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South Pacific Shenanigans #2
The Scenicland Radio: A Travel Adventure in Search of the New Zealand Experience
When English city boy Simon follows his girlfriend across the world to her family farm in remotest New Zealand, he has no idea he’ll be force-fed a meal of beetle larva, get pushed off the road by half a house, and be inspected by indignant penguins and flattened by a giant leaf-blower.
As he poisons the milk, dive-bombs the bulls, and loses the herd of cows in a river, will he ever learn to be a farmer, or will he have to stop impersonating a country boy, and return to London?
As he poisons the milk, dive-bombs the bulls, and loses the herd of cows in a river, will he ever learn to be a farmer, or will he have to stop impersonating a country boy, and return to London?
303 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 9, 2021
53 people are currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
Simon Michael Prior
14 books35 followersSimon Michael Prior experiences constant adventures, hazards and exciting situations as a marine rescue skipper and a commander of rescue operations.
Although Simon is absolutely nothing like Murph, Redcliff Marine Rescue’s burly, grumpy coxswain, many of the scenes in his stories are inspired by events he encounters during his duties.
Simon has also lived on two boats and sunk one of them; sold houses, street signs, Indian food and paper bags for a living; visited almost fifty countries and lived in three; qualified as a scuba diving instructor; nearly killed himself learning to wakeboard and built his own house without the benefit of an instruction manual.
He now lives in it by the sea with his wife and twin daughters, where he spends his time regurgitating his experiences on paper before he has so many more that he forgets them.
Although Simon is absolutely nothing like Murph, Redcliff Marine Rescue’s burly, grumpy coxswain, many of the scenes in his stories are inspired by events he encounters during his duties.
Simon has also lived on two boats and sunk one of them; sold houses, street signs, Indian food and paper bags for a living; visited almost fifty countries and lived in three; qualified as a scuba diving instructor; nearly killed himself learning to wakeboard and built his own house without the benefit of an instruction manual.
He now lives in it by the sea with his wife and twin daughters, where he spends his time regurgitating his experiences on paper before he has so many more that he forgets them.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
November 9, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir, but perhaps it should have the subtitle 'Murphy's Law in Action'. Our fearless author heading down under with his partner to live and work on the family dairy farm; what could possibly go wrong?
Well... let's just say that learning to milk a large herd of cows in all sorts of weather would fill most memoirs, so digging stranded animals out of boggy ground, camping in gale force winds, sharing New Zealand's very narrow roadways with half a house and cheekily buzzing the neighbourhood in a small plane are only hints of what this book has to offer. Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. That's the law...
Well... let's just say that learning to milk a large herd of cows in all sorts of weather would fill most memoirs, so digging stranded animals out of boggy ground, camping in gale force winds, sharing New Zealand's very narrow roadways with half a house and cheekily buzzing the neighbourhood in a small plane are only hints of what this book has to offer. Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. That's the law...
November 9, 2021
Simon Pryor shares the first few months of his expatriate experience in his new memoir The Scenicland Radio: A Travel Adventure in Search of the New Zealand Experience (South Pacific Shenanigans Book 2). The title reveals so much about the author’s personality. I loved the title. It piqued my curiosity.
Because Simon candidly shares his observations of both himself and the experience, readers will be able to relate. The author draws you into his world of both vulnerability and expectations—from the moment the plane circles the airport until the end of the book. Is everything going to go all right? I’ve been at Customs wondering the same thing!
My cousin’s wife has a dairy farm and I’ve always been curious about it, so reading about the day-to-day life on the dairy farm of his girlfriend’s family owns in NZ is hugely entertaining. Also who knew life with cows had such dramatic turns? The way Simon goes about fitting in and taking on responsibility—with the eventual goal of milking the commercial cows—reads wonderfully. He delivers one-liners, builds up tension and develops a strong fondness for the cow herd. I love both his successes and failures. It’s a rich mixture.
He tosses out terms, like “townie” and “loopie” as names to avoid—one of the entertaining features, and such surprising meanings.
What I like best are his descriptions—events, places, people, and even how he ties his feelings for his girlfriend into the scene! His observations bring the reader into his experience. The author’s quick humor and earnestness gave me reason to cheer him on throughout his memoir.
Oh and I loved the author tied the Scenicland radio in too!
I was fortunate to receive an ARC and beta read this memoir. All of my opinions are my own and freely given.
Because Simon candidly shares his observations of both himself and the experience, readers will be able to relate. The author draws you into his world of both vulnerability and expectations—from the moment the plane circles the airport until the end of the book. Is everything going to go all right? I’ve been at Customs wondering the same thing!
