Change of lifestyle

Keelie Hewitt, software developer, dog owner, SPCA volunteer and foster mum. Lives in Waipapa.

The weather and being close to the beaches is really cool. And the lifestyle, it’s so much more relaxed and the people are really friendly.

I’m originally from the UK. We’ve been here for six years. We lived on half an acre in Norwich, England where we used to foster greyhounds. We had about 30 over two years.

We came here for a change of lifestyle, we wanted to do something different and we’d been here for holidays a few times and we liked it.

There’s nothing I don’t like really. The only thing I don’t like - a minor thing - is that I’m a vegetarian and not being able to get vegetarian food and products.

Marty’s Cafe on State Highway 10. We always go to Marty’s every Friday. It’s the best breakfast, they do lots of vegetarian food as well.

Going swimming once a week in the sea at Maturai Bay in summer.

Probably up near Mangonui and Cable Bay and Taipa. We like going there, along the beaches; whenever we get visitors we take them up there.

Try and improve the roads and make more cycleways. We used to do a lot of cycling but we don’t do that up here.

The cars aren’t very respectful of bikes. And create more dog friendly areas. You can’t take dogs many places up here.

Even when they’re on a lead, there’s so many places where it’d be nice to take them but you’re not allowed.

I run and go cycling and swimming....and dog walking.