Exploring New Zealand Wine Country

Posted on by admin Posted in Culture, News, Travel, Wine

TheStar.com recently featured an article about New Zealand Wine Country that’s worth reading.

Here’s an excerpt:

CENTRAL OTAGO, NEW ZEALAND—“Do you have feelings of inadequacy? Do you suffer from shyness? Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive? If you answered yes to any of these questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist about sauvignon blanc.”

Folks in this isolated, quiet country are passionate about their wines. But they have a wonderful ability to laugh at themselves as they try to coax magic out of a tiny piece of fruit. The folks at Chard Farm, a lovely winery at the end of a deep canyon outside Queenstown on the South Island of New Zealand. are no exception.

This is a country that was nowhere on the world wine map 30 or 40 years ago, but is increasingly known as one of the great wine destinations of the world, with a wide variety of grapes, fine restaurants, gobsmackingly beautiful scenery and a laid-back vibe that feels like California before Golden State wine became home to folks spending $2,000 on Napa Valley wine futures.

Here’s a look at a couple of areas I sampled on a visit earlier this year.

Read more here.

Atlantic’s In Focus Features New Zealand – Gorgeous Pics of life in NZ

Posted on by admin Posted in Culture, Life in New Zealand, Pictures, Travel

 

The In Focus website over at the Atlantic Monthly featured New Zealand today with 38 gorgeous pictures depicting life in New Zealand.

Here’s a sample:

newZealandMNT

New Zealand, home to some 4.3 million residents, is currently hosting the 2011 Rugby World Cup, the largest sporting event ever held in the island nation. Citizens of Christchurch are still recovering from the February earthquake, with some returning to their homes and parts of the business district being rebuilt. In August, the Winter Games NZ were held on several mountaintops and other venues, featuring skiing, snowboarding, and more. Runners in Dunedin tackled the “Steepest Race in the World,” and groups of rugby fans organized a male-female naked match. Collected below are photographs of some of these events and more from all around New Zealand over the past few months.

See the rest here.

The Economist Features the Rugby World Cup

Posted on by admin Posted in News, Sport

The Economist has an article about New Zealand and the Rugby World Cup.

Here’s an excerpt:

ONE week into the Rugby World Cup, New Zealand has lived up to its claim to be a “stadium of four million”. A spectacular opening ceremony in Auckland on September 9th saw massed formations of Maori warriors stomp out the haka war dance, while a fleet of waka (war canoes) filled the Waitemata harbor. (A plan to run a parade of sheep down Auckland’s main thoroughfare later in the tournament has thankfully been scrapped). John Key, the country’s genial prime minister, even gave us a Bushism (1:33).

There has been some fine rugby as well. Argentina and Japan put heavyweights England and France to the test. The start of the second week provided the first real upset, when Ireland shocked Australia with a 15-6 victory on September 17th. The 41-10 win of the host country’s mighty All Blacks—currently ranked first in the world—over tiny Tonga was disappointingly narrow. But they put on a stronger showing in an 83-7 canter over Japan on September 16th. Their biggest challenge may be shouldering the weight of their countrymen’s expectations: the All Blacks have not won a World Cup since New Zealand co-hosted the inaugural tournament in 1987.

Read the rest here.

Slashfilm Covers What a Lord of the Rings Tour is Like

Posted on by admin Posted in Film, Lord of the Rings, Travel

One of the writers over at the film website Slashfilm was in New Zealand a few weeks ago and had the chance to take a Lord of the Rings themed tour.

Here’s an excerpt:

While I was in New Zealand visiting Weta last week (see part 1, part 2, and part 3 of my write-up for that visit), I found myself unable to resist the chance to take a Lord of the Rings tour. In particular, the Rover Rings tour in Wellington, New Zealand seemed like a solid operation, and was fairly well-reviewed online.

I’m pretty cynical about the pandering, opportunistic nature of such tours in general, and the price of this tour did nothing to assuage my fears ($95 for a half day, $175 for a full day, including lunch). But I was already all the way on the opposite side of the world and Peter Sciretta agreed to front part of the cost if I wrote it up, so I figured, “What the hell, why not?” I decided to take the plunge and fork over the $95 for the half day option.

Hit the jump to see photos and videos of the Rover Rings Lord of the Rings tour, as well as my general thoughts on whether it was worth my time and money.

Read the rest here.

