Monday, February 4, 2008
Newzeland-Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is New Zealand’s capital city, and it’s also known as our arts and culture capital. A special blend of heritage buildings, museums and galleries, fine food and live entertainment opportunities make this city a great place to visit in any season.
Part of Wellington’s charm is its close proximity to nature. The central city is nestled between a beautiful harbour and forested hills. Wildlife sanctuaries, islands, seaside villages, ocean beaches and regional parks provide huge scope for outdoor fun.
Many visitors choose to base themselves in the vibrant inner city, where it’s easy to walk to boutique shops, art galleries, trendy cafés and restaurants. Dominating the spectacular waterfront is Te Papa Tongrewa - the interactive, innovative museum that’s one of New Zealand’s key cultural attractions. At night, the city stays up late to enjoy live theatre, music and dance performances.
Wellingtonians love their city, and we’re sure you will too. Allow at least a couple of days here to get an insight into New Zealand’s history, contemporary culture and creativity.
Part of Wellington’s charm is its close proximity to nature. The central city is nestled between a beautiful harbour and forested hills. Wildlife sanctuaries, islands, seaside villages, ocean beaches and regional parks provide huge scope for outdoor fun.
Many visitors choose to base themselves in the vibrant inner city, where it’s easy to walk to boutique shops, art galleries, trendy cafés and restaurants. Dominating the spectacular waterfront is Te Papa Tongrewa - the interactive, innovative museum that’s one of New Zealand’s key cultural attractions. At night, the city stays up late to enjoy live theatre, music and dance performances.
Wellingtonians love their city, and we’re sure you will too. Allow at least a couple of days here to get an insight into New Zealand’s history, contemporary culture and creativity.
Wairarapa
Wairarapa is tucked away in the south-east corner of the North Island, at the foot of the rugged Tararua Range. Maori called the region “Land of Glistening Waters”.
If you arrive from Wellington, you’ll wind your way over the Rimutaka hills and along the route trodden by early European settlers 150 years ago. The vast Wairarapa valley will open up before you, fringed by mountains to the west and rugged coast to the east.
European settlement dates back to the 1840s, but Maori history is much older. Archaeological research has shown that parts of the Wairarapa coast have been occupied for at least 800 years.
Essentially rural with off-the beaten-track charm, Wairarapa promises a diverse experience for those who appreciate great wine, gourmet food, astonishing wildlife and natural beauty. Rolling vineyards, acres of apple orchards, fields of lavender, olive groves, heritage museums and quaint historic towns combine to make Wairarapa an appealing destination.
If you arrive from Wellington, you’ll wind your way over the Rimutaka hills and along the route trodden by early European settlers 150 years ago. The vast Wairarapa valley will open up before you, fringed by mountains to the west and rugged coast to the east.
European settlement dates back to the 1840s, but Maori history is much older. Archaeological research has shown that parts of the Wairarapa coast have been occupied for at least 800 years.
Essentially rural with off-the beaten-track charm, Wairarapa promises a diverse experience for those who appreciate great wine, gourmet food, astonishing wildlife and natural beauty. Rolling vineyards, acres of apple orchards, fields of lavender, olive groves, heritage museums and quaint historic towns combine to make Wairarapa an appealing destination.
Christchurch - Canterbury
From the silvery beaches of the coast to the jagged peaks of the Southern Alps, the Canterbury landscape is impossible to ignore. Big scenery is the order of the day - huge panoramas of ocean or mountains, great sweeps of pastureland and massive amounts of sky.
The highest point of the region is the highest point of New Zealand. The spectacular Aoraki Mount Cook stands at 3754 metres (Aoraki is Maori for Cloud Piercer). At the other end of the scale, the submarine trenches off the coast of Kaikoura are thousands of metres deep, providing an ideal environment for the whales, dolphins and seals that live there permanently.
Between the mountains and the sea, the vast plains are patchworked with the patterns of rural life. Hundreds of years ago, Maori moa hunters worked these plains leaving a rock art record of their successes.
In the two cities of the region, Christchurch and Timaru, great care has been taken to preserve Canterbury’s colonial heritage. Grand architecture, historic homesteads and immaculate parks intermingle with the technology and style of modern life.
The highest point of the region is the highest point of New Zealand. The spectacular Aoraki Mount Cook stands at 3754 metres (Aoraki is Maori for Cloud Piercer). At the other end of the scale, the submarine trenches off the coast of Kaikoura are thousands of metres deep, providing an ideal environment for the whales, dolphins and seals that live there permanently.
Between the mountains and the sea, the vast plains are patchworked with the patterns of rural life. Hundreds of years ago, Maori moa hunters worked these plains leaving a rock art record of their successes.
In the two cities of the region, Christchurch and Timaru, great care has been taken to preserve Canterbury’s colonial heritage. Grand architecture, historic homesteads and immaculate parks intermingle with the technology and style of modern life.
Southland (Murihiku)
In contrast to the dryness of Central Otago, Southland is lush and green. Tranquil waterways attract fly-fishing enthusiasts in search of brown trout. Near-pristine southern rainforest provides opportunities for day walks and hiking. The amazing Catlins Coast promises wildlife encounters and the chance to see Curio Bay – a petrified forest of subtropical kauri and other trees dating back to the Jurassic age.
Southland's largest urban centre is Invercargill, a city of 49,000 people. Visitors come to admire the elegant Victorian and Edwardian buildings, gardens and landscaped parks.
A half hour drive south from Invercargill is the fishing port of Bluff - home to the famous Bluff oyster and a lively annual seafood festival.
From Bluff, visitors can catch a ferry to Stewart Island - a haven for native bird life and the only place in New Zealand where you can readily see kiwi in their natural habitat.
Southland's largest urban centre is Invercargill, a city of 49,000 people. Visitors come to admire the elegant Victorian and Edwardian buildings, gardens and landscaped parks.
A half hour drive south from Invercargill is the fishing port of Bluff - home to the famous Bluff oyster and a lively annual seafood festival.
From Bluff, visitors can catch a ferry to Stewart Island - a haven for native bird life and the only place in New Zealand where you can readily see kiwi in their natural habitat.
