Volume IX, No. 2

DECEMBER 1996

NZ TO HOST ONLY SOUTH PACIFIC DISPLAY OF GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM EXHIBITION

The regionally renowned Dunedin Public Art Gallery in New Zealand will step further into the international art spotlight as the lone South Pacific exhibitor of modern masterpieces from the famed Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City beginning March 15 through late May, 1997.

"The awarding of this high-profile exhibition recognizes Dunedin's presence as a prominent player on the international art scene," said Kathy Ward, regional vice president--the Americas for the New Zealand Tourism Board. "In the past, Guggenheim exhibitions have been restricted to large international cities such as Tokyo, Vienna, Hamburg, and Sydney."

The Guggenheim exhibition is a perfect complement to the Dunedin Public Art Gallery's focus on European painting from the early Renaissance to Impressionism. The exhibition will concentrate on the movements and masters of the 20th century, offering New Zealanders and all visitors an opportunity to view the works of Paul Cezanne, Georges Seurat, Vincent van Gogh, Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall, Joan Miro, Pablo Picasso, Amedeo Modigliani, Vasily Kandinsky, Franz Marc, Piet Mondrian, Fernand Leger, Max Ernst, and Salvador Dali.

Also to be staged in museums in Singapore and Taiwan, the exhibition will be drawn entirely from collections of the Guggenheim Museum. The exhibition will track the mainstream developments in Western art history through Post-Impressionism, Fauvism, Cubism, Futurism, Expressionism, Dada, Surrealism, and Abstract Expressionism, offering engaging and revelaingf insights into the origins and achievements of early 20th Century Art.

In May 1996, the Dunedin Public Art Gallery moved to new world-class facilities in the heart of the city in order to provide a center for reflection, debate, learning and entertainment.

The Gallery plays a vital role in the social, cultural and economic life of Dunedin, and its current exhibitions focus on many aspects of visual culture including film, video, design and the decorative arts. The Guggenheim exhibition represents the pinnacle of the widely popular second wave of exhibitions and is expected to attract more than 100,000 visitors.

Located near the southern tip of New Zealand's South Island, Dunedin is noted as a haven for artisans who find inspiration in the region's rich Scottish heritage, entrancing 19th century architecture, and enchanting Victorian gardens. An abundance of wildlife is prevalent in and around the city, which includes New Zealand's only castle--the neo-Gothic Larnach Castle.

Please contact the New Zealand Tourism Board for more information. Phone (800) 388-5494.

HANGI FEAST- by Lynn Lichtenstein, North Carolina

My husband and I returned this past July from our third trip to New Zealand. That's enough to tell you how much we love the country and the people.

On each trip we attended a hangi feast in Rotorua. The first we attended in 1989 was the THC hangi. On the second trip in 1991 we went to the hangi at the Sheraton. But on this trip we attended a hangi that should win awards for its ceremony and majesty.

This is a fairly new tour run by Tamaki Tours, P.O. Box 1492, Rotorua, NZ, phone 07-346-2823. The tour begins after people are picked up at their respective motels/hotels, and the drive to the area where the hangi is held takes about 45 minutes. I have no idea where we drove because it was dark, but the area has been specially constructed to reflect Maori culture.

On the way the bus driver/tour guide instructed everyone on the protocol and explained the significance of how we would be greeted and what we must do in return. We elected a "chief" who became our spokesperson and took part in the greetings between the warriors of the Maori village and our visiting "tribe." When we arrived at our destination, we followed the "chief" to the entrance of the pa.

CAMPUS ABROAD

The opening ceremonies were outdoors, the area was lit with huge bonfires. After the traditional challenge by the warriors, greetings were exchanged, the visitors were judged to be friendly, and we were led through the village where Maori were engaged in traditional activities of everyday life.

The walk ended in a hail with seats. Only men sat on the front row as protocol dictated. More greetings were exchanged (mostly in the Maori language with English explanations) and our "chief" did a wonderful job complimenting the Maori chief. This was followed by the traditional Maori songs and dances which are a part of every hangi, but because we were a small group (designed that way) and the hall was small, a feeling of intimacy and sharing was present that we did not experience at the hotel hangis.

After the songs and dances, we were led to a cooking pit, and our food was pulled out of the pit in a big wire basket. I think the food was much more authentic than what we had at the hotels which tended to be a smorgasbord. We had chicken, kumara, potatoes, carrots, and a type of steamed pudding all done over the pit. Rolls and butter were served, and there was an open bar with mixed drinks, wine, and beer. The drinks were the only part not included in the price of the evening.

People were seated in groups of eight. The food was served buffet style, and you could go back as often as you wanted. While we ate and talked, the tour leader and some other Maoris entertained us with songs. This we found out was also traditional and something that was not done at the other hangi feasts.

After the meal we loaded back onto the buses. During the drive back to Rotorua, the driver/tour leader asked each country represented on the bus to sing a song reflective of their country. The Americans couldn't come up with a song, so the driver started us on "Home On the Range." The highlight of the bus trip was a Scothsh song of patriotism which a woman sang in the most beautiful lilting voice. It kept all of us spellbound and she received a near standing ovation.

At first we thought this singing idea was fairly silly and contrived until we learned that part of a hangi is that people share something of themselves and entertain each other with songs. By the time the evening was over we felt we knew each other and had been with old friends.

The whole evening was wonderful. We had my 18 year old nephew with us, and even he was enthralled with the spirituality and emotional experience as we all were. It costs a little more than the hotel hangis (NZ$52.00), but we felt it was well worth the price for the experience.

Tamaki Tours was in the process of making a video of the hangi, but it was not available at the time we were there. You are welcome to take your own pictures, of course.

