Volume VI, No. 2

DECEMBER 1993

(-ph ile: {Greek--philos, loving} meaning one who loves, likes, or is favorably disposed to. Webster)

FLY-FISHING'S ULTIMATE ADVENTURE

DOWN UNDER: THE ICE CLIFFS OF ANTARCTICA RUN THROUGH IT

A luxury cruise along the coast of Antarctica in the 24-hour sun of the southern summer and the lure of casting for trophy trout in New Zealand's crystal-clear waters are part of a one-of-a-kind fishing trip being planned for next January.

Californian Mike McClelland, who specializes in trout-fishing vacations in New Zealand, calls it "the ultimate fly-fishing adventure."

McClelland, who personally scouts the best of New Zealand's lodges and fishing holes every year, has put together a 1994 package built around a 22-day cruise on Orient Lines' MV Marco Polo, an 800-passenger liner built to venture safely and comfortably into the, less traveled corners of the world.

The first choice of southern hemisphere fishing is available at one of three of Argentinas leading lodges famed for rainbow and brown trout. Leaving Punta Arenas, Chile, on January 27, the ship will cross the Antarctic circle and explore the icy continent's remote coast. Zodiac landing craft will permit frequent, carefully supervised shore visits to see seals and penguins. Historic huts will give traveHers insights into the hardships of the early explorers. Famous Antarctic explorers, including Sir Edmund Hillary, Sir Vivian Fuchs and Lars- Eric Lindblad, will be aboard to give guest lectures during the cruise.

After docking in Christchurch, New Zealand's international staging center for Antarctic expeditions, visitors have the option of fishing for world-class brown trout at lodges famed for Kiwi hospitality at Lake Rotoroa

or near Queenstown, the international recreation hot-spot in the heart of the Southern Alps.

Prices for the 22-day cruise start as low as US$5,450 per person on a share twin basis.

For further information contact:

The Best of New Zealand Fly Fishing, 2817 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica CA 90403--PH. (800) 528- 6129.

ICE

Glaciers have a mind of their own.

For some years the Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers on the west coast of the South Island have receded so far from, the rocky bed they crawl over that it took a sturdy hike from the carpark and lookout point to get to them.

Not so this year. Not only are the glaciers advancing, but they are also getting higher. Last summer Franz Josef pushed forward at a rate of 30cm a day- - fast in glacier terms.

This movement can cause ice to break off and endanger visitors who want to touch the chilly blue ice. Guided tours by alpine specialists are recommended.

A SHEEP TAIL (continued) - by Judy Miller

"Seadowns" farmstead is situated in the rolling hills about 10 miles east of Oamaru with vistas to the west of the snow-capped Southern Alps and to the east of the Pacific Ocean. It is a beautiful and peaceful place. I first met Lynne and Colin in the fall of 1986 when my friend Carole and I were scheduled to stay on their farm as a part of New Zealand's Farm Stay program. The overnight stay never happened as we were delayed in Millard Sound but we were immediately invited for lunch instead and spent several hours being warmly entertained by Lynne and her daughter Kim. The friendship developed from there.

Lambing generally begins in August with babies arriving thiough the next couple of months, complete with tails. This is not a good thing. If the tails are not removed soon after birth they become matted and dirty and the lamb becomes diseased. To avoid this the farmers do tailing soon after lambing, usually within 2-3 weeks, but this spring had been a wet one and things were running a bit behind. Tailing is a hard, dirty job and if you can get three unsuspecting ladies from America to help you it is all the better.

Tailing morning we were all up early helping Lynne fix "smoko" and getting fitted for hush shirts and gummies. Smoko is one of many fine traditions in New Zealand and derives its name from the smokey fires built

by early kiwis to boil billys for morning and afternoon tea. These days it is accompanied by lovely things such as cake and cookies and sometimes you can even get a cup of coffee instead of tea.

Gummies (also known as Wellingtons) are nearly as essential as smoko. The Kiwi version of rubber boots, they are generally kept in a pile near the back stoop still covered in whatever was walked in the last time they were worn. It takes awhile to sort out pairs and find one that is a near enough fit that you want to wear it all day and that does not belong to a permanent family member. Several layers of socks are worn not only to ward off the icy bottoms of the boots but to prevent them from slipping off your feet everytime you move.

Colin, Matt, Steve, and two visiting school friends started loading equipment on a trailer hitched to a large tractor. We ladies followed in the farm truck, its cab crammed with everything from bailing twine to gunny sacks and ventilated by the holes in the floor- boards. The dash and seats were covered with dust and dirt, hay, and a smattering of pipe tobacco. Since those sitting on the back are designated gate openers, I hopped in the front seat and left the experience to Donna and Cathy. The first paddock we were to work was at the top of a high hill overlooking the Pacific. The view was beautiful but the wind was blowing straight off the snow-covered mountains and it was cold.

In order to tail a lamb you must first catch it and separate it from its mother. Neither is an easy task. The guys had already unloaded pieces of the temporary holding pen so in order to warm up, we all got to work putting it together. It consisted of wire barriers resembling fence gates. Three feet high and eight feet long, they can be set up in different configurations and moved to make the holding area smaller or larger as needed. There were also pieces to construct a chute with a small gate on both ends as well as a pen for the lambs as they were separated out. A board shelf about 10 feet long and two feet wide was placed at waist level on one side of the pen, and Colin got out the tool that both removes the tail and cauterizes the wound to prevent infection and bleeding, It is heated with propane from a small portable tank, and when not in use is kept inside an old, rust pitted gallon can turned on its side.