Fiordland
The power of Fiordland’s scenery never fails to enthral travellers. Waterfalls tumble hundreds of metres into massive fiords; ancient rainforest clings impossibly to the mountains; shimmering lakes and granite peaks look the same today as they did a thousand years ago.
Fiordland was well known to Maori, who have many legends recounting its formation and naming. Demi-god Tute Rakiwhanoa is said to have carved the rugged landscape from formless rock, hewing out the steep sided valleys with his adzes.
From the lakeside townships of Te Anau and Manapouri, you can experience Fiordland in the way that suits your travelling style. Adventurers can embark on kayaking tours of the lakes and fiords; hikers have access to a choice of well known walking challenges; scenery lovers can catch a scenic flight or enjoy lake and fiord cruises; divers can discover rare black corals growing just beneath the water’s surface.
Fiordland was well known to Maori, who have many legends recounting its formation and naming. Demi-god Tute Rakiwhanoa is said to have carved the rugged landscape from formless rock, hewing out the steep sided valleys with his adzes.
From the lakeside townships of Te Anau and Manapouri, you can experience Fiordland in the way that suits your travelling style. Adventurers can embark on kayaking tours of the lakes and fiords; hikers have access to a choice of well known walking challenges; scenery lovers can catch a scenic flight or enjoy lake and fiord cruises; divers can discover rare black corals growing just beneath the water’s surface.
Marlborough
For centuries, Marlborough has offered safe harbour to travellers. First to Maori traders and war parties; then to European explorers, such as Captain James Cook and Dumont D’Urville; and now to visitors seeking new landscapes and rejuvenating experiences.
If you arrive in the region by sea or air, the intricate detail of the Marlborough Sounds engages your interest immediately. Maori legend describes the entire South Island as Maui’s waka (canoe), wrecked on a reef during a fishing expedition. The shattered bow of the canoe became the Sounds.
Marlborough basks in year-round sunshine, providing perfect conditions for walking, mountain biking, sea kayaking and vineyard explorations. It’s a region where you can pick a theme and follow it through. Focus your itinerary on outdoor adventures, vineyards and wineries, arts and crafts, history and gardens or marine pursuits. Better still, mix them up and experience a little of everything this beautiful region has to offer.
If you arrive in the region by sea or air, the intricate detail of the Marlborough Sounds engages your interest immediately. Maori legend describes the entire South Island as Maui’s waka (canoe), wrecked on a reef during a fishing expedition. The shattered bow of the canoe became the Sounds.
Marlborough basks in year-round sunshine, providing perfect conditions for walking, mountain biking, sea kayaking and vineyard explorations. It’s a region where you can pick a theme and follow it through. Focus your itinerary on outdoor adventures, vineyards and wineries, arts and crafts, history and gardens or marine pursuits. Better still, mix them up and experience a little of everything this beautiful region has to offer.
Newzeland-Ruapehu
Ruapehu
The 800 square kilometre Tongariro National Park (a World Heritage Area) is the centre of attraction for this region. It was gifted to the country by the local Ngati Tuwharetoa people, who recognised that a treasure so precious needed to belong to all New Zealanders.
The park protects three of New Zealand's most dramatic natural assets - the active andesitic volcanoes Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngauruhoe. On a clear day at any time of the year, the mountains are an awe-inspiring sight. Their cones and surrounding lava fields provide amazing opportunities for adventure and exploration.
The Whanganui National Park is a micro-world of diverse landscapes. It has fast and slow running rivers, crystal clear waterfalls, deep gorges, wide river flats and extensive wilderness areas that are rich in native flora and fauna. The Whanganui River was once the main route into the North Island's interior. It has a fascinating history of wars, steamboats, water-driven flourmills and abandoned homes and farms. Forty generations of Maori have learned passion and patience from this mighty river.
Ruapehu's main settlements are the ski towns of National Park and Ohakune, the army town of Waiouru and the rural service centre of Taumarunui, nestled on the banks of the Whanganui and Ongarue rivers. Local knowledge and expert guides make it easy to discover the region's famous hiking trails, fishing spots, kayaking, canoeing, horse riding and mountain biking experiences.
The park protects three of New Zealand's most dramatic natural assets - the active andesitic volcanoes Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngauruhoe. On a clear day at any time of the year, the mountains are an awe-inspiring sight. Their cones and surrounding lava fields provide amazing opportunities for adventure and exploration.
The Whanganui National Park is a micro-world of diverse landscapes. It has fast and slow running rivers, crystal clear waterfalls, deep gorges, wide river flats and extensive wilderness areas that are rich in native flora and fauna. The Whanganui River was once the main route into the North Island's interior. It has a fascinating history of wars, steamboats, water-driven flourmills and abandoned homes and farms. Forty generations of Maori have learned passion and patience from this mighty river.
Ruapehu's main settlements are the ski towns of National Park and Ohakune, the army town of Waiouru and the rural service centre of Taumarunui, nestled on the banks of the Whanganui and Ongarue rivers. Local knowledge and expert guides make it easy to discover the region's famous hiking trails, fishing spots, kayaking, canoeing, horse riding and mountain biking experiences.
Lake Taupo
Situated in the volcanic heart of the North Island, the Lake Taupo region is home to New Zealand's largest fresh water lake, fascinating geothermal areas and the famous Huka Falls.
Visitors come for the scenery and action-packed adventure, which are accompanied by a genuinely friendly local culture. The lakeside community is alive with great places to eat, drink and party.
Trout fishing should be on your menu of things to do, because this region is one of the last true wild trout fisheries in the world. Local guides will soon get you hooked, and there are plenty of restaurants happy to cook your catch.
Lake Taupo's geothermal attractions include geysers, steaming craters, boiling mud pools and some of the largest silica terraces in the world. Other special experiences include the walk to Huka Falls, a game of golf at Wairakei and kayaking to the Maori carvings at Mine Bay.
Visitors come for the scenery and action-packed adventure, which are accompanied by a genuinely friendly local culture. The lakeside community is alive with great places to eat, drink and party.
Trout fishing should be on your menu of things to do, because this region is one of the last true wild trout fisheries in the world. Local guides will soon get you hooked, and there are plenty of restaurants happy to cook your catch.