New Zealand's Maori culture and thermal springs are the focus of the newest Campus Abroad program. Far removed from tours with a token course or two thrown in, Alumni Campus Abroad programs are university-oriented and designed as fully integrated learning experiences.

Participants in the ten-day New Zealand trip will stay in Rotorua where they can immerse themselves in the Maori culture.

Frequent departures on Mondays from the US are available from October to April with the all-inclusive cost at $2,195. Other programs are offered in England, Ireland and the Bavarian and Swiss Alps.

For more information write AHI International

Corporation, 701 Lee St., Des Plaines, IL 60016, or call 312/694-9330.

SOUNDS OF SILENCE -

by Philip Matthews (by permission--as published in the New Zealand LISTENER.)

A friend of mine calls Fiordland "the place where lost things get found". Neither of us is sure what that means, but it sounds appropriate. Many people, especially those who live nowhere near it, go a little soft in the head over Fiordland, surrendering themselves to mythology and arcana, a touch of Vincent Wardism. Mental images of primeval landscapes, vast unexplored tracts, densely for- ested valleys where things could be lost and never found (tribes, moa, entire civilisations. . .), heavy rainfall and earthquakes, the history of glaciers. Nature turns nasty very quickly. Streams burst and flood in hours, and trampers become lost things that get found.

The Queenstown-based Fiordland Travel runs cruises of various lengths through this part of the country:

ours was a two-night, three-day trip, leaving from and returning to Doubtful Sound aboard the Milford Wanderer which sleeps up to 38. But, first, you make several journeys--fly into Queenstown, take a coach to Manapouri, terry across Lake Manapouri to the power station; another coach weaves into the sound.

Plenty of time, then, to give in to indiscriminate mythologies: mosquitoes over there are as big as seagulls, said a fellow tourist (not true, fortunately); sandflies move in packs like piranha, intimated our driver (true: take insect repellant); and Lake Wakatipu was shaped, we learnt--our guides spooling out the region's history like a cassette--by the dark movements of an ancient monster. Crossing Manapouri ("anxious heart") means crossing a discernible barrier; rain can fall heavily and forests grow thick and impenetrable.

Doubtful Sound was originally named Doubtful Harbour by Cook, who doubted a harbour could exist there. (The more you learn, the more you suspect the whole history of the region is of navigators making bad guesses). We board as it gets dark and move slowly. An eerie sensation: no lights on shore, hills indistinguishable from the sky.

We dock next to the Blanket Bay Hotel, which is not a hotel, but an abandoned fishing supplies station, all old metal and rusting Caltex signs. After dinner (plain, substantial), I get talking to one of the Wanderer's crew who has sailed here for years, yet stays endlessly surprised. The place where lost things get found? "Yes," he says, but with practicality -- "Sanity. Serenity. The things you lose track of on the other side of the hills."

He has never found words for the place's hugeness, its ancientness. Primeval? Yeah, that could be one. "You wouldn't be surprised if a dinosaur poked its head around the corner of that hill," he says. "You'd just say, 'Oh, I haven't seen that one before." Which reminds him: the day before, he ferried around a producer working for Steven Spielberg, location-scouting for the Jurassic Park sequel. Its title, The Lost World. Of course.

The next morning we head towards open sea, and learn how these places were named; the history of exploration, the history of sealing. The shore is freshly scarred by earthquakes. At the entrance to the Tasman, the weather turns rough and cold. At Nee Island, a seal colony's numbers grow again after years of slaughter. The Wanderer pulls up close. The bulls, our guide tells us, are adopting a defence posture, noses upright. "They must have sensed us," he muses, as our boat chugs noisily and spews fumes mere metres away. Another traveller: "Imagine being a seal and puthng up with this crap every day."

Over the following day we sail through Nancy and Dusky Sounds. Fishing brings in copious catches, it's almost too easy. Some kayaks cross the mirrored surfaces. Others opt not to risk capsizing in winter, and explore the rainforest: deep, damp, ancient, overwhelming, with more varieties of moss than there are names. In the evenings, there is little to do but drink and gossip, even here (good news: a full bar).

On the third day, dolphins are finally seen in Crooked Arm, off Doubtful Sound, part of a pod of 60. The call rings out and everyone runs for cameras, for the bow, for the Stabi Craft. A perfect image: 11 people on the Stabi Craft aim cameras in the direction of the Wanderer, waiting for dolphins to jump through their lenses, while three others on the Wanderer, plus Air New Zealand Holiday's TV camera, aim at the Stabi Craft. Yet another photographs the TV cameraman. Tourism's Mexican standoff. Meanwhile, the dolphins cheekily and perversely elude the cameras.

CONNECTING--news source for solo travelers

Connecting is a bimonthly newsletter written for solo travelers. Published in Vancouver, BC, the publication profiles trips for singles, trips with guarantee shares and single-friendly destinations.

Editor Diane Redfern also includes travel accounts written by contributing editors as well as a small section on readers seeking travel companions.

In addition to the newsletter, Redfrern also publishes "Single Friendly Travel Directory."

For more information phone or fax 1-604/737- 7791 or write P0 Box 29088, 1996 W. Broadway, Vancouver, BC V6J 5C2, Canada.

WHEN NEW ZEALAND BLOOMS

New Zealand welcomes springtime Down Under with a host of international garden shows and festivals from October '96 through February '97.

* Bank of New Zealand Taranaki Rhododendron Festival, New Plymouth (Nov. 1-10)--100 public and private gardens in the region open to the public for events including floral art exhibitions, garden seminars, nursery tours, quilt shows and outdoor excursions.

* Ellerslie Flower Show, Auckland (Nov. 13-17)

--an array of garden and horticultural displays plus entertainment, fine food and wine. Held this year at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland. Commercial horticultural products on display plus lectures and demonstrations. On final day, the exhibits will be sold to the public.

