The tale of a parcel that managed to be delivered to a couple in rural Canterbury - despite not having an address and only vague instructions - has been a hit on social media.
Last week the local petrol station in the tiny South Island town of Cust, population 450, just west of Rangiora, received an unusual parcel from the postie.
It was addressed to "Kay and Philip, on a farm, situated up a long drive with cows, opposite Cust pub or thereabouts".
Kay Worthington's parcel. Photo: Facebook / Kay Worthington
After the petrol station shared the image on its Facebook page, which garnered hundreds of comments and more than 2000 shares, the package found its way home.
"A friend tagged me...so that alerted me to it, and I thought 'that sounds like us'," said Kay Worthington - the recipient.
"The sender was an elderly lady who is the mother-in-law of a friend who lives in Cust.
"The lady who'd sent us the package had been to our place a couple of times with our daughter in law, but she's blind ... she was doing the directions from memory driving from her daughter in law's place."
"She's a lady who, in spite of limited eyesight, loves sewing and making gifts to people, so she'd made an apron and something else as a gift."
The intrepid journey from sender to recipient struck a chord with many on social media, who felt it epitomised charming and intimate qualities of small-town New Zealand.
'Very Kiwi'
The Facebook message was quickly inundated with similar stories.
"We once got a letter addressed to a make up lady on the Lord of The Rings set. NZ post gave it to the info centre. I gave it to my brother who was an extra on set. And he delivered it to one surprised make up artist," wrote Rebecca Thomas, of Clyde.
Melania Joy of Balclutha wrote: "We own a large, very distinctive white goat who is tethered directly across from our house on a long wire.
"We got a letter years ago asking for the letter to be delivered to 'the old house with the pretty garden...across the road from the big white goat with one horn.'"
Ms Worthington agreed it was classic New Zealand.
"It's a very Kiwi thing, and it's very much a rural New Zealand thing, and I suppose it's piqued everyone's interest because it's a nice story.
"I just think it's great that Irene posted it off in Christchurch with the best directions she had from memory, and it found its way to us."