Lake Taupo's geothermal attractions include geysers, steaming craters, boiling mud pools and some of the largest silica terraces in the world. Other special experiences include the walk to Huka Falls, a game of golf at Wairakei and kayaking to the Maori carvings at Mine Bay.
Hawke's Bay
For travellers, Hawke’s Bay Wine Country presents an eclectic mix of visual and sensual experiences. The region is New Zealand’s leading producer of red wines, has the greatest concentration of Art Deco architecture and hosts the country’s most elaborate celebrations of Matariki - the Maori New Year. As if that weren’t enough, Hawke’s Bay is also known for its artisan gourmet foods and glorious beaches that stretch from Mahia Peninsula in the north to Porangahau in the south.
The landscapes of Hawke’s Bay begin with the high, forested Ruahine and Kaweka Ranges. From the mountains, the land steps down towards the coast, flattening out to become the Heretaunga Plains. A number of wide rivers run swiftly to meet the blue Pacific Ocean. The twin cities of Napier and Hastings are the main population centres.
Blessed with a sunny, Mediterranean-style climate, Hawke’s Bay is one of New Zealand’s warmest, driest regions.
The landscapes of Hawke’s Bay begin with the high, forested Ruahine and Kaweka Ranges. From the mountains, the land steps down towards the coast, flattening out to become the Heretaunga Plains. A number of wide rivers run swiftly to meet the blue Pacific Ocean. The twin cities of Napier and Hastings are the main population centres.
Blessed with a sunny, Mediterranean-style climate, Hawke’s Bay is one of New Zealand’s warmest, driest regions.
Manawatu - Wanganui
The Wanganui, Rangitikei, Manawatu, Horowhenua and Tararua districts are bound together by magnificent rivers, forested ranges, deep gorges and long stretches of wild surf beach. There is a strong emphasis on rural lifestyle in this region, as well as an exciting choice of outdoor adventures.
Whether you explore by canoe, kayak or jetboat, the Whanganui River is endlessly fascinating. It's the longest navigable waterway in New Zealand - stretching 290 kilometres from Mount Tongariro to the historic city of Wanganui, which has established itself as a centre of excellence for the fine arts.
The region's other city, Palmerston North, provides an entertaining mix of urban fun and country life. Visitors can explore luxury retreats, play golf, ride horses, hunt for antiques and visit the largest stock saleyards in the southern hemisphere.
For those who want a hands-on experience of rural life, the farms of the Rangitikei district are known for their hospitality. Depending on the season, you could be involved with milking cows, shearing sheep or helping to care for baby animals.
Horowhenua is a special part of New Zealand's Nature Coast, featuring rivers, beaches, lakes, mountains, parks and golf courses. From the quiet calm of bushwalks and gardens, to the exhilaration of rivers and sea, through to history and culture, the region has something for everyone.
Whether you explore by canoe, kayak or jetboat, the Whanganui River is endlessly fascinating. It's the longest navigable waterway in New Zealand - stretching 290 kilometres from Mount Tongariro to the historic city of Wanganui, which has established itself as a centre of excellence for the fine arts.
The region's other city, Palmerston North, provides an entertaining mix of urban fun and country life. Visitors can explore luxury retreats, play golf, ride horses, hunt for antiques and visit the largest stock saleyards in the southern hemisphere.
For those who want a hands-on experience of rural life, the farms of the Rangitikei district are known for their hospitality. Depending on the season, you could be involved with milking cows, shearing sheep or helping to care for baby animals.
Horowhenua is a special part of New Zealand's Nature Coast, featuring rivers, beaches, lakes, mountains, parks and golf courses. From the quiet calm of bushwalks and gardens, to the exhilaration of rivers and sea, through to history and culture, the region has something for everyone.
Newzeland-Rotorua
Rotorua
With its unique volcanic landscape, living Maori culture, natural hot springs and plenty of options for adventure, Rotorua is one of New Zealand's most famous destinations.
The region was the birthplace of New Zealand tourism in the 1800s, when people flocked here from around the world to see the amazing Pink and White Terraces - vast, naturally formed silica terraces that cascaded into a volcanic lake. The Te Arawa people were their local guides. The terraces were destroyed in the 1886 Mt Tarawera eruption, but Rotorua's fame as a fascinating travel destination continued to grow. Today Maori guides can often be seen at the city's iconic attractions, following in the footsteps of their ancestors.
When explaining the appeal of their region, the people of Rotorua like to talk of five spirits. You can feel the spirit of the earth, as it rumbles beneath your feet and escapes, hissing, through fumaroles and geysers. You can witness the spirit of Maori culture, with authentic village and performance experiences. With a soak in a natural hot spring or a relaxing massage, you can rejuvenate your spirit. Or free your spirit with outdoor adventures - trout fishing, kayaking, waterskiing, swimming, hiking and mountain biking. And if it's excitement you crave, you can challenge your spirit with adrenalin-charged extreme activities such as sky-diving, jet boating and zorbing.
Apart from its surprising crater, mountain and lake landscape, Rotorua is memorable for striking Tudor-style architecture and beautiful public parks. The farmland around city is some of the most fertile in New Zealand. Watching a sheep show or staying on a working farm is a great way to get a different view of the region.
The region was the birthplace of New Zealand tourism in the 1800s, when people flocked here from around the world to see the amazing Pink and White Terraces - vast, naturally formed silica terraces that cascaded into a volcanic lake. The Te Arawa people were their local guides. The terraces were destroyed in the 1886 Mt Tarawera eruption, but Rotorua's fame as a fascinating travel destination continued to grow. Today Maori guides can often be seen at the city's iconic attractions, following in the footsteps of their ancestors.
When explaining the appeal of their region, the people of Rotorua like to talk of five spirits. You can feel the spirit of the earth, as it rumbles beneath your feet and escapes, hissing, through fumaroles and geysers. You can witness the spirit of Maori culture, with authentic village and performance experiences. With a soak in a natural hot spring or a relaxing massage, you can rejuvenate your spirit. Or free your spirit with outdoor adventures - trout fishing, kayaking, waterskiing, swimming, hiking and mountain biking. And if it's excitement you crave, you can challenge your spirit with adrenalin-charged extreme activities such as sky-diving, jet boating and zorbing.