At the same time the lambs are tailed, they are also innoculated twice and have their ears notched to indicate whether they are male or female, which is simpler than turning them upside down everytLme you want to check for that sort of thing. Everyone was assigned a duty, with innoculations going to Donna and Cathy. Donna was to inject hers from a serum bag which hung around her neck and was connected to an air injection device by a long hollow tube. Cathy was to scratch and dab her serum on the underside of a back leg. Mall started off ear clipping, Cohn tailing, and the rest of us "catching."

We were finally ready. While the men and dogs rounded up the sheep, we unrolled the scrim

(a 3 foot wide, 50 foot long burlap barrier), and prepared to direct the (lock into the pen. As they came over the hill and saw us standing there, our scrim flapping, some understandably did not wish to come any further and bolted, one of us right behind them waving our arms and shouting which helped a whole lot. In spite of our best efforts all of the sheep finally moved in one direction, and slowly we reeled the scrim in behind them until there was no place to go except into the wire enclosed holding area. Now we had the mamas and babies in one place and the next step was to sort one from the other.

As many of us as could fit climbed in among the tightly packed bodies and drove ewes and lambs both toward the small chute. It took lots of arm waving, yelling and downright shoving to get and keep them moving. If a lamb ran into the chute it was diverted into the small pen by slamming the gate open. If a ewe was in, the gate slammed closed, and she was sent on down the chute where she was innoculated and released back into the paddock. The person manning the gate had to act quickly, because if a lamb or ewe ended up in the wrong pen the person responsible took a lot of ribbing. As the sheep filtered out the chute end, the holding pen was made smaller and smaller by moving the sides toward the center, and once they were all where they belonged, we got into position.

The innoculators, ear clippers and tailer stood along the board shelf and we catchers once again climbed over the fence in among what were now all lambs. Since tailing was late this year, some of these "lambs" were pretty good sized and weren't at all pleased at being where they were. The correct catching technique is to pick up a lamb, hold it facing out, lift it up and set it on the board shelf. Then the back feet are tucked between the ring and middle fingers and the front feet caught between index finger and thumb. Got all that? I grabbed the smallest white thing I could find, lifted it onto the shelf, grabbed its feet and moved along the line to Donna. She was ready, decked out in red and yellow plaid bush shirt, gummies, serum bag around her neck. Shot number one done and down the line to Cathy where I released one back leg so she could grab it, tuck it under her left arm, scratch the serum behind the leg, assure the lamb that all of this really was for its own good, and I was off to the next station.

I paused in front of Mall who quickly notched an ear, and all at once I had little red spots all over the front of my not so clean tailing outfit. I just closed my eyes and moved down the line so Colin could remove the tail. Once finished, the lamb was released back into the paddock to find its mother. Lynne and Steve were right behind me and we kept up a steady line over the next couple of hours.

At last the pen was empty. Colin tapped, packed and lit his pipe and it was officially smoko. We quickly opened the baskets and flasks and soon our CLIPS of sugar- laced tea were steaming in the cold, crisp air. My fingers felt like they would never straighten again, but after the tea my outlook improved considerably.

Our next paddock was in a valley so we were out of the wind and it was much more pleasant. The whole

operation was repeated and by the end of the day we had tailed over 650 lambs. Even Colin admitted that we had done a pretty good job for city girls. Tired, dirty, cold, spattered, and exhilarated, we climbed back onto the truck for the tide back to the house for a hot shower and dinner.

Our "Guys and Dolls" tickets weren't wasted, but we didn't do the local operatic society production justice either. A combination of the day's hard work. fresh air, glass of wine, dinner, and warm, dark theatre conspired against our wishes and good manners. Several times during the evening only a sharp nudge from Donna or Cathy kept me from disgracing myself completely, and I was happy to return the favor. Even the walk back to the car in the brisk late evening air did nothing to revive us, nd we very happily slipped into warm beds. Counting sheep certainty wasn't necessary, we'd been doing it all day.

THE NEW ZEALAND BED AND

BREAKFAST BOOK: 1993 Edition

Experience New Zealand hospitality the bed and breakfast way! For the traveler who wants to experience the feel of the real New Zealand, The New Zealand Bed and Breakfast Book can help insure a memorable trip.

This comprehensive travel guide offers the best in private homes, farms, and guesthouse accommodations found throughout beautiful New Zealand. This detailed directory lists over 300 private residences and inns. Each listing is written by the host, and offers insight into the history, scenery, and personality of the residence. Also included are telephone numbers, types of accommodations available, prices, nearest towns, and directions.

The authors have divided New Zealand into geographical regions, and have included a map of each region. The homes are listed as they occur on a southward journey, making it easier to locate unfamiliar place- names, and to find specific areas in one region.

Ranging from homey to luxurious, the inns and residences in the guide pride themselves on superior hospitality. Many entries include detailed line drawings of the bed and breakfast itself, illustrating the charm that New Zealand has to offer. The warm, friendly individuals who open up their homes to overnight guests are eager to share their passion for their country, and strive to make your stay as comfortable as possible.

THE NEW ZEALAND BED AND BREAKFAST BOOK:

1993 edition by J. and J. Thomas, published by Pelican Publishing Co., P.O. Box 189, Gretna, LA 70053.

eNZ of the EARTH

Dear Eva: Thank you for your enquiry. We are only too pleased to explain our tours and the philosophy behind them.

We custom design our tours for people who would like to see New Zealand at a leisurely pace, and

who would like to learn to feel at home in the country. All too often one goes on a tour to spend half a day in a bus --with tourists just like oneself--and then from bus to hotel, maybe a little shopping, dinner at the hotel restaurant and off to the room to watch reruns of L.A. Law.

Our goal is to expand horizons!!

We feel that the best way to see New Zealand is through her people--and what better way than spending time with them in their own homes? Time spent with hosts can be pleasant and enjoyable, talking about everything from world affairs to weather, from local customs to what to see and do in the area. The main drawback to this type of tour is having to leave the friends that you just made! It's amazing the number of goodbye hugs that you get and the promises of letters to be written.

