If you’re going to New Zealand, it never hurts to know a few rules of etiquette for touring the Maori’s homeland. The Maori are the indigenous people of “Aotearoa”, which is the Maori name for New Zealand and translates as “the land of the long white cloud.” The Maori arrived in New Zealand from Eastern […]
Filmmaking in Middle-earth
Fans of Bilbo Baggins’ exploits will be tickled pink as The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey DVD hits stores this month. The film, shot in New Zealand, is the first chapter in Peter Jackson’s new epic trilogy set in Middle-earth 60 years before J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings saga. An exciting aspect of the release is the new […]
Great Facts about Christchurch
Here are some facts about Christchurch. Since the Napier earthquake in the 1930’s every New Zealander has been contributing (via taxes and fuel purchases) to the Government Natural Disaster Fund – a pot of money managed by the Earthquake Commission (ECQ). To be used to help New Zealand recover from any natural disaster. The Government […]
Queenstown, New Zealand in April 2012
Queenstown, New Zealand Queenstown, is the adventure capital of New Zealand, if not the world. I love it more every time I visit as there is always something new to discover – and this time was no exception. This trip was to attend TRENZ, a large trade event where all services (hotels and tour companies) […]
New Zealand Part IV
Cities: Queenstown We say farewell to Philip and the team at Blanket Bay and head towards Queenstown. It is only a 45 minute drive and along the way we stop at my good friend Tania’s lodge – Azur set in the hills of Queenstown, with incredible views of The Remarkables. The Lodge is only a 5 minute […]
New Zealand Part III
Cities: Franz Josef, Glenorchy These New Zealand breakfasts are just phenomenal – fresh country eggs, selection of French Toast, Home Made Porridge (Oatmeal), and some unique creations at each lodge, make the start of the day something special.