Apart from its surprising crater, mountain and lake landscape, Rotorua is memorable for striking Tudor-style architecture and beautiful public parks. The farmland around city is some of the most fertile in New Zealand. Watching a sheep show or staying on a working farm is a great way to get a different view of the region.
Bay of Plenty
The popularity of the Bay of Plenty region continues to soar as more people discover the region's irresistible mix of coastal lifestyle, adventure activities and great dining experiences.
Spectacular beaches attract surfers year round, with Mount Maunganui providing a focus for wave culture. For diving and angling enthusiasts, there are offshore islands, reefs and fishing grounds to visit.
In terms of adventure, local specialities include tours of the marine volcano White Island, blokarting (land sailing), sky diving and dolphin encounters. Or if you're looking for pampering and relaxation, hot pools and spas can be found in many locations.
The name Bay of Plenty pays tribute to the region's ability to produce great food. Around the city of Tauranga are swathes of orchards and gardens growing everything from kiwifruit and citrus fruit to avocados and culinary herbs. Add to this a thriving local wine industry and plentiful fresh seafood and you'll see why the region's restaurant culture is so well developed.
Spectacular beaches attract surfers year round, with Mount Maunganui providing a focus for wave culture. For diving and angling enthusiasts, there are offshore islands, reefs and fishing grounds to visit.
In terms of adventure, local specialities include tours of the marine volcano White Island, blokarting (land sailing), sky diving and dolphin encounters. Or if you're looking for pampering and relaxation, hot pools and spas can be found in many locations.
The name Bay of Plenty pays tribute to the region's ability to produce great food. Around the city of Tauranga are swathes of orchards and gardens growing everything from kiwifruit and citrus fruit to avocados and culinary herbs. Add to this a thriving local wine industry and plentiful fresh seafood and you'll see why the region's restaurant culture is so well developed.
Eastland
Eastland is the place where the first Polynesian migration canoes landed, where Captain Cook made his first landfall and where Maori and European first encountered each other.
Maori life is evident in every settlement you see. There are carved meeting houses, beautifully painted Maori churches, children riding horses bareback on the beach and conversations in Te Reo. Deep in the misty Te Urewera Ranges, descendents of the ‘Children of the Mist’, the ancient Tuhoe tribe, still live in harmony with the forest around the village of Ruatahuna.
The landscape – coastal and inland - is untamed and wild. You can lose yourself in the hills and valleys, and renew your inner peace on the beautifully natural beaches.
The largest population centre in the region is Gisborne, a city that manages to combine the science of fine wine making with the laid back, down-to-earth attitude of life in the sun.
Maori life is evident in every settlement you see. There are carved meeting houses, beautifully painted Maori churches, children riding horses bareback on the beach and conversations in Te Reo. Deep in the misty Te Urewera Ranges, descendents of the ‘Children of the Mist’, the ancient Tuhoe tribe, still live in harmony with the forest around the village of Ruatahuna.
The landscape – coastal and inland - is untamed and wild. You can lose yourself in the hills and valleys, and renew your inner peace on the beautifully natural beaches.
The largest population centre in the region is Gisborne, a city that manages to combine the science of fine wine making with the laid back, down-to-earth attitude of life in the sun.
Taranaki
The dramatic, snow-topped volcanic cone of Mount Taranaki is a spiritual and physical force in this region. The mountain is the source of over 50 rivers and streams, the home of many botanically unique plants, and the subject of many stories and legends. On sighting the mountain in 1642, explorer Abel Tasman said it was “the noblest hill I’ve ever seen”.
In the Maori language, Taranaki means 'Gliding Peak', a name that ties to the legend of how the mountain came to its location. As the story goes, Taranaki once lived with the North Island’s other great volcanoes (Tongariro, Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe) but was banished for falling in love with Tongariro’s wife, a smaller volcano called Pihanga.
The mountain and the Tasman Sea, provide a natural playground for travellers who enjoy outdoor adventures. The region is also known for its creativity and ingenuity - characteristics that materialise as beautiful gardens, fascinating museums and highly acclaimed art collections.
AUCKLAND
Northland
Tai Tokerau
Tai Tokerau
The subtropical Northland experience promises a contrast between the relative sophistication of the east coast and the soulful simplicity of the west coast.
Much of Northland's extensive coastline remains unspoilt - an aquatic playground for adventure activities and escapist relaxation. Whangarei and Opua are havens for international and local yachts; Tutukaka and Russell are game fishing hot spots; the beaches of Doubtless Bay are endlessly beautiful.
Throughout the region you’ll also enjoy the shopping, dining and entertainment possibilities that stem from the distinctive local culture, which embraces art, creativity, organic farming and alternative thinking.
Northland’s history is rich and interesting. It is believed that the first Polynesian voyagers arrived in Northland during the 11th century. Today Waitangi is the seat of Maori culture, which is very much alive in this region (32 percent of the population are Maori). European settlement began in the 1840s, further enriching the region’s colourful past.
AUCKLAND
Imagine an urban environment where everyone lives within half an hour of beautiful beaches, hiking trails and a dozen enchanted holiday islands. Add a sunny climate, a background rhythm of Polynesian culture and a passion for outstanding food, wine and shopping - you’re beginning to get the picture of Auckland.
In the Maori language, Auckland is known as Tamaki-Makau-Rau - ‘the maiden with a hundred suitors’. It earned this name because it was a region coveted by many tribes.
Auckland’s blend of harbour, islands, Polynesian culture and modern city environment has created a lifestyle ranked amongst the best in the world.
The natural assets of Auckland have made it a dream destination for all kinds of travellers, from doing-it-on-the-cheap backpackers to cost-is-no-issue super yacht owners.
Coromandel
Rustic, relaxed and unspoiled, the Coromandel is one of New Zealand’s best-loved holiday destinations.
The rugged volcanic hills are cloaked in native rainforest, and more than 400 kilometres of spectacular coastline promises you can find the beach of your dreams. The Coromandel is a place where bush and beach are both easily accessible. In the same day, you can experience the blue dazzle of the Pacific Ocean and calming greenness of the kauri forest.
