TRAVEL KARMA

To think I was there a fortnight ago.

To think one of the writers I've been so wanting to hear happens to be there.

To think one of my best pals is perhaps sipping her wine, even as I pen this.

To think of the literary conversations that are about to begin in the City of Sails.

It's the Auckland Writers Festival which kicks off tomorrow with some splendid discussions all the way till Sunday. I've missed it by that proverbial whisker. Darn!

They've got Vikram Chandra and that's only the beginning. There's Pico Iyer, Will Hutton, Lionel Shriver, Tim Winton, Kate Grenville among a host of others.

The session titles are sorely tempting. 'How to Drink a Glass of Wine', 'Buy Champagne, Pour Tea, Cook Rice, Write Bestseller', 'Treading the Boards with the Bards', 'Haven't they got Anything Better to do?' Oh the seriousness of it all makes me long for a jet plane.

If wishes were horses, you know who'd be riding them. For now though, I'll have to rest content with the stuff that's made it to the news.