We have visited all of the B&Bs that we use and feel confident that anyone staying would feel at home. We recommend that you stay at least two nights in each B&B, do not travel long distances, and that you eat at least the first evening meal with your hosts.

New Zealand is, as I am sure you know, left- hand drive. Many people feet overwhelmed by the thought of driving on the left side of the road. eNZ of the earth tours are designed to alleviate anxieties (and the effects of jetlag). You are met upon arrival in Auckland and will either fly or be driven (about 3 hours through beautiful countryside) to Rotorua. You will not have to drive in the busy Auckland Airport area and you will not have to drive until you have had a good night's sleep and feel rested.

Rotorua is a small town well known for its geothermal activity, great trout fishing, and many golf courses. It is a good quiet area to familiarize yourself with the NZ roads. After a couple of days of rest, relaxation, sightseeing, or whatever, you will feel comfortable, relaxed and ready to move on.

Tours can just as easily begin on the South Island. Enclosed please find two brochures.

Sincerely, Tom Bauer, eNZ of the Earth Ltd., P.O. Box 1723, Palmerston North, NZ. Tel. 64-6-355-1256

SEVEN TIPS FROM OHIO

My husband and I returned from New Zealand on July 31, 1993. We have the following tips to share with other KIWIphile FILE readers:

1. Do not depend on ATMs . I have successfully used my Cirrus network ATM card in other countries, primarily France, and I was assured by the Cirrus network 800 international number that over 300 banks in NZ accept the Cirrus card including: The Bank of New Zealand, the National Bank of New Zealand, the Post Bank and Night and Day Bank. None of these banks accepted my card; none had heard of the Cirrus network (tellers); none even displayed the Cirrus logo. Beware.

2. Become a AAA member and check with a local AA (Automobile Association) office in NZ on arrival. Ask for the Accommodation and Sightseeing Discounts for AA

members brochure. They reciprocate services with AAA and can save you money not only on car problems (we locked our keys in the car), but also with discounts on rental cars, coach tours, hotels (usually 12 1/2%) and sightseeing- -as much as 20% on common sightseeing attractions. (We could have saved US$25 on sightseeing alone had we asked for the brochure at the beginning of our trip). The AA Where to Stay Guide helped us find all our motels. It is available from the NZ Tourism Board, 501 Santa Monica Blvd. #300, Santa Monica CA 90401.

3. There is no need for reservations in the off-season

(our summer, their winter). We were often alone or among the in motels, restaurants, and sightseeing ventures.

4. Take warm clothes

Kiwis are fond of fresh air and open windows. Add to that the lack of central heating.

5. Go directly to the information office when entering a town (no matter how small).

6. Make sure you meet the Kiwis.

Plan at least one farmstay or homestay. You'll learn so much more about them (what they eat for breakfast and often dinner, what they do in their spare time, etc. and you'll usually do it on a one to-one basis. You'll find that they are the friendliest people in the world.

7. GO TO NEW ZEALAND! You'll love it.

Paula H. Prindle, Orient, Ohio

P.S.--l wrote this for another newsletter I receive. Thought you might be able to use it.

Your newsletter was very helpful to us, especially the Baiers, Richard Croft, Bits & Bites.

(Editor: We all thank you for the above, Paula.)

HIGH-ADRENALIN DIRECTORY FROM NZ

After you've tried jumping off a 20-story-high bridge with an elastic bungy cord tied to your ankles, what do you do next for excitement in New Zealand?

More than 180 ideas are offered in Adventure New Zealand . a new color booklet now available free from the New Zealand Tourism Board.

They include bicycle touring out of Auckland and through the famous Marlborough wine district; a day of fishing, snorkeling and sunning in the Bay of Islands aboard a sailboat; horseback riding on beautiful Pakiri Beach; exploring the North and South Islands in a motorhome; an around-New Zealand safari in a 4-wheel-drive vehicle; helicopter "flightseeing" over a steaming volcano near Rotorua, or dropping in for ice hiking on the Fox Glacier in the Southern Alps; canoeing and kayaking on wilderness lakes and rivers; and whitewater rafting on Qucenstown's Shotover and Kawarau Rivers.

The new guide groups activities by geographic region, color-keyed to a reference map. It lists companies and operators providing the services, giving addresses, telephone and fax numbers.

The 56-page guide is available by calling 800-

388-5494. For further information, please contact: New Zealand Tourism Board, 501 Santa Monica Blvd., #300, Santa Monica CA 90401.

MIKE GIANNONE IS BACK!

(I have been absent from the KIWlphile FILE for sometime now. There have been many reasons for that, but not because our interest in New Zealand has wavered).

In 1992 Linda and I did something we had never considered before: a SPRING vacation in Aotearoa! Usually we have visited NZ in late summer (Feb-Mar), but for this trip I moved up our planned departure to late November. Of course Mother Nature was sending some warnings my way, but since I was so eager to return to our favorite destination, I totally ignored them. Now you wouldn't think that a volcano in the Philippines would have any impact on a tourist trip to NZ, but the fact that the winter of 1992 saw several inches of SNOW in downtown Christchurch has to be blamed on something. Of course Hurricane Iniki only took out its wrath on Kauai (which eliminated a planned Thanksgiving stopover) but it was still in the South Pacific. Our reasoning was simple:

since NZ is such a lush and green place even in summer, imagine what it would be like in late spring with all of the new growth and flowers! A prudent individual would have stopped and thought about the element which promotes green growth (hint: it is NOT earth, wind, or fire).