Inspired by the region’s idyllic setting, many artists and crafts people have made the Coromandel their home - visitors to the area are welcome in their studios. The area’s fascinating history is evident in gold mining relics, logging dams and ancient Maori pa sites. The past can also be found in the charming colonial architecture and historical buildings preserved in several towns around the region.
Waikato
The Waikato region has two spectacular landscapes - one above ground, the other below. In both cases, nature has been generous.
On the lush surface, the scenery is green to the extreme. Fertile soils, reliable rainfall and kind temperatures have created a pastoral heaven.
Below the surface, miracles have been wrought with water and limestone. Vast cave systems, huge sink holes and underground streams provide huge scope for adventure.
Waikato was the scene of significant battles during the Maori Land Wars of the mid 19th century. Visit the monuments and museums and discover the fierce history of the region.
In the fast-growing city of Hamilton, the serpentine beauty of the Waikato River is maximised at every opportunity. You can discover parks, gardens and river walks where the forethought of the town planners is plain to see.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Tips for Children Traveling alone for the Holidays
It is common for custody agreements to require children to travel over the holidays to be with the other parent. If parents live in close proximity, they can easily drive children. Otherwise, they must choose alternative methods of travel.
By Li Ming Wong
Due to the number of non-traditional families in our society, it is common for custody agreements to require children to travel over the holidays to be with the other parent. Parents have to deal with this in the best way possible. If they live in close proximity, they can easily drive children to the agreed upon destination. If the divorce is amicable, it may even be possible for each parent to drive half way for the exchange of the children.
However, it is not always possible for parents to be able to do this for one reason or another, and that means that children will end up traveling alone for the holidays. Make sure you talk to your children about the process, so they know exactly what will be taking place. It is important that you talk to them about not going with strangers for any reason.
Make sure you pack your child plenty of activities for entertainment during the flight. It is a good idea to pack drinks and snacks too. Never leave your child until he or she has boarded. If there is a layover or a cancellation, your child will be alone.
If possible, send your child with a cell phone for use in case of emergencies. You should also pack a list of contact phone numbers, and any medical information that could be useful in the event of an accident. Avoid placing children who are flying alone for the holidays on flights with layovers. In the event that it is necessary, make sure a flight attendant will be escorting them.
The safest mode of transportation for your child if he or she is traveling alone to visit the other parent for the holidays is to travel by air. It may be more expensive, but you will be more confident about travel safety. If possible, do not send your children alone on a flight if they have never been on an airplane before. The stress may be too much for them to handle.
Let the airline know at the time of booking that your child will be traveling alone. They will keep a close eye on the child during the flight, and find out to whom they must be delivered at the airport. This person will need to have photo ID, even if the child knows him or her, in order to follow safety procedures. Most airlines consider a child between 5 and 15 years of age as a minor. Younger children are not allowed to travel alone.
It is against the rules for children under 8 years of age to travel alone on Amtrak. Those between the ages of 8 and 15 may travel alone as long as it is not an overnight trip. They must reach their destination no later than 9 p.m. A child is not allowed to transfer trains or to get off at any locations other than the one printed on the ticket.
The child will be interviewed by a staff member when brought to the train station. If the child does not appear to be mature enough to travel alone, he or she will not be allowed on the train, and the ticket price will be refunded. If a child is permitted to board, the parent must sign a waiver releasing Amtrak from all liability. The child will be issued a wristband so that all staff members will know he or she is traveling alone.
Greyhound does not allow children under 8 years of age to travel alone either. A bus ride is limited to a maximum of 250 miles for older children. To get off for any reason at a rest area or bus stop, children must be accompanied by the bus driver. They are also required to sit in the seat immediately behind the bus driver.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Travel guides
Travel literature is not to be confused with travel guides, usually a series put out by a publisher, each dealing with a particular country, city or region. These are useful for travelers, as they provide a wealth of information on hotels, restaurants, major sights, travel tips etc. The writers are often specialists who travel and write these books for a living.
Types of travelogues
Some travel writers are people who travel and make their livings by writing about it. The Americans William Least Heat-Moon (b. 1940) and Paul Theroux (b. 1941), the Welsh author Jan Morris (b. 1926), and the Englishman Eric Newby (1919–2006), come to mind, although Morris is also known as an historian and Theroux as a novelist.
There is a point, too, in which travel literature intersects with essay writing, as in V. S. Naipaul's India: A Wounded Civilization (1977), where a trip becomes the occasion for extended observations on a nation and people. Rebecca West's (1892–1983) work on Yugoslavia, Black Lamb and Grey Falcon (1941) is another example.
Travel and nature writing merge in many of the works of Sally Carrighar (1895–1985), Ivan T. Sanderson (1911–1973), and Gerald Durrell (1925–1995). These authors are naturalists who write to support their great passion. Both Durrell and Sanderson can be quite funny. Charles Darwin (1809–1882) wrote his famous account of the journey of HMS Beagle at the intersection of science, natural history and travel.
Literary travel writing also occurs when an author, famous in another field, travels and writes about his or her experiences. Examples of such writers are Samuel Johnson (1709–1784), Charles Dickens (1812–1870), Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894), Hilaire Belloc (1870–1953), D.H. Lawrence (1885–1930), Rebecca West (1892–1983), John Steinbeck (1902–1968), and Evelyn Waugh (1903–1966).
Travel literature may be cross-cultural or transnational in focus, or it may involve travel to different regions within the same country. Accounts of spaceflight may also be considered as travel literature.
Fictional travelogues make up a large proportion of travel literature. Although it may be desirable in some contexts to distinguish fictional from non-fictional works, such distinctions have proved notoriously difficult to make in practice, as in the famous instance of the travel writings of Marco Polo or John Mandeville. Many "fictional" works of travel literature are based on factual journeys -- Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness), presumably Homer's Odyssey (c. 8th cent. BCE) -- while other works, though based on imaginary and even highly fantastic journeys -- Dante's Divine Comedy (1321), Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels (1726), or Voltaire's Candide (1759), Samuel Johnson's Rasselas (1759) -- nevertheless contain factual elements.
Notable travel writers and travel literature
See outdoor literature for adventure/exploration/nature literature.
