Levin la vida loca*

*the crazy life

LEVIN

Motor racing at Levin ended in the mid-70s and unfortunately I never got the chance to get there during that period. On a trip to Wellington in January 2008 with Graham McRae, I suggested to the master of the small kidney-shaped circuit that we drop in for old times’ sake. As there wasn’t much left of the old track he wasn’t the slightest bit interested and so when the invitation was extended to speak at the dinner to celebrate Levin’s contribution to world motor racing, and two local heroes Ron Frost and Bryan Faloon, we jumped at the chance. Held on 8 January, half a century on from the tragic day Faloon was killed at Pukekohe, the organisers left no stone unturned. Unquestionably it was an event worth travelling most of the length of the North Island to attend.

Because we were overdue to visit Taranaki’s largest population base, we went via New Plymouth. It is no surprise it has recently been named as the planet’s most liveable city for a population between 75,000 and 150,000 — what a gem. For boutique accommodation, I doubt you’ll find better than the Nice Hotel anywhere in the