No regrets as oldest newcomer turns 103
By GREER McDONALD - The Dominion Post | Tuesday, 05 August 2008
He is another year older, but New Zealand's oldest immigrant Eric King-Turner - now 103 - still uses the internet to keep in touch with his homeland.
Doris King-Turner told The Dominion Post yesterday that, despite the winter weather, she and her gregarious husband were happy to be living in New Zealand, after more than 13 years together in England.
"There are no regrets," she said, speaking from their home in Mapua, near Motueka.
"It's a lovely spot, it's quite sheltered and we have a nice rural outlook."
Since their arrival in Wellington aboard the Saga Rose cruise ship in February, Mr King-Turner has kept in touch with family and friends in Britain using e-mail.
His move to New Zealand at the sprightly age of 102 reportedly made him this country's oldest immigrant, and the media hype around his arrival made him something of a celebrity among his fellow travellers.
He said at the time that the secret to a long life "is animal fats, butter, sugar, salt and gin - all things we're not supposed to have".
There were no plans to take things easy when he spoke to The Dominion Post in February. "I don't want to put my feet up at all."
But the winter weather has prevented Mr King-Turner from enjoying his much-loved trout fishing, and yesterday he was at home recovering from a virus, his wife said.
Their round-the-world trip to New Zealand was smooth sailing, and they were reminded of that when they saw footage of the horror trip of the Pacific Sun cruise ship last week.
"It was just dreadful," she said. "It was nothing like our trip."
The couple were befriended by the captain of the Saga Rose, who has invited them to lunch with him when the ship docks in Wellington again, in February.
From
here.