Pausanias (Second century CE)
Description of Greece
Abu ad-Din al-Husayn Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Jubayr (1145–1214)
Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Batutta (1304–c. 1377)
Richard Hakluyt (c. 1552–1616):
The Principall Navigations, Voiages and Discoveries of the English Nation (1589) — A foundational text of the travel literature genre
François de La Boullaye-Le Gouz (1623–1668):
Les voyages et observations du sieur de La Boullaye Le gouz (1653 & 1657) — One of the very first true travel books.
Matsuo Basho (1644–1694)
The Narrow Road to the Deep North and Other Travel Sketches
Samuel Johnson (1709–1784):
A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland (1775) — The lexicographer and his friend James Boswell (1740–1795) visit Scotland in 1773.
Laurence Sterne (1713–1768):
A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy (1768).
Jippensha Ikku (1765–1831)
Hizakurige (The Shank's Mare) - one of the most famous of the Edo period michiyuki (journey) novels
Heinrich Heine (1797–1856)
Karl Baedeker (1801–1859)
Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859)
Charles Dickens (1812–1870):
American Notes (1842).
Pictures of Italy (1844–1845).
Herman Melville (1819–1891):
Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life (1846).
Omoo: A Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas (1847) — Chronicles of Melville's experiences as a sailor in Polynesia.
Fran Levstik (1831–1887):
Popotovanje od Litije do Čateža (1858) — A journey from Litija to Čatež that includes a very influential Slovenian literary programme.
Mark Twain (1835–1910)
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894):
Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes (1879).
The Silverado Squatters (1883).
Norman Douglas (1868–1962):
Old Calabria (1915).
Hilaire Belloc (1870–1953):
The Path To Rome (1902) — A ramble by foot from central France to Rome in 1901.
Yone Noguchi (1875-1947)
The American Diary of a Japanese Girl (1903)
W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965):
On a Chinese Screen (1922) — Vignettes of China in the '30s from the master of the short story.
D.H. Lawrence (1885–1930):
Sea and Sardinia (1921).
Henry Vollam Morton (1892–1979)
Rebecca West (1892–1983):
Black Lamb and Grey Falcon (1941) — A 1,181-page look at Yugoslavia in 1937 by the pro-Serb West and a fascinating, if less than objective, account of this land before the tragedies of World War II and the 1990s wars.
Thomas Raucat (1894–1976)
L'honorable partie de campagne ("The honorable picnic", 1924)
De Shang-Haï à Canton ("From Shanghai to Canton", 1927)
J. Slauerhoff (1898–1936)
Alleen de havens zijn ons trouw ("Only the Ports Are Loyal to Us", 1992 [1927–1932])
Gordon Sinclair (1900–1984):
Khyber Caravan: Through Kashmir, Waziristan, Afghanistan, Baluchistan and Northern India (1936) — A somewhat curmudgeonly account of 1934 travels in British India by a later famous Canadian journalist and television personality.
John Steinbeck (1902–1968):
Travels With Charley: In Search of America (1962) — A classic American road book describing Steinbeck's journeys with his poodle, Charley.
Evelyn Waugh (1903–1966):
Waugh Abroad: Collected Travel Writing — A classic account of the English novelist's restless wanderings around the world in the 1930s and later.
Robert Byron (1905–1941):
The Road to Oxiana (1937) — travels in Persia and Afghanistan
Laurens van der Post (1906–1996):
The Lost World of the Kalahari (1958) — Auberon Waugh (1939–2001) described van der Post as the person in whose company he'd most like to spend an evening. This book by the South African soldier/explorer/writer suggests why.
Wilfred Thesiger (1910–2003)
Lawrence Durrell (1912–1990):
Prospero's Cell: A Guide to the Landscape and Manners of the Island of Corcyra (1945) — This text describes Durrell's time in Corfu. It should be read in tandem with his brother Gerald's My Family and Other Animals.
Reflections on a Marine Venus (1953) — Durrell's experiences in Rhodes.
Bitter Lemons (1957) — Durrell in Cyprus.
Heinrich Harrer (1912–2006)
Gavin Maxwell (1914–1969)
Patrick Leigh Fermor (b. 1915):
A Time Of Gifts (1977) — A journey by an 18 year old in 1933/4 overland from the Hook of Holland to Hungary, rewritten in old age from long lost notes.
Eric Newby (1919–2006):
A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush (1958) — Popular English travel writer.
Lucjan Wolanowski (1920–2006):
Post to Never-Never Land (Poland, 1968); reports from Australia;
Heat and fever (Poland, 1970); reports from the work in World Health Organization Information department in Geneva, travels in New Delhi, Bangkok and Manila 1967-1968.
Richard Halliburton, one of the most famous explorers and adventure writers of his generation
The Royal Road to Romance, The Flying Carpet, New Worlds to Conquer, The Glorious Adventure, Seven League Boots
Jack Kerouac (1922–1969):
On the Road (1957).
Gerald Durrell (1925–1995):
My Family and Other Animals (1956) — A description of an idyllic childhood on Corfu in the 1930s by the brother of Lawrence Durrell (1912–1990). This text combines natural observations, humour, storytelling, and travel.
Fillets of Plaice (1971).
Jan Morris (b. 1926):
Trieste and the Meaning of Nowhere (2001) — Author of many works, especially about cities.
Juan Goytisolo (b. 1931)
Ryszard Kapuściński (1932–2007)
Another Day of Life (1976)
The Soccer War (1978)
The Emperor: Downfall of an Autocrat (1978)
Shah of Shahs (1982)
Imperium (1993)
The Shadow of the Sun (2001)
Cees Nooteboom (b. 1933)
Berlijnse Notities (1990)
Roads to Santiago (1992)
Nootebooms Hotel (2002) — Dutch travel writer.
Barbara Grizzuti Harrison (1934–2002)
Venedikt Erofeev (1938–1990):
Moskva–Pеtushki (1973) — A Russian tale of alcohol, love, and a train ride; translated into English as Moscow to the End of the Line.
Peter Mayle (b. 1939)
Colin Thubron (b. 1939)
Bruce Chatwin (1940–1989):
In Patagonia (1977).
The Songlines (1987) — One of the best English stylists of the 20th century.
William Least Heat-Moon (b. 1940):
Blue Highways: A Journey into America (1982) — An American Classic by an author well known for travel writing.
