About Neil

Name: Graeme Neil Holloway

Date of birth: 21 December 1942

Place of birth: Ewen St, Takapuna

Wife: 1. Marion Sydney Dotter

Children: Ian, Barry and Derek

Daughters-in-law: Emma, Katie (nearly but not quite), Claudia

Grandchildren: Lizzie, Edward, Caspar, Isaac, Diego, Leila,

Wife 2: Jacqueline Joan Garner

Children: Nick and George

Daughters-in-law: Vicky and Jess

Grandchildren: Theo and Emi aka Woolfie

Houses I have owned:

Eynsford Close, Petts Wood

Downing St, Glenfield, Auckland

Chatham Avenue, Hayes

Hayes Lane, Hayes

Kings Hall Road, Beckenham,

Highview, Layham's Road, Keston

Molvic Court, Beckenham Road, Beckenham

I grew up in Maungakiekie Ave, Auckland

I lived in flats in Lowestoft and Wickham Road, Beckenham

We rented in the Olympic Park

We lived in two of our Buy-to-let flats in Forest Hill

At one stage we owned 31 properties.

I ........

Saw the tide rush at Mont Saint Michel
Sat on a taped alligator
Watched all five sons being born
Saw cliff divers in Acapulco
Climbed highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales
Ran three marathons
Drove through the Mountains of the Moon in Spain
Walked Camino de Santiago
Ran 10k in Midnight Sun in Tromso
Caught a 4lb trout
Helped row a boat across Auckland Harbour in a storm
Had my toe caught in the spokes while being doubled
Broke two teeth playing for First XV rugby for Penrose High
Was taken into hospital aged thirteen for peritonitis operation
Fell from my bike when kitbag got jammed in forks
Had sex in Mum’s car on Mount Eden
Slid down One Tree Hill on trays
Crossed from Hong Kong to China by train
Saw dozens of crashed vehicles on bad bend in Nigeria
Attended a meeting in a Sheik’s office in Saudi Arabia
Saw the Terracotta Army in China
Went fire walking with George and Tony Robbins
Walked across England
Climbed Mount Sinai
Ate snails and frogs’ legs in France
Watched seagulls take turns to jump into the Danube
Dug in the surf for tuatuas at Pauanui
Saw Car Man at Sadlers’ Wells
Saw Carmen at Earls Court
Visited a reimagined library in Helsinki
Ran Parkrun in Rotorua thermal area
Threw pennies to Māori kids swimming in Whakarewarewa
Owned 31 properties
Snatched a penknife cutting a boy’s finger
Pooed myself in Budapest after teeth extraction
Scored a Hole in one at Remuera Golf Club
Held hands with Jac watching Ted Lasso repeatedly
Walked the Thames Path with the Middletons
Completed the London Loop
Went up the Arch in St Louis
Attended a course at Arcosanti
Published a book on Amazon
Completed a degree with Open University
Gave two lectures in Cape Town
Drove courses for skidding, rally driving and race track driving
Went inside 10 Downing Street and met John Major
Swam with Manatees
Saw a Magic lantern show at Waiheke
Planted a tree for Mum in Mount Eden
Paid for half a camel for an elderly Bedouin woman
Watched Jac die
Visited the Pope’s private apartments
Took Nick to find Father Christmas in Lapland
Got stuck in Bahrain trying to get a visa to Saudi Arabia
Took three sons and my father on honeymoon without Jac
Drove Skippers Canyon in New Zealand
Went to Zeeland
Flew a plane solo
Took a cruise up the Nile
Dressed a mannequin in a bikini in the wintertime
Filled in a fishpond with about 100 wheelbarrow loads of earth
Laid a concrete driveway in Petts Wood
Removed more than 100 small trees from a tennis court
Sailed through the Panama Canal
Managed 120 people in Lowndes-Ajax
Killed, plucked and gutted chickens
Used green walnuts as practice golf balls
Nearly drowned at scout camp in Gisborne
Owned a cottage in Willeman
Floated down the Amazon on an inner tube
Tasted lemon ants in the jungle
Saw a manta ray near Galápagos Islands
Jumped from 10,000 ft on a tethered parachute
Rode in a balloon in Kent
Tried waterskiing on Mark Warner holiday
Dived for scallops
Earned my PADI certification
Swam across the bay of Otaramarae
Hit golf balls at a target in Lake Taupo
Went black water rafting at Waitomo
Went white water rafting on South Island
Saw the auto icon of Jeremy Bentham at UCL
Tracked down the seven noses of Soho
Slept in an ice hotel