My cousin’s wife has a dairy farm and I’ve always been curious about it, so reading about the day-to-day life on the dairy farm of his girlfriend’s family owns in NZ is hugely entertaining. Also who knew life with cows had such dramatic turns? The way Simon goes about fitting in and taking on responsibility—with the eventual goal of milking the commercial cows—reads wonderfully. He delivers one-liners, builds up tension and develops a strong fondness for the cow herd. I love both his successes and failures. It’s a rich mixture.
He tosses out terms, like “townie” and “loopie” as names to avoid—one of the entertaining features, and such surprising meanings.
What I like best are his descriptions—events, places, people, and even how he ties his feelings for his girlfriend into the scene! His observations bring the reader into his experience. The author’s quick humor and earnestness gave me reason to cheer him on throughout his memoir.
Oh and I loved the author tied the Scenicland radio in too!
I was fortunate to receive an ARC and beta read this memoir. All of my opinions are my own and freely given.
November 13, 2021
I read and enjoyed Simon Michael Prior’s first book, The Coconut Wireless, but I have to say I enjoyed this one even more. Following their holiday in Tonga (the subject of his first book), Simon and his girlfriend head for her farm home in New Zealand to spend time there after her visa to the UK has run out. Simon is a London boy and has no experience of farming whatsoever, but he has plenty of enthusiasm to make up for it, which leads to amusement aplenty.
Being a farm girl at heart myself, I loved his adventures as a complete novice in dairy farming and reading about how he learned from all the mistakes he made.
I also loved Jazz, the dog, and the smart cows, and I had many a chortle over the scrapes Simon got into. I think anyone who has lived and worked on a farm, especially a dairy farm, will be able to relate to some of the problems he encountered, but there were others entirely of his own making that had me chuckling merrily. What is amazing is how he fitted in so well with the family despite being such a ‘city boy’.
Add to these stories some different adventures around beautiful New Zealand with girlfriend Fiona, plus the joys of understanding a new culture and a different English, and you have a fun journey of discovery for a young man fresh from London.
This is a great read with lots of humour and charm. Highly recommended.
Being a farm girl at heart myself, I loved his adventures as a complete novice in dairy farming and reading about how he learned from all the mistakes he made.
I also loved Jazz, the dog, and the smart cows, and I had many a chortle over the scrapes Simon got into. I think anyone who has lived and worked on a farm, especially a dairy farm, will be able to relate to some of the problems he encountered, but there were others entirely of his own making that had me chuckling merrily. What is amazing is how he fitted in so well with the family despite being such a ‘city boy’.
Add to these stories some different adventures around beautiful New Zealand with girlfriend Fiona, plus the joys of understanding a new culture and a different English, and you have a fun journey of discovery for a young man fresh from London.
This is a great read with lots of humour and charm. Highly recommended.
November 9, 2021
After their adventures in Europe and the South Seas Simon and Fiona move even further south to Fiona’s homeland of New Zealand where Simon finds the countryside, and some of Fiona’s family, wild, rugged, and largely untamed. City boy Simon has some awkward moments as he tries to settle into a new family and a new way of life that is ‘a long way from MacDonalds.’
Having loved Simon’s previous book, Coconut Wireless, I was very much looking forward to this sequel and I have not been disappointed. I like Simon’s writing style where the words flow easily and the descriptions bring alive the sights, sounds, colours, and smells that are on the page. With this book and the last I have found it easy to picture myself on this journey with him and it’s been a very enjoyable ride.
Whether it is bumping over the sex bridge (you need to read the book to find out), learning to milk a cow, sinking a trailer, wild 4 wheel motor bike rides with Jazz, eating a huhu grub, or a tramping trip, there are adventures and misadventures that keep the pages turning. From start to finish I was gripped. Written with warmth and humour this is definitely a book that I would recommend.
Another stonkingly good book!
Having loved Simon’s previous book, Coconut Wireless, I was very much looking forward to this sequel and I have not been disappointed. I like Simon’s writing style where the words flow easily and the descriptions bring alive the sights, sounds, colours, and smells that are on the page. With this book and the last I have found it easy to picture myself on this journey with him and it’s been a very enjoyable ride.
Whether it is bumping over the sex bridge (you need to read the book to find out), learning to milk a cow, sinking a trailer, wild 4 wheel motor bike rides with Jazz, eating a huhu grub, or a tramping trip, there are adventures and misadventures that keep the pages turning. From start to finish I was gripped. Written with warmth and humour this is definitely a book that I would recommend.
Another stonkingly good book!
November 11, 2021
When I have enjoyed an author’s debut book as much as I did Simon Michael Prior’s Coconut Wireless, I always worry that subsequent books won’t live up to my expectations. I needn’t have been concerned. Scenicland Radio, Simon’s second memoir of his adventures in the South Pacific, is as warm, witty and endlessly gripping as the first.
