cheap, so much so that they cost less than the cost of petrol to drive up to Auckland and back!
So you can see how I'd be a fool not to try. Or how I'm an utter fool to even try. But if that's the case, then I don't care. I won't have many chances to see Bill Bryson here in New Zealand so I've got to go for it, and perhaps there will be time afterwards where he'll sign a book for you or something. Then I could rib him about writing his next book about travels through New Zealand, and I'd probably only be the hundredth person to say that to him that day!
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*Although born an American (Des Moines, Iowa), Bryson is indeed a limey - er, Brit - now!
I mention that he must be reading my blog (which is pure vanity to even think that, so I say it in jest) because a few posts back I wrote about him and how he should come to New Zealand and write a book about this country. He's written them about the UK, the USA, and Australia, so it remains that New Zealand needs a book written about them in his pantheon of novels! I'd quite like to read about experiences he'd have in this country, although to be honest he could spend a fortnight in Antarctica playing on the computer and trying not to freeze to death and I'd read about that.
But the coincidence is there (I wish for him to come to New Zealand, and so he does), so not wanting to ignore this pure act of kismet I have decided to make a serious effort to go listen to Bill Bryson's speech. It's on a Wednesday, which is my day off, but of course it's all the way back up in Auckland so driving up there is right out. Plus, I work late on Tuesday nights, not getting home until nine on many occasions. So my only hope is to fly up there late Tuesday (or even first thing Wednesday morning), hear his talk, then fly back that night and I won't miss a beat at work. I can't take any more time off right now as other vets are gone during that time frame, so that is also not an option. Flights here within New Zealand have just become quite cheap, so much so that they cost less than the cost of petrol to drive up to Auckland and back!
So you can see how I'd be a fool not to try. Or how I'm an utter fool to even try. But if that's the case, then I don't care. I won't have many chances to see Bill Bryson here in New Zealand so I've got to go for it, and perhaps there will be time afterwards where he'll sign a book for you or something. Then I could rib him about writing his next book about travels through New Zealand, and I'd probably only be the hundredth person to say that to him that day!
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*Although born an American (Des Moines, Iowa), Bryson is indeed a limey - er, Brit - now!
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