'New Zealand is Open'

Following the devastating earthquake in Christchurch last month, Tourism New Zealand have launched an earthquake recovery campaign to remind travellers that 'New Zealand is Open' and is still a great place to visit. Far from minimising the gravity of the situation in Christchurch, the message simply shows that visiting New Zealand now is the best way people can show their support for the country's second largest city, as the long process of rebuilding begins.

This is certainly not just a message being promoted by TNZ, but by many in New Zealand's vital travel sector, including us. A group of Kiwi travel bloggers have organised Blog4NZ, a three day event, ending today, encouring bloggers around the world to write about their experiences travelling to New Zealand and in so doing promote others to visit now more than ever.

New Zealand is still a magical destination with so many experiences on offer from the twin coasts of Northland to the rugged wilds of Southland. It is not exageration to say that every region has something to suprise and entice.

The message is simple and the sentiment genuine - 'Come and have some fun!'.

And finally...

New Zealand Earthquake Appeal: In order to support our New Zealand colleagues, friends and business partners in the Christchurch and Canterbury region, Discover the World will donate £10 per person for any clients booking a holiday to New Zealand by 31st May 2011. Despite the devastating and tragic events that occurred in Christchurch, our aim is to contribute in some small way by helping to raise funds for the relief effort now underway and also to encourage our clients to visit this incredible country.

If you would like to make a donation direct to the Red Cross Appeal, please follow this link www.redcross.org.uk/newzealand or telephone 0845 054 7200.

 

Sweet Taste of Success

It's officially a Kiwi dish according to the latest edition of the Oxford English Dictionary.

Pavlova is in my opinion one of the finest desserts on the planet - meringue, cream and sugared fruit - and for almost a century the Aussie's and the Kiwi's have been claiming it as their own.

Well according to an article read in the Independent online this morning, the latest online edition of OED notes that the first recorded recipe for 'pav' appeared in a New Zealand publication in 1927, which would be 8 years prior to when the Aussies claim it was first invented. Both NZ and Australia agree on the origin of the dish as being in honour of an Antipodean tour by the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova.

Well, I'm glad that's cleared up then.

I'm quite happy that both the Aussies and the Kiwis have taken this dessert to their hearts, since frankly there can never be too much pavlova!

One Year to Go!

With only one year to go until the world cup kicks off in New Zealand, the promoters have come up with a neat video marking the countdown to the tournament, entitled, well, "One Year to Go" of course.

It seems hard to believe that three years have past since a giant rugby ball was erected beneath the Eiffel Tower in Paris, but such is a speedy passing of time, that in only 12 months the biggest sporting event in New Zealand's history will begin.

With this in mind and if you're considering visiting New Zealand next Autumn (ours, not theirs), it really is time to start putting that vague travel idea into a more cohesive holiday plan. Whether or not you want to be part of the rugby fiesta, New Zealand is going to be absolutely buzzing this time next year making it a memorable time to visit. So start planning...

New Zealand Cycle Trail

Back in the heady days of early summer, 20 June to be precise, several members of our team here at DTW (me included) joined 27,000 other participants in the annual London to Brighton bike ride in support of the British Heart Foundation. Months, or in some cases simply minutes, of dedicated training culminated in a jovial posse of lycra clad 'athletes' setting off through the streets of South London en route to the seaside, some 54 miles away. 

It really was a great day and quite apart from raising lots of money for charity it turns out that cycling is the new passion for many of us in Arctic House (though not actually in the office of course). So, it's a good thing that the NZ Cycle Trail has just got underway.

As Team DTW look for our next challenge could the proposed cycling network across New Zealand be the answer?

The initial sections opened last month on the the North Island forming part of the Ruapehu to Whanganui trail and with the full project intending to link existing 'great rides' throughout the country in a continuous 3,000 km route by the end of 2011, I think we'd best get training.