* New Zealand Garden Art Show, Motueka (Nov. '96)--annual event situated on hilltop site over Tasman Bay. A stone symposium plus work of more than 40 visual artists. Musical and art performances.

* Garden City Festival of Flowers, Christchurch (Feb. 14-23)--annual festival is the largest and most prestigious garden festival in New Zealand. This cultural event incorporates fresh flowers, fruit and vegetables in an imaginative floral carpet stretching the aisle of Christchurch Cathedral. Can also attend the Sunflower Carnival competition for largest, tallest and premier sunflowers.

For more info and brochures, call the New Zealand Tourism Board at 800-388-5494.

OUR VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND, Part 2 - by John Proctor

Wellington to Kaikoura - If you are taking the ferry be advised. There are several ways to approach this trip. If you are going to be a passenger with no car, get there early, get in line, and get to a seat on the ship quickly and fill it up, otherwise you may stand up for the trip. If you are to drive, let all of your passengers out early and have them get in line and get seating on the ship. It only takes one to park the car. All the local people know this and quickly stake out all the large window seats, taking up twice as much room as they need so they can lay down or play games. We took the easy way, we drove on--and after some investigation and discussion with the girl at the ticket counter the evening before, we purchased first class seats in a private lounge, cost NZ$15 each. They have snacks in this lounge, we had lots of room, no loud boom boxes, no noisy kids, and comfortable seats and couches. Of course you miss all the "real life." I took a walk through the ship and observed all the "real Life" I wanted and returned to our first class cabin.

We were disappointed that it continued to rain. The drive from Picton down the coast to Kaikoura was one we had looked forward to. We wanted to enjoy the scenery and several stops along the way. It was striking how much it reminded us of the California coast, brown hills, and green valleys. Just out of Hapakei we stopped along the ocean to view quite a few seals. They liked the rain. This was the best seal viewing area we found. We got to within 15 or 20 feet of them--no doubt the rainfall helped--there was no one else there.

One of the highlights of our trip was to be a "Swimming with the Dolphins" trip out of Kaikoura. We made a bad mistake! We should have known that any event with such tourist "hype' would be hard to obtain, but I figured there would be several companies offering such a trip, and I guess there are, but one seems to get most of the business. Anyway, due to the bad weather, all the trips had been cancelled for the last 2 days, reservations were all cancelled for several days ahead, and people were waiting in line and on "will call" lists to go out. Even if we had made a reservation it wouldn't have done any good because they told us that all reservations had been cancelled. So we didn't go. What we found out later is that this is not the only area where you can swim with the dolphins, it's just the most popular.

If any of you readers want to do this, you need to have a local person arrange the trip, with back-up times. I don't know what the cancellation policy is. If we had known that it was available on the North Island, we would have done it there. I guess one problem is that the government limits the number of people going so that the dolphins aren't bothered. I was under the impression that the dolphins enjoyed it. Who stands up for their rights to enjoy themselves?!

We stayed at the Norfolk Pine Motor Inn--quite nice--at the south end of town. We ate dinner at the FINZ restaurant, very nice, good food, and reservations are needed.

CHRISTCHURCH - We arrived in midafternoon and it had stopped raining, so we toured the city. The Festival of the Flowers had just concluded--we saw some of the displays. The display in the Cathedral was beautiful, as was the Cathedral itself, but we missed the Wizard and the bells. You have to be there by 11:30, and then plan on an hour to see him and hear the Cathedral bells. Another thing to know beforehand!

We were lucky that the replica of Captain Cook's Endeavor had arrived the day before. We went to the dock area to see it, and it was well worthwhile. Due to the fact that we had my friend driving us around, we saw more and spent the time effectively. We took a long walk through the Botanical Gardens. They were impressive, a must-see if you're interested in such things. We also went to the Antarctica display near the airport. This is an interesting stop. The Antarctica display at Kelly Tarlton's in Auckland gave the historical story of the Antarctic-- this display gives today's view. Very interesting.

Christchurch to Twizel - It had stopped raining, and we looked forward to the trip down to Twizel. There are many sights to view going on this route. I had read that there was a monument to a Richard Pearse, who took the first powered flight in a fixed-wing airplane in NZ. I found it' The monument was typical of what we found many tourist spots to be in New Zealand. Out in the country--no signs marking the way to it, along a narrow two-lane road--there it was. His plane, or a replica of it, mounted 20 feet high on 4 pipes, with a small turnout, and a bronze plate on a stone. If this had been in the US it would have been a big tourist stop, protected by a 10 foot fence, pay to get in, with all kinds of stands selling souvenirs. Here it was--just as it had been on the day in 1908 when Mr. Pearse crash-landed in the pasture next to the site. It was my observation that a great deal of NZ is not yet in the tourist mode--perhaps they wish tourists would go away, or just bring their money and then go away, but many other places are really organized. You need to be resourceful, and look for places on your own sometimes. The road map indicated a site with some Maori rock art. In fact I had three places highlighted for viewing Maori rock art, and we found them all. Fenced in, locked gates, and no trespassing signs at all three places. I can't say that I blame the Maoris, but they shouldn't put those places on the map if they don't want tourists there.

We drove on down out of Fairlie--beautiful landscapes, to Lake Tekapo, and stopped at the Church of the Good Shepherd. A very scenic place, with Mt. Cook across the lake, seen through the window.

We continued on to Twizel and the best motel we had on our trip. We hadn't known it, but this is skiing area, and the Mountain Chalet motels are really skiing lodges. Twizel is in the plains, out from the mountains which are in the background. Twizel is a fairly new town, built for construction workers who worked on the power dam, and adjoining areas, including an aqueduct which channels the water from the river to the powerplant. If you want to retire in NZ this is one of the places I would suggest you look. Lots of places for sale (NZ$50,000 and up), and a wonderful climate--scenery galore!

