I know a surgeon from Guernsey (sounds like the start of a limerick: “there was a young man from Guernsey…” not sure what would come next though? Bit tough to rhyme…). I thought that sounded like an idyllic, romantic place to live – I’ve seen the potato peel movie, and Dawsey Adams is definitely the best looking pig farmer I’ve ever seen – but apparently this surgeon couldn’t wait to grow up and leave. He reckons it’s more like Levin than the charming place that’s portrayed on screen. Not that I want to knock Levin, birthplace of Carlos Spencer and I believe once the winner of New Zealand’s Top Town (can’t confirm that, google not being helpful today). Levin (meant to be pronounced “Le – veen” although I can’t imagine a living soul who does so) is “dated and dowdy and needs to get it’s mojo back”, according to a councillor interviewed by Stuff back in May (ouch! Don’t give up your day job Mr Councillor!). Plans to revitalize the town include: renaming it (like no one’s going to see through that in five minutes); and pretending it’s a dormer suburb for Wellington (pffft).