Saw the Hadron Collider at CERN
Visited the Hardy tree near Paddington
Walked around the Isle of Wight
Walked all the streets of Forest Hill and Beckenham
Am the oldest person to have run the Death Valley marathon
Went mud larking on the Thames
Rode the mail underground train
Travelled from Seattle to New York by Amtrak
Went scuba diving in Hawaii
Watched lava flow into the sea on Big Island
Stroked a live cod on Barrier Reef
Went swimming with translucent jellyfish at Bethells Beach
Found a Māori burial cave
Walked from Cape Reinga to Auckland
Caught sharks with John Falkner
Built a block of ten flats
Visited Dennis Severs Huguenot house
Went inside Dracula’s Castle
Climbed Wellington Arch, Hyde Park Corner
Went to Bletchley Park Enigma Machine
Saw Shakespeare play in Stratford on Avon
Had a private tour of Colchester Castle
Wandered Leake Street graffiti tunnel
Stayed at Dunster
Topped out Westminster Cathedral
Toured Brompton, Nunhead and Abney Park cemeteries
Climbed on the Giants’ Causeway, Northern Ireland
Wandered around Anthony Gormley statues near Liverpool
Saw Crossbones Burial Ground and West Norwood Cemetery
Visited Kelvedon Hatch Secret Nuclear Bunker
Toured Growing Underground Farm
Sank bottles in Lake Rotoiti
Saw Janne nearly drown at Honeymoon Bay
Saw a sex show with a donkey in Panama
Went big game fishing
Was installed in the Chair in a Masonic Lodge
Caught Covid
Saw the International Spacestation in the sky
Saw the first Russian Spacecraft from Maungakiekie Avenue
Was caught smoking Dad’s cigars in the basement
Set up my own company with Jac
Visited the Hunterian Museum
Uplifted poppies from moat of Tower oof London
Wandered through Superbloom
Saw an original Magna Carta at Lincoln Castle
Walked across Samphire Ho
Travelled through the Eurotunnel
Visited Postman’s Park
Climbed St Paul’s Cathedral
Visited Sutton Hoo and the Viking burial ship
Climbed Big Ben
Attended both Parliaments
Wrote a speech for Michael Heseltine
Went in Lift 109 at Battersea Power Station
Swam in Blue Lagoon in Iceland
Attended Thurford Christmas Spectacular
Saw a show at Hackney Empire
Was in the opening ceremony of Olympic Games in London
Was a Sea Scout
Saw Dad and Derek get holes in one
Visited the Buried Village near Rotorua
Owned several timeshares in Orange Lakes, Orlando
Attended a welding course
Saw the Pink Lake in Senegal
Went on Safari in South Africa
Wandered around the market in Marrakesh
Spent a week with camels in Sinai Desert
Saw Penn and Teller in Las Vegas
Flew to see Mum and Dad as they were dying
Cycled Jordan
Was amazed at Jeepneys in the Philippines
Walked up and down Nathan Road, Hong Kong
Lunched with Buzz Aldrin
Took the family kayaking in the Algonquin
Went behind Niagara Falls
Visited the Boeing factory in Seattle
Was amazed at the animals on Galápagos Islands
Went inside the blue mosque in Istanbul
Stood at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem
Floated in the Dead Sea
Attempted to eat Cow’s Foot Stew in Nigeria
Landed in Curaçao
Pitched a great softball game in Cornwall Park
Owned 11 Downing Street (Glenfield, Auckland)
Kicked a rugby ball over 51 Maungakiekie Avenue
Slipped on wet roof paint wearing gum boots
Was taken into a Roman Goldmine near Ponferrada
Slid down zip wire across alligator lake Orlando
Stock car racing in Orlando
Horse trotting racing Epsom
Watched Crystal Palace win Community Shield at Wembley
Saw Liverpool win European Cup at Wembley 1978
Scored a one over par 72 at Remuera
Crossed from Europe to Asia over the Bosporus
Went into the catacombs near Rome
Saw the David statue in Florence
Took a cruise from Florida to Mexico
Also took cruises to Norway and Bermuda
Ate fried milk in Madrid
Toured the House of the Seven Gables in Salem
Installed central heating in 106 Chatham Avenue
Competed in triathlons at Hever and Blenheim Palace
Also competed in an Aquathlon and a Duathlon
Drove from Texas to Chicago
Went on Safari in South Africa
Saw a mirage in Egypt
Took my car on a train to Southern France
Hired a cinema for my 80th birthday
Hired a café for my 70th birthday
Went to Six Flags Over America in Texas