This long-winded opening merely sets up the obvious: a lot of the rain which keeps NZ green falls in the spring, and this was a particularly cool and wet spring (which was blamed on Mt. Pinatubo's ash in the atmosphere). The sparkling, sunny skies we had been used to were often replaced by lowering, "moist" clouds and temperatures in the 60's. The fact that we had been to this wonderful place several times allowed us to ignore the weather for the most part, and we still had a great time (through Christmas week). We also were able to appreciate NZ from a different perspective. However, for the first time visitor, I wouldn't really recommend springtime since it seems to present the country as just a very nice place to visit, not a truly spectacular one!

In the interest of time and space, Linda and I would like to pass along some "bullet' highlights and thoughts, especially for those who will be traveling in the current season. (Note to revered editor Eva: I hope to provide you some more substantive articles in 1994).

In 1992 the Ansett AirPass program (purchased in the US) had more value and flexibility for independent travelers than the competition. We used it to trade time for distance between the islands and around South Island. The combination of Ansett Terminals and Hertz rental cars worked very smoothly and efficiently. Hertz treated the three and a half weeks as one long rental even though five cars were used.

The Corornandel Peninsula (all of it).

"Vinnie's" in Raglan. ("Deli" sandwiches in New Zealand?!)

Take a detour and experience Mt. Taranaki and Egmont National Park (the westerly "bulge" of North Island). The mountain is captivating and the hiking can range from very easy to "challenging". This whole region is very appealing.

A romantic and unique hotel: Dawson Falls Tourist Lodge (although somewhat expensive by NZ standards). A Swiss chalet in the bush, nothing feels closer to Taranaki. Stratford Mountain House appears nice, but is more conventional and less "exotic".

Holland Gardens, south of Dawson Falls on the to Hawera. A "down-home", very attractive alternative to the heavily publicized Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust.

Southward Car Museum in Waikanae (a neat place).

Wellington: Plenty is already available on the capital city, but one excursion may escape you in the conventional literature. "Unique Tours" is a service run by Tom Rudolph, who is, as his brochure puts it, "...a Maori with a wide knowledge of Wellington's history". Tom is putting it modestly. We believe he plays a major role in local Maori affairs. He provides an intensely personal and extremely interesting tour of the region, blending Maori legend and culture with that of the European settlers. Please, please take this tour. It will make you understand Wellington as never before, and coupled with Tom's personality, will satisfy you more than any other tour could hope to. You will not be sorry you chose "Unique Tours." From explanations in the National Museum, to expansive views from Mt. Victoria (and the legends of the taniwha), and drives along Seatoun's waterfront (and the true name of Steeple Rock), the three hours passes much too quickly. He can accommodate 2 to 45 in a variety of vehicles. In December 1992, Unique Tours could be reached at (04) 382-9850 (389-2507 after hours). We were fortunate to have Tom to ourselves in his mini-van, and I hope he was able to finally implement his other plan of cassette tapes on Maori legend and history for car travelers in particular regions.

Additional Wellington notes: The first Sunday in December is the Nissan Road Race through town, making it very difficult to get around that entire weekend. "Chevy's" Restaurant is pure 1950's USA. And there is Bread & Bagel Co. in Brooklyn (a suburb). By the way, for anyone who travels down Happy Valley Rd. near Owhiro Bay, please let me know what they turned the airplane on the hill into (looked like a DC-3)!

Ngarua Caves west of Motueka (South Island)-- "Up close and personal".

Collingwood (and the Collingwood Motel)--Almost at the end of the road. A very pleasant place and, good base for the Cape Farewell area.

Wharariki Beach--Sand dunes and seals, not exactly crowded to say the least.

Wainui Falls walk in Abel Tasman National Park--short but sweet.

(We wished we had more time and better weather in the North West Nelson Forest Park area. This is very appealing region and worth a closer look.)

We drove to Milford Sound from Te Anau again (the third time), and once more were greeted with crystal clear skies. This was particularly interesting since Milford is supposed to be the wettest spot in NZ and it was a very wet and cloudy spring (go figure!). Anyway, Milford Sound has been described to death, so I won't do it again. (Beautiful, spectacular, etc. etc. etc.). However there is a new way to enjoy the Sound, if you have the time, and we do recommend it. In the fall of 1992 the "Milford Wanderer" made its maiden voyage. This is a Gaff-rigged ketch and sleeps about 70 in 4-person berths. While it is informal living, it is certainly not roughing it! It departs after 4 PM (after the crowds have left), meanders around, serves dinner, and then anchors for the night. After lights out at around 1 AM, you are underway at 7:30 AM and back at the dock by 8:30. A fun, different way to experience the Sound and plenty of camaraderie. If Captain Peter Jackman and 1st Mate James King-Turner are still around, you'll have a great time. (I'll try to do this piece better justice in a future article).

Lupines on Mackay Flat.

Lake Marion track--a moderate hike with a very appealing destination in the Darran Mts.

Humboldt Falls--very pretty 15 min. walk from Hollyford Valley Rd.

Dart River Jet Boat excursion (Queenstown). I talked about this in a previous article. Still the best jet boat value available (if you have a day to spend).

NOTICE: The Haast Pass Road is now almost completely surfaced. A great relief, no doubt, to those who supposedly inundated the NZ Tourism Board with complaints of the gravel surface, but I for one, lament the "gentrification" of this route.

Fuller's Tours now offers canoe trips in Westland (near Fox Glacier along the Jacobs River). A change of pace in Glacier country. Not white water, but an enjoyable excursion. KiWi guide Paul Flute is a heck of a nice guy (and a distant relative of Sam Houston). Maybe you will be able to find the rare and teal-colored fuschite!

Alpine Guides' Heli-Hike on Fox Glacier is still a great trip (even in the rain!).

Both the Show Glaciers (Franz Josef and Fox) were substantially larger than when we were there in 1990.

