ourism New Zealand has unveiled a new advertising campaign, this time called 100% Pure You.
Here’s the first commercial of the campaign:
A Travel Guide to Hawke’s Bay New Zealand
Stuff.co.nz has an excellent travelogue on Hawke’s Bay in New Zealand.
Here’s an excerpt:
Hawke’s Bay is home to some of New Zealand’s grandest homesteads, some with spectacular gardens. Most of them off the beaten track, but Ann Packer finds a guided road trip that gets inside the trophy properties.
Forget your suburban fundraisers, how about a country house and garden tour? Century-old homes still in the family, fabulous food fresh from the garden and roses, roses all the way. As garden tours go, it doesn’t get much grander than Caroline Sarfati’s Story Tour, which goes inside the houses, including a sleepover at a historic central Hawke’s Bay homestead.
We meet at Te Pania Hotel, on Napier’s Marine Pde, where we’ll stay the second night. Before we set off for the country proper, morning tea at a quiet Havelock North house and gorgeous garden offers a chance to meet the group – 17 of us, all women except for one token bloke, here with his wife. It’s a pity because there’s much for men to enjoy.
New Zealand Enacts New Immigration Act
The New Zealand government will soon begin implementing its new immigration act that has been made into law.
According to Abhinav Blog:
The New Zealand government would finally be implementing its new Immigration Act this week. According to Jonathan Coleman, the Immigration Minister for New Zealand, the new act would aid in improving the immigration system and its efficiency by sharpening some of the key processes. This legislation can be considered as being of the 21st century which caters to the changing trends in immigration but would encourage more students, skilled migrants, visitors as well as new residents that the nation would need so as to further develop its own economy.
The minister also said that this act would cater to further simplification when it comes to trans-
Tasman travel which includes offshore process for New Zealand immigration. Some of the key provisions which have been amended include the following:
A visa system which is universal in nature which means that categories of permits and exemptions would be waived off completely.
Criteria for visitor and family residence would be made stronger. With this, there would be new opportunities for sponsorship when it comes to government agencies as well as private organizations.A more systematic process for deportation of those people who have either breached the law or have
overstayed their visas.Stricter rules for employers to make sure that all the future employees legally acquire the status to work in New Zealand. At the same time, to cater to all the employers regarding quick checks which are easy and continue to retain their privacy protections.
A new body for the Immigration and Protection Tribunal which would be administered by the Ministry of Justice that would replace the earlier four appeal bodies.
There would be new provisions which would cater to potential abuses of the refugee asylum process in New Zealand.
OED Solves ANZAC Pavlova Dispute
It’s a dispute that’s been raging for decades between Australia and New Zealand. Who can rightfully claim to being the creator of the delicious dessert dish Pavlova.
According to the BBC, it’s been settled once and for all:
The Oxford English Dictionary may have settled a long-running argument between Australia and New Zealand over who invented the pavlova.
The dessert – meringue with fruit and cream – was named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who visited both countries in the 1920s.
Australians and New Zealanders agree on that, but not on who invented it.
In its relaunched online edition, the OED says the first recorded pavlova recipe appeared in New Zealand in 1927.This was in a book called Davis Dainty Dishes, published by the Davis Gelatine company, and it was a multi-coloured jelly dish.
But New Zealanders claim the meringue version also originated there, with recipes for it appearing in publications in 1928 and 1929.
Dr Helen Leach from New Zealand’s University of Otago is something of a pavlova expert.
“I can find at least 21 pavlova recipes in New Zealand cookbooks by 1940, which was the year the first Australian ones appeared,” the author of The Pavlova Story told the Daily Telegraph.
Where to Watch or Download British TV in New Zealand
Whether Kiwi’s like to admit it or not – many still have a big connection to the ‘Mother Country’ of Britain – whether it’s expat Brits making a life for themselves in New Zealand or the descendants of recent British settlers. That said, the easiest way to stay connected to Britain is through it’s excellent television – a global export that people around the world appreciate.
So, how go you get British TV in New Zealand?
First – I should let you know that currently you can’t access the BBC iPlayer in New Zealand or anywhere else for that matter. This may change as the BBC has plans to launch a global version of the iPlayer. But until then, even if you’re British paying the license free, you can’t access the iPlayer outside of the UK unless you cheat and use a UK based British TV Proxy.
Besides that, you have a couple options. The first is that many newer and popular British shows, like Doctor Who, will air on New Zealand’s main TV networks.
If they don’t air there – they’ll end up on a channel called UKTV – which specializes in airing the best of British TV for Kiwi’s.
You can get more information on UKTV at their website here.
If waiting for your favorite shows is taking too long – then you still have options.
You can use a service like The Telly, which will use Slingbox technology to stream your own private British TV stream live from the UK. I’ve used these services myself and they’re great. The only problem is dealing with the time difference between the UK and New Zealand.
Another option is to download British TV in New Zealand using bittorrent on a service like TheBox.bz – which specializes in sharing pretty much everything that airs on all the British TV networks. If you can’t get the show there, you can’t get it anywhere.
So, there you have it – if you’re down under and hungry for British TV, you have many options to watch live British TV in New Zealand.
Good luck!
Air New Zealand Losing Big Money on Pacific Routes
According to TVNZ, Air New Zealand is losing big money on some of it’s Pacific Island routes.
From the article:
Air New Zealand has revealed it was heavily losing money on an air service between Los Angeles, Samoa and Tonga but while it was willing to continue the two governments pulled the plug on it.
The revelation came in a letter by Air New Zealand deputy CEO Norm Thompson obtained by the Samoan Observer today.
In the letter to customers, Mr Thompson said in the five years the airline operated the Boeing 767 once a week service, it lost more than WST$20 million ($5.2 million).
He said yields had declined with the cost of jet fuel continuing to rise and this week once again hitting US$100 a barrel.
“Combined with the global financial crisis, Air New Zealand has as a result exited several unprofitable or break-even routes during this time,” Mr Thompson said.
Air New Zealand Unveils Black Livery for Domestic Planes
Air New Zealand have revealed the new livery design for the first aircraft in its new domestic jet fleet.
The new all black livery was unveiled in Sydney today by Air New Zealand CEO Rob Fyfe, in recognition of the airline’s long time support of the nation’s favourite game.
“In celebration of Air New Zealand’s long running support of rugby in New Zealand, our first new A320 will arrive in January sporting a sleek black livery complete with silver fern motif and Koru on its tail,” says Rob Fyfe.
Air New Zealand’s sponsorship of the New Zealand Rugby Football union, including the All Blacks, enters its seventeenth year in 2011.
The first aircraft will be the only one in the fleet featuring the new all black livery.
“Air New Zealand is crazy about rugby and from February this distinctive new plane will be operating on our main domestic New Zealand routes, says Mr Fyfe.
The new domestic fleet of A320 aircraft, combined with Air New Zealand’s new long-haul fleet of Boeing 777-300 aircraft, which begin arriving from the end of this year, will ensure the airline continues to have one of the youngest aircraft fleets in the world.
Larry the Travel Guy | Auckland, New Zealand
Larry takes you to Auckland, New Zealand to discover some of the off the beaten track places in the diverse city.
Air New Zealand Launches Facebook Ugly Sweater Contest
Now this is a fun way to run a contest. The ever creative folks at Air New Zealand have launched a contest on their Facebook page.
You submit a picture of yourself in your ugliest holiday sweater and you’ll be entered to win a trip for two to New Zealand.
Here are the details:
There is one prize. The Grand Prize Winner will receive roundtrip economy class air transportation for two (2) from Los Angeles or San Francisco to Auckland on Air New Zealand. The Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”) of the Grand Prize is three thousand four hundred and eight dollars ($3408). Actual value of the prize may vary based on airfare fluctuations and distance between departure location and destination. All prizes claimed will be awarded. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to substitute and or modify the prize with a prize of equal or greater value with immediate effect at any time prior to the closing date of the Promotion by advertising that fact. Only one (1) prize is permitted per family or household.
To enter, go to the Air New Zealand Facebook page.
Movement to Bring Royal Couple to New Zealand for Honeymoon
There’s no shortage of places in the former British Empire clamoring to become the honeymoon destination of choice for the Royal Couple after their nuptials in April.
From Stuff.co.nz:
The Government is being urged to offer Prince William and Kate Middleton an all-expenses paid honeymoon to New Zealand to create a “fairytale” tourism driver.
Diana Moore, who operates the $10,000-a-night Lake Okareka Lodge near Rotorua, has suggested the government provide a honeymoon as its official wedding present “instead of giving a wedding gift such as a piece of furniture”.
“The potential value in exposure to New Zealand from being part of this real-life royal fairytale is beyond imagination – certainly right up there with worldwide exposure from Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.”
Although she’d “love to host William and Kate” after their April wedding next year, there would be no freebies, said Moore.
“I don’t think the prince would find the $10,000 a night price tag too much of a problem. It’s a lot of money for most of us, but our overseas guests tell us it’s actually good value compared to other luxury properties overseas and when you take into account favourable exchange rates.”
The lodge was rated among the top 10 most romantic places in the world to propose in a survey by Hotels.com this year.
Where do you think the Royal Couple should take their honeymoon?