 

But you don't have to wait for the trail to be completed to experience the joys of the Kiwi landscape on two wheels. You can hire bikes all over New Zealand and in particular, pedal power makes an excellent way to negiotiate the wine regions of Hawkes Bay and Marlborough. For those interested in a more inclusive cycling holiday complete with guides and fellow participants, check out our West Coast Glaciers itinerary.

Anzac Day

This Sunday is ANZAC Day, one of the most important dates in the antipodean calendar. A national holiday in Australia and New Zealand, the 25 April marks the anniversary of the significant contribution that the troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps made during the First World War and subsequently in WWII and other military operations. This includes the well-documented campaign at Gallipoli, which began on 25 April 1915.

In Australia and New Zealand each year the day is commemorated with gatherings in towns throughout both countries and shops and hotels remain closed on Anzac Day morning, while in London, a service is held at Westminster Abbey.

Anzac Day is also marked by social gatherings and sporting events such as the Anzac Test - an annual rugby league match between Austalia and New Zealand, this year to be held on 7 May in Melbourne.

Again, in the UK the ANZAC Sports Challenge Shield, won by the Kiwis for the first time last year is being held tomorrow, Saturday, 24 April at Grasshoppers RFC in Isleworth, London. Events being contested are:

6th ANZAC Netball Cup
6th Touch ANZAC Cup
4th Rugby League ANZAC Cup
4th Football ANZAC Cup
3rd Rugby Union ANZAC Cup
Innagural Tag ANZAC Cup

Return to Middle Earth

It's been 7 long years since we last visited Middle Earth in a cinematic context and though the wait is not quite over (sorry), those of us yearning for a return to Rivendell and the Misty Mountains can take comfort in the fact that 'The Hobbit' is due to start filming in New Zealand this summer (though it's actually winter down there).

The film, based on Tolkien's novel, will be followed by a sequel and both new films are prequels to the fabulous Lord of the Rings trilogy by Peter Jackson the Great. Mr Jackson takes on a producing role this time, leaving the directing to Spaniard Guillermo del Toro best known for the Hellboy films and Pan's Labyrinth.

I can think of few films that have showcased a country as much as LOTR did New Zealand. Quite apart from being stunning fantasy epics, each of the three films was like a travelogue of NZ's fabulous landscapes. Peter Jackson may have used special effects to great end to create a world of orcs and hobbits and ents, and the actors certainly did there bit, and I suppose Tolkien should get a mention, but in terms of conveying the majesty of Middle Earth - that honour solely belongs to New Zealand.

You only have to visit for yourself to recognise this and might I suggest our Journey through Middle Earth itinerary as a starting point.

 

Anyway, I think this is the perfect excuse to watch the LOTR trilogy once again. So, before the weather really warms up, open a bottle of pinot and settle down for a terrific adventure through Aotearoa with Aragorn and Frodo.

Btw, in 'The Hobbit' Sir Ian McKellan is reprising his role as Gandalf. Wonder what colour he'll be this time?

Bird Up!

You recall Sirocco, the New Zealand parrot (or kakapo) that took a shine to wildlife presenter Mark Carwardine and subsequently stole the show on the recent BBC One series 'Last Chance to See'? Well, he's back and this time its political... sort of.

Sirocco's now infamous 'flirtation' with Mark proved such a hit on Youtube, clocking over half a million hits (including featuring on this blog), that New Zealand prime minister John Key has appointed the loveable parrot as 'spokesbird for conservation'. Seriously, these Kiwis’ are simply masters of the creative promotion.

Essentially Sirocco's role is to bring greater awareness of conservation issues and the plight of endangered birds, as is explained in a video created in collaboration with Tourism New Zealand. Click here to view»

So, 'Last Chance to See' co-presenter Stephen Fry may be known for his Tweets, but when it comes to Youtube he's seriously small fry (boom boom) compared to Sirocco. Sorry!

Air New Zealand Beds in Economy

Could it really be that the next phase in long-haul travel will offer beds in economy?! Well, yes, as Air New Zealand's latest development unveiled today reveals. 

The "Skycouch" has been specially designed inhouse and comprises a row of three seats engineered to create a flexible bed space formed by use of a foot-rest rising to the level of the three seats. Hmmm, I'm not quite sure I follow either, thus enter the visual prompt below. Basically, two adults travelling together would buy two seats for the standard fare and the third seat for around half price.

As Rob Fyfe, the airlines chief exec comments - "For those who choose, the days of sitting in economy and yearning to lie down and sleep are gone. The dream is now a reality, one that you can even share with a travelling companion - just keep your clothes on, thanks." Skycouches are due to be introduced from November this year.

Air NZ already offer an exceptional level of service for long-haul customers and were recently voted Airline of the Year 2010 by the catchily named Air Transport World Global Airline Awards. They continue to set the benchmark for long-haul travel and should always be high on your list of airlines to consider for flights to the Antipodes.

But doesn't it seem ironic that they are tagging the launch of their new 'beds' in economy with the line "keep your clothes on"? Body paint notwithstanding I presume.

The Antics of the New Zealand kakapo

If you haven't yet watched 'Last Chance to See' there is still time to catch the entire series on BBC iPlayer though particular attention should really be paid to episode 5 featuring the all-star kakapo.

It is truly worth an hour of your time and not just for the superb opening sequence flying over Fiordland or the visit to Wellington to encounter a 'dinosaur' (tuatara to you and me), or even the interview with Peter Jackson about his childhood memories of the dreaded weta. As the quest to find the kakapo (the fat, flightless bird) builds throughout the programme, the culmination is not just a suprisingly touching and well-observed glimpse into a superb conservation effort, it also produces a fantastic moment of inter-species bonding as Sirocco the kakapo rather takes a shine to Mark Cawardine and mounts his head to embark on a mating ritual. Naturally Stephen Fry is on hand to offer some eloquent observations and it really is 'must-see' TV for the wildlife fan.

Mating for the few kakapos left in existance is no easy task requiring 'booming' (the kakapos loud low-frequency mating call) for an average of 8 hours a night, for 3-4 months of the year and losing half their body weight in the process. Sirocco obviously felt the opportunity with Mark was worth taking.

If this ‘Last Chance to See’ episode in New Zealand not only made you laugh but also captured your heart then I urge you to travel there and witness for yourself this incredibly beautiful country that is home to truly unique wildlife…

Last Chance to See...

In case you haven't been watching the excellent series 'Last Chance to See' on BBC2 with Stephen Fry and Mark Carwardine, now is the time to start, with Sunday's episode (4 October) seeing the pair travel to New Zealand in search of the kakapo - a 'fat', flightless parrot that is also the rarest in the world.

'Last Chance to See' was inspired by the BBC radio series of 20 years ago when author Douglas Adams travelled with Mark Carwardine around the world in search of endangered and rare animals. This included the portly kakapo, which two decades on retains the lead role, though the 2009 programme also gives the chance for several other species of New Zealand's native wildlife to shine, such as...

... the lizard-like tuatara, actually a prehistoric reptile that is unique to New Zealand and can be found in Zealandia: The Karori Sanctuary Experience in Wellington. Then there's the kaka, another native parrot that also resides in this unique urban sanctuary and as the programme reveals is anything but shy. As you'd expect kiwi are encountered by the pair near Whangarei in the far north together with takehe (you got it - a flightless bird) while its in the far south near Stewart Island that the encounter with kakapo occurs.

The considerable efforts of New Zealand's many conservation projects should mean it isn't the last chance to see these many of these curious creatures all of which are thoroughly engaging and feature on our nature tour New Zealand's 'Small Five'.

By the way, if you're reading this post after the event, don't forget you can watch the entire series, paying particular attention to the New Zealand episode of course, on BBC iplayer.