Thrown in to country life in New Zealand at the deep end (quite literally), Simon has to cast off his city boy image in order to fit in. He has a wonderful ability to laugh at himself which makes the reader laugh alongside; not at, but with, him.
Simon’s child-like curiosity and endless questions are very endearing. I felt his wonder, his pain, and his anxieties clearly as he meets ‘the parents’, learns which animals are for milking (and which are not) and overcomes his fear of strange noises in the night.
I’m already looking forward to book three… and this time I’ll have no worries about it living up to my expectations.
Thrown in to country life in New Zealand at the deep end (quite literally), Simon has to cast off his city boy image in order to fit in. He has a wonderful ability to laugh at himself which makes the reader laugh alongside; not at, but with, him.
Simon’s child-like curiosity and endless questions are very endearing. I felt his wonder, his pain, and his anxieties clearly as he meets ‘the parents’, learns which animals are for milking (and which are not) and overcomes his fear of strange noises in the night.
I’m already looking forward to book three… and this time I’ll have no worries about it living up to my expectations.
November 9, 2021
This book was really fantastic. I had so much fun reading it as my sister and I always wanted to go to NZ but didn’t know much about the South Island. I am so jealous and can’t wait for life to clean up so we can travel again and this will definitely be my guide. Thank you so much for writing such an interesting and fun book I can’t wait for the next one.
December 16, 2022
I read the first book - The Coconut Wireless - and loved it, so I just had to read the sequel to find out the next installment in the lives of this young international couple who've fallen in love and want to be together - this time their relationship lands them in New Zealand. The author does not disappoint with his use of vivid language, enticing chapter endings, and style of writing where it's like the reader is watchng a movie unfold before their eyes. Simon could make an interesting tale of eating an apple and the book is peppered with all kinds of stories from navigating everyday issues, to dramas and adventures on a New Zealand cow farm and "tramping" the West Coast of that beautiful country. Another delightful read with a feel-good factor. Looking foward to reading the next sequel The Pomegranite Busker.
November 27, 2021
A Fun and Entertaining Read
Thank you, Simon, for keeping me entertained. I loved this follow up to Coconut Wireless and look forward to more hilarious escapades.
As a self-confessed 'city boy', Simon travels to New Zealand with his girlfriend, Fiona, to stay on the family farm. We soon see this city boy embracing all aspects of the farming life, driving the 4 wheel bike all around the farm with his constant travel companion, Jazz, the dog, herding and milking the cows, digging stranded animals out of bogs and even helping in an animal burial.
Their dwindling funds, much to Simon's chagrin, necessitate the need for paid employment as they cannot live forever on the hospitality of Fiona's parents, the outlaws. He is quite happy on the farm playing farmer.
Your humour and warmth shone throughout the book, written in your own unique style, this is another winner from you, this left me feeling warm and thank you, Simon.
Thank you, Simon, for keeping me entertained. I loved this follow up to Coconut Wireless and look forward to more hilarious escapades.
As a self-confessed 'city boy', Simon travels to New Zealand with his girlfriend, Fiona, to stay on the family farm. We soon see this city boy embracing all aspects of the farming life, driving the 4 wheel bike all around the farm with his constant travel companion, Jazz, the dog, herding and milking the cows, digging stranded animals out of bogs and even helping in an animal burial.
Their dwindling funds, much to Simon's chagrin, necessitate the need for paid employment as they cannot live forever on the hospitality of Fiona's parents, the outlaws. He is quite happy on the farm playing farmer.
Your humour and warmth shone throughout the book, written in your own unique style, this is another winner from you, this left me feeling warm and thank you, Simon.
November 14, 2021
I know what it's like to move to another English speaking country, and find out that the language is completely different, so I
sympathized with Simon's difficulties with unfamiliar words in New Zealand. I loved The Coconut Wireless so much, I wasn't sure if the sequel would live up to it. Well, it didn't - it far exceeded it! I loved the use of dialogue and the cliff hangers at the end of the chapters which kept me up well beyond bedtime, as I just had to read one more, and then another. Simon's transformation from city slicker to farm boy is an entertaining read: I loved the cows, Jazz the dog and the wonderful characters he meets along the way. Google became a constant companion as I had to keep looking up the beautiful places he and Fiona traveled to. New Zealand has some spectacular views. Part memoir and part travelogue, and always amusing, I'm happy to follow Simon and Fiona's adventures through many more books.
sympathized with Simon's difficulties with unfamiliar words in New Zealand. I loved The Coconut Wireless so much, I wasn't sure if the sequel would live up to it. Well, it didn't - it far exceeded it! I loved the use of dialogue and the cliff hangers at the end of the chapters which kept me up well beyond bedtime, as I just had to read one more, and then another. Simon's transformation from city slicker to farm boy is an entertaining read: I loved the cows, Jazz the dog and the wonderful characters he meets along the way. Google became a constant companion as I had to keep looking up the beautiful places he and Fiona traveled to. New Zealand has some spectacular views. Part memoir and part travelogue, and always amusing, I'm happy to follow Simon and Fiona's adventures through many more books.