Saw where JFK was shot
Flew by helicopter into Grand Canyon
Moved the grass from a sit on mower at Highview
Lived in the Olympic Park
Attended 17 rehearsals for the Olympic ceremony
Toured the Colosseum in Rome
Visited St Lucia twice
Saw a show at the Hackney Empire
Loved the Edinburgh Festival
Watched a movie in Cinema in woods Lincoln
Saw Derek Jarman’s House and Garden
Went to Rugby School
Toured the Sri Swaminarayan Mandir – Hindu Temple
Went up the Lynton and Lynmouth cliff railway
Visited Palace of Versailles, Arc de Triomphe and Louvre
Had a meal in Ace Café, North London
Took Jac to Darwin’s House
Was amazed by Coventry Cathedral
Enjoyed Compton Verney
Thought Skegness and Cleethorpes were great
Was interested in the Old Operating Theatre London
Saw the Crown Jewels
Swam with dolphins in Red Sea
Stood under a hot waterfall in St Lucia
Ate at a Māori hangi
Had my teeth replaced with implants in Budapest
Entered Jesse James’ Meramec Cavern
Went down a coal mine
Saw a radio telescope at Jodrell Bank
Tried gold panning with Janne
Stood in front of Guy the Gorilla
Until I was five I could fly
Caught a trout from a dingy I was rowing
Went to Lands End
Worked at Allied Industries in Mt Wellington
Took a programming course in Old Street
Worked for Pye in Lowestoft
Also worked at Monotype in Redhill
Also worked at Phillips in Croydon
Also worked at Databank in Auckland
Took part in a trail of joined up trolley cars
Drove a tram
Spent 5 1/2 weeks on Northern Star
Was a lifeguard at Beckenham baths
Failed Pharmacy College
Learned to count to 8 in Arabic
Climbed Sydney Harbour Bridge
Drove to the Blue Mountains
Ascended the Space Needle
Took a ride on the Staten Island Ferry
Got up close to rhinos
Watched people dredging salt from Pink Lake Gambia
Bought a glass and silver bowl from Venice
Kept showing art on my 5th plinth
Toured Glacier National Park
Was on TV in Nigeria
Watched European Formula One Grand Prix at Brands Hatch
Was in an earthquake
Was in a tornado
Birdied every hole at Remuera Golf Club
Drove the 38 hairpin bends of the St Gotthard Pass
Walked the Tongariro Crossing
Walked with Janne around Banks Peninsular
Took a singing lesson (failed)
Took a French speaking lesson (failed)
Played golf at 82
Met a man who had been in the Peking Uprising
Had an Adventure School with John Ridgeway
Met Mick McManus the TV wrestling star
Visited the Bert Munro Museum in Invercargill
Took a boat trip to Chatham Island
Dug a pool in Hot Water beach
Had a tattoo on my arm
Drove down Route 66
Saw shows in Branson, Missouri
Went to the Grand Old Oprey
Tried clay pigeon shooting
Crewed a dragon boat in World Corporate Games
Saw moon shadows in Sinai Desert
Drove elderly people around Olympic Park
Rode a bike around the Velodrome
Abseiled down the statue in Olympic Park
Went snow shoeing in Poland
Completed an electrics course
Flew in a news helicopter over Khayelisha
Toured the White House
Saw the Coronation Stone in Kingston
Flew in an airship over Seaford
Went to the top of the Eiffel Tower
Flew in a microlight
Took a glider flight
Walked across New Zealand in Auckland
Went to Robot Wars
Did a Skywire zipwire in Nelson
Saw a Ganet Colony at Piha
Took part in a relay race around a city wall in Spain
Watched Don Clarke play rugby
Saw rain fall on just one side of the road
Won an eating competition at University
Saw the Queen near Rotorua
Climbed Mt Pauanui
Watched the moon landing on TV
Had acupuncture
Raced three sons up The Monument
We to a rodeo in Orlando
Drove a skidoo
Went skiing on Ruapehu
Saw a bear, a coyote and huge spiders at Arcosanti
Was Chairman of Status Employment
Had a huge tent constructed on the beach at Brighton
Age 6 walked with Gail into Newmarket
Owned and edited a technology magazine
Attended practice day at Indianapolis 500
Climbed inside Robin Hood’s Major Oak in Sherwood Forest
Was in a shower of sweets from a plane at Pauanui
Was a school Prefect
Had a factory job packing radiograms
Heard Father Xmas sleigh bells across Lake Rotoiti
Delivered newspapers from my bike
Had Acupuncture for my sense of smell - (failed)
Drove the Shotover Gorge