Lewis Pass bears a strong resemblance to the Green Mountains in Vermont, and the Hope River Valley with the Scotch Broom (considered a noxious weed) in bloom is very scenic.

Christchurch's attractions are well known, but I would add the Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum at Wigram Aerodrome (in its own way as good as the NASM in D.C.), and the Antarctica Exhibition Center at the air- port on your list of things to do in this city.

(While I hope to give Northland a longer and more extensive treatment in a subsequent article, a few items are worth mentioning now.)

Rainbow Yacht Charters continues as an A-J operation.

Beautiful Matai Bay on the Karikari Peninsula is a fabulous camping spot or picnic site.

While the Waipou Forest represents the last great range o Kauri forests, Parry Kauri Park near Warkworth is a tiny version of what it "used to be" and worth a stop.

The best swimming and/or sun-bathing in Russell is at Long Beach (Oneroa Bay), a short walk from the main pier, on the other side of the peninsula.

A local Paihia hint: Just mention the Pattenburg (New Jersey) Volunteer Fire Company to any Paihia Volunteer Fire Brigade member and you will gain immediate status points (whatever that entails).

This list of "bullets" went on much further than I intended, so I'll close with one other observation about the flora this time of year (mid-Dec.). After all these trips over the years, it was an indescribable feeling to see for the first time a Bay of Islands beach lined with Pohutukawa trees and their crimson blossoms: New Zealands own Christmas tee.

Mike and Linda Giannone, New Jersey

P.S. In a recent issue I received some much-deserved criticism from Judy Miller regarding my apparent disdain for those visitors who cannot get out and "get dirty", so to speak. I apologize for my bias. I certainly recognize that for a variety of reasons many individuals choose not to go it alone, and I absolutely feel that they will still have a great vacation here. On the other hand, I want to reassure those who might feel tempted to cast their fate to the winds, GO FOR IT! There is probably no other place on earth where you can experience so much without major risk and within a reasonable budget of time and expense. And if you decide to push the envelope to the max, you will have that opportunity also. This place is remarkably free of "waiver" forms and suffocating insurance regulations. At whatever level, you are truly going to enjoy this place!

P.S.S. Go Endeavour! Repeat Steinlager II's success!

GOOD FOOD NEWS, QUEENSTOWN

You might want to check out the Stonewall Cafe on the Mall in Queenstown. In a homey building that was once a bank, it has an inviting and cozy ambience with open fire and walls lined with jars of preserved fruits and vegetables, and overhead racks of dried flowers.

The food served is country-style and very good, and the price is reasonable. How about kumara cakes with yogurt dressing, or herb-butter fried hapuka, served with mountains of excellent vegetables. Irresistible desserts include mile high lemon meringue pie and banana caramel cream pie.

'The Remarkable Naff Caff on Shotover Street serves the best breakfast in Queenstown, they say. Excellent coffee is their specialty, and along with it,

they serve simple continental foods: muffins, brioche, croissants. Delicious sandwiches and sweets ate offered for lunch along with the strong coffee.

SOUTHERN CROSS TOURS

Dear Eva: I wanted to drop you a note and let you know 'the latest" news from Southern Cross Tours. We have just begun representing Pacifica Lodges & Inns of New Zealand, Flag Inns, and New Zealand Farmstays and Homestays. We are excited about these three companies as they offer excellent prices for good, clean accommodations as well as giving the opportunity of staying with the wonderful "local Kiwis" themselves.

Secondly, I wanted you to be aware that we now also represent New Zealand Travelpass as well. They have wonderful 3 in 1 as well as 4 in I Travelpasses that can be utilized throughout New Zealand. These passes can combine Coaches, Trains and Ferries or add the 4th portion...Air. Their prices vary depending upon length of usage as well as the time of year that the person is traveling.

We have been receiving a wonderful response from your readership for our New Zealand owned and operated Kirra Tours and McDonald rental cars. The reviews that are coming back from our clients rate theni both with 10+ !!! By combining McDonald Rentals and Pacifica Lodges, we can now offer Fly/Drive Packages starting as low as $41.00 a day, per person, for both car & accommodations! In addition, we would like to offer your readers a 5% discount for any tours booked through us it they mention KIWIphile FILE!

Thanks again for being so kind to Southern Cross Tours in your publication. We wish you the best of success!

Suzi Beacham, Southern Cross Tours, 206 Indiana Ave., #B-3, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho 83814

(208)667-2999; (800)793-2999; Fax (208) 765-1435

MAORI CULTURE SHOWCASED AT

NEW ZEALAND'S INTERNATIONAL

FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS

Native Maori culture will be center-stage at the biennial 3-week New Zealand International Festival of the Arts to be held in the national capital of Wellington beginning February 25 next year.

Visitors particularly will find special appeal in the Maori program, arranged to present the best of contemporary Maori culture expressed through traditional songs, dances, warrior chants and visual arts.

Billed as a showcase of everything from the wonderful to the weird, the 1994 fifth biennial midsummer festival is established as New Zealand's premier arts event, attracting artists, performances, exhibitions, and writers from around the world.

Other attractions--from the fireworks and opening parade, from Shakespeare to Street theater, to the Chinese State Circus, performances by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and Britain's Bach Choir, plus a special program of South Pacific art--are held at 24 venues throughout Wellington.

For festival highlights and other information, please call the N.Z. Tourism Board toll-free at 1/800 388-5494.

HOUSE SITTING/PETS/PLANTS

Should you want TLC for your pets/home/plants while you're away on a long vacation, contact Bennett and Shirley Stampes.

Shirley and Bennett are experienced, bonded, and have excellent references. They are a retired, non- smoking couple, and they ask no fee for their services-- only a bedroom and use of your kitchen.