We drove up to Mt. Cook in the PM, walked part way up so we could see the glacier. If you want to walk all the way up, plan on a full day trip up and back. Ate at the one restaurant in town, a local place--everyone knows everyone--a small town atmosphere, quite nice, good food.

Twizel to Cromwell - We got up to crystal clear skies, so decided to take an airplane ride to see Mt. Cook and surrounding mountains and glaciers. We had done considerable research on this subject, and knew the prices quite well, so we were not surprised to find that it would cost NZ$135 per person, but this was one of our planned events, and the day was perfect. Just outside of Twizel, cross the river and down the road about 2 miles is the Pukaki air field,

there Mt. Cook Airlines gives fixed wing air tours of the Mt. Cook area. Though it is supposed to be a 45 minute flight, we were gone over an hour. It was well worth the money and we enjoyed it a great deal.

CROMWELL -- If you want to retire in New Zealand, choose Cromwell or Clyde or Gore or Arrowtown or Greymouth, choose any small town on the South Island. They are all great! Small, clean, and what small town living is all about. The scenery surrounding Cromwell is indescribable --Mt. Cook, the adjacent mountains, plains, rivers, a large lake. I would expect that in a few years you will not be able to stay in this area unless you make a reservation well in advance. The only place in the US I could compare it to is the Reno/Lake Tahoe area, and they don't have the river fishing NZ does, and there are no orchards near Rena. I could have spent a week here! (I like to fish!)

We arrived at our motel, the Lake Dunstan Motor Inn, a lovely place on the outskirts of town. Since it was such a nice day and my wife wanted to relax by the pool, I asked the motel owner about fishing. He said that all guides were tied up with all-day trips, but he would try to find someone. He did. He found a local fisherman who had his favorite spots. I caught some fish, not the big ones you see pictures of, but it was fun. The NZ sportsmen are just now gethng into the catch and release mode of fishing. They are having trouble maintaining a fishery of large fish when all of them are kept, but if they get serious about catch and release fishing, they will have a bonanza in the wonderful streams and rivers they have.

Take note that the original town of Cromwell was flooded out when the dam was completed, so they rebuilt the town. A few of the old buildings survived; many were moved up the hill, which is now on the shore of this large lake. All this was only completed in 1989, it is all new-- and with the low people pressure of the South Island, I don't think tourists have found this area yet. When they do, it will change' This entire part of the South Island is old gold mining area, lots of old abandoned mines and settlements in this area.

Cromwell to Invercargill to TeAnau - What a trip through rolling country, filled with rivers and streams, orchards, gardens, home sites, small towns, views which take your breath away. One could spend a lifetime here, as many people do! One river, the Mararoa, looked like the best river I've ever seen to take a boat down and float fish for trout. If any of you readers are fishermen, get to this river. Start at the Key and float to Manapouri. Take several days. It would be the trip of a lifetime! We drove through Gore, and on to Clyde. The large brown trout in the town center proclaims it as the center of brown trout fishing of NZ. (I would believe THE WORLD!)

On to Invercargill. A very interesting city. Unfortunately all we could do was to eat lunch, walk about for a couple of hours and get back on the road. I had decided to take the westernmost road, going up to TeAnau, and not go back up the center of the South Island on the main road--good choice. I feel we really saw New Zealand that day.

Beaches, miles long, no one on them, mountains, rivers, ocean, virtually no traffic on the road. Everything that you've read about New Zealand you see on this route. The scenery just goes on and on. The spectacular views never stop in this part of the country. Of course never- never land is on your left, the Southern Fiords!

TE ANAU - This is the jumping off point for many of the hiking trails, or so it seems. We visited the main office for booking these hikes, and coordinating the traffic on them. They have a very nice little museum there, well worth the stop, on the scenic south end of Lake Te Anau. Te Anau is the beginning of the Milford Track Hike. You have to take the boat up the lake, and then start your hike to Milford Sound. We did no serious hiking as time was too limited, but one could take a year to do several of the trails in New Zealand.

Te Anau to Milford Sound - We had reservations on the Lady of the South Pacific overnight cruise. I had planned a full day to take the drive to Milford Sound, but didn't need to arrive there until 4 PM so we had a lot of time and used all of it looking around. We took every side road there was. The drive down the Eglinton Valley is just wonderful. No buses, just a few serious tourists, and scenery, scenery, scenery, and more of it until you can't take it all in.

The Homer Tunnel - This is something to behold. You must be ready for it, and don't judge it by US standards. If you do, just consider the tunnel about one-third fin- ished. No paving, no ventilation, no lights, no ceiling supports and rough stone walls all the way. But it's a tunnel, and we were told that the old road was 100% worse. I considered it an easy drive, but talked to people who were terrified all the way. I guess they had never driven in back-country Colorado. An interesting stop along the way was at The Chasm. It is unbelievable what water power can do to solid rock when it has the power of gravity. (to be continued)

RINGSIDE SHOW AT LAKE TAUPO - by Lucy Izon, from the Los Angeles Times

Residents of New Zealand's Lake Taupo region call it the land of the stirring volcanoes--and lately, from local youth hostels, you can get a ringside show.

Mark Dumble of the independent hostel Rainbow Lodge described as "spectacular" a recent eruption of Mt. Ruapehu in Tongariro National Park that he viewed from across the lake. "We get a great view of the activity from our lounge window and it's quite safe, despite some of the reporting around the world! It all makes an interesting change to one's day."

Taupo, the largest lake in New Zealand, is 26 miles long and 16.75 miles wide. It's located exactly in the middle of the North Island halfway between Wellington and Auckland. On the northeastern edge of the lake is the town of Taupo; at the southern end is Tongariro National Park and the volcanic peaks of Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu.

The lake is thought to be a volcanic crater itself but has gained most recognition as the self-proclaimed "trout capital of the world." The park was created from a land gift by an enlightened Maori leader who wanted to protect the spiritually important area and donated it with the stipulation that it not be divided up.

Rainbow Lodge (tel. 011-64-7-378-5754) can be found at 99 Titiraupenga St., which is a four-block walk from the bus station in Taupo. If you're tired or overloaded, you can call for a lift and staff members will pick you up. The hostel features single rooms for $17, double and twin rooms for $11 per person per night, and beds in dormitory rooms for $9 to $10.20 per night.

Russ Howatson of ANZA Travel, a former driver with the backpacker bus service Kiwi Experience, passes along this tip for budget travelers visiting the area:

"Head about nine miles north of Taupo on State Hwy 5, then turn off to the Aratiatia Dam on the Waikato River. The gates of the dam are opened from 10 to 11:30am and 2:30 to 4 pm, and the riverbed swells with blue-green water as it rushes through a narrow gap creating the Aratiatia Rapids.

"There is a well-maintained walking track following the Waikato River upstream from the rapids (allow 2 hours) to Huka Falls. The track passes farmland and goes through native bush before coming to Huka Falls, where there is a terrific view of the falls that most visitors would miss. You can then carry on past the falls (one hour) and end up in Taupo at Spa Road near the Taupo Bungy. There you'll find a thermal hot spring that flows into the river where you can bathe near the end of your walk."

Rainbow Lodge is one of three independent hostels in Taupo and one of about 190 independent owner-operated hostels in New Zealand that are members of the Budget Backpackers Hostel (BBH) network. Dumble of the Rainbow Lodge publishes a free booklet called the "Blue Brochure" that lists all the hostels. To be included, a hostel must provide some beds for $13.60 or less per night. More than 80% of New Zealand's independent hostels are included in the 42-page guide.

You can pick it up at participating hostels, order the booklet by writing to Rainbow Lodge Backpackers Retreat, 99 Titiraupenga St., Taupo, NZ, or you can view its contents at http://www.backpack.co.nz on the Internet.

The top three hostels rated by guests, according to "Blue Brochure": Kaheo Farms Hostel, on the northern tip of the North Island, tel. 011-64-9-405- 1804. Paekakariki-Paekakariki Backpackers at 11 Wellington Rd., Paekakariki, tel. 011-64-4-292-8749. Arcadia Lodge on Florence Ave. in Russell, tel. 011-64-9-403-7756.

Normally reservations are not necessary; however, the BBHNZ warns that if you are going to visit in the peak season-- December, January,

February, or March--it's best to book accommodations three to four days in advance.

You can do that at BBHNZ hostels with a telephone call and credit card. You can also book a bed for your arrival in Auckland or Christchurch by e-mail, through the BBHNZ Internet site. There is a $3.40 fee.

A STRANGER ABROAD - by Richard Croft

I am often asked for my impressions, as a New Zealander, of Los Angeles, but even after four extended visits to California over the years I still find it difficult to crystalise my thoughts. However, a further pressing request from your K.F. editor recently moved me finally to write these few lines. Comparisons, as they say, are odious so I won't indulge in them, and the term impressions seems too definite, so I will prefer to use the word observations and beg the forebearance of any Angelenos who may be reading this.

A young city that was struggling for existence not much over 100 years ago, greater Los Angeles has now become a huge sprawling metropolis of about 9 million souls and covering thousands of square miles. Sprawling is the operative word. It is many cities within a city which overflows, spills and sprawls endlessly out over broad plains, up steep valleys, canyons and along barren hillsides. Just how do you describe this conglomeration of semi-autonomous communities?

To many people outside the United States, and even within, Los Angeles is a city of crime, violence, movie moguls, drug wars, and racial conflict--the ultimate materialistic consumer society. Hanging over all of this is the ever present threat of a devastating earthquake about to wreak massive destruction. Apart from the experience of two moderate but unnerving shakes, none of the above have spoiled my stays here. Also I have enjoyed the most generous hospitality far exceeding expectations. Perhaps the Hollywood film and television industries, in pursuit of commercial objectives, have been largely responsible for so many of the misconceptions.

I remember reading a long time ago in a travel guide, that in Los Angeles you need a car like you need a heart and liver, and that would have to be true. Although there is a mass transit bus line, and a fledgling urban rail system in operation, you really do need a vehicle to move around. The entire area is criss-crossed by an elaborate network of freeways, boulevards and avenues. The weight. and the noise of traffic on the 6, 8, or 10 lane arteries is somewhat overwhelming and seems to diminish little even by night, while continuous radio "eye in the sky" reports alert drivers to flows, jams and crash scenes. Stricter emission controls may be helping to lower the toxic levels of exhaust fumes but there is still often a pervading smell of gas in the air, especially on the hot, windless days of summer--mid-June through September--and the gaseous smog level often filters the sun's rays to produce a pale yellow soft light.

I have often wondered how plant life survives in

this dry arid climate but as if to compensate, the city has many fine parks and gardens and tree-lined streets with grassy sidewalks nurtured by sprinklers using precious water supplies piped, pumped and channelled from limited resources hundreds of miles away. Hills and mountains, some over 6000 ft, in and around the city are mostly rocky and sombre in their hues of greys, browns and blues in tune with their surroundings.

Most first-time visitors notice the casual, colourful dress and laid-back appearance of the locals in a way that some societies would consider to be sloppy or even slovenly, but being a casual dresser from way back and no slave to the dictates of fashion, I find this entirely appropriate. Los Angeles is home to a broad range of ethnic mixes--mostly Hispanics, Asians, and Afro- Americans who lend colour and a distinctive air to the city. California was formerly a part of Mexico and the Spanish influence is everywhere in the naming of many of the suburbs and streets, landmarks, etc.

