Newspapers are often criticised for serving up too much "negative news", and the Chronicle has been taken to task for painting too bleak a picture of life in Wanganui.
So here's a happy story ... one which, quite rightly, shows our city in a positive light.
As relative newcomers toWanganui, my family and I were in virgin territory when it came to the Whanganui Summer Programme and the attractions of Bushy Park.
But reading about last Friday evening's bird-spotting excursion in that morning's paper was enough to tempt us to break new ground and hasten a quick call to book our place.
Too late - five hours before the off and there were only two places left on the bus and we were a party of six.
Could we make our own way there and join the tour, I ventured?
Now I'm a bit of a stickler for good service - which usually costs nothing and brings great rewards - and I couldn't be more impressed with the service I got from the woman at the i-Site on the other end of the phone.
She would find out for me and proceeded to check with the Department of Conservation and Forest and Bird officers involved.
Her call back sealed the deal - a mere $40 for a family of six, and a barbecue thrown in.
It was a great trip enhanced by some scene-setting from Bushy Park trust board member Allan Anderson and the expertise of our guide, Forest and Bird's Chris Devine, as knowledgeable as he is tall.
I recommend a trip to Bushy Park and I commend all those involved in putting on this event.
If this is how all our visitor services treat their customers, we have nothing to worry about.
Thanks also to the hihi, saddlebacks, robins and fantails for their right-on-cue entrances in the daylight walk; and to the big spider and weta who added a Gothic-horror touch to the night-time trek.