Frances Mayes (b. 1940):
Under the Tuscan Sun (1996) — A memoir of buying, renovating, and living in an abandoned villa in rural Tuscany in Italy.
Paul Theroux (b. 1941):
The Great Railway Bazaar (1975) — Perhaps Theroux's most popular travel work.
Jonathan Raban (b. 1942)
Michael Palin (b. 1943)
Julian Barnes (b. 1946)
Chris Stewart (b. 1950)
Driving Over Lemons: An Optimist in Andalucia (1999)
A Parrot in the Pepper Tree (2002)
The Almond Blossom Appreciation Society (2007)
Bill Bryson (b. 1951):
The Palace Under the Alps (1985) — An early work that is more of a travel guide than a narrative.
Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Europe (1992)
Notes from a Small Island (1995) — Travels in the United Kingdom.
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail (1999)
I'm A Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America after Twenty Years Away (2000)
In a Sunburned Country (2001)
Vikram Seth (b. 1952
From Heaven Lake: Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet (1983)
Quim Monzó (b. 1952)
Pico Iyer (b. 1957):
Video Night in Kathmandu: And Other Reports from the Not-so-Far East (1988).
Tropical Classical: Essays from Several Directions (1997).
Global Soul: Jet Lag, Shopping Malls, and the Search for Home (2000) — Three excellent collections of essays on the postmodern experience of travel.
Karl Taro Greenfeld (b. 1964):
Standard Deviations: Growing Up and Coming Down in the New Asia — An exploration of the traveler/backpacker subcultures in the Far East during the 1990s by a writer who was there.
Alain de Botton (b. 1969):
The Art of Travel (2002).
J. Maarten Troost (b. 1969):
The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific (2004)
Getting Stoned with Savages: A Trip Through the Islands of Fiji and Vanuatu (2006)
Cleo Paskal
Rantanen Päivi and Kannisto Santeri
Tom Bissell
William Dalrymple
Types of travelogues
Some travel writers are people who travel and make their livings by writing about it. The Americans William Least Heat-Moon (b. 1940) and Paul Theroux (b. 1941), the Welsh author Jan Morris (b. 1926), and the Englishman Eric Newby (1919–2006), come to mind, although Morris is also known as an historian and Theroux as a novelist.
There is a point, too, in which travel literature intersects with essay writing, as in V. S. Naipaul's India: A Wounded Civilization (1977), where a trip becomes the occasion for extended observations on a nation and people. Rebecca West's (1892–1983) work on Yugoslavia, Black Lamb and Grey Falcon (1941) is another example.
Travel and nature writing merge in many of the works of Sally Carrighar (1895–1985), Ivan T. Sanderson (1911–1973), and Gerald Durrell (1925–1995). These authors are naturalists who write to support their great passion. Both Durrell and Sanderson can be quite funny. Charles Darwin (1809–1882) wrote his famous account of the journey of HMS Beagle at the intersection of science, natural history and travel.
Literary travel writing also occurs when an author, famous in another field, travels and writes about his or her experiences. Examples of such writers are Samuel Johnson (1709–1784), Charles Dickens (1812–1870), Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894), Hilaire Belloc (1870–1953), D.H. Lawrence (1885–1930), Rebecca West (1892–1983), John Steinbeck (1902–1968), and Evelyn Waugh (1903–1966).
Travel literature may be cross-cultural or transnational in focus, or it may involve travel to different regions within the same country. Accounts of spaceflight may also be considered as travel literature.
Fictional travelogues make up a large proportion of travel literature. Although it may be desirable in some contexts to distinguish fictional from non-fictional works, such distinctions have proved notoriously difficult to make in practice, as in the famous instance of the travel writings of Marco Polo or John Mandeville. Many "fictional" works of travel literature are based on factual journeys -- Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness), presumably Homer's Odyssey (c. 8th cent. BCE) -- while other works, though based on imaginary and even highly fantastic journeys -- Dante's Divine Comedy (1321), Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels (1726), or Voltaire's Candide (1759), Samuel Johnson's Rasselas (1759) -- nevertheless contain factual elements.
Notable travel writers and travel literature
See outdoor literature for adventure/exploration/nature literature.
Pausanias (Second century CE)
Description of Greece
Abu ad-Din al-Husayn Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Jubayr (1145–1214)
Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Batutta (1304–c. 1377)
Richard Hakluyt (c. 1552–1616):
The Principall Navigations, Voiages and Discoveries of the English Nation (1589) — A foundational text of the travel literature genre
François de La Boullaye-Le Gouz (1623–1668):
Les voyages et observations du sieur de La Boullaye Le gouz (1653 & 1657) — One of the very first true travel books.
Matsuo Basho (1644–1694)
The Narrow Road to the Deep North and Other Travel Sketches
Samuel Johnson (1709–1784):
A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland (1775) — The lexicographer and his friend James Boswell (1740–1795) visit Scotland in 1773.
Laurence Sterne (1713–1768):
A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy (1768).
Jippensha Ikku (1765–1831)
Hizakurige (The Shank's Mare) - one of the most famous of the Edo period michiyuki (journey) novels
Heinrich Heine (1797–1856)
Karl Baedeker (1801–1859)
Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859)
Charles Dickens (1812–1870):
American Notes (1842).
Pictures of Italy (1844–1845).
Herman Melville (1819–1891):
Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life (1846).
Omoo: A Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas (1847) — Chronicles of Melville's experiences as a sailor in Polynesia.
Fran Levstik (1831–1887):
Popotovanje od Litije do Čateža (1858) — A journey from Litija to Čatež that includes a very influential Slovenian literary programme.
Mark Twain (1835–1910)
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894):
Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes (1879).
The Silverado Squatters (1883).
Norman Douglas (1868–1962):
Old Calabria (1915).
Hilaire Belloc (1870–1953):
The Path To Rome (1902) — A ramble by foot from central France to Rome in 1901.
Yone Noguchi (1875-1947)
The American Diary of a Japanese Girl (1903)
W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965):
On a Chinese Screen (1922) — Vignettes of China in the '30s from the master of the short story.
D.H. Lawrence (1885–1930):
Sea and Sardinia (1921).