September 5, 2022
Having read volume one in this series, I was looking forward to reading this. I was not disappointed. It covers the author's 'induction' into life on New Zealand. South Island is a very long way from London and from city life. People have been known to promise to follow to the ends of the earth for love and here is a young man who did just that. A city boy at heart, he nevertheless throws himself entirely into the farming life. His enthusiasm and willingness to learn persuaded his girlfriend's brother and father to allow him to lend a hand, despite their evident scepticism regarding his abilities. Simon was a fairly quick learner, despite some embarrassing mistakes. He was soon milking cows, driving tractors and herding cattle. He wanted to help pay for his keep and gain some credence with his girlfriend's family. He was soon enjoying his new life and reluctant to find other employment, although he did try only to discover that his past skills were not highly valued and were most definitely under-paid! It is a fun read and gives an insight into life in that part of New Zealand, into language and cultural differences and into the tremendous beauty of the landscape. Throughout the book, Simon's humour shines through and you will read it with a smile on your face.
February 19, 2022
The Scenicland Radio is the true story of author Simon Michael Prior’s arrival in New Zealand having come to meet his girlfriend Fiona’s family after her visa ran out in London. It follows on from his book The Coconut Wireless but works equally well as a stand-alone story.
In west-coast New Zealand, Simon discovers a wonderful farming family and a passion for milking cows, driving tractors and anything else he can help out with. Simon really seems to grasp every opportunity on offer - he has a flying lesson after seeing it advertised on a billboard, goes seeking kiwi birds and penguins in the wild, flies in a helicopter up to a glacier and walks on it, crossing an item off his bucket list in the process. The stories are told with a warm sense of humour and a lust for life which is admirable and all to the background soundtrack from local radio station Scenicland FM. In the course of the book the author transforms from a city boy to a young farmer and appears to have found his happy place in life. I thoroughly recommend this feel-good memoir, but don’t expect much in the way of tourist information. This is not a guide book but a lovingly written story about a chunk of Simon’s personal life before he was married.
In west-coast New Zealand, Simon discovers a wonderful farming family and a passion for milking cows, driving tractors and anything else he can help out with. Simon really seems to grasp every opportunity on offer - he has a flying lesson after seeing it advertised on a billboard, goes seeking kiwi birds and penguins in the wild, flies in a helicopter up to a glacier and walks on it, crossing an item off his bucket list in the process. The stories are told with a warm sense of humour and a lust for life which is admirable and all to the background soundtrack from local radio station Scenicland FM. In the course of the book the author transforms from a city boy to a young farmer and appears to have found his happy place in life. I thoroughly recommend this feel-good memoir, but don’t expect much in the way of tourist information. This is not a guide book but a lovingly written story about a chunk of Simon’s personal life before he was married.
March 25, 2023
City boy Simon accompanies his girlfriend to her New Zealand home and makes a heroic attempt at adjusting to rural life. Farm life is likely similar from one country to another, but Simon paints a vivid picture of the people, the misadventures, and the setting (which many of us would find exotic).
I like Simon’s writing style and if I had to choose a single word to describe the book: entertaining. Thank you Simon for providing new things for the reader to learn about and especially for the frequent moments of surprise and fun offered in this engaging memoir.
I like Simon’s writing style and if I had to choose a single word to describe the book: entertaining. Thank you Simon for providing new things for the reader to learn about and especially for the frequent moments of surprise and fun offered in this engaging memoir.
November 21, 2021
Be ready to read cover to cover!
It's been a while since anyone made me read a book in one go, but Simon did with this book. You think" I'll take a break after this chapter" but No you won't! It's That good.
It's been a while since anyone made me read a book in one go, but Simon did with this book. You think" I'll take a break after this chapter" but No you won't! It's That good.
November 9, 2021
When Fiona returns to the family farm after her stint amongst the bright lights of London, she brings more than her suitcase home. For Londoner Simon, this isn’t the farm, nor the landscape, or even the location he was expecting. Cut off from the Mainland (South Island) by the Southern Alps, this region of black-sand beaches, lush vegetation and rain, is a foreign country to most of its inhabitants, let alone tourists.
