Volume IV, No. 4

JUNE 1992

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

MAORI ART EXHIBIT VISITS AMERICA

The largest exhibition of Maori art since Te Maori in 1984 is currently showing in San Diego. A group of Native Americans welcomed the exhibition in a pre- dawn ceremony when it arrived on US shores.

The exhibit is sponsored by the Council for Maori and South Pacific Arts in New Zealand and is timed to coincide with the race for the America's Cup '92 in San Diego. The exhibit is made up of representative work from twenty-six locally and nationally recognized Maori artists and includes carving, painting, weaving, and sculptural construction.

In September the works will move on to the Heard Museum in Phoenix. There it will be just one component of a larger exhibit arranged in cooperation with the Bath House Museum in Rotorua. The exhibition will later travel to other American cities before returning home. Arrangements for this tour are still pending.

BASIC INFORMATION ON NZ TRAVEL

John and I are often asked for our advice on when and how to go to New Zealand, what to take along, etc., so I have made up a sheet of oui suggestions. I repeat--these are our opinions, