World Travel Guide Online

Think of New Zealand, and the first thing that comes to mind is the magnificent scenery that this country is known for. If not for the scenery, the country is also known as Middle Earth, thanks to the movie trilogy “Lord Of The Rings, which was shot in various gorgeous locations around New Zealand.

The South Island of New Zealand, in particular, offers awe-inspiring vistas of snow-capped mountains and turquoise blue lakes, which are truly sights to behold.

Of the many beautiful lakes in the South Island, here are 7 of the most stunning:

Lake Wakatipu

It’s perhaps the most photographed lake in the South Island. Lake Wakatipu is situated right on one of the most popular towns in New Zealand: Queenstown. The lake is huge, and covers 291 square kilometres in area, and is 80 kilometres in length. It is the longest lake in New Zealand, and one of the most picturesque.

The Remarkables Mountain Range towers above the lake at the southern end, facing Queenstown itself. Lake Wakatipu has 3 towns on its banks: Queenstown, Glenorchy and Kingston. Lake Wakatipu offers an awe-inspiring view, and it is no wonder that people from all over the world would flock to Queenstown.

Lake Tekapo

Sitting in the heart of the MacKenzie Country is a turquoise-blue lake called Lake Tekapo. This lake can be found along the way if you’re driving from Christchurch to Queenstown. The lake is glacial-fed, and its turquoise blue colour is attributed by the minerals that come from the mountains where the glacier is situated.

On the southern end of Lake Tekapo is the township of Lake Tekapo. It’s a popular tourist destination, as the lake is truly worth seeing. In the township proper is an old stone church called Church of the Good Shepherd, which offers a fantastic view of the lake, and has become a favourite place for weddings and photo shoots.

Lake Tekapo is also where you will find the Mount Johns Observatory. This scientific institution offers star gazing activities at night, and is also a great place to see Aurora Australis (Southern Lights) on a nice clear evening during the winter time.

Lake Wanaka

Lake Wanaka is situated in the Otago region, and is New Zealand’s fourth largest lake. This one is surrounded by high mountains, and is in the vicinity of the Mount Aspiring National Park. Lake Wanaka gained some fame when Tom Cruise mentioned the lake a few times on the movie “Mission Impossible 3.”

On the southern edge of the lake is the town of Wanaka, which is fast becoming the next Queenstown, with more people opting for a quieter and more laid-back atmosphere than its neighbor. Those who find Queenstown too touristy generally make the 2-hour drive to enjoy what looks like a mirror image of Queenstown, sans the crowds.

Lake Matheson

In the heart of the wild West Coast of the South Island is where you will find Lake Matheson. You may recognise this lake in many photos of New Zealand where they show a lake with a nice clear reflection of Mount Cook, Australasia’s highest mountain. That lake is Lake Matheson.

The lake itself is accessible from the township of Fox Glacier on the West Coast, and is a 15 minute drive from the town proper. Though the lake can offer that great stunning postcard-perfect view, it can be very tricky to get that particular setup. The rainy West Coast weather makes it challenging to enjoy this grand view at just any day. However, if you can wait for it, it is absolutely breathtaking.

Lake Pukaki

A smaller version of Lake Tekapo, Lake Pukaki is one of the three nearly parallel lakes in the MacKenzie Country, namely Lake Tekapo, Lake Pukaki and Lake Ohau. Lake Pukaki is also another glacial-fed lake with has very similar qualities to Lake Tekapo.

The turquoise blue water is attributed to a type of glacial sediment and gives the lake its very distinctive feature. The unique thing about this lake is that it offers a good viewpoint of Mount Cook on a nice clear day, and has that postcard-perfect photo of the mountain and the lake. Lake Pukaki doesn’t have any towns on its banks, but can be found on the inland route between Christchurch and Queenstown, and to Mount Cook village itself.

Lake Te Anau

Lake Te Anau is the second largest lake in New Zealand, covering 344 square kilometres. It is situated near Fiordland National Park, which is famous for Milford Sound and the Milford Track. The lake is surrounded by the huge mountains of the Fiordland National Park, with some portions of rolling hill country.

The town of Te Anau, along with the small settlement of Te Anau Downs, are the only inhabited areas around the lake. The maximum depth of the lake is 417 metres, and you can tell how deep it is by the dark colour of the water in the middle. The enormity of the lake and its location being surrounded by almost-perennially snow-capped mountains makes it stunning.

Lake Hawea

Mostly overshadowed by its next-door neighbour Lake Wanaka, Lake Hawea is another jaw-dropping lake located in the Otago region of the South Island. The lake itself has some great views of the mountains and rolling hills surrounding it. A great vantage point can be found along State Highway 6 between the towns of Makarora and Wanaka. This lake is popular for fishing, jet boating, waterskiing and other water sports.

Dawn at Franz Joseph Glacier. As daylight seeps into the sky I lie awake listening to the wind rattle the flax bushes growing outside my room. Through the window I can see a placid moon hanging low on the western horizon; a few of the brightest stars linger as the day is born on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island.

The previous day I had left my husband, James, at Mount Cook on the eastern side of the Southern Alps. He is part of a group doing a guided walk over the Copeland Pass an alpine route over the mountains and down through the rainforests of South Westland Our plan is to meet at Franz Joseph Glacier in three days. Until then, I am free to explore the southern part of the West Coast at my own pace

With James embarked on his adventure in the mountains I had driven north to Christchurch then west over Arthurs Pass. While I drove, I phoned a few places in Franz Joseph looking for a bed. Glenfern Villas had a room available for one night. I could find somewhere else for my second night. And when James returns from his epic hike, we have arranged to stay at Westwood Lodge where some friends had stayed previously.

The sun is well up by the time I leave Glenfern Villas. My room had a sunny deck looking out to the deep rainforest beyond so I’d sat drinking coffee and writing as the August morning warmed. Franz Joseph township is like a fairy-tale village in a forest clearing. I wander up the main street, which is also State Highway 6. The cluster of shops sell everything I need to sustain me on my wanderings: cheese, bread, lollies and coffee. As I leave town I wind the window down and turn the car stereo up. The early West Coast explorers’ tales of hardship and tragedy seem over a touch overwrought on this sunny morning. I sip my coffee as the forest swallows me whole.

I turn off the highway and follow a back road out to Gillespies Beach. Descending through graceful, sinuous rainforest, the road peters out amid a wilderness of bracken and flax. A few cottages patrolled by tattered, doleful sheep, stand in the lee of giant macrocarpas trees.

A westerly swell is pushing bumpy waves onto the steep, stony beach, which arcs around to the south-west towards Otorokua Point. A soft haze of spray drifts ashore and infuses the air with a taste of salt The ocean has patiently softened and rounded the stones until the bear no resemblance to the skyline of brittle, jagged rocks from which they came.

At Fox Glacier, I cross a rattling iron bridge and turn off the main road onto a slippery gravel road leading up the northern side of a deep, u-shaped valley. Rainforest clings precariously to the vertiginous rock faces; a river of pale blue water braided across fine grey stones flows out from the mountains.

At the end of the road I follow a trail around an outcrop of shattered rock and descend to the riverbed. The route up the valley towards the terminal face of the Fox Glacier is marked by cairns of piled stones and yellow ropes. Lurid signs warn me of the foolhardiness of straying outside the marked areas. But I can’t see any immediate danger in walking up an open riverbed so when no-one is looking I leave the path and set off on my own up the valley.

Up close, the glacier is pock-marked with grit and snapped off bits of mountain. I feel its cold breath of air currents flowing down from the invisible ice-fields high above. A river of pure crystal water flows out from beneath the glacier. Massive chunks of ice, as hard and clear as glass lie in the riverbed. I break off a small piece and melt it in my mouth thinking “this ice is hundreds, maybe thousands of years old.”

I spend the afternoon exploring the mirror lakes of Glacier Country. Lake Matheson, not far from Fox Glacier township, provides perfect reflections of Mount Cook (NZ’s highest mountain) and its pointy neighbour Mount Tasman. Lake Mapourika, a few minutes north of Franz Joseph has lots of bush walks to choose from but I opt instead for just lying in the sun beside the lake reading a book. Perfect!