I have often noted that it is hard to find a native- born Californian, and in actual fact I do know of some. However it is true to say that unusually high numbers of the population are immigrants or those who have chosen to come west to the sunshine and warmth and the lure of better opportunities and a better lifestyle in the most populous state of the Union.

I am also fascinated by the sight of oil pumps on vacant lots around the city pumping oil from subterranean reservoirs. Like giant grasshoppers nodding unceasingly, they present an incongruous and almost bizarre appearance in an urban setting. Would you see them in any other major city in the world?

Probably my most enduring memory of this place is the bewildering array of food and fruit. The Central Valley of the San Joaquin north of Los Angeles is the salad bowl of the United States, where huge quantities of lettuce and other green vegetables are grown. More than half the world's tomatoes are grown in California. Citrus, avocados, dessert grapes, and apricots are here in abundance, while vintners produce vast quantities of fine wines.

The frenetic pace of life promotes and sustains the fast food business, food in a hurry, food to go, through a number of chains. But above and below that level you never have to go very far to find restaurants offering a wide selection of dishes ranging from international cuisine to the exotic or traditional, and often at prices so inexpensive as to make the chore of preparing and cooking seem tiresome. Hawaii and nearby Mexico are able to supply other varieties of fine fruits and vegetables. Strong competition ensures low prices for consumers, and it is not being extravagant to use the term "Gourmet's paradise".

I am astonished by the endless variety of juices (or soft drinks) available and the quantities consumed, especially by the younger population, but the breakfast food industry runs a close second. So often, unfortunately it seems to me, these sugary processed foods have

become artificial substitutes for the cheap and abundant natural product. The reverse is true, of course, of drinking water. Like most city supplies anywhere, it is not very palatable here and there is a thriving mini-industry which packages bulk or bottled spring, mountain, lake or stream water at very affordable prices.

I like the cosmopolitan atmosphere of this city and the diverse racial and ethnic groups form a surprisingly amicable and homogeneous whole. Nowhere is this better displayed than in two of my favourite haunts in downtown Los Angeles. On Broadway near 4th in the Grand Central Market I love to mingle with the crowds of shoppers wandering around the stalls of fruit and vegetables, meat and fish, bakeries and snack bars as well as leatherware and wine stands. Tempting aromas hang in the air and there is a feeling of sociability and camaraderie. I imagine most of these people are poorer inhabitants of innei city apartments and rooming houses and they could feast on the cheap prices. But what would I do with 5 lb. of oranges for a dollar, 4 or 5 lb. bananas, 2 lb. of grapes, 2 juicy mangos, or 6 or 8 lb. of tomatoes, each for a dollar? Then there are the trays of "yesterday's" breads, savouries and cakes at 20 to 40% of their original prices. Here you could live like a lord on a beggar's pittance.

Further downtown, southwest off Olympic Blvd, the garment district outlets flaunt a huge array of all kinds of attire from the workrooms of tlje surrounding area. There is every kind of clothing combination imaginable to satisfy the most discriminating dresser and often at bargain-basement prices with contemporary styles to suit all ages.

The original Spanish name for Los Angeles was El Pueblo Nuestra Senora Ia Reina de Los Angeles. Could there be a more beautiful, resonant or evocative name for a city? I haven't even mentioned her string of broad Pacific Coast beaches from Malibu to Newport, the famous theme parks of Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm and others, or the historic and architecturally striking Union Station railroad terminus.

Exciting, different, congested, sometimes tacky

--love it or hate it. I guess like many of the 5 million annual visitors, it's a place I want to come back to again and again--there are many more points of interest still to explore. Like Rome or London or New York, you just have to see it.

DIVE INDUSTRY NEW ZEALAND

led to the establishment of some of the world's most breathtaking national parks has also created a system of marine reserves around the country's coastal waters and offshore islands that thrive with many varieties of plant life and schools of fish.

Dive New Zealand outlines 99 premier dive sites, for novice and expert divers, and several that rank among the world's best. Top of the list is the sub-tropical Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve, the eroded remains of a group of volcanoes containing undersea archways, caves, fissures, and rock formations. With the warm current comes a colorful variety of fish, as well as kelp forests, sponge gardens and black coral. Undersea diving icon Jacques Cousteau has nominated these waters as one of the world's top five diving locations. Seals, dolphins, penguins, sunken ships, good visibility and great scenery--all which make for compelling underwater photography--are a few of the other underwater attractions that give New Zealand its reputation as a remarkable diving destination.

Dive New Zealand also contains maps pinpointing dive sites, with access roads, and detailing terrain, flora and fauna features and average visibility. It also lists DINZ members and available services including tank filling and testing, diver training, equipment sales and rental, boat charters, and experienced guides.

Dive Industry New Zealand is a group of wholesalers, retailers, charter boat operators and diver training organizations that seek to advance recreational diving through education. Local knowledge of diving conditions, weather trends, tides and other conditions that may affect the quality of a dive will prove invaluable to both the novice and expert diver. All DINZ members are typical, friendly New Zealanders and are pleased to provide free advice and information. As diving conditions throughout NZ can change with weather, tides and other factors, the local knowledge offered by DINZ members can be invaluable.

For your copy of Dive New Zealand, please contact the New Zealand Tourism Board at (800) 388-5494.

LIFE AND HEALTH - Items from NEXT Magazine

Books to stop bullies: An anti-violence and anti- bullying school programme developed by The Special Education Service is being illustrated by a special series of books from New Zealand-owned Wendy Pye Group. Written by Jennifer Beck, they include such titles as "No Bullies at our School", "Playlunch", "The Princess", "My Special Friend", and "Newstime", and deal with sensitive topics like bullying (physical and verbal), arguing and violence in the home. The illustrations in the books are by artists from many cultures, including Europeans, Maori and Pacific Islanders. The initial set of eight books is for junior schools, but more programmes for senior levels are also planned.

Eating Sensibly: Eating sensibly is the best way to reduce the occurrence of heartburn and indigestion. Spicy foods, coffee and alcohol are all no-nos, and while the logical approach is to avoid them, it's easier said than done. Frutin is a new, natural dietary supplement which contains pectin

fibres from citrus fruits and dolomite, a non-acid forming calcium magnesium carbonate complex. Dolomite helps protect the sensitive lining of the lower gullet, while pectin fibre forms a barrier, preventing stomach acid flowing back into the gullet.

Cancer Answer: A vaccine for cervical cancer? New Zealand Doctor says UK scientists have already tested it on animals and are pinning their hopes on human trials. Scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research who developed the vaccine say it builds immunity to the sexually transmitted disease human papilloma virus (HPV). A high proportion of HPV sufferers have cervical cancer. Trials on humans could start within three years and if successful, the vaccine could be available by early next century.

NEW ZEALAND BOOKS ABROAD is a mail order bookseller. We are coramitted to promoting New Zealand publications to educational institutions, businesses, libraries and individuals around the world. We represent over sixty publishers, ranging from large multinationals to small companies that may publish only one vitally important book. We offer a research service for clients who need information on a particular topic. If you are looking for gifts, we can supply a presentation list of the best quality New Zealand pictorials.

We mail anywhere.

New Zealand Books Abroad

174 Wilton Rd., P.O. Box 17-244

Wellington 6005, New Zealand

Fax 64-4-4754040

FROM PIM DODGE'S NEWSLETTER

My rear bumper on the car has a sticker which reads: "I Bungee Jumped in New Zealand." At $1.00, the sticker was a lot cheaper than the $250.00 it cost to do the actual jumping down into the gorge at Shotover River near Queenstown, New Zealand.

I could not believe the people lined up, most of them very young, to make this jump. AND excited about it! They stand on Skipper's Canyon Bridge, the rubber cabling is attached to their ankles and the jump is made from a plafform hanging over the river. They come down to within a few feet of the river itself, bouncing back and forth and then are lowered into a waiting rubber raft! Awesome to watch, frightening to see, and when a 75 year old woman celebrated her birthday by jumping, I truly didn't feel intimidated at all!!

Re.our 1997 trip to Australia and New Zealand: Because a large group from Georgia has booked all available motel rooms and flights on the date we had planned, our trip departure date has been changed to October 11, 1997!! IF you are considering at all joining us on that trip, you are urged to get your $300 deposit in immediately!

Australia and New Zealand have become very hot tourist spots and I wouldn't want anyone to lose out because you waited too long to send in your registration.

Contact: pim Dodge, P.O. Box 769, 649 Crystal Ave., Frankfort MI 49635. Tel. 616-352-6013.

LETTER BOX

Just a short note to enclose some of this seasons Hospitality Hosts brochures, and a Guest Comment form so you can see how the network keeps its standards high. The whole Hospitality Hosts concept has been far more successful than I had imagined, and will expand only as I find other excellent hosts.

We have already started the hectic season, but are still enjoying the challenges!

Dick Smith, The Gables

20 Waikawa Road

Picton, New Zealand

Tel. 03-5736772 Fax 03-5738860

(Ed. I have several brochures on hand should you wish to have one.)

We're visiting Auckland Nov. 13-14 enroute return from our beloved Norfolk Island.

ITN (International Travel News) has an article re Garden Art Show--could be interesting as we have a guest traveler lady who is a gardener-file. SURPRISE:

New Zealand Tourism's 800number has no maps of Auckland--never heard of Ellerslie Racecourse! They referred me to a non-toll-free number. After ten minutes of music I hung up.

Also, back to North Island in January. We'll by car circumvent the Island--visit with Clive Kingsbeer in Gisborne, thanks to your directions! We may go to Banks Peninsula for a night or two to revisit "Pentrip" (Akaroa).

John T. McWhorter, California

I just got back from my trip to New Zealand. I had a great time.

I spent some time in Queenstown. There have been some changes there since I last visited six years ago. Prices have gone up but property values around Queenstown have fallen.

Right now there is a big fight about whether there will be a casino in Queenstown. I hope the city council will block it. According to locals who live in Queenstown, the city council is corrupt and is taking kickbacks to get the casino built. Also, there is a move to expand the airport runway to allow more international flights. Some locals in Queenstown said that expanding the airport runway is dangerous because of frequent bad weather conditions.

To get around the bad weather condition concerns there are plans to build an international terminal halfway between Queenstown and Invercargill. This solution is still in the planning stages and is opposed by the population in the new proposed airport region.

Wellington Airport is being demolished to allow for expansion of the airport to accept 747s landing at the Capital City. A new terminal and control tower will be built. These plans are already going forward and should be completed in 1997.

Auckland Airport sure has changed from six years ago. A person has to go through a corridor of shops before getting to customs and baggage transfer (somewhat similar to Las Vegas Airport). The shops should have been put to the side to speed the passengers' departure from the airport.

Gary Ball, California

NZ ON BUTTON FOR EFTPOS - from NZ Herald

America and Japan may be the giants of the technological world, but New Zealanders leave them for dead when it comes to using electronic transactions.

There is now one Eftpos terminal for every 98 New Zealanders, compared with one terminal per 694 in the US and one per 4413 in Japan, says a spokeswoman for ANZ Bank, which operates one of this country's two Eftpos networks.