Broke after their travels through the South Pacific, Simon knows he can’t live on the hospitality of Fiona’s folks for long. But with zero experience of animal husbandry, he sets about trying to learn the ropes of dairying. And he has a lot to prove—not just to himself but to his outlaws. He wins over at least one member of the family, but it’s a shame that it’s the one with four legs who can’t put in a good word for him. But Simon’s no quitter, even though the odds are stacked against him. Will “city boy” triumph or will he turn out to be just another backpacker on his OE (Overseas Experience)?
The author nails the culture of rural life in the Mainland—a place where total strangers seem to know more about you than you do; and finds that there is only one degree of separation in New Zealand. Even on their holiday down south, the people they meet seem to know the patriarch. As a keen observer of character, the author has even got the laconic drivers’ salute off pat, where seeing another car on the other side of the road driving towards you is still a novelty.
Written in the author’s deadpan style, The Scenicland Radio is a witty travel book and an insight into family life. Will Simon triumph or will Cold Comfort Farm get the better of him? I’ll leave you to find out.
Highly recommended.
Broke after their travels through the South Pacific, Simon knows he can’t live on the hospitality of Fiona’s folks for long. But with zero experience of animal husbandry, he sets about trying to learn the ropes of dairying. And he has a lot to prove—not just to himself but to his outlaws. He wins over at least one member of the family, but it’s a shame that it’s the one with four legs who can’t put in a good word for him. But Simon’s no quitter, even though the odds are stacked against him. Will “city boy” triumph or will he turn out to be just another backpacker on his OE (Overseas Experience)?
The author nails the culture of rural life in the Mainland—a place where total strangers seem to know more about you than you do; and finds that there is only one degree of separation in New Zealand. Even on their holiday down south, the people they meet seem to know the patriarch. As a keen observer of character, the author has even got the laconic drivers’ salute off pat, where seeing another car on the other side of the road driving towards you is still a novelty.
Written in the author’s deadpan style, The Scenicland Radio is a witty travel book and an insight into family life. Will Simon triumph or will Cold Comfort Farm get the better of him? I’ll leave you to find out.
Highly recommended.
November 14, 2021
The Scenicland Radio is a light and entertaining account of life in the remote West Coast of New Zealand. Seen through the eyes of a naïve narrator — a Londoner who has little knowledge of country life, especially in his girlfriend’s homeland — the reader gets to experience everyday life in this distant location, meet the people and learn about their lives. Prior’s memoir is unique because it depicts ‘new life adventures’ in a part of the world that is little known to most readers from outside New Zealand. His detailed descriptions of daily routines and excellent dialogues between characters will transport the reader to the location. The Scenicland Radio is both a detailed travelogue and a captivating moving abroad memoir. If you love these two genres, you won’t be disappointed.
November 10, 2021
I was a very willing Beta-reader of “The Scenicland Radio”, having thoroughly enjoyed Simon’s previous book “The Coconut Wireless”. I was not disappointed with his latest offering. The same enjoyable and humorous writing style grabbed me and took me on a journey with Simon and his New Zealander girlfriend, Fiona, as she brought him home to meet the family.
As city boy Simon adapts to the farming way of life, he and Fiona seek gainful employment and also take a camping trip around their part of the country. I was with them, every step of the way. Simon makes his reader feel as though they are right there with him, not just enjoying a front row seat to his life, but actually as an integral part of his shenanigans - and I am already eagerly awaiting the next memoir from Simon, to see where his travels might take me!
If you enjoy travel memoirs and humour, then I can highly recommend “The Scenicland Radio”
As city boy Simon adapts to the farming way of life, he and Fiona seek gainful employment and also take a camping trip around their part of the country. I was with them, every step of the way. Simon makes his reader feel as though they are right there with him, not just enjoying a front row seat to his life, but actually as an integral part of his shenanigans - and I am already eagerly awaiting the next memoir from Simon, to see where his travels might take me!
If you enjoy travel memoirs and humour, then I can highly recommend “The Scenicland Radio”
November 9, 2021
If you have read the author’s other writing you will know he has a style all his own. He enriches that style even more in this book. There is a naivety about his encounter with a new land and culture enabling him to dive into experiencing all that New Zealand and its remoter parts of the Islands can throw at him. The joy of being there and finding a new life with his future wife bursts out from the page. I particularly liked the dialogue method of storytelling, interjecting his own thoughts, his real feelings, into the narrative. This worked extremely well, I know is a difficult device to pull off successfully. We all could use a bit of the feelgood factor just now and this book leaves you feeling warm and positive about your fellow man and how travel and new experiences can enrich anyone's life. Oh, and the cow made me chuckle every time I reach the end of a chapter.