Later, I drive out to the Okarito Lagoon. This bush-fringed lagoon is the habitat of the white heron, or to use its much nicer Maori name, Kotuku. The sun is drifting towards the western horizon as I sit on a narrow wooden jetty watching these graceful birds returning to their roosting places. The sky turns to a pale shade of pink; the snowfields of the Southern Alps gleam in the last light of day. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.

Back in Franz Joseph, I check into the Punga Grove Motel for the night. After my day’s exploring it’s nice to relax in my room’s spa bath with a glass of red wine. I fall asleep to the sound of gentle rain tapping on the trees outside my room.

I spend next morning at the Department of Conservation Headquarters where there are numerous displays of the natural and human history of the area. After lunch at one of Franz’s eateries

I drive up the road to Franz Joseph Glacier. Beyond a tunnel of overhanging forest, the road runs beneath towering bluffs of ice-smoothed rock. The terminal face of the glacier is an hour’s walk from the car park. Once again there are many warnings about the dire things which will befall anyone foolhardy enough to stray too close to the ice. I resist the temptation to explore off the beaten track this time.

The terminal face of the glacier is only 300 metres above sea level, one of only three glaciers outside the arctic regions to be found so close to the ocean. And of course one of the others is Fox Glacier! There are guided walks available on both Fox and Franz Joseph glaciers.

James arrives back into civilization at three pm. After four days in the wilderness he his tired but jubilant having crossed the Southern Alps in almost perfect weather. Luckily, our suite at the Westwood Lodge with its big tiled shower, open fire and French tub is a perfect place for two adventurers to unwind and plan the next leg of our journey into the west.

Kaikoura has two slogans: ‘Kaikoura, where the mountains meet the sea’ and ‘Kaikoura we don’t have to explain it, every step allows you to discover it’. The Kaikoura Wilderness Walks fits them perfectly.

In a long skinny land – such as NZ – in the middle of an ocean, in any 48-hour period you can expect every meteorological weather pattern, but for us, as we head towards the Seaward Kaikoura’s, the weather gods smile on us when we start climbing.

Our guide, Lance Godfrey has lived in Kaikoura since his first birthday. Like the NZ back-country author Barry Crump, (loved by many – although not by me) Lance too was once a goat and deer culler, and here the similarities stop. He was also a hunting and trophy guide for American tourists in the South Island, and now is the operations manager (and guide) for Nicky McArthur, owner of Kaikoura Wilderness Walks and its 3-day all inclusive guided walk. Her land on which we are walking is protected as the Puhi Peaks Nature Reserve under a QE2 National Trust Covenant, which aims to preserve ‘open spaces in its natural state.

This means Nicky is the guardian of the land right now, but the land is protected no matter who owns it – it can never be farmland again. New Zealand is fortunate indeed to have people such as Nicky, and others, who are willing to save such special places – but back to my trip.

This walk is the quickest and easiest way into the mountain terrain of Kaikoura” our guide tells us – a group of four, two Kiwi and two from England. He continues in his soft voice, “We’ll be going through different types of terrain and vegetation, through stands of the wonderful manuka (from which bees harvest pollen for the therapeutic manuka honey) and kanuka, from regenerating totara forest to ancient forest areas and fine stands of beech and podocarp forest:” podocarps are part of the conifer family and includes rimu, kahikatea, miro, and totara.

And so, daypacks on, lancewood walking sticks at the ready, we leave the woolshed and farmyard base for our six-hour walk in the wilderness and head for Shearwater Lodge in Happy Valley.

The smells of hiking in New Zealand are wonderful and it’s not long before we stop at a beech tree to sample the honey dew: unlike me, the woman from the UK did not like beech trees sweet smell which pervades the forest. As a boutique eco-hike, the guides are able to tailor the day to the abilities of the walkers, stopping for photos, drinks and rests as needed – and I valued that. The walk is said to be for average fitness – I think a really fit person said that. I would suggest if you are not used to hill climbs some practice would make the trip even more enjoyable.

We watched and heard many birds, had views of the North Island and the Pacific Ocean, we saw feral goats and deer, and, as well as stopping to admire and learn about various native trees, we’re even introduced to a native fern: the tiny leathery adder’s tongue has a tongue-shaped leaf at ground level and a longer fertile stalk bearing above it. Although there are two species in New Zealand I had never heard of them – we were all on our knees examining it. At different times of the year the white mountain daisies, and other flowering plants, cover the hills, I’d love to return to see them in bloom. No wonder Lance says ‘this is the most picturesque place in Kaikoura.

As we stop for lunch – a delicious packed lunch that’s waiting for us at the halfway point – where there is an eco, composting toilet and even a picnic table. It’s a welcome break with food, tea and coffee, coupled with good conversation and stunning views.

It’s at this point is where we can see the Hutton’s Shearwaters colony. They burrow below the peak of Te Ao Wheke, (the world of the Gods) the second highest mountain peak in the Seaward Kaikoura’s and where, in 1965, these breeding grounds were re-discovered by Geoff Harrow, an amateur Christchurch ornithologist. Out come the binoculars and we search their mountainside home for them – but of course these birds only fly home at night and leave first thing each morning to spend their days at sea feeding on small fish and krill.

Although the adult population is around 460,000 the species is classified as ‘nationally endangered’ because of its rapid rate of decline. Like us hikers, this bird’s a traveller. It spends winter in Australian waters then returns each August to breed in this steep and rugged landscape – on Puhi Peaks, the highest freehold land in the country. This cousin of the ‘mutton-bird’ (sooty shearwater) is the only New Zealand seabird that nests in subalpine terrain.

Lance is full of useful information and tells me, “They have been recorded travelling at150 km/h. So it takes only seven minutes to get down to the sea – coming back up takes around 38 minutes.” Not bad as they climb about 1200m from the ocean to their burrows – a lot quicker than we are travelling.

Kaikoura Wilderness Walks, and Nicky Mc Arthur, are closely aligned with conservation of the Shearwater and it’s colony, and the attempt by the NZ’s Dept’ of Conservation and Ngai Tahu, to create a 3rd colony behind a predator-excluding fence on the Kaikoura Peninsula. This year signs that some of the translocated birds – moved before they could fly, and fed with mashed sardine through a syringe – have returned to this new colony: this is positive news for the success of the project.)

Lunch over, and after many hours being guided over streams, boulder-hopping, and zigzagging up and down the hills and valleys, through tussock, high alpine meadows, ferns, and old forest we arrive at the luxurious, yet eco-friendly, Shearwater Lodge. This is where Nicky shines – the ‘hostess with the mostest’ someone has written in the guest book.

This is civilised tramping: no wet japara and canvas tents here. The outdoor table is laden with muffins, fruit cake and nibbles, hot and cold drinks to welcome and celebrate us achieving our goal, and through the window we can see a fire roaring and we know a welcome shower awaits us.

Nicky tells me “There are more than two dozen privately owned walks in New Zealand, but we don’t think walkers need to compromise on style or hot showers.” And style this lodge has: Nicky’s watercolours line the hall which leads to the double bedrooms. Sheepskins, white linen and great views from the balcony, and best of all, my luggage delivered to my room from down at sea level, add to the luxury. Later, my turned down bed, a chocolate on the pillow, reminds me this is not tramping as I used to know it – I would be happy to always indulge in this sort of hiking.

After showers we gather at the lounge fire for drinks and appetisers of eggplant and parmesan and as appropriate for Kaikoura – another of crayfish, and soon its time for dinner: Another area in which Nicky excels. Despite the table salt coming from Nepal – connecting two mountain areas – she uses local, in season, produce whenever possible.

In our native bird named rooms, our comfortable beds ensure we sleep well; I leave my curtains open and wake at 5am so open the sliding doors and lie in bed for a little longer, listening to the bird song. I never tire of the dawn chorus and very soon I’m up, camera in hand, to record the subtle sunrise.

Later, after a hearty breakfast and my boots back on, we head out to explore. Past the helicopter pad we climb through the young plants that will later cover the slope with tall stalks of yellow blooms and soon, in the middle of a large alpine field we stop to watch some deer and goats higher up the mountains. It’s also the spot where a spectacular mountain ribbonwood grows. ‘The wedding tree’ everyone at Shearwater Lodge calls it because of the beautiful white blossom which evidently looks like confetti as it starts to fall – I wonder when the first wedding will occur under its branches?

