Pinning down Queenstown Lakes District Mayor Vanessa van Uden for an interview about her 200 days in office is no mean feat.
The Otago Daily Times is given a 25-minute window during her "lunch break", ironic in that she has no time to eat.
Having met international guests in the morning, she rushed to a Tourism Industry Association meeting, returned to her office to chat to the ODT, then went back to the TIA meeting to deliver a speech on the state of tourism in Queenstown.
From there it was off to Arrowtown for another meeting, then back to her office to hold yet another meeting, before finally getting home to her family.
It is a fine balancing act and while Ms van Uden set out to deliver "quality, not quantity" when elected in October, she has discovered "I'm not that good at saying no to people".
"I guess if you just wanted to be the mayor and do the official functions and not go to rest-home openings you could.
"But to me, those things are some of the most enjoyable things.
"You're actually meeting people in the community. They're happy and they're having a good time enjoying life ... It's nice to spend time with people who are just loving being here."
The flip side, naturally, were the complainants - people with gripes about the council, which took many and varied forms.
That, however, was "no surprise" for Ms van Uden.
"The issue is always for the person with the problem ... black and white. For us and the community there are shades of grey. I understand that and that means sometimes you can help somebody and sometimes you can't."
The job also meant time with her family was precious - her children, Caitlin and Laura, had been "wonderful" and her husband Peter Laurensen had been "all right ... Translation: he's fantastic".
Looking back there were two things the council under her leadership had accomplished of which she was most proud.
The first - and most important for her - was a 0.88% rates decrease.
"I never promised a rates decrease.
"I [expressed] there would be a good hard look, but I always had the plan to get a rates decrease."
The second achievement was the beginning of the Shaping our Futures project - a new way of consulting within the community, which would rely on the community "to think for itself".
"The interesting thing about that ... is it isn't all a process set in concrete.
"That's going to take some time as a community to get our heads around.
"What we wanted ... was to use the experience and knowledge sitting in this community.
"It does mean the community has to think for itself."
When it comes to the low point of her term as mayor, the answer doesn't require much thought.
"The airport."
Ms van Uden took over from former mayor Clive Geddes after the controversial July 2010 announcement of the strategic alliance between Auckland and Queenstown airports.
Shortly before the elections, the matter was taken to the High Court by the Queenstown Community Strategic Asset Group and Air New Zealand - a move which has already cost the community more than $400,000 in legal fees and litigation costs.
"I don't think any council or mayor in this country would have wanted to have inherited that.
"But ... there are lessons.
"We now know a lot more about airports and the council, as a team, will be stronger at the end of this.
"It has been stressful, it has been difficult, it's been something that's a significant learning curve for a lot of people, but everybody's committed to it, to getting the best outcome for the community.
"They [the councillors] have given their time and commitment and I think that is the thing this community has the right to expect - and they have all delivered."
Looking ahead, Ms van Uden said there was still work to do to deliver on campaign promises, for example reducing the use of consultants - and slashing the predicted $400 million debt.
While $130 million of projects had already been cut from the council's long-term plan, it was not clear if that was all debt-funded.
"The proof of the pudding will be when it [the long-term plan] comes out next year.
"I would expect to see it [the debt] reduced."
There was no doubt the first six months as mayor had its challenging moments, but Ms van Uden said the mayoral chains still felt like a good fit.
"Some days it does feel like 200 days ... More days it feels like yesterday ... which means I'm having a good time ... I don't know whether I have possibly been on honeymoon."
THE MAYOR
• Name: Vanessa van Uden
• Age: 44
• Council experience: Two years as a council officer with Manukau City Council; four years as a council officer with Queenstown Lakes District Council; one three-year term as a Queenstown Lakes District councillor
• Best thing about being mayor: It's meeting the lovely people that have great stories to tell that are happy to be here and are having a great time.
• Worst thing about being mayor: Your phone never stops ringing.
• Biggest surprise during this term: How many visits from foreign dignitaries and conference openings there are in the Lakes District.