November 9, 2021
Good news for those who haven’t yet read The Coconut Wireless – neither have I, and I found The Scenicland Radio (technically a sequel) to be a great standalone read. Although it has made me want to go back and read Simon Michael Prior’s other work, it’s good to know one can start with whichever book one picks up first.
Simon Michael Prior’s account of his year in rural New Zealand is a delight. I was hooked from Line 2, and the pace never slowed. His characters – complete with the little tics that make us individuals – breathe life into his story of adjusting to farm life in a new country.
While he’s no animal veterinarian, the work was reminiscent of James Herriot’s wonderful stories. There is good-natured humour in every line, and I loved the “soundtrack” that accompanied the book.
Simon Michael Prior’s account of his year in rural New Zealand is a delight. I was hooked from Line 2, and the pace never slowed. His characters – complete with the little tics that make us individuals – breathe life into his story of adjusting to farm life in a new country.
While he’s no animal veterinarian, the work was reminiscent of James Herriot’s wonderful stories. There is good-natured humour in every line, and I loved the “soundtrack” that accompanied the book.
November 9, 2021
A fun read that made me smile from start to finish...
There is something about Simon’s simple, honest and witty writing and dialogs that instantly drags you into his shoes. I could visualize and feel what a young man from London would experience moving to the countryside of New Zealand. I particularly enjoyed the author’s combined innocence and enthusiasm. I smiled while reading the entire book, and that felt good. A fun way to discover New Zealand and life on a farm.
There is something about Simon’s simple, honest and witty writing and dialogs that instantly drags you into his shoes. I could visualize and feel what a young man from London would experience moving to the countryside of New Zealand. I particularly enjoyed the author’s combined innocence and enthusiasm. I smiled while reading the entire book, and that felt good. A fun way to discover New Zealand and life on a farm.
November 11, 2021
Quite the story
Such a well written enjoyable book. Will look out for the series. , A fun experience and thanks to the authors humor and description of the land and farming made it easy to like.
Such a well written enjoyable book. Will look out for the series. , A fun experience and thanks to the authors humor and description of the land and farming made it easy to like.
November 16, 2021
Another fun and entertaining memoir.
'The Scenicland Radio' is the follow-up to the author's 'The Coconut Wireless'. This is equally as good, yet quite different to Book 1 in the series.
At the start, the young couple are just arriving into Auckland Airport. It's two years since Fiona had been back in her native New Zealand. This is the first time Fiona's parents are meeting Simon. He's a city boy, and Fiona is from a rural background on South Island's West Coast. They will be living in New Zealand for the next year. Simon soon takes to country life and lends a hand with the milking. I love the little cartoon cow sketches at every chapter!
Both of these memoirs have had locations which are not the normal run-of-the-mill holiday destinations. We don't have the expected sunning themselves and sightseeing. When joining family in New Zealand, it’s straight to it, sharing work on the farm, getting their hands dirty. Very interesting as Simon learns how everything's done. It's unpredictable too. Not just tame looking after the livestock, a bit of action too. And always some fun and laughs. It really was an excellent book.
I like his style: A snippet of interesting info at the ends of chapters......but not telling you the full story. A bit of a cliff-hanger to keep you wanting to read more, to see what will have happened. I enjoyed having mentions of the music on the radio-they give you an idea of the tracks at the time, and give an atmosphere to it.
Another fun memoir, and will certainly keep you entertained. Brilliant news that there will be a book 3!
'The Scenicland Radio' is the follow-up to the author's 'The Coconut Wireless'. This is equally as good, yet quite different to Book 1 in the series.
At the start, the young couple are just arriving into Auckland Airport. It's two years since Fiona had been back in her native New Zealand. This is the first time Fiona's parents are meeting Simon. He's a city boy, and Fiona is from a rural background on South Island's West Coast. They will be living in New Zealand for the next year. Simon soon takes to country life and lends a hand with the milking. I love the little cartoon cow sketches at every chapter!
Both of these memoirs have had locations which are not the normal run-of-the-mill holiday destinations. We don't have the expected sunning themselves and sightseeing. When joining family in New Zealand, it’s straight to it, sharing work on the farm, getting their hands dirty. Very interesting as Simon learns how everything's done. It's unpredictable too. Not just tame looking after the livestock, a bit of action too. And always some fun and laughs. It really was an excellent book.
I like his style: A snippet of interesting info at the ends of chapters......but not telling you the full story. A bit of a cliff-hanger to keep you wanting to read more, to see what will have happened. I enjoyed having mentions of the music on the radio-they give you an idea of the tracks at the time, and give an atmosphere to it.
Another fun memoir, and will certainly keep you entertained. Brilliant news that there will be a book 3!