A short climb had us soon on top of the ridge and from where we could see the Emily falls – it seems to have about nine distinct cascades as the snow melt and spring water head down to the valley and river. We traversed the ridge and back down to see yet more falls on the other side of Shearwater Lodge – the Bevery falls. It’s further up this river that the lodge generates its own power. It’s lovely to note that both waterfalls are named after girls: one a toddler, the other a baby.

Hiking in this wonderful area, my first guided walk, I concur with my fellow hikers who loved the ‘absolute rawness of the mountains’ and who wish they could have stayed longer – me too.

The other kiwi in our group paid the ultimate compliment when over our last lunch she said, ‘I’ve been totally blown away. I have walked virtually all the South Island tracks and this is the best. I have never heard so much birdsong on the others.

So when you go to Kaikoura don’t just look out to NZ’s marine Serengeti, feeding ground of the giant Sperm whale, look, or even better, take a walk, in the other direction, up to the high country home for both Hutton’s Shearwaters and the Shearwater Lodge. This whole walk epitomises the tourist offices tagline ‘every step allows you to discover it’ – every step we took allowed us to discover a lot.

Is white–water rafting no longer a rush? Been there, done that with bungee jumping? If standard travel activities like hiking, surfing, diving and zip-lining are leaving you cold, check out these unique, crazy, and sometimes downright dangerous adventure sports around the world.

Zorbing

If the idea of rolling downhill in what is essentially a human hamster wheel appeals to you, you may be interested in “zorbing”. Zorbing (or sphereing) was developed in New Zealand, though there are now several countries that offer facilities for this unusual experience.

All that’s really needed is a gently sloping hillside (or man-made ramp) and the zorb itself – a ball made of flexible plastic with a smaller round chamber inside. Water is often added to help riders stay stationary as the ball rolls around them. Zorbers climb in and the ball is pushed down the rill, rolling for about a half mile until it comes to rest and the rider climbs out, exhilarated, disoriented and often more than a little dizzy.

Diving with Great White Sharks

Most people spend their time in the water trying to avoid sharks, and while adventurous divers are often thrilled to encounter generally non-hostile varieties like reef sharks, most won’t want to come face to face with a Great White. But in coastal areas of the Americas, Australia and South Africa, you can do just that.

Don your SCUBA gear, climb into a cage, descend below the surface, and wait. Though there’s no guarantee you’ll see a Great White, most companies do report high success rates for sightings. Struggle to control your racing heart (studies show Great Whites react to faster heartbeats) as the sharks circle closely around the cage, and try not to contemplate the damage these 20-feet, 4,000 pound predators can do with a single bite.

Kitesurfing

Kitesurfing (also called kiteboarding) is pretty much just what it sounds like – surfing with a kite. Surfers who’ve mastered the art of riding waves can perform bigger jumps and twist with the aid of a kite that catches the wind. Similar to wakeboarding, but without a boat, kitesurfing allows surfers to go out father and rely less on the strength of the waves for their maneuvers.

Kitesurfing can be done at any beach where there is a strong and reliable wind, though many public beach areas have banned the sport due to safety and traffic concerns.

Bridge Climbing

The urban version of mountain climbing, bridge climbing isn’t the most strenuous activity but it can still be an exciting challenge, especially if you have a fear of heights. There are only a few places in the world where you can (legally) scale a bridge. The Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of them.

The climb takes about 3.5 hours, and travels along the upper span of the Bridge’s arch. Climbers maneuver along catwalks and up stairs and ladders all the way to the summit, where they’ll be rewarded with unobstructed views of the city below.

Free-climbing

Free-climbers flaunt the law of gravity as they climb rocks and mountains using only their hands and feet to climb without the aid of ropes, pulleys or picks. Most free-climbers still use safety ropes as a precaution, but some daredevils go without (known as free-soloing).

Free-soloers often stick to well-known climbs within their climbing ability, but the sport still carries a lot of risk. For experienced climbers bored with their usual routes though, the dangers of free-climbing and free-soloing may just add to the adrenaline rush and challenge of the climb.

Sand Surfing

Necessity is the mother of invention, a fact no sport demonstrates better than sand surfing. Since waves for surfing can be as hard to come by in the desert as pavement for skateboarding, some savvy desert-dwellers conceived the sport of sand surfing (also called sand boarding) – which combines the concepts of both sports and adjusts them to the specific constraints of working on sand.

In countries like Namibia, South Africa, and Peru, surfers climb to the top of sand dunes, strap on a board similar to a snow board and criss-cross their way down the sandy slopes, turning and jumping as they go.

Cold-Water Swimming

Known by many as a “Polar Bear Swim”, the winter act of swimming in frigid water isn’t so much an adventure sport as it is a test of endurance. . . or insanity. Despite the fact that just a few minutes in freezing water at the height of winter can result in hypothermia, hardy souls from Chicago, Illinois to Harbin, China still take the icy plunge.

If you fancy a cold dip, you can join them. Strip off your clothes, dash over the snow and jump in the freezing water to see how long you can last before you emerge blue and shivering. You won’t do much actual swimming during a Polar Bear Swim, but you many discover a newfound appreciation for the warm waters of your own bathtub.

Heli-Skiiing

To reach the highest peaks, extreme skiers don’t take a chair lift. They rely on a slightly more expensive form of transportation – a helicopter. Heli-skiing is the sport of skiing (or snowboarding) in which skiers are lifted to the tops of mountains by helicopter and then ski downhill, far off the beaten paths used by resort skiers.

Available in mountainous areas all over the world, heli-skiing terrain varies from glaciers to wooded areas to steep, jagged chutes. The risk of falls and avalanches makes heli-skiing a risky activity, but it offers “triple-black-diamond level” experienced skiers the chance to explore terrain not found on the average resort run.

There they are. Thousands of them. They turn on at night.
I was in Waitomo, New Zealand with my girlfriend, both of us starkers in a seemingly twilit glowworm cave (this one easy to reach and blessedly on the surface), doing what I can only imagine. As Bob Eubanks, the talk show host of The Newlyweds, would euphemise: Where is the strangest place you ever made whoopee? Ici.

Even though the Waitomo region was literally riddled with caves, I was too chicken to go on a serious expedition of the earth’s sinuses, or so I thought. Sitting around in the hostel one day, I saw a German traveler with aviator glasses reading the only book on the premises, The Prophet
by Kahlil Gibran, a philosophic and worthy read. Dressed all in black, he resembled Dieter from “The Sprockets", the faux East German TV show brought to life by Mike Meyers on “Saturday Night Live".

A group of loud-laughing thugs landed at the hostel, dragging cases of Steinlager beer and duffelbags of equipment across the wooden floor like the hairy knuckles of the Geico cavemen.
These were members of a gregarious gung-ho club of spelunkers, who had arrived to explore the serious underground caves around Waitomo. We watched in fascination as they unwrapped their gear, which included wet suits, mining caps with lights and inner tubes.

By way of introducing themselves, they extended a cheerio invitation, one that only a coward would turn down: Want to go black water tubing?
“Cave tubing” is traveling by inner tube down the underground rivers of this crazy karsty dreamscape, with over 300 mapped labyrinthine caves, limestone sculptures pinched and prodded by a celestial Rodin. The main draw of Waitomo (that’s Maori for “water hole”), 200 kilometers south of Aukland, on the North Island, was the popular “Glowworm Cave and Grotto", which Maori chief, Tane Tinorau, introduced to the West in 1887 and which now unfortunately, charges admission.

The real adventure though, I was assured, was to go off on your own with a seasoned group of spelunkers and explore lesser-known but much scarier caves.
Before we set out, clad in colorful wetsuits, everyone posed for pictures. The group leader, whose blonde-haired head was topped by a cyclops-lighted miner’s cap, resembled “Quake” from the obsolete cereal box in the 1970s. Dieter was shivering with existential angst. I could tell he would rather be reading Heidegger. My girlfriend appeared braver than I thought. I felt alienated;
I didn’t know a stalagtite from a stalagmite.

I had also forgotten in the confusing rush of activity that I was acutely claustrophobic. Exploring underground caves, with the very real chance of never resurfacing, is probably not the best activity for someone whose bedroom back home still featured a nightlight. I’ve always been kind of fascinated but afraid of caves. I’d seen flicks, ranging from Journey to the Center of the Earth, wherein Pat Boone and James Mason discover giant mushrooms and unconvincing dinosaurs resembling home movies of Gila Monsters, to Trog, where a young Burt Reynolds in his cinematic debut comes across an ugly troglodytic cave dweller. The gist of these movies: don’t get lost!

