25 years today, I arrived in the UK

Today is exactly 25 years since I arrived in the UK, as these pages from my very first passport prove. Thanks to grandparent patriality, I had been granted indefinite leave to remain and work here [not sure that's still available to new arrivals now].

I emigrated from New Zealand, planning to stay at least a year - longer if my hopes of finding work and carving out a new career for myself bore fruit. I'd been a journalist, working on the general news desks at the New Zealand Herald.

I really wanted to work in features, but back then it seemed someone to die or retire for there to be any openings. I'd told my voice wasn't good enough for radio journalism, and an audition to co-host a TV music show didn't go well [at my screen test I sounded like Minnie Mouse when put alongside a gravel-voiced guy who did get the gig].

So I decided to emigrate in search of new opportunities, and came halfway round the world to the UK. 25 years later, I'm still here...