Just memories

Dirty part - smoking Dad’s cigars

Ginger bowls

Falling off bike

Smashed teeth at rugby

Clearing stones from rugby field

Watching a boy get caned

Milk monitor

Dangerous riding down hill on way to school

Hot black sand

Jumping off jetty at hot baths at night

Fluorescence in sea

Toasted sandwiches at Newmarket baths

Injury at baths, swam 6 lengths, Brian fell off

Diving from lower board

Swimming badge at Tepid Baths

Stealing money from Dad’s trousers - got caught

Getting caned for fighting with a girl

Eating competition

Scooter

Tossed in surf

Weta

Disconnecting Speedo in mum’s car

Scratching Dad’s car and drive shaft

Sea Scouts

Softball

First XV and bloody nose

Our dog George

Māori canoe

Skin rash from lake weed

La Mascotte

Catching koura

Golf, golf, golf

Te Puke championship

Climbing macrocarpa trees

Sheep dipping

Disturbing pheasants

Sliding down One Tree Hill

Shells on One Tree Hill - Māori?

Quicksand in Bethels stream

Cutting ti-tree

Bee stings

Car crash in Holden

Geyser in Whaka

Ice cream for breakfast

Whitebait fritters

Stew on toast for breakfast - steak on exam day

Climbing up outside of house to get to my bedroom

Sliding car on metal roads

Burger van in Newmarket and Greenlane

Stock car racing

Showgrounds

Machine shop job

Cleaning school

Hike in Titirangi

Fingers in electric socket

Chopping at wood foundation

Cigarette burn on polished table

Trying to heat bath by boiling water on the stove

Bee catching

Walking to Dad’s office

Collecting cicada skins

Eden Park rugby

Waiwera hot pools

Mt Manganui

Rotorua float parade

Huka falls

Buried village

Blue and Green Lakes

The Queen near Rotorua

Queen mother trout fishing

Lake Rotorua and Mokoia Island

Fairy and Rainbow Springs

Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium

Helicopter lolly scramble

Digging for tuataras in surf at Pauanui and cockles at Cockle Bay

Climbing Mt Pauanui

Mum teaching me bowls at Pauanui

Moon landing

Ben and Lucy

Flag day at Cornwall Park School

Seeing General Freyberg

Deliberately burning my arm with a cigarette

Making dams in the flooding kerbs with bare feet

First sex in a caravan

Rolling jaffas down floor in Greenland cinema

Dad winning school raffles and second prize in Australian prize draw

Uncle Doug dying in top dressing plane accident

Spending a month on Waiheke Island with the Hooks family after hospital

Mum smuggling a plant into NZ by wearing it as a flower on her coat

Dad buying the 8 o’clock on Saturdays

Playing tennis in the road

Cracking walnuts

Bruce Gamble

Mavis’s shop at Surfdale

Catching flies with my hands

Favourite Books

Albania Ismail Kadare Broken April
Australia Murray Ball Eucalyptus
Belarus Svetlana Alexievich Voices from Chernobyl
Iraq Sinan Antron The Corpse Washer
Japan Akira Yoshimura Shipwrecks
Mexico Sofia Segovia The Murmur of Bees
South Korea Min Jin Lee Pachinkoy
USA Cormac McCarthy The Road
USA Barbara Kingsolver Poisonwood Bible
UK Maggie O’Farrell Hamnet
USA George RR Martin Game of Thrones
USA Frank Herbert Dune
Israel Yuval Noah Harari Sapiens
USA Pearl Buck The Good Earth
France Victor Hugo Les Miserables
UK Sebastian Faulks Birdsong
Japan Murakami What I talk About When I Am Running
USA Fannie Flagg Fried Green Tomatoes
UK Richard Llewellen How Green Was My Valley
UK Rachel Joyce The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
UK Erin Morganstern The Night Circus
UK Christopher Hitchens God is Not Great