We piled into cars and sped off on “metal roads” (gravel paths), while the Southern Cross became visible in the night sky, shining like the glittery sequined belt of Liberace or a Glam Rock singer. Before you knew it, we were at the entrance to a hole in the ground. We entered one by one with our inner tubes in a slow motion blur of fear and anticipation, like doing it for the first time. I followed the person in front of me slavishly through the tunnel, dimly lit by our headlights.
There was a sound of rushing water – eventually we reached an underground river, much like the Lethe (“The River of Forgetfullness”) of pagan myth, which featured a waterfall.

“Go! Go! Go!” Over the waterfall, splash! I was on my way. Drifting down this tributary of a dream, in my innertube doughnut, I attempted to fight off the intermingling cold worms of dread in the pit of my stomach. I felt like I was traveling through the tube of a telescope.
“Now, all of you, turn off your lights!” Quake shouted. “Now!”
One by one our headlights flickered out, replaced not with pitch darkness, but with what I at first thought was an awesome constellation of yellow-green stars overhead.

Had we exited the cave already and made it out to the open air?
“Just look at all those glowworms,” came a voice resounding with awe. It was one of the most spectacular sights I’ve ever seen.
In the monastic shared silence of the cold and clammy cavern, languidly afloat on the subterranean stream and staring into the numinous lights, I experienced an epiphany – a feeling of wonder liberally laced with deja-vu.

I didn’t get it. The glowworms seemed to live a meaningless existence: they hung around in their hammocks like youth hostelers and provided light, away from view, for no audience in particular. It was only by chance that we humans had happened upon their Milky Way-like space opera.
Arachnocampa luminosa, the larval stage of the fungus gnat, live in the nether regions of New Zealand and use naturally occurring light, or bioluminescense, to catch insects in their webs. The glowworms that shine the brightest are the hungriest! Eventually, the luminous larvae turn into adult fungus gnats, often eaten by their ungrateful children – which seems like one of Nature’s crueler jokes.

It gets worse:
“The hatched adults have no mouths, so they cannot feed, and only live a couple of days,” Quake quothed in the Queen’s Commonwealth English.

“How do they reproduce?” someone came up with, the question echoing in the underground like a pronouncement on the absurdity of creation itself.
“Quickly!”

Herbal medicines and family history combine to provide one of the great tourist ventures in
Kaikoura, New Zealand. Maori Tours takes guests sightseeing, tracing local and family history and a bush walk to explore the medicinal properties
of the native trees and bush.

"Most of, the remedies possess validity," says Dr. Raymond
Stark in his book, MAORI HERBAL REMEDIES (1979). Over the years, trial, success and failure honed the skills to treat various illnesses, along with appropriate
karakia (prayers). In pre European days, the tohunga (priest) held the knowledge of the remedies; today others have that knowledge. Early settlers found many
worthwhile uses for Maori herbal medicines: aching joints, headaches, constipation and dysentery, to name just a few.

This boutique tour is small, intimate and interactive. The first part takes in an ancient pa
(villlage) sites, introduces guests in the protocol of going onto a marae, then through stories. Maurice Manawatu introduces us to family ancestors.

Maurice is a direct descendant of Maru Kaitatea – the common ancestor of all Ngati Kuri
(the local Kaikoura tribe), and it was he and his family that took us on the tour. We started at the old pa site of Nga Niho, built in the 1700s and we were called onto the
land by one of Maurice’s sisters – the purpose of the karanga was explained and the importance of the three welcomes – body, mind and spirit.

We were also shown the flax plants, the simple weaving and the their value to the Maori. These
plants were of top value, used for baskets, mats, sandals, rope, twine and the inside of the valued korowai cloaks, which were then covered with feathers.

People on the tour were from the UK. They were impressed, rated it
as one the highlights of their travels. After taking in the views from the top and hearing more legends,
we went, via the current marae, to the site of an even older marae, just south of Kaikoura at Peketa.

Apart from oral legends passed to him, Maurice was also a wonderful resource about local and
family history in a manuscript written by one of his ancestors in 1900, a real treasure. Her writings ensure his tours are authentic.

Maurice and his wife, Heather, started the tours to create a future
for their children and a lifestyle change for themselves. "We are people people," Heather told me. This was evident when we stopped at their home for coffee and a chance to meet the rest of the whanau - nieces, nephews, sister, brothers-in-law and children.

Comments in the visitors book showed people appreciated the opportunity to see New
Zealanders in a different way. Even Kiwis report having especially enjoyed the time with the family, learning while having fun.

In the Puhi Puhi Valley, we walked in the bush – learning how to identify trees and shrubs
(manuka, miro, totara, rimu, supplejack and kotukutuku, for example) and to hear about their medicinal and cultural uses. I was pleased to be able to differentiate between the manuka and the kanuka. Until that
day, I had to wait until the kanuka was really tall to know which it was. Not any longer – kanuka has a eucalyptus smell. It peels off in long strips
while the manuka is more a citrus smell and has short strips when taken from the tree.

We valued this wonderful trip by people proud of their family history. Both locals and toursit benefited from this tour.

There is a cleanness to the air found in mountains; a fresh taste. This freshness can bring both the snows that cover the peaks and the rains that obscure them. Rain turns to fog and cloud, so that the vistas to be seen from the peeks are only momentarily glimpsed. Their elevation has attracted many men to seek the highest vantage points.

I have always been drrawn to mountains – either looking up to their framing of the valleys below, or standing on their summits and viewing the distant vistas they offer. New Zealand has some of the most amazing mountains outside the ski fields of Europe. I share with you now some of those discoveries.

Mount Tongariro

Mount Tongariro is actually an entire volcanic complex, located 10 miles southwest of Taupo, and comprised of three active volcanoes dominating the landscape of the central North Island. We first saw the complex from the van on our arrival at Lake Taupo. Its snow caped peeks were visible in the far distance over the lake above the shoreline.

The park is roughly split into two parts. The main mountain town of Whakapapa is half way into the mountains and the base of the ski fields that sit atop its leading road. It has all levels of accommodation and comfort, but we made straight for the DOC campsite that sits between the road and a river.

The average DOC site is a simple affair, but this one was much more. It had hot water – one of the few – powered sites, a laundrette and a shop, all unlikely findings. It also had one of the greatest views in the world, at least it should have. The fog was in the day we arrived, not a mote let alone a mountain could be seen.
“There is actually a mountain around here?” Cesca asked the DOC shopping assistant as he took our camp fees.
He laughed, “Yes, usually, it’s the big one just behind this building. You’ll see it tomorrow!” We did view it the next day – through the incessantly strong rain.

The DOC has a large information centre in the middle of Whakapapa that dispenses advice about the famous Tongariro Crossing. This crossing is part of a much harder 5-day walk around the base of the entire mountain range. It is famous for two reasons: it is possible – and recommended – to do the crossing in one day, making the walk the most tramped in the country. The other reason is that because of the number of walkers (sometimes 2,000 a day), many people drastically underestimate the difficulty.

High alpine walking is always dangerous since the weather is usually changeable. The DOC info-centre has a sign board keeping the scores: 5 rescues, 2 broken limbs and 1 death already this year. Given the numbers that undertake the crossing, this was not a high percentage, but it was perhaps the reason for the moodiness of the DOC official at the information desk.

I asked the DOC official about the weather. She almost sighed,
“Have you got mountain gear, ice axes and crampons?” she asked.

“Erm, no”

“Then it’s not possible today.”

“How about guided?” I asked.

“There will be no guides who can take you, the weather is too bad.”
She gave me a stern look, but I merely shrugged.

“Never mind then, we will do another walk, perhaps the waterfall.”

I moved off to the side and the very next man in line – who had overheard all of this – said,
“What is the weather like today?”

The woman sighed again. She probably answered this question many times a day.