Henry Vollam Morton (1892–1979)
Rebecca West (1892–1983):
Black Lamb and Grey Falcon (1941) — A 1,181-page look at Yugoslavia in 1937 by the pro-Serb West and a fascinating, if less than objective, account of this land before the tragedies of World War II and the 1990s wars.
Thomas Raucat (1894–1976)
L'honorable partie de campagne ("The honorable picnic", 1924)
De Shang-Haï à Canton ("From Shanghai to Canton", 1927)
J. Slauerhoff (1898–1936)
Alleen de havens zijn ons trouw ("Only the Ports Are Loyal to Us", 1992 [1927–1932])
Gordon Sinclair (1900–1984):
Khyber Caravan: Through Kashmir, Waziristan, Afghanistan, Baluchistan and Northern India (1936) — A somewhat curmudgeonly account of 1934 travels in British India by a later famous Canadian journalist and television personality.
John Steinbeck (1902–1968):
Travels With Charley: In Search of America (1962) — A classic American road book describing Steinbeck's journeys with his poodle, Charley.
Evelyn Waugh (1903–1966):
Waugh Abroad: Collected Travel Writing — A classic account of the English novelist's restless wanderings around the world in the 1930s and later.
Robert Byron (1905–1941):
The Road to Oxiana (1937) — travels in Persia and Afghanistan
Laurens van der Post (1906–1996):
The Lost World of the Kalahari (1958) — Auberon Waugh (1939–2001) described van der Post as the person in whose company he'd most like to spend an evening. This book by the South African soldier/explorer/writer suggests why.
Wilfred Thesiger (1910–2003)
Lawrence Durrell (1912–1990):
Prospero's Cell: A Guide to the Landscape and Manners of the Island of Corcyra (1945) — This text describes Durrell's time in Corfu. It should be read in tandem with his brother Gerald's My Family and Other Animals.
Reflections on a Marine Venus (1953) — Durrell's experiences in Rhodes.
Bitter Lemons (1957) — Durrell in Cyprus.
Heinrich Harrer (1912–2006)
Gavin Maxwell (1914–1969)
Patrick Leigh Fermor (b. 1915):
A Time Of Gifts (1977) — A journey by an 18 year old in 1933/4 overland from the Hook of Holland to Hungary, rewritten in old age from long lost notes.
Eric Newby (1919–2006):
A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush (1958) — Popular English travel writer.
Lucjan Wolanowski (1920–2006):
Post to Never-Never Land (Poland, 1968); reports from Australia;
Heat and fever (Poland, 1970); reports from the work in World Health Organization Information department in Geneva, travels in New Delhi, Bangkok and Manila 1967-1968.
Richard Halliburton, one of the most famous explorers and adventure writers of his generation
The Royal Road to Romance, The Flying Carpet, New Worlds to Conquer, The Glorious Adventure, Seven League Boots
Jack Kerouac (1922–1969):
On the Road (1957).
Gerald Durrell (1925–1995):
My Family and Other Animals (1956) — A description of an idyllic childhood on Corfu in the 1930s by the brother of Lawrence Durrell (1912–1990). This text combines natural observations, humour, storytelling, and travel.
Fillets of Plaice (1971).
Jan Morris (b. 1926):
Trieste and the Meaning of Nowhere (2001) — Author of many works, especially about cities.
Juan Goytisolo (b. 1931)
Ryszard Kapuściński (1932–2007)
Another Day of Life (1976)
The Soccer War (1978)
The Emperor: Downfall of an Autocrat (1978)
Shah of Shahs (1982)
Imperium (1993)
The Shadow of the Sun (2001)
Cees Nooteboom (b. 1933)
Berlijnse Notities (1990)
Roads to Santiago (1992)
Nootebooms Hotel (2002) — Dutch travel writer.
Barbara Grizzuti Harrison (1934–2002)
Venedikt Erofeev (1938–1990):
Moskva–Pеtushki (1973) — A Russian tale of alcohol, love, and a train ride; translated into English as Moscow to the End of the Line.
Peter Mayle (b. 1939)
Colin Thubron (b. 1939)
Bruce Chatwin (1940–1989):
In Patagonia (1977).
The Songlines (1987) — One of the best English stylists of the 20th century.
William Least Heat-Moon (b. 1940):
Blue Highways: A Journey into America (1982) — An American Classic by an author well known for travel writing.
Frances Mayes (b. 1940):
Under the Tuscan Sun (1996) — A memoir of buying, renovating, and living in an abandoned villa in rural Tuscany in Italy.
Paul Theroux (b. 1941):
The Great Railway Bazaar (1975) — Perhaps Theroux's most popular travel work.
Jonathan Raban (b. 1942)
Michael Palin (b. 1943)
Julian Barnes (b. 1946)
Chris Stewart (b. 1950)
Driving Over Lemons: An Optimist in Andalucia (1999)
A Parrot in the Pepper Tree (2002)
The Almond Blossom Appreciation Society (2007)
Bill Bryson (b. 1951):
The Palace Under the Alps (1985) — An early work that is more of a travel guide than a narrative.
Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Europe (1992)
Notes from a Small Island (1995) — Travels in the United Kingdom.
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail (1999)
I'm A Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America after Twenty Years Away (2000)
In a Sunburned Country (2001)
Vikram Seth (b. 1952
From Heaven Lake: Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet (1983)
Quim Monzó (b. 1952)
Pico Iyer (b. 1957):
Video Night in Kathmandu: And Other Reports from the Not-so-Far East (1988).
Tropical Classical: Essays from Several Directions (1997).
Global Soul: Jet Lag, Shopping Malls, and the Search for Home (2000) — Three excellent collections of essays on the postmodern experience of travel.
Karl Taro Greenfeld (b. 1964):
Standard Deviations: Growing Up and Coming Down in the New Asia — An exploration of the traveler/backpacker subcultures in the Far East during the 1990s by a writer who was there.
Alain de Botton (b. 1969):
The Art of Travel (2002).
J. Maarten Troost (b. 1969):
The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific (2004)
Getting Stoned with Savages: A Trip Through the Islands of Fiji and Vanuatu (2006)
Cleo Paskal
Rantanen Päivi and Kannisto Santeri
Tom Bissell
William Dalrymple
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