They suggest you contact them early in your planning since their schedule fills up quickly. They say they have made delightful friends, 2-legged and 4-legged, all over the US and in other countries. They love animals and spoil them outrageously while caring for them.

Bennett and Shirley Stampes, 10814 Teton Lane, San Antonio TX 78230 (210) 696-7999.

HELP!!

The KlWlphile FILE needs you to send in a short (or long) letter or article about your travels in New Zealand. Perhaps you have suggestions for other New Zealand-bound travelers, perhaps you feel strongly about that lovely country and wish to make a comment or two.

You needn't be a professional writer to make a contribution. Everything submitted is valued. Perhaps you've read something in a magazine or newspaper about NZ. Send it along. We'll probably use it.

Don't leave it to somebody else to do. That's what all the somebody elses are doing.

MORE OF NEW ZEALAND'S NORTHLAND -

by Richard Croft

By now you could be wishing you had allowed yourself more time up here. The place is starting to take hold of you and you are only at the halfway point. Drive yourself up to the extremity over a minor road if you wish, but the best way is to take the day trip on the Fun Bus, October through May, and one way you will travel along the ninety-mile beach which is an adventure in itself. "Ninety mile" is a slight misnomer. It is actually about 60 miles long, and was probably measured in the metric 90 kilometres by one of the early French explorers.

By any measurement, however, it is a magnificent unbroken stretch of white sand. The beach forms part of an enchanting legend which would take too long to recount, but in essence tells of the belief that the spirits of the departed Maori travelled its

length on the way back to their Pacific homeland of Hawaiki. On reaching Cape Reinga they went down via the exposed, gnarled roots of a pohutukawa tree into the seabed. Reinga means "The underworld" and "Spirits Bay" is the very appropriate name given to the waters offshore.

From the lighthouse there are some spectacular views east and west and to the north the uninhabited Three Kings Islands unexpectedly break the horizon. Treacherous currents and tidal rips have caused a number of shipwrecks nearby, the most notable of which was the trans-Tasman steamer "Elingamite" which foundered in 1902 with the loss of 45 lives.

The Fun Bus is specially designed for the terrain and is equipped with extras like a changing room facility and drinks freezer. A barbeque steak lunch is served en route. Sporting equipment such as surfboards and canoes are carried, and there is time for swimming and gathering shellfish. At Houhora Heads a call is made at the Wagener Tourist Park and Niuseum. There are extensive displays of Maori artifacts, natural history, firearms, kauri gum, and Victoriana, while nearby is the old Subritzky Homestead built in the 1850's by an early Polish settler from local materials and plastered with a paste made from powdered seashells.

Kaitaia is the commercial hub of the area with good accommodations. A good way to proceed from here is to go west a few miles to Ahipara where a fine full view of the Ninety Mile beach can be obtained before heading south on a pleasant byway which meanders some 40 miles up hilt and down, through farms and forest and sleepy villages to Kohukohu. Very little remains of what was 150 years ago a thriving port where rows of trading sailing ships tied up to discharge their cargoes and, in turn, loaded timber milled from the vast stands of the Kauri pine. The Kauri is one of the largest tree species in the world, and can take tip to 1,000 years to mature. That was a time of great commercial exploitation. While the whalers and sealers plundered the coastal waters, the timber traders were denuding the forests to provide raw material for ship- builders, and masts and spars for the ships including the British Navy. The bonanza didn't last long and today there remains only a handful of protected reserves.

From Kohukohu a car ferry takes you on a 20- minute cruise to Rawene across the upper reaches of the Hokianga Harbour, another one of those long, meandering, jagged indentations that are a feature of the Northland coast.

But for some strange twists of fate, New Zealand could quite çasily have become another French South Pacific colony. By chance in 1769 Jean de Surville reached land near Mangonui. In spite of the hospitality and kindness of the local Maoris, a small incident provoked a harsh retaliation by de Surville in which he burned a village and several canoes before sailing east to Peru with a kidnapped chief on board.

Two years later explorer Marion du Fresne arrived in the Bay of Islands and promptly claimed New Zealand for France. However du Fresne and

25 of his officers were slain at Assassination Cove and it is presumed it was done to extract "utu" or revenge for the previous encounter. The rest of du Fresne's crew, however, reacted Just as violently as had de Serville and more than 300 Maoris died in yet another tragic incident.

Scientific interest in the Pacific grew rapidly and a succession of French explorers and even a Spaniard visited in the following years. Most notable of these was Jules D'Urville (1827), a humanitarian who felt sympathy and deplored the acts of the colonisers who were debasing the traditional culture of the natives. Maori society was, indeed, put under strain and disruption. Epidemics, including influenza, wiped out thousands. Dogs and cats and other animals devastated the birdlile and crops, but the musket was to prove even more disastrous.

Tiny Rawene is sleepy and unhurried and you can try out your fishing skills on a hire boat, though why bother when you can more than likely pick up a string of fresh flounder for a few dollars, enough to feed a large family, from one of several vendors near the wharf.

The comic Dog Tax rebellion occurred here in 1898 when the nearby Waima Maoris refused to pay a registration fee imposed by the County Council. The local magistrate was challenged to a light alter he had fined several owners, but a Wesleyan missionary managed a peaceful resolution to the dispute without a shot being fired. That was probably the last disturbance of any consequence to upset the serenity of Rawene.

Travel south to the junction of Hwy 12. Twenty miles to the east lies the small market town of Kaikohe, but on this round trip you should head west along the southern side of the Hokianga and then south through the Waipoua Forest. Near the harbour entrance lies the village of Opononi with its excellent beach and sea-fishing. About 1955 a lone dolphin befriended local children and allowed them to ride on its back. Christened "Opo", it attracted enormous attention, even internationally, had a song written about it, and after several years was given protection by special laws. The animal then succumbed to a rifle shot from an unknown marksman. So much for Opo's trust and affection for humans.