Instead of the crossing, we walked the fantastic waterfall route through the base of the mountains. This was a 3-hour trek around a loop of varied landscapes, well worth the effort. We went across the remains of prior volcanic flows, over fast running rivers, past amazing plants and wildlife. The falls were beautiful. High in the distance the mountain played hide and seek with us and our cameras.
The crossing remained impossible the next day, we gave up on it and moved to the other side of the mountain and Ohakune; another small village at the base of a road leading up to a ski field.

There we undertook the 3-hour Waitonga Falls, another notable walk that passed many different types of view and terrain. The path eventually opened over a sunken lava flow, which had a long snaking walkboard placed up on it. It was a clear day; we had a great view of the mountains to our left.
At the end of that section, we again entered a forest, walked down for about 30 minutes before the path came to a end at a fast running river. This river was fed by the large and beautiful Waitonga Falls. From our vantage point though, we couldn’t really see it; it was obscured by trees.

Cesca had a brainwave. Finding some timber (presumably put there to be built into a continuing path), she threw it across the waters. I looked at it balancing on two rocks. Han Solo’s words came back to me;
“I have a bad feeling about this!”
Falling in would not mean drowning (probably), but it would certainly mess my camera and mean a one-and-half-hour walk back while wet. I placed a foot on the board, drew a breath and ran across. The board twisted with my weight and then slipped!
I just made it. Looking at the boards new position – it had somehow not fallen in – I knew it would be a challenge to get back.
But the better view was definitely worth it with the sun in a perfect position to highlight the spray coming off the rocks. We stayed for lunch whilst we looked at the possibility of returning over the river. In the end we just went for it. My left foot only got a little wet, luckily!

South Island

South Island is almost one giant mountain range, at least that’s how it felt driving around it. We went up to Tekapo, at the base of the mountain, through the wilderness of Burke Pass. This leads up to a large beautiful lake surrounded on all sides by mountains and forests. The closest is Mount John. Atop this stands the Earth & Sky Observatory, New Zealand’s largest and most impressive.

We were now joined by Francesca’s older sister, Arabella; we picked up a small camper. In a few moments Arabella found a bike hire shop and hatched a plan of getting to the top of the mountain where there was a cafe in the observatory.

The bike hire guy gave us an appraising look,
“Bike much?” he asked.

“Not many mountains in the UK, but I do bike around Epping Forest. I have a Marin and Cesca has a Specialized Rockhopper” I answered.
He nodded,

“Cool, ok you can take these two for the ladies and you can have my bike.”

He wheeled out a bike and I eagerly jumped aboard. Then he gave us some advice about tackling the mountain,
“Head out along the river’s edge,” he said pointing to my map, “then it gets a little steep.” He looked at me. “Then it gets bloody steep and you’ll have to walk for a few hundred meters until you meet the main road heading up the mountain. From there it’s a ride to the top.”

We started by zooming down through town. We passed the campsite at the mountains base. Thence we were into the track leading around the lake.
The colour of the water was amazing. Still waters here exhibit some levels of volcanic residue; this lends the most beautiful spectrum of colours and hues. I often thought that – in this photo shopped world – New Zealand could not exhibit the colours portrayed in images. I was wrong. The greens of trees and fields are brighter than in the UK, the blues of waters and lakes are either crystal clear, or a beautiful mixture of blue and cyan. Mountains are many shades of white and silver.

We made our way up to the road. It was windy. made the ride to the top dangerous, almost impossible as the many winding turns all played close to a serious drop off. However, oncce at the summit, we found the challenge had been worth it. The top breaks into a collection of domes that houses the telescopes. These were amongst a low set of buildings and, up a small wooden path, was the cafe. This was a fantastic place to have lunch; we tucked into our scroggin’, much deserved after all that exercise. We eventually went inside to have a coffee. Our server turned out to be a university student who was one of the guides for the nightly star gazing tour. I love star watching and the chance to gaze through telescopes, especially that magnitude. We signed up for the 10:00 pm tour.

Coming down from Mount John was a contrast to riding up; took mere minutes on the tarmac road. At one point, I reached 55 kilometers per hour – breaking the speed limit! We rode around the base via the road and into town to bring the bikes back.
That night we took a bus to the observatory. Lights are banned at night due to the telescopes that are searching for new planets around distant stars. We were driven up the same dangerous road that we had biked that day – in total darkness. We exchanged worried looks, but our Japanese driver had the measure of the feat. Atop we had a fantastic glance through the lens to Tarantula Nebula and Jupiter (I could count the brown rings!). For me, this was a magical visit.

Mount Cook

I’ve saved the best till last. Mount Cook is the highest mountain in the country and a famous sight with its curved peak. Generations of Kiwis have visited the mountain’s base, all DOC controlled parks. One brave soul was Sir Edmund Hillary who used Mount Cook as a practice for the big push up Everest. It is set amongst other large mountains, all carved by the many glaciers that have retreated up the valley. You have to drive along Lake Pukaki to reach the park. This lake is huge; its colour is a natural part of its glacial beginnings.

Here is where the climatic battle between the forces of Humanity and
the Orcs of Mordor takes place in Lord of the Rings. It is a great moment in the movie and it was filmed in this valley, The Pelennor Fields. At the small town of Mount Cook Village, we ran into a serious rain storm; we spent the day investigating the Sir Edmund Hillary Museum. It showed a short movie in tribute to his Everest climb, as well as the actual snow vehicles he used to race across the South Pole. The museum was worth a visit – especially on a wet day. It got us fired up about the possibilities of visiting the mountain.

The DOC information site here is especially large. It takes bookings for the many backcountry huts one can visit. It surprises me that the DOC is happy for people to go wandering off into serious mountain wilds, but I guess this is the Kiwi way of doing things. If you get lost and die, at least you are warned and given all the needed information.

Braving the rain again, we hunkered down at the local DOC camp site – at the start of the walk – waiting for a clear view. I awoke to see our wait had not been in vain. The walk up is called The Hooker Valley Walk – a 4-hour easy trek. It meanders up the side of a river, crossing it once, and passes all sorts of special geological features. We packed and started. The extreme wilderness of this walk was intimidating, as much as heavenly. An hour into the walk, the river turned, facing Mount Cook, giving us a photo opportunity.
The mountain holds sway over all others in this range, as though it is lord over them. Its great height imposes as much as Everest. Its peak was constantly being hidden and revealed by fast moving clouds. Must be intensely windy at the top!

Our final destination was the iceberg rich lake at the base of the retreating glacier. This opened up the view and gave us breathtaking vistas of the clouds playing across Mount Cook. It was almost impossible to take a bad photo.
We sat there and ate our lunch while gazing at the mountain. To our right some kids played a game of trying to hit the small floating icebergs with the shore stones. Eventually we went up to the glacial edge by wading through a scrabble of stones and pebbles, the pile up is the slope wall of the lake. I found some fantastic flat pebbles and took the opportunity to demonstrate my life-long passion for skimming stones. It was my first time seeing the end wall of a glacier, dirty at the ends (the mud and rock being crushed by its slithering splays across its face like chocolate cake on the face of a small child). You could sense the strength that bends nature to its will and carves whole ranges in its passing. After seeing it I was looking forwards to visiting Fox Glacier (a coming post).

We went back along the path, towards the starting point of our day. I arrived at the van, tired and happy.
The next day was sunny; we headed along the road we had driven up and thence off into the East of New Zealand. Leaving the mountain behind us, we could see it for miles and miles, such was the clarity of the weather.
I think Cook was my favourite mountain visit and one of the highlights of the entire journey to this wild and huge country.

The Abel Tasman National Park is well known for its trails, the favourite one being a 54km stretch of glorious coastline with clear blue waters and lush green forests. It is one of the best in the country and deservedly so. The trek can be completed in 4 days, or if you are short on time, half-day hikes and day hikes can be organized.

PICTON

This small port is well worth a stopover for at least a day or more. A great base for the Queen Charlotte track and a number of nearby hikes. If you are short on time try the “Harbour View” (the path is marked from the harbour). It takes 2 hours to complete and the view of the harbour and the Sound beyond is wonderful.

A recommended hostel for Picton is “The Villa” . Close to the ferry port (5 minutes walk), a warm friendly atmosphere and good facilities, The Villa would be too easy to get stuck for a few days if you have the time. Facilities include a spa, TV lounge, hiking guides and proprietors that are a goldmine of local information. Be sure to try the free homemade apple pie and ice cream, the $2 homemade soup available every day for occupants. For $16 (dorm room), you also receive breakfast of toast and cereal, food to set you up for a days hike.