January 8, 2022
This is the secnd book of Simon Michael Prior's I have read and which I have thoroughly enjoyed. Simon and Fiona are going to live with her family on the rural west coast of New Zealand as Fiona's visa has expired. I love Simon's chatty stryle of writing which immediately drew me in. I could feel his anxiety about meeting his future inlaws and also his eagerness to make a good impression. It's a real change of culture for him, exchanging a life in London for one on a dairy farm in a fairly remote area.
However, Simon throws himself into helping at the farm, learning to milk cows ( I take my hat off to him here) and tackling a whole variety of tasks in all weathers. He generally ends up wet and muddy.
I loved his enthusiasm and sheer delight and pleasure at all he sees and experiences in New Zealand when he and Fiona have a camping holiday on a budget. His writing is wonderfully descriptive and funny, particularly when he lets his imagination run riot! Read it and find out! I'm now looking forward to book three.
However, Simon throws himself into helping at the farm, learning to milk cows ( I take my hat off to him here) and tackling a whole variety of tasks in all weathers. He generally ends up wet and muddy.
I loved his enthusiasm and sheer delight and pleasure at all he sees and experiences in New Zealand when he and Fiona have a camping holiday on a budget. His writing is wonderfully descriptive and funny, particularly when he lets his imagination run riot! Read it and find out! I'm now looking forward to book three.
August 25, 2023
A light-hearted book which will keep you turning the pages!
Simon and his girlfriend, Fiona, return back to her farm and home on the south island of NZ where he milks cows and rides tractors.
A very easy book to read, and a must for any boy who turns up at his "in laws"!
The book draws you in from the start, as Simon rides home from the airport with his new family, all against the (repeating) soundtrack of Scenicland radio!
Simon and his girlfriend, Fiona, return back to her farm and home on the south island of NZ where he milks cows and rides tractors.
A very easy book to read, and a must for any boy who turns up at his "in laws"!
The book draws you in from the start, as Simon rides home from the airport with his new family, all against the (repeating) soundtrack of Scenicland radio!
August 26, 2022
Absorbing, empathetic, fun – this memoir packs a massive feel-good factor.
The author and his girlfriend decide to spend a year with her family on their farm in New Zealand’s South Island. And it’s remote. It’s one of those places where everyone seems to know Fiona’s dad no matter which part they visit. Evidently, he’s the man!
Keen to help rather than relax, city boy Simon embarks on new learning experiences involving dairy cattle. And as he discovers, there’s more to this milking lark than he imagined. With family support and help from his four-legged co-worker, the author’s bucolic thrills, spills and dramas begin. And there are lots, many of which had me in stitches.
From the animal husbandry escapades to job hunting when funds run low and a sightseeing adventure in a stunningly beautiful part of the world, this memoir is engrossing.
As an established fan of the author’s writing, I love his vivid descriptions and superb use of dialogue, which effortlessly engage the reader. These features, combined with his self-deprecating humour and masterful chapter-end cliffhangers, make The Scenicland Radio a terrific read.
I have no hesitation in recommending this book and look forward to reading the series’ next episode.
The author and his girlfriend decide to spend a year with her family on their farm in New Zealand’s South Island. And it’s remote. It’s one of those places where everyone seems to know Fiona’s dad no matter which part they visit. Evidently, he’s the man!
Keen to help rather than relax, city boy Simon embarks on new learning experiences involving dairy cattle. And as he discovers, there’s more to this milking lark than he imagined. With family support and help from his four-legged co-worker, the author’s bucolic thrills, spills and dramas begin. And there are lots, many of which had me in stitches.
From the animal husbandry escapades to job hunting when funds run low and a sightseeing adventure in a stunningly beautiful part of the world, this memoir is engrossing.
As an established fan of the author’s writing, I love his vivid descriptions and superb use of dialogue, which effortlessly engage the reader. These features, combined with his self-deprecating humour and masterful chapter-end cliffhangers, make The Scenicland Radio a terrific read.
I have no hesitation in recommending this book and look forward to reading the series’ next episode.
April 12, 2022
This is a fast-paced and hilarious tale of a “townie” from London who visits his would-be parents-in-law on a dairy farm on the South Island of New Zealand. We follow the couple’s exciting adventures when they explore the island, and the author’s bungling and eventually successful efforts at milking hundreds of cows all by himself. By their finger signals we learn how to differentiate local drivers from tourists, nicknamed “loopies” for the way they drive around the island. They tend to drive on the wrong side of the road in the sparse, left-hand drive traffic of the country and have a hard time figuring out how to cross one-lane bridges on their circuit. In the end, we celebrate our hero’s promotion from a “townie” to a true farmer when he rises to the occasion during a crisis. The future father-in-law toasts him with a shot of Glenmorangie for showing his mettle. Do not expect to put this book down until you have turned to the last page.
