"The River City!!" Wanganui by jono84

Wanganui - the sun never seems to go down in this place!

Well, ive been here close to six months now, and these are the first words i have written on my time in New Zealand. Reading what ive just typed is scary - "what have i been doing all this time?" springs to mind...

Well, i have been quite busy actually! I arrived here late last August, leaving the variable warmth of a british summer soon after my graduation, and arriving to the chill of a kiwi winter.

The first thing that struck me about Wanganui is the friendly people.
And the city is full of them! Everyone is very welcoming, and the town centre is very pretty and has a buzz about it.

I was also surprised by just how flat the city appeared, particularly after i saw the sweeping views from the top of the Memorial Tower on Durie Hill... but this was until i visited Palmerston North!!! Then i truly understood what the term "flat" meant. Palmerston North is scenic 40-minute drive south of Wanganui, and is seen mainly as a university city. It is the base for Massey University, and also houses most of the main campus of UCOL, which is where Dani has been studying for the past three years (although on the Wanganui campus).

There is loads to in 'Wangas', besides the good shopping and eateries on offer, there is also plenty of good walks, and the countryside in the Whanganui National Park just around the corner, where you can go to escape the bustling nature of the city centre.

Me and Dani often like to take a stroll on the summer evenings up to Virginia Lake on St.Johns Hill, or along the river, but mostly up by the City Hall, where you can get a nice view of the city at dusk whilst sitting under the palms on the green. The gorgeous open beaches at Kai Iwi are also just a short drive away!!

• Pros:Food, sunny weather, friendly community, lots of scenic spots.
• Cons:Not as good public transport links across city as could be, and a little too quiet after dark.