NELSON

The drive from Picton to Nelson takes 2 hours. The hairpin bends can have you gripping your seat, as the roads twist through the countryside.

During autumn the trees along the route are a riot of colour, making the trip glorious.

Nelson is an ideal base for hikes in the Abel Tasman National Park and the surrounding environs. The Tourist Information is well set up for information on the buses to and from the park and trail heads.

In general, the shuttle buses will drop off at your hostel of choice, I asked the driver to recommend one and he came up with “The Paridiso” which turned out to be one of the best hostels I have ever been in from Australia to New Zealand.

“The Paridiso” has dorm rooms for $16, outstanding facilities such as a pool, hot spa, TV lounge, cooking facilities (including spices), sauna, even a 1960’s bus by the pool that has been converted into a lounge, trampoline,e-mail, volley ball and free vegetable soup every evening. I felt like I was in 5 star hotel!

If you feel like a beverage, try “The Victoria and Rose” pub which has good food, local cider (for those from the westcountry, UK, it kicks arse) and bands on the weekend and Tuesday nights.

Abel Tasman National Park

Due to time restrictions, I had to ask a local on recommendations on how to spend a day in the Park. Either kayak or alternatively take one of the ferry boats to a trail head and hike part of the day; that way you can make the most of the area. There is a multitude of hikes to choose from, the park service even supply overnight cabins (booked in advance) and camping areas on some trails, so it is not necessary to pack in a tent if you don’t want too. The camp sites also have to be booked in advance especially during high season. There are even some right on the beach.

The time of year that I visited the park (early May), the trails were very quiet and the weather was perfect. I caught the Park bus from the hostel (you can arrange whichever trek you have time for) and I took a boat past Split Rock. Watch out for the plethora of Cormorants at the trailhead at Torrent Bay.

The time suggested for the hike was 4 hours, depending on fitness. The trail takes you through lush green forests, or if it is low tide try walking along some of the beaches that have clean white sand and clear blue waters. Cleopatra’s Pool waterfall and fresh green paradise is a further half-hour hike from Torrent Bay, but worth the detour. The trail is marked from the trailhead at Torrent Bay. Take lunch on the beach and enjoy the peace of the park.

If you are lucky you may even spot the Lesser Spotted “Kiwi“.

This well-known symbol of New Zealand is mainly nocturnal and flightless but sometimes can be seen during the day. They have huge feet, no wings and may pound along a trail after you. They have no predators and are short sighted so don’t worry if they get close.

This National Park deserves its reputation and if time permits, the 3 day trail is well worth it, while the clear translucent waters, white sand with a backdrop of lush green forest will stay with me forever.

GETTING THERE

From Wellington, in the North Island, the cheapest and most relaxing way by far is the

Interislander ferry, which crosses the Cook Strait to Picton. The crossing takes 3 hours and will take you through the Malborough sounds, spectacular fjords and a good introduction to the South Island.

The crossing costs $46 return/round trip for foot passengers; fare price will also depend on the time of departure. To take a car over on the ferry the cost is $300. For short visits this option is not worthwhile. Watch out for Porpoises hitching a ride on the boats bow on the way over!

Once at Picton either jump on one of the many mini buses at the ferry terminal that shuttle visitors to Nelson and beyond, or stay in Picton if time permits.

About the Author

My boots have taken me almost around the world and then some.

Spending time in various National Parks throughout America, Australasia, Europe and Africa, I have been fortunate to see many of the world’s natural wonders. From rock formations to animal and plant species and, of course, all types of homo-sapiens.

Many a beer hall and camp fire later, I hope that I can relay some useful information to my fellow travellers.

New Zealand is a country Cesca and I have longed to visit for many years. Tales speak of this island and its seemingly unique people – that they are more friendly than the most sociable of Australians, more “outdoors-loving” than even Scottish highlanders and more into extreme sports than anyone outside Cirque du Soleil. Moreover, all of the “Kiwis” I met have been the most persuasive of ambassadors as they have a deep and abiding love of their country, a great fondness for the sporting life and all of them stand a pint.

Then Lord of the Rings came out and that, as they say, was that. After watching the film the first time, I started a long journey of the heart. The first steps were the reading of the book itself, now and forever with the New Zealand landscape in my mind, followed by many years wondering if the real country actually looked like that. Many steps down this long road later, I actually stood on the Pellanor Fields. I can tell you that yes, in fact, New Zealand does look like Middle Earth. But it is also so much more.

Whatever it was that brought me here, I finally came to see this whole country and its people for myself. I did not rely on a vision encapsulated by a (albeit very good) series of movies. One of the main reasons is that New Zealand has finally awoken from defining itself in terms of the movies; it is now returning to some semblance of normality regarding its own identity. Indeed the Lord of the Ring tours and attractions have retreated firmly into their geek/AD&D, high-brow literary roots and everyone seems the happier for it. The movie makers have returned the countryside to its original form, apart from a few smaller operations, the whole “scene” is over – just in time for The Hobbit to start it all up again, of course.

In the political sense New Zealand has much to offer the refugee from Europe. It has told America to bugger off for starters by denying them the right to have warships in their waters. It thumbed its nose at the USA even when Uncle Sam subsequently threw it out of the southern version of NATO (ANZUS) and said that New Zealand was “a friend, but not an "ally". It has also relented from totally destroying its natives; the Maori. The Maori may not have their full rights yet, which they undoubtedly deserve, but they are not getting anything like the raw deal being handed out to the Australian Aborigines. I think it is due to the Maoris being a fairly up-to-date society/tribe and therefore, much better placed to integrate into modern western style society. The poor natives of Australia simply cannot integrate and at the same time keep their 40,000-year-old societal structure intact.

I feel at home. Kiwis may be more like the hardy South Africans in terms of their work ethic, but their country has the indelible thumb print of Britain on its structure. Road and town names hint at a deep fundamental connection with my home island. For example, we have been found driving out of the town of “Epping”, towards “Brighton”, clutching maps of “Chingford”, surrounded by Scottish architecture. This deep connection is also in the people who love the country, loath politicians and basically want to live in peace – all precepts you will find in the hearts of those dwelling in England.

Of all the “children” born by Britain’s empire, all the ones I have visited thus far, I sense that the Kiwis don’t hate England in the way the Australians do, nor have they grown into something else all together like the Americans. Rather they are quite comfortable, on the whole, to be part of the Commonwealth and rightly feel that they gain benefits from inclusion while avoiding many of the downsides by virtue of their far distance from their birth-mother. As you can tell, in my short time here, I have come to respect the people of this land.

Not that there are that many people here. The entire stock of Kiwis is less that the population of London and most of them are firmly situated in Auckland. Huge tracks of land are given over to the wilds, farms and mountains and are governed by the all powerful Department of Conservation. DOC is simply a moniker for the Government’s power, not like the Australian National Parks (the National Trust with more teeth). DOC is pure silent power as old as the hills, not taking any crap from anyone. Whatever DOC does is right.

It is this strength that stops the march of globalisation and tourism from squashing the inhabitants of the land. While the country has much more than its fair share of moneyed-tourism (coach companies, bungee jumps and lots of sell-sell-sell on the tours), the DOC simply undercuts the entire lot and offers a more “do it yourself” experience. Most walks start in a DOC campsite. DOC will let you walk into the mountains with nothing more than advice on equipment and a well thought out grading of tracks. A grading means anything from a wheelchair friendly waltz along a river bank to a 5-day long hike over mountains and up waterfalls a ninja would struggle with.

The grease between out and out commercialism and DOC is the excellent government run chain of iSight information centers that litter the islands. These are uniformly brilliant and something for lesser countries to adopt. Kiwis have developed a relaxed attitude to tourists in general. A great example of this is how they have dealt with a rampaging infestation of possums; they simply shoot them and make them into jumpers which are sold to tourists as a “fine wool”. Another example is the fact that you cannot buy trout in New Zealand. No, here you have to go catch your own. Everything is designed to take out of the towns and into the country.

Essentially then, New Zealand is made up of huge tracks of open wilderness – from beaches to mountains all sprinkled liberally with people, the occasional town and even – like the shilling in a Christmas pudding – the odd city. It is often said that there are more sheep than people here and frankly, it isn’t hard to imagine. There is more of everything than people; all to the good I say.