April 13, 2022
I confess I was so wrapped up in this story I zipped right through it without stopping to take notes. But I don’t need notes to recall the book’s vivid scenes, laugh-out-loud moments, and unforgettable characters.
I’ve been a fan of Prior’s writing ever since reading The Coconut Wireless: A Travel Adventure in Search of the Queen of Tonga¬—Book 1 in the author’s South Pacific Shenanigans series. I could hardly wait for the next book in the series. The Scenicland Radio was well worth the wait.
Prior has a knack for making even everyday tasks entertaining, whether milking cows, clearing brush, or trying his hand at other farm chores, all equally alien to this city boy. Yet his humor is laced with tenderness for the people and places he describes so well.
I’m looking forward to the next installment in this series.
I’ve been a fan of Prior’s writing ever since reading The Coconut Wireless: A Travel Adventure in Search of the Queen of Tonga¬—Book 1 in the author’s South Pacific Shenanigans series. I could hardly wait for the next book in the series. The Scenicland Radio was well worth the wait.
Prior has a knack for making even everyday tasks entertaining, whether milking cows, clearing brush, or trying his hand at other farm chores, all equally alien to this city boy. Yet his humor is laced with tenderness for the people and places he describes so well.
I’m looking forward to the next installment in this series.
November 13, 2021
Hilarious!
What happens when a city boy from the UK moves to the rural farmland of New Zealand? Read this book to find out!
Simon obviously doesn’t know one end of a cow from the other when he arrives at his girlfriend’s farm in the middle of nowhere (literally!). I enjoyed reading about his struggle to get a grip (again - literally!) of milking, whilst also trying to orientate himself to a completely different way of life. This was both a funny and captivating book that had me turning the pages to find out what disaster was going to strike the author next!
This is book 2 in his South Pacific Shenanigans - and I am already looking forward to the next book in the series.
What happens when a city boy from the UK moves to the rural farmland of New Zealand? Read this book to find out!
Simon obviously doesn’t know one end of a cow from the other when he arrives at his girlfriend’s farm in the middle of nowhere (literally!). I enjoyed reading about his struggle to get a grip (again - literally!) of milking, whilst also trying to orientate himself to a completely different way of life. This was both a funny and captivating book that had me turning the pages to find out what disaster was going to strike the author next!
This is book 2 in his South Pacific Shenanigans - and I am already looking forward to the next book in the series.
January 16, 2022
As someone who grew up on a self-sustaining farm, I was curious and excited to read this city boy’s account of farm life. Not only did Simon Michael Prior leave his life in a big city, but he moved to another country to be with his girlfriend. His attempts at trying to fit in are at times sobering, at times hilarious, but at all times entertaining reading.
Will people ever stop referring to him as a “townie” and consider him a local? Will he ever learn how to milk cows? Will he ever find the elusive kiwi bird? Read the story for yourself and find out.
I highly recommended this book and look forward to reading more from this author.
Will people ever stop referring to him as a “townie” and consider him a local? Will he ever learn how to milk cows? Will he ever find the elusive kiwi bird? Read the story for yourself and find out.
I highly recommended this book and look forward to reading more from this author.
November 9, 2021
I received an ARC copy (Advance Reader Copy) of `The Scenicland Radio: A Travel Adventure in Search of the New Zealand Experience.’ Simon’s writing perfectly captured our Kiwi slang and quirky cultural differences, especially that of small town rural New Zealand. I loved the accurate and intimate portrayal of the relationships and interactions within a farming community. Simon’s descriptive writing laced with a good amount of humor draws the reader into the story, making you feel involved and included as the story unfolds. Another great book from this author and a solid 5 stars from me.
April 23, 2022
A must read.
A very entertaining memoir of the author's arrival in New Zealand and subsequent life on his girlfriend's family farm in a remote area of the South Island.
It is very rare that I literally laugh out loud when reading; however, this was an exception. Simon has a unique style of combining humour with extremely vivid descriptions of the places he visited, and his experiences as a "farm-hand".
This memoir is a must read, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
P.S. I am looking forward to the next book in this marvellous series.
A very entertaining memoir of the author's arrival in New Zealand and subsequent life on his girlfriend's family farm in a remote area of the South Island.
It is very rare that I literally laugh out loud when reading; however, this was an exception. Simon has a unique style of combining humour with extremely vivid descriptions of the places he visited, and his experiences as a "farm-hand".
This memoir is a must read, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
P.S. I am looking forward to the next book in this marvellous series.
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