The Waipoua Forest park preserves the last remaining stand of the magnificent Kauri and covers about 28,000 acres compared with the millions of acres that covered the upper North Island not much more than a century ago. At several points along the 10 mile route through the forest, short pleasant walks can be made to view several of the best specimens. Te Matua Ngahere (Father of the Forest) could be 2000 years old, and Tane Mahuta (God of the Forest) is about 1200 years old. Large trees can contain over 100,000 super or board feet of clean knot free softwood timber (lumber) highly prized for boat building and ornamental furniture and carving. It can be quite an awesome feeling to stand alongside one of these noble giants which can reach a height of 100 to 200 feet and have a massive girth of 50 feet.

A side product o the kauri was a resin or gum which exuded from the trunk, It was exported and extensively used as a base for varnishes and linoleum. At its peak more than 10,000 tons were gathered annually, but of course it has long been superseded by synthetics.

Many hundreds of gumdiggers, as they were known, migrated from Dalmatia in Yugoslavia and these hard-working people, living often in most primitive conditions were the forebears of a substantial Slav community which later established businesses and well-known vineyards and orchards on the northwest outskirts of Auckland.

It is only a 20-mile drive on to Dargaville, a pleasant town and main market centre. The rich green fertile plains which surround it sustain a prosperous dairy farming industry. Most of New Zealand's kumara (sweet potato) crop is produced on the warm light soils nearby. The Maoris brought the kumara with them on their great migration, and it has been part of their staple diet ever since. The indigenous knobbly red tuber when roasted is a gourmet's delight, and all visitors should experience the delicate, slightly sweet taste.

Dargaville was named for an Irish-Australian settler, but most of the early pioneers were the Dalniations and their names still predominate in many fields. The town straddles the northwest bank of the broad Northern Wairoa giver which was its life-blood for the timber and gum trade. Ships of up to 3,000 tons tied up in rows alongside the wharves after sailing up the 40 mile wide stretch from the Kaipara Harbour whose tentacles probe wide and deep among the low hills. The shifting sand shoals at the Kaipara bar-entrance became a graveyard for many of those brave little traders. And then with the coming of the railway a new era in transport began.

Continue southeast on Hwy 12 to rejoin State Hwy 1 again at Brynderwyn, but be sure to visit the Kauri Museum at Matakohe enroute. It offers a unique insight into the history and development of kauri milling, and in particular has a remarkable collection of kauri gum, photos, mannequins, and examples of timber panelling.

You will enjoy wandering the highways and byways of the North, but for now it's back once more to the crowds, traffic and high rises of city life.

NZ WILDERNESS WALKING

Primeval forests, rugged coastlines, tranquil lakes, turbulent rivers, cascading glaciers, untamed mountains, flora and fauna unique in the world. This is New Zealand, unspoiled and clean.

Our minibus tours of the South Island seek out the most scenic and dramatic places to explore on foot and in Canadian canoes, in the company of a knowledgeable local guide. We visit live National Parks and three World Heritage areas.

The Great South Island Tour 15 days, US$1,550-I,600. (groups limited to 10 participants.

Contact: Garren-Lipp & Assoc., Inc., P.O. Box 401, Olympia, WA 98507. Ph. (206) 7540978. Fax (206) 754-4959.

FREE NZ FLY FISHING BROCHURE JUST OUT

New Zealand is a fly fisherman's dream, or an "Angler's Eldorado" as Zane Grey penned over 65 years ago.

And now a new, free brochure is available from THE BEST OF NEW ZEALAND FLY FISHING, with the first comprehensive review of the full range of fly fishing opportunities in New Zealand. Detailed descriptions, prices and pictures of the top lodges; professional guides; local farm and home stays; wilderness float trips; helicopter fishing; and extensive information on fly fishing in New Zealand are all featured in the brochure.

The 28-page glossy color brochure also provides fly fishing instructions for large trout in New Zealand; methods for stalking and spotting of trophy trout; and a 12 month fishing calendar.

To obtain your free brochure contact:

Mike McClelland,

The Best of New Zealand Fly Fishing,

2817 Wilshire Blvd.,Santa Monica CA 90403.

Ph. (310) 998- 5880 or (800) 528-6129.

NEW WINE TRAIL GUIDE

Some of New Zealand's most toasted winemakers are opening their doors and tasting rooms to visitors who now can plan their own tours of discovery using a new, easy to-follow guide to the Marlborough region's wine trail.

The handy guide has been prepared in response to a groundswell of international interest in Marlborough's cool-climate wines, notably sauvignon blancs and chardonnays that are the talk of taste judgings around the world.

The guide, available free upon request to the New Zealand Tourism Board, includes maps and lists pinpointing 18 wineries. There is a brief description of each winery, noting the hours that each one is open to visitors and highlights that include champagne breakfasts, picnic facilities and vineyard dining arrangements.

The Marlborough Wine and Food Festival is held

under brightly-colored marquees in a local vineyard every February.

Full information from NZ Tourism Board,

501 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite #300,

Santa Monica CA 90401.

Ph. (310) 395-7480 OR (800) 388-5494.

TELL THEM YOU SAW IT IN

THE KIWIphile FILE!!!

THE LETTER BOX

Thank you very much for your kind note along with my KIWIphile newsletter. I was certainly very sorry to hear of John's passing. It is indeed quite sad for me, as I felt he was such a wonderful person. I'm sure that my words cannot give you the comfort that you so richly deserve.

I also want to thank you for allowing me to participate in your advocation of New Zealand. I am looking forward very much to my next trip to New Zealand, which will probably not be for another year or so. I have promised my wife a trip to New Zealand. One of the finest hotels that I have ever stayed in was the Huka Lodge. Have you stayed there or had any contact with them? It is indeed one of the finest hotels in the world.