The series of articles about New Zealand will track our journey up and down this fair country – into its special nooks and crannies and past its sights. We will focus on high mountains, dangerous passes, isolated beaches, craggy cliffs, highly volcanic geysers and majestic glaciers. We will highlight the people we have met and divulge the nature of the canny Kiwis as best we can. We will to do this in an as entertaining a way as our meagre writing skills allow. We hope you will come along for the ride.

At the very least you will get to see me jump off a 145m high-wire bungee!

Our New Zealand adventure started in late August with our landing in the largest of the cities of the North Island and kicked off with a celebratory dinner of that most British of foods, curry!

Check out Outside Context for more information.

Let’s be honest. Lately, there are plenty of reasons not to travel. Whether you are afraid of flying, have a language barrier, refuse to pay the checked baggage fees, don’t want the added stress of connecting flights, or just plain can’t afford it – many would-be travelers are now thinking twice about taking the plunge.

For all those who dream of traveling the world, but are just not able to make your dream a reality, I have a solution. Choose one of these movies, each set in beautiful locations, for an armchair tour and a travel experience you won’t soon forget – all without leaving the comfort of your well-worn recliner.

Amélie

On any true Francophile’s ‘must see’ list is this visually stunning movie, set in Paris. Experience what it is like to live in an authentic Paris neighborhood through the eyes of the quirky and adorable Parisienne, Amélie Poulin. Amélie lives in Montmartre, which is located on the Northern periphery of Paris. She is a waitress at a local café, where much of the movie takes place. Go shopping for fresh produce in her local market, strolling and stone-skipping on the picturesque tree-lined Canal Saint-Martin, and on a wild goose chase around the majestic Sacré Coeur. Gorgeous glimpses of real Paris apartments, cobblestone streets, the Métro, all three train stations and the Pont des Arts on the Seine are charming additions to the tour. French dialogue (with English subtitles) is an added bonus which goes a long way in making you feel like you’ve been to Paris.

A Good Year

Based on the book, ‘A Year in Provence’ by Peter Mayle, this flick does an excellent job of bringing the book to life. Filmed in both London and Luberon, it’s the scenes shot in the South of France that are the real star of this show. A gorgeous French Chateau, complete with a turquoise blue swimming pool, acres and acres of lush green vineyards, manicured French gardens dotted with cyprus trees and small dusty one-lane roads that wind around the countryside with Bonnieux and Petit Luberon in the background, make you want to give up your day job to be part of it all. The historic hilltop village of Gordes, complete with a stone fountain, weathered muddy-colored stone facades, and the Hotel Renaissance serves as the backdrop for the bistro and food market scenes. The relaxed Provençal atmosphere that this area is famous for just oozes from the screen.

Under the Tuscan Sun

Though Frances Mayes’s memoir barely resembles the movie version, you’d be hard-pressed to argue with the eye candy that is Italy. Most of the film takes place in the beautiful Tuscan countryside. You are guaranteed to fall in love with the dilapidated Italian villa, Bramasole, surrounded by rolling green hills, the delicious Italian food and the tiny picturesque town of Cortona. Picking olives with the neighbors, visiting Siena for the flag ceremony and running into a new love interest in the cobbled streets of ancient Rome further pulls you into the Italian experience. But when the camera flies above an Alfa Romeo as it hugs the winding roads of the Amalfi coast, revealing the azure Mediterranean far below, the real fairytale begins. Tiny pastel cubes which house both hotels and cafés seem to drip, layer by layer, off the sides of the cliffs while balconies, suspended in mid-air, hang freely over the top of the clear blue sea below. You’ll need to be pinched to make sure you’re not dreaming!

Casanova

It should come as no surprise that this romantic comedy, loosely based on the life of Venetian author and self proclaimed ‘ladies man,’ Casanova, is set in the magical Italian city of Venice. The city, built totally on water, has many unique things to offer that sets it apart as a movie location like no other. The jade-green Grand Canal lined with arched open-windowed palazzos, bejeweled
gondolas, and hundreds of footbridges crossing the tiny back canals are just a few that are woven into the story. The ever popular Piazza San Marco, sans pigeons, with its shining examples of Venetian architecture like the Doge’s Palace and the Basilica, take center stage against the backdrop of the clear blue Italian sky. Over-the-top period costumes, stunning décor with a Renaissance flair and a Vivaldi era soundtrack are all just icing on this already delicious cake.

Mamma Mia

Musicals, Abba, or a singing Pierce Brosnan may not be your thing, but if it’s a trip to Greece you’re longing for, look no further… This is a Grecian feast for the eyes. Join the cast of Mamma Mia as they sing and dance their way through the spectacular small cluster of Greek Islands. Go sailing on the turquoise waters off Milia Beach, stare down the craggy cliffs onto the pristine Kastani beach on the coast of Skopelos, enjoy the backdrop of the rocky little hamlet of Damhouari on the Eastern Pelion coast, bask in the lush greenery on Sporades Island, and run up the steep steps of the beautiful Agious Ioannis Chapel on Skopelos for a Greek wedding. The contrast of the deep blue Aegean Sea, the smooth chalky white houses tucked into the hillside and the vibrantly colored bougainvillea are enough to leave you breathless.

Memoirs of a Geisha

Though almost none of this movie was actually filmed in Japan, the set designers did such a great job in recreating it you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference. The geishas’ kimonos are a work of art in their own right, done in vibrant silks embellished with gorgeous detailing. Combine them with the opening scenery of the Japanese coast, the little fishing village, Japanese tea houses and the set of the small Kyoto alleyways lined with geisha houses and you’ll immediately feel like you have been transported to Japan in the 1920s. Little details like red lanterns adorned with Japanese characters, colorful parasols and rickshaws add to the mystical vibe of this area. In the most impressive scene, a Japanese garden comes alive with a temple, a tea garden, curved wooden footbridge and pink cherry blossoms cascading from above. The result is a visually stunning love letter to Kyoto.

Sound of Music

An oldie but a goodie, this popular musical, based on a true story, is set in the beautiful location of Salzburg, Austria in the 1930s. Picturesque Salzburg, with its timeless Baroque architecture, makes a perfect setting for this award-winning film. The movie opens with aerial shots of lush green fields dotted with tiny yellow flowers set against a backdrop of a massive snow capped peak, known as Untersberg, in the Alps. Visit the Nonnberg Abbey, the Frohnburg Castle and Leopoldskron Palace, used for exterior shots of Maria’s convent and the von Trapp family villa, respectively. Tour the perfectly manicured Mirabell Gardens and the Residence Square. Join Maria and the kids while they weave themselves through the streets of Salzburg, St. Peters District housing buildings adorned with green copper-domed roof tops, and cross the Salzach River on the Mozart Bridge. The Cathedral in Mondsee and the surrounding square, where the wedding scenes were shot, are showstoppers. This movie is confirmation that those hills are definitely alive!

The Fellowship of the Ring

Filmed exclusively in New Zealand, the first in the Lord of the Rings series was released in 2001. Fans of the book and movie alike couldn’t have imagined a better setting for Middle Earth. The journey begins in Matamata, known for its gently rolling emerald green hills and rural landscape; it makes a perfect locale for the Shire. The Kawarau River in Queenstown, the setting for the Pillars of the King, is an amazing natural creation. Similar to the Grand Canyon, with white water rapids raging between two giant cliff faces, it’s an adventurer’s dream. Kaitoke Regional Park and Paradise, Glenorchy, with their lush, shady, dense forests carpeted with vibrant green moss, serve as stunning backdrops for Rivendell and Lothlórien, respectively. The deep aquamarine waters of Lake Wakatipu, a glacier lake, and the remote Mavora Lakes further showcase the unspoiled, natural beauty of New Zealand. For a more in-depth tour, highlighting over 150 locations, watch the complete trilogy.

So we all know the world economy stands on the frightening precipice that could lead to something much worse in the not too distant future, but finally there is some really good news for Americans who find themselves with a bit of time off (one way or another) and who have a bit of money available. After seeing our dollar become the punching bag of every other currency for the past couple years, out of nowhere it’s gained new strength as what many investors consider a “safe haven” in uncertain times.

