Summer lovin' celebs WHERE WE FIND OUR HOLIDAY MAGIC

In New Zealand, we’re lucky to have such beautiful places to spend our down time. Five favourite faces explain what summer means to them and where they’ll be spending their vacations

- Wendyl Nissen

Barbara Kendall

Olympic windsurfing champion & company director

One place you can be guaranteed to find Barbara Kendall during the summer is in the ocean. “For me, summer is about being anywhere near the beach and being able to play in the ocean. Preferably with good waves!” she says.

“Hopefully, we can get away on our boat, and meet up with our friends and family on their boats out on the Hauraki Gulf. We’ll go diving, windsurfing, surfing and foiling.”

The Olympic gold medallist, 54, says she’s happy wherever she is in the summer, as long as it includes four essential ingredients. “Living very simply, barbecues at night, playing in the ocean and with good company, telling stories around the campfire.”

She says if she only had a few days for her holiday, she would fly to Great Barrier Island, and get straight into camping, tramping and surfing.

And if it rains, she is quite happy to put on her raincoat, go dance in the rain and walk through the bush.

“Summer, for me, is all about freedom, nature, adventure, poÌ„hutukawa trees, sun, sand, salt, family, friends, boats, surf, fishing, diving, exploring and laughter,” she enthuses.

Barbara can remember as a child going to sleep when she was tired and waking up when she was ready, then putting on her togs and being in them all day.

“We would play in, on and around the ocean, then a fish would be smoked on the beach after a good day’s fishing,” she recalls.