Most books have many authors even though there often is only one name on the title page. This book is no exception. I would like to acknowledge the many friends, acquaintances and work colleagues whom I have pestered for information or questioned about their experiences in coming to live in New Zealand. Their input, so generously given, has been a valuable contribution, and while there are too many of them to mention individually, I would like to express my thanks to them as a group. Special thanks must go however to my editors, Lynelle Seow and Melvin Neo, who hounded me mercilessly with questions to ensure that this book is as accurate and up-to-date as it can be. While many of the good points of this book are due to them, any shortcomings are my responsibility.
This book, more than any other book I have written, has also been a family effort. Having grown-up children who now have qualifications in a variety of fields, including business and medicine, has meant that I was able to get first hand information and valuable criticism on various aspects of the text. Special thanks must go to my son-in-law, Nick Conway, for taking many of the photographs.
Finally and most importantly, I would like to thank my wife not just for her support and encouragement, but also for her helpful criticism and suggestions. She generously devoted a substantial amount of time to reading the manuscript and her numerous comments, always very tactfully delivered, were most valuable.
So thank you team! For your comments, for your input, for your help and encouragement and just for being there.