John W. House, M.D., California

I received my first issue of your publication. I found it most informative. I was sorry to read about the passing of your husband.

We plan on traveling to New Zealand next year. Please send me the past four issues. I am enclosing a check for $8.00.

Mr. Bob Faro, Connecticut

SMUGGLERS PROFIT FROM NZ APPLES - NZPA

The smuggling of New Zealand apples by United States shippers is a compliment although it can hurt trade, says the Apple and Pear Marketing Board.

United States prosecutors have alleged that U.S. shippers are smuggling New Zealand apples into Pacific Rim countries by relabelling them as being from Washington state.

The chief executive of the marketing board, Mr. Joe Pope, said the smuggling showed a demand for New Zealand apples.

"It's somewhat of a compliment really ... obviously there is more sought after than is available."

However, the smuggling incidents discovered in Taiwan had hurt New Zealand trade with that country, he said.

"We hope it won't happen again. There is not much we can do to prevent it. It is a regulatory thing."

Washington-based deputies of the United States Attorney's office said the shippers concerned were able to buy large volumes of New Zealand apples which were shipped into the U.S. legally.

They then relabelled the New Zealand fruit as having originated in Washington state and shipped the apples to Taiwan and other Asian countries with quotas that limit New Zealand import.s

Mr. Pope said such quotas were ludicrous and discriminatory.

"Why should one country have free access and another not?"

The United States Government will seek prison terms of more than one year and fines of up to $US250,000 ($NZ462,962) in the smuggling case.

THE UPS AND DOWNS OF A FLYING

DOGSBODY - (Contributed by a reader)

Flight attendant, steward, hostess and general dogsbody in the sky - - a few terms ascribed to those "marvelous men and women in their flying machines". The glamorous life of a flying waiter/ess isn't quite like that of the smiling demure face of a Singapore girl who enjoys nothing more than to tuck the lovely businessman into his luxurious lazyboy.

Stopping off for shopping in all the great cities of the world, meeting people, the world your playground, sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? Well, surprise surprise it is and there's more than a few drawbacks to spending half your life in a sardine can travelling at 800kph.

The weekly schedule for an international flight attendant is gruesome. For instance, Auckland to London and back in four days and three return trips to Australia doing "double bangers", serving around 2000 people, travelling to and from hotels and dealing with time zone changes which would make you feel like someone's playing a very nasty trick on your body. Forget the swollen ankles and dry throat, how about a body clock running full speed ahead and then backwards.

How would you like to travel to Brisbane, Auck- land, Noumea, Christchurch, Wellington, Sydney, Los Angeles and London in a month serving 300 people a day with food, drinks and vomit bags, screaming kids, clicking fingers and requests for yet another tequila slammer but with "a lime less tonic and by the way, those limes are a little sharp".

As one attendant put succinctly, "What brasses me off the most has got to be people who click their fingers. Just who do they think I am, some kind of slave?"

We're all guilty of having been a little troublesome on one of those intensely boring long haul affairs but when there's another 300 passengers feeling the same way imagine how it feels to be at the mercy of those little buttons buzzing for attention.

On a recent long-haul flight I noted 14 flight attendants for 320 passengers. Serving two or three meals is enough but helping someone find the Country and Western channel on their stereo gets a bit much. The tiny little galley which operates as a kitchen has got to be a feat of engineering by a cruel designer fixated by minimalism. Ask one of the flying slaves to show you their arms and there'll be a few telltale burns from a spot of turbulence while pulling out a tray of Duck a l'Orange. The kitchen in case you didn't realise also acts as a getaway zone, so when they draw the curtains and look like they want a bit of peace and quiet, LEAVE THEM ALONE, GODAMMIT.

"If you don't hide yourself away then you'll simply work nonstop, but even then somebody will poke their nose in and ask it little Jimmy can go and sit with the captain", bemoaned one of my attendants.

Stress related illnesses are common with the in tensity of work. Perpetual tiredness and breathing in hundreds of people's germs every day add to the possibility of disease.

Always on a plane, in a bus or hotel causes severe dehydration and seldom breathing "real air", add to their list of woes.

Highlights however, include the pay, lengthy stopovers In countries all over the world and days ott. Crews stress that camaraderie is also a high point and meeting interesting passengers provides a much needed link with humanity.

Sure, they get discounted travel, but you'd imagine they don't exactly relish the thought of going within a hundred miles of an airport let alone getting on a plane during their time off. Spare a thought to the slaves of the sky.

SOLO TRAVELERS

For readers who are interested in finding compatible travel companions, as I am, there are at least two organizations which can help. One is Golden Companions (for active people over 45), P.O. Box 754, Pullman WA 99163 (208-858-2183). The other is Tempo Travel Association (for people over the age of 50), 938 N. 70th St., Ste 125, Lincoln NE 68505. If there are other such associations, please let us know.

CRUISING WITH THE AAA

An exotic 14 day Down Under cruise on the Island Princess visits the North and South Islands of New Zealand, Australia, and Tasmania. Members of the American Automobile Assn. can go aboard starting at $3,240 per person, including free airfare from selected gateway cities. February 1-15.

SELLING NEW ZEALAND DREAM

Since August of this year the New Zealand Tourism Board based in Los Angeles has been headed up by Kathy Ward, an American from Boise, Idaho.

The appointment marked three significant "firsts" for this key industry role: it's the first time a woman has been selected for the position, the first time it's been held by a non-New Zealander, and the first time anyone outside tourism board career ranks has been appointed.

Until next time, KIA ORA !!

Please check your mailing label for renewal date. Don't wait for a reminder notice. Thank you.