Janice Milburn immigrated to Lake Hawea almost five years ago at the age of 79, with her son and grandchildren.
She was born and grew up in Kenya while it was still under the British Colonial Company.
She remembered her childhood in East Africa fondly, describing the safari landscape and animals as a sight worth holding on to.
Although she was happy with her life in Lake Hawea, there was a longing in her heart for East Africa’s natural environment.
"I love my animals and wildlife, and I find that very hard here that you just don’t see wildlife," she said.
Ms Milburn left Kenya in 1961 at the age of 21, migrating to England and working as a Dictaphone typist for the East African High Commission in Trafalgar Square.
She spent five years in England and travelled all over Europe before moving to South Africa, where her family had been at the time.
She continued working as a typist but was soon introduced to the art of calligraphy by a friend and then slowly began painting with watercolours. This sparked her love for creativity and from then on art was always a part of her life, wherever she went.
After going through a divorce, she remarried an Australian partner and moved to Brisbane.
While living in the city, she continued exploring her artistic side, and started fabric painting.
She spent 24 years in Australia and moved to New Zealand with her son and his family after her husband died.
Lake Hawea was a top choice for them, as the small country town was a nice break from the city life.
"It’s getting a bit busy and overcrowded at the moment. I think we’re getting too many small houses, which is a shame."
The little town might seem like a big change from Ms Milburn’s life in larger cities.
However, her former interests in backpacking and mountain climbing meant she had the right spirit to flourish in the small alpine town.
She wasted no time when it came to integrating herself in the community, joining the Wanaka travel club and playing bowls and pétanque.
Although she would not compare the different countries she had lived in, Ms Milburn said the close-knit community in Lake Hawea was something special and a welcoming environment for newcomers.
"The people are wonderful, there’s lots going on," she said. "... I think it’s a very friendly place and if they join in with all the things that are offered, they’ll get to meet many people."
She also helped start an art group called Art for Fun, which she now runs with fellow artist Bea Thomas. The group meets every Thursday and welcomes anyone with an interest in the visual arts to practise or learn something new.
When it came to her own art, she continued her work with watercolours, with her latest project being a book that captured the African wildlife she missed dearly.
"When you go for a drive, you see monkeys jumping across the road and ducks running. It’s just totally different. I can’t explain it, but I do miss that type of thing."
As much as she missed the East African biodiversity, Ms Milburn had no interest in going back to visit.
Knowing that the region had gone through difficult political times she did not want to sully her positive memory of the country.
"I want to remember it as I remember it," she said. "It’s improved now, but I don’t really want to go back."
She wanted to preserve the beautiful memories she had and her art was her way of immortalising the views she had grown up with.