The Bankers Association says the phenomenal growth of Eftpos--or electronic funds transfer at point of sale--was possible because of New Zealand's small and cohesive population, and ability to adapt to new technology.

"As a country we are still fairly homogeneous and we have a relatively well-educated population that does not have great hang-ups about technology," said Mr. Simon Carlaw, the association's executive director.

A recent Bankers Association survey revealed that cheques are still the most popular non-cash payment method in NZ, but use of cheques is declining--down this year to 33 per cent of total non-cash payments compared with 38 per cent for 1995.

NEW ZEALAND - GARDENS GALORE

New Zealand's mild, temperate climate makes gardening a breeze in New Zealand. With almost every house set on its piece of ground, just about every householder is to some degree a gardener. The country's north— south axis means a wide variety of plants may be seen in the country, ranging from sub-tropical species in the north to temperate and sub-antarctic species in the south.

As soon as you step outside the airline terminal in Auckland or Christchurch you'll be confronted by landscaped gardens, and on your drive into the city centre you soon become aware that most New Zealanders still live in detached houses, in the suburbs, surrounded by gardens.

Also, the local authorities in practically all cities manage parks and formal gardens for the enjoyment of citizens and visitors. The best known of these include in Auckland, the Regional Botanic Gardens and Parnell rose gardens, the rose gardens of Te Awamutu south of Hamilton,

the Government Gardens in Rotorua, Puketi rhododendrons (New Plymouth), Wellington and Christchurch and Dunedin botanic gardens, and also in Wellington the Otari Native Botanic Garden, devoted entirely to species native to New Zealand.

In Christchurch, the Garden City, the city fathers have devoted over a third of the city's area to parks and gardens, which must make it New Zealand's most leafy city.

Special Events

As one would expect, New Zealand does enjoy spectacular world-class floral/garden events. At the top of the list is the Ellerslie Flower Show held over five days in Auckland in mid-November. Both indoor and outdoor exhibits featuring floral art and the latest trends in landscape gardening attract around 75,000 visitors.

In keeping with its "garden city" tag, Christchurch celebrates its Festival of Flowers in the third week of February. During this time a whole raft of spectacular events are organised. These include a magnificent floral carpet of over 10,000 flowers down the main aisle of the city's impressive Gothic cathedral, wearable floral art performances, a summer garden show, floral riverbank displays, along with many other events.

Every year in October Dunedin celebrates the exotic beauty of the city's rhododendrons. Here a lucky partnership of soil and climate combine to provide one of the finest rhododendron growing areas in the world. At this time the owners of the city's top private gardens open their garden to the public. On Otago Peninsula historic Larnach Castle, overlooking magnificent Otago Harbour, provides a majestic backdrop to the 35 acres of century- old gardens.

Nearby, the gardens of Glenfalloch stately home features superb displays of rhododendrons and azalea set among 30 acres of mature trees and shrubs.

In many provincial cities there are organised visits to private gardens and estates, both in the city and surrounding countryside. Palmerston North, in the lower North Island, with its many grand old homesteads set amid rich farmlands, is a particularly good place to experience this activity. The city makes a special feature of these tours during the Manawatu Rose & Garden Festival at the end of November. The local cathedral also features an 11 metre long floral carpet and other floral works during this time, along with choirs from the region.

Hunters Garden Marlborough, held over the second weekend of November, is a weekend of garden workshops, tours and social activities.

The Hastings Blossom Festival held over the last two weeks of October, includes arts, sports, and recreational events culminating in a grand parade of blossom-covered floats.

There are at least 50 other smaller shows, festivals and tours available all over the country during the spring and summer. It pays to check at visitor information centres around the country.

TELL THEM YOU SAW IT IN

THE KIWIphile FILE!!!

NEWZGRAM - the News Aerogramme of New Zealand

(Newzgram is a news publication produced for Kiwis living abroad [and those of us who live elsewhere but love NZ]. For more information or a free sample, write Newzgram Subscriptions, P0 Box 3882, Christchurch NZ. Phone (64) 3 377 1335, Fax (64) 3 377 1248.)

From Newzgram: The sequel to Jurassic Park --the highest grossing movie of all time--will include footage from Fiordland National Park in southwest NZ. The Department of Conservation has given permission for filming in the park in December, and will have staff on site to ensure there is no damage to the environment. Jurassic Park, directed by Steven Spielberg, has earnt more than $900 million since its release in 1993. The sequel, called The Lost World: Jurassic Park, is also being directed by Spielberg. The movie is expected to be released in the US and Canada in May next year.

From Newzgram: Two Whangarei women who run an organic dairy farm shared top prize in the inaugural Clear Self-Employed Women of the Year awards. Stephanie Mitchell and Wayne Tennent-Brown converted a farm to organic status in a bid to reduce toxins in the environment. They use no antibiotics, pesticides or herbicides, but do use homeopathic and herbal remedies. The pair's Seahorse Farm is one of only a handful of organic milk producers in NZ.

From Newzgram: Public pressure on the eve of the election helped save hundreds of Kaimanawa wild horses from being culled in the central North Island. Earlier in the year the Government had agreed with conservationists that the herds had grown too big and threatened important wilderness areas southeast of Tongariro National Park. Plans to cull the horses met strong opposition from horse protection activists, who argued that the horses were being victimised, while damage to the environment by rabbits, deer, possums and the Army was being ignored. A last-minute prime ministerial reprieve was described as "gutless" by conservation groups.

From Newzgram: New Zealand Post celebrated a record profit by offering a free post day in July. All standard letters with hand-written envelopes were delivered free of charge within New Zealand.

READERS - Please send in articles and letters for the next issue. I need them by Feb. 1st. Thank you.