Tips: How to Travel Between the North and South Islands of New Zealand

Posted on by admin Posted in North Island, South Island, Travel, Wellington

Though New Zealand consists of about 38 islands, it is mainly made up of two large ones, the North Island and the South Island. The two are separated by the Cook Strait and are about 25km apart, though the route the ferries take between the major ports on each island is 94km.

There are two main ways to get between the islands and the method you take will depend on where you want to go and how long you’ve got.

Flying

The main carrier between the islands is Air New Zealand, followed by low budget carriers Jetstar and Pacific Blue. There are multiple airports throughout both the islands but the main ones are Auckland and Wellington on the North Island and Christchurch and Queenstown on the South.

For the best idea of prices, distances, cities being flown to and times, check out the following websites for your internal flights.

www.webjet.co.nz
http://www.airnewzealand.com.au/

Ferry

The main ferry service between the islands is the InterIslander and runs between the cities of Picton, in the south, and Wellington, in the North.

The ferry ride takes about three hours and can be taken as a basic ferry ride or in the comforts of luxury. The journey itself is a spectacular one and can be considered a tourist attraction as much as a method of transport between destinations. It passes tall green hills and weaves through small islands, and just when all that surrounds you is deep, blue ocean as far as the eye can see, the green peaks of the North Island take shape on the horizon.

The best place to go for ferry services, departures and times is the following website.

Guide: Top Things to do in Wellington New Zealand

Posted on by admin Posted in North Island, Travel, Wellington

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Voted by Lonely Planet as one of the best capital cities in the world, Wellington lives up to its reputation. While most capital cities are set apart from the social scene and consist primarily of monuments, politicians and monuments of politicians, Wellington has managed to capture the inviting spirit and culture of New Zealand and turn its political engine into a thriving and interesting city.

There is something in Wellington for everyone. For the historian and cultural enthusiast, make sure you visit the Te Papa Museum and the Museum of Wellington. Here you will be taken on an historical journey through the development of the country’s indigenous culture and modern infrastructure. Walk up to the Cable Car Museum and look around the sculptures and colourful gardens that surround it, before taking the old cable ride back down the hill.

Naturists won’t be disappointed either. With Wellington set on the southern coast of the North Island, you have the choice of beach and harbour alike. Take a cruise off the island, walk along the beach or get in a kayak and set out for an adventure.  To the west, engage in a guided bushwalk tour, mountain-bike up a mud track, visit the botanical gardens or venture a little further out to the vineyards and sample some of New Zealand’s best wine.

Which leads to dining. While Wellington may be a business capital, by no means do the lights go out at 5pm. Everyone, from backpackers on a budget to those with a taste for fine dining will be satisfied with the selection in Wellington. The most central place to be is around Courtenay Place and Cuba Street, where award-winning restaurants of all tastes and popular bars of all standards combine to offer a fine dining experience, or a good old-fashioned wild night out.

And finally, the adventurer. In a country renowned for its adventure spirit, the very city representing it to the world could not be without adventure. Take on the high ropes courses at Adrenaline Forrest, jump into a 4WD army truck to see the Wellington wilderness, raft, canoe, tube or kayak down a river, or take an air balloon ride out of the city and over the magnificent landscape that surrounds it. Oh, and don’t forget the “Bungy Extreme”. This one straps up to three people in a capsule that is flung 55km into the air at 5gs with two bungy ropes. After all, what self-respecting New Zealand city wouldn’t offer a bungy jump of some description?

http://www.wellingtonnz.com/sights_activities/bungy_extreme_wellington

A Primer on Understanding the Culture of New Zealand

Posted on by admin Posted in Culture

There are two things you should never do in life. Never mix your liquor, and never confuse a Kiwi with an Australian. It’s fair to say the two countries are similar, like cousins may be, but in no way does New Zealand come from Australian stock.

To start with, the geography of the two countries are very different. New Zealand is a small group of islands, primarily made up of two large ones, the North and the South, and is situated further south than Australia, giving it more distinct seasons with colder winters. Because of this the people have adapted differently to their land than the Australians have to theirs, and therefore have differences in culture. While Australia is primarily flat and arid, battling droughts and desert and high temperatures, the Kiwis have a fertile land with a mountainous landscape. This has inevitably led to a love for extreme mountain-related activities and an unusually high population of sheep.

New Zealand also has a high amount of volcanic activity, while Australia has none. In the North island of New Zealand you can find yourself bathing in the hot natural springs in Rotorua or rejuvenating your skin with thermal mud.

Beyond this, the native roots of both countries couldn’t be more different. The native Aboriginals of Australia were considered a mostly peaceful people. Deeply spiritual and somewhat nomadic their existence revolved around their relationship with the land. The New Zealand Maoris however, were a far more aggressive people. They were protective of their tribe and their land and used body paint, facial expressions and native dances such as the Haka, to instil fear into their opponents or foreign people to determine their agenda. The Haka can still be seen today when a New Zealand team meets that of another country in an international sports game such as the rugby, the Haka is performed before kick-off as part of tradition.

Because of the wild landscape and the people’s forthright nature New Zealand is a country of adventurers. Where Australians are extremely competitive and try their hand at every sport you’ve ever heard of, the Kiwis are more laid back, daring and playful. While their national sport of interest is rugby union, and maybe a bit of soccer, they’ve mostly traded in all the other general sports for the extreme outdoor activities and a love of the land.

The Kiwis are a friendly and welcoming people. They are laid back, good humoured and proud of their beautiful country. In the North the cities of Auckland and Wellington forge the country’s place in the world as the internal hubs of business, finance and politics, while in the South the tourist hotspots in and around Queenstown draw in the international crowds wanting to ski down the spectacular mountains, bungee jump off cliffs, hike up glaciers and take on white water rafting.

Hot Tip: If still, at the end of the day you can’t tell the difference between the Aussie and the Kiwi, pay attention to their accents. The vowels are put in reverse. For example, take the words “Red Fish”. An Australian will say “Red Fiish”, while a Kiwi will say “Rid Fesh”. It may take a while but you will eventually notice the difference!

About Amanda

Amanda Moller is an Australian travel consultant living in Sydney. Having travelled extensively around Australia, New Zealand and the UK she spends her time writing travel articles and defending Vegemite. Check out her blog here.

How Did New Zealand Get Its Unique Name?

Posted on by admin Posted in Culture, History

One of the most common questions we get asked is how New Zealand got it’s name and also where exactly is ‘Old Zealand?’

According to the Wikipedia:

Aotearoa (often translated as “land of the long white cloud”) is the current Māori name for New Zealand, and is also used in New Zealand English. It is unknown whether Māori had a name for the whole country before the arrival of Europeans, with Aotearoa originally referring to just the North Island. Abel Tasman sighted New Zealand in 1642 and named it Staten Landt, assuming it was connected to land off the southern tip of South America. In 1645 Dutch cartographers renamed the land Nova Zeelandia after the Dutch province of Zeeland. British explorer James Cook subsequently anglicised the name to New Zealand.

Māori had several traditional names for the two main islands, including Te Ika-a-Māui (the fish of Māui) for the North Island and Te Wai Pounamu (the waters of greenstone) or Te Waka o Aoraki (the canoe of Aoraki) for the South Island. Early European maps labelled the islands North (North Island), Middle (South Island) and South (Stewart Island / Rakiura). In 1830 maps began to use North and South to distinguish the two largest islands and by 1907 this was the accepted norm. The New Zealand Geographic Board discovered in 2009 that the names of the North Island and South Island had never been formalised, but there are now plans to do so. The board is also considering suitable Māori names, with Te Ika-a-Māui and Te Wai Pounamu the most likely choices according to the chairman of the Māori Language Commission.

So there you have it – New Zealand is an English version of the original Dutch name which was named after a province in Holland.

A Brief Guide to Lord of the Rings Attractions in New Zealand – LOTR Guided Tours

Posted on by admin Posted in Film, Lord of the Rings, Travel

When Frodo and Sam ran around the fields of the Shire and welcomed Gandelf into their village, they were actually running around the Waikato Region on the North Island of New Zealand. And when, at the end of it all, the two finally climbed Mount Doom at Mordor to destroy the ring in the fire, they were actually climbing extinct volcanoes of Taupo on the same island.

New Zealand was chosen as the setting of Middle Earth in the Lord of the Rings because of its beautiful and varied landscape. It could accommodate the need for mountainous terrain and volcanoes, or could offer the greenery and quiet hills needed for a peaceful village. Snow, sun, height, depth, water, rock, New Zealand has it. And being only a small country, it has it all within close vicinity and easy grasp.

Peter Jackson began filming The Lord of the Rings in 1999 in a reserve in Otago, on the South Island, and since then all of New Zealand has been showcased throughout this trilogy. Naturally, people seeing this extraordinary scenery, and die-hard Rings fans alike, from all over the world, have made their way to New Zealand to catch a glimpse of the land, and the movie.

The trilogy was filmed on both the North and South Islands of New Zealand, depending on what terrain they needed for each scene. If you are a hardcore fan and have the time, there are tour companies that can cater for most areas used for the film. Otherwise, you can break it down in to the areas you most want to see.

The North Island was primarily used for its hard volcanic terrain, and for its intimate, luscious greenery. If you want to visit the Shire or Mordor, arrive in Auckland and start yourself on the six-day Lord of the Rings tour.

http://www.newzealand.com.au/nz-coach-tours/lord-of-the-rings/lotr-tours-new-zealand/

If the mountains are what took your breath away as the fellowship of the ring made their way across Middle Earth with Frodo and the ring, then make your way to the South Island. Start your tour in Queenstown and set out to witness the magnificent mountains and sights they offer. You will also have the chance to see some of the props used in the movie.

http://www.lordoftheringstours.co.nz/

If a tour doesn’t fit into your plans there’s no doubt wherever you go in New Zealand you will come across land and terrain that was either used in the trilogy or resembles its nature. Click on the following link to find out exactly which scenes were filmed in what location, get out the map, and choose your own Lord of the Rings adventure!

http://www.firstlighttravel.com/lotr/

Books on Immigrating to New Zealand – NZ Immigration Guidebooks

Posted on by admin Posted in Culture, Moving to New Zealand, NZ Immigration

If you’re interested in moving to New Zealand there are many resources out there to help you plan. We thought it would be a good idea to put together a list of helpful books about immigrating to New Zealand that may help you plan.

Living Abroad in New Zealand by Michelle Waitzman

Michelle Waltzman fell in love with New Zealand’s stunning landscapes and various outdoor activities on a backpacking trip in 1998, and has since moved to the country, recently obtaining permanent resident status. Michelle provides insight and first-hand advice on all that living in New Zealand has to offer. She outlines all the information needed in a smart, organized, and straightforward manner, making planning the move abroad manageable. Moon Living Abroad in New Zealand makes the moving and transition process easy for businesspeople, students, teachers, retirees, and professionals.

Moon Living Abroad in New Zealand is packed with essential information and must-have details on setting up daily life including obtaining visas, arranging finances, gaining employment, choosing schools, and finding health care. This relocation guide also includes practical advice on how to rent or buy a home for a variety of needs and budgets, whether it’s an apartment in cosmopolitan Wellington or a home in historic Christchurch. All Moon Living Abroad Guides include color photos, black and white photos, black and white illustrations, and maps.

It’s a great resource!

Move to New Zealand: the real story – Maria Aandewijck

Thinking about moving to New Zealand? Then this is a must-read! This short book provides you with insights and experiences from recent immigrants to New Zealand. It may not all be positive (although most of it is!), it is all real and it will save you having to find out things the hard way. With a rich resources section, it also provides you with up to date websites, books, articles and DVD’s about emigrating to New Zealand.
Compulsory reading for anybody who is considering to take the plunge!

This is a Kindle Only title.

Going to Live in New Zealand, 2nd Edition – Mathew Collins

This book is written by professionals, expert in assisting those wanting to emigrate to New Zealand. Originally from that country, Mathew Collins is Managing Partner of the International Visa Consultancy, Ambler Collins, based in London. He has many years’ experience assisting individuals, families and companies in preparing and processing successful visa applications. Mary Neilson is a journalist from New Zealand with special expertise in travel and dealing with property.This is the 2nd edition, revised and updated practical, one-stop guide, which gives you essential information and advice to successfully complete your relocation. It is written by New Zealanders and in association with Ambler Collins, Immigration and Commercial Consultants of which Mathew Collins is managing partner.

Great read!

Live & Work in New Zealand – Susan Catto

New Zealand has long been a favorite with those wishing to start a new life overseas: this book gives all the information necessary to make the idea of moving to the antipodes a reality. The book is illustrated with first-hand accounts from people living in India and is full colour, with numerous helpful maps and photographs. Set out to be easily accessible, each chapter guides you through the practicalities of a move to New Zealand, from setting up home to finding a job or setting up a business. In particular, it gives advice on renting accommodation, opening the right bank account, finding your ideal home and making the most of your leisure time. There is also easy access to urgent information such as emergency phone numbers, laws and regulations and healthcare advice. The employment section of the book covers vital information, such as information on business etiquette, the skills and trades most in demand, permanent, seasonal and temporary work, salaries, working hours and MORE!

New Zealand – Culture Smart!: the essential guide to customs & culture

Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.

 

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