Traveling to Europe has gotten reasonable again, and our traditional exchange-rate advantage with Canada is back to some degree, so those places are back in play for Americans. But the news is even better elsewhere, as quite a few countries that had become a bit pricey for us are suddenly bargains. The timing on quite a few of them is even better in that they are in the Southern Hemisphere so the next few months is the ideal time to visit anyway. There’s no telling just how long this will last, and things might even improve more for Americans in the short run, but for now these are some of the better places you should be considering.

Australia

July, 2008 – AU$1.02 to US$1
November, 2008 – AU$1.50 to US$1

Costs for most things in Australia had gotten quite high for Americans during the past few years, and in mid 2008 things had really gotten out of hand, but suddenly the tables have turned and Oz now (barely) qualifies as a budget destination for Yanks. Budget hotel rooms in Sydney that would cost around US$90 can now be had for around US$60 per night, and nicer 2- and 3-star tourist hotels can now be yours for around US$80 per night, which is noticeably cheaper than most American cities that are nowhere near as nice as Sydney.

To make things even better, airfares have suddenly and mysteriously dropped as well. A roundtrip from Los Angeles to Sydney has been running a bit over $1,000 for many years now, but all of a sudden fares as low as $742 have appeared. Australia certainly isn’t as cheap as most of the others on this list, but if you’ve been wanting to go this is the perfect combination of events that should get you started, and of course their summer is fast approaching to make things even better.

Iceland

July, 2008 – 75 Icelandic Krona to US$1
November, 2008 – 120 Icelandic Krona to US$1 (unofficial, see explanation)

Iceland has notoriously been one of the most expensive places in the world for tourists, but due to its recent banking collapse it’s suddenly a bargain and many are now flocking in to take advantage of a situation that is still a bit up in the air. International trading of the Icelandic Krona has been suspended since October 6, so it’s a bit difficult to figure out exactly where things stand at the moment, but previous searches have shown that finding a hotel room in Reykjavik for under US$100 was virtually impossible, and now we are seeing one hotel on the outskirts of the city with rooms for US$19, and many more choices in the US$30 to US$50 range. Beers that were recently well over US$10 apiece in downtown bars are now reported to be in the US$4 range for those fortunate enough to be there now.

Flights from the east coast of the US are starting under $500 these days, and even though the days are short and getting shorter now, the winter weather isn’t nearly as harsh as most people expect, with average temperatures similar to those in New York City. The famous Blue Lagoon thermal pool is always warm, so now might be an ideal time to check out a country that has been on the ‘outrageous’ list for decades.

South Korea

July, 2008 – 998 Korean Won to US$1
November, 2008 – 1,260 Korean Won to US$1

South Korea has long held a spot somewhere between the insanity of Japanese prices and the affordability of its neighbors to the west in Asia, but now suddenly our money goes more than 25% further. The exchange rate briefly hit 1,467 just a week ago, which gave us an almost 50% bonus, so this one might go further in our direction again. This is a modern country, and its giant capital of Seoul has all the modern amenities that you could want, so budget hotel rooms under $40 and business-class rooms around $75 per night are real bargains.

Flights from Los Angeles can be had for around $830, and flights from New York are starting around $960 at the moment. Especially now, it’s fairly cheap once you get there, so if you can find a flight that works this might be the ideal time to see this country that is becoming more popular with globetrotters every year.

Argentina

July, 2008 – 3.02 Argentine pesos to US$1
November, 2008 – 3.40 Argentine pesos to US$1

While the currency-rate shift hasn’t been quite so dramatic in Argentina, the important thing to know is that Argentina has been a major bargain for a while now, and it’s just gotten a bit better. The country artificially held its money at 1-to-1 with the USD for many years before a banking collapse led to the 2002 decision to let the peso fluctuate, which suddenly gave foreigners about a 70% discount on everything. Inflation since then has slowly chipped away at the advantage, but the country is still a huge bargain, and now even a bit cheaper.

Buenos Aires, sometimes called the Paris of Latin America, is considered one of the nicest cities in the world by its many fans, and comfortable hotel rooms with good locations aren’t difficult to find in the US$50 per night range, and an excellent steak dinner can be found starting well under US$10, with a bottle of quality local wine around US$6 at the same restaurant. Most of the rest of the country is even cheaper, and there are many highlights to explore once you leave the big city. Flights from New York and Miami start around $850 roundtrip, and around $950 roundtrip from Los Angeles.

New Zealand

July, 2008 – NZ$1.30 to US$1
November, 2008 – NZ$1.70 to US$1

New Zealand is “on the list” for nearly every serious traveler who hasn’t yet made it, and it’s hard to find anything but raving reviews from those who’ve visited before. It’s always been a bit cheaper than nearby Australia, and that trend continues, with both of them becoming weirdly affordable due to the strange exchange-rate movements of late. When you go it’s really not wise to linger in the largest city of Auckland, but a hotel there can now be found in the US$50 to US$60 price range on the budget end, and not too much more for something quite nice. Lakeside resorts in the South Island tourist haven of Queenstown are now starting around US$80 per night, but most every other tourist spot in the country is even cheaper.

The trick for visiting New Zealand is to rent a car or campervan, and get out into the gorgeous and varied scenery that covers both islands. With fuel prices coming back down, and cabins or campsites at the many holiday parks now cheaper than ever, the whole place is very reasonable once you get there. Just as with Australia, flight bargains have also appeared out of nowhere, and a roundtrip from Los Angeles can now be found for around US$750, though these bargain fares might be gone soon.

Brazil

July, 2008 – 1.55 Brazilian Real to US$1
November, 2008 – 2.17 Brazilian Real to US$1

There’s much more to this huge country than Rio de Janeiro and its famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, and Brazil has always been fairly affordable for Americans, at least once the plane ticket is paid for. But the currency had been gaining strength against the greenback for more than 4 years straight until the recent shift that has put the whole country solidly back into the “bargain” category. Hotels in Rio have never been all that cheap, but now you can find a good budget place in a good location in the US$50 to US$60 range again, and most all other expenses for food, drinks, entertainment, and attractions are all quite reasonable.

Of course, most of the rest of the country is even cheaper than Rio, so it’s wise to move around and take in other aspects of the country when you are flying so far in the first place. Flights from either Los Angeles or New York to Rio can be found in the $750 neighborhood these days, and of course it’s spring there now and their high season is approaching, so this could be a great winter getaway instead of Hawaii or the Caribbean.

Mexico

July, 2008 – 10 Mexican pesos to US$1
November, 2008 – 13 Mexican pesos to US$1

Mexico hasn’t suddenly become a bargain, as it’s pretty much lived on the bargain list all its life, but as you can see the USD now goes about 30% further than it did just a few months ago. The trick here is finding hotels that don’t already base their rates on US dollars, but either way prices that were reasonable before should be even lower now, and of course most of your expenses on food, drinks, entertainment, and souvenirs are now more affordable than they’ve been in at least 5 years. With winter approaching and so much worldwide economic uncertainty we’ll be looking for great specials at some of the more popular resorts that will probably find themselves with more empty rooms than they know what to do with.

Flights from the US to Mexico have also been traditionally reasonable, and nothing has changed there. You can fly roundtrip from either Los Angeles or New York to Mexico City or Cancun starting in the $300 to $350 price range, even as their high season approaches.

South Africa

July, 2008 – 7.2 South African Rand to US$1
November, 2008 – 10 South African Rand to US$1

Never known for being especially cheap for Americans, South Africa has always lived on its reputation of great beaches, excellent nature reserves, safari parks, winery tours, golf resorts, and much more. But now it’s pretty cheap for Americans as well. The exchange rate has been lingering in the 6 to 7 Rand per USD range for many years now, so you can imagine how nice it must be when you are getting 10 Rand for every greenback. This is another Southern Hemisphere destination that is weirdly cheap at the perfect time of year for Americans looking for a new adventure. Nice hotels in Cape Town are starting in the US$60 to US$80 range now, and of course most of the rest of the country will come in below that.

Not surprisingly, the tricky part of visiting South Africa is the flights part. You’ll have to change planes at least once, probably in Senegal or in Europe, and the combination of flights will eat up around a full 24 hours, even if you get good connections. Right now flights from New York to Cape Town are starting around $1,100, and from Los Angeles around $1,300.