After four years in Australia, two and a half years in the UK and two years in the Basque Country, it is time to return to New Zealand. It is very hard to leave, so I've made a list:

• People will (usually) understand what I'm saying
• I can have a veggie garden and it is unlikely that someone will steal my rosemary
• There is a lot less bureaucracy and the tax system doesn't scare the bejeesus out of me
• I don't enjoy listening to my neighbours pee, tunelessly whistle, or play really bad Europop
• There is easy access to wilderness and you won't find any paper factories there
• You can wild camp and have campfires (within reason. Probably not in downtown Christchurch, though these days, who knows?)
• You can have a charcoal barbeque without people threatening to call the police (this happened to me last night. Oops.)
• Decent coffee is everywhere except for in the wilderness and then, who cares?
• You can cook with ingredients that are more exotic than garlic, parsley and paprika
• South Islanders' idea of a traffic jam is hilarious. Try being held up for hours (THIS was why we chose not to live in the south east of England)
• This means you can travel whenever you like. Even on public holidays. In the summer. Without having to get up before dawn

This is an excerpt from my Illustrated Epistle, which goes out in the middle of the month. It is a behind-the-scenes look at the life of a cartoonist (specifically, mine). You can sign up here (and unsubscribe if you don't like it, or even if you do, though that would be a bit daft, as how many emails do you get that you actually enjoy reading?): http://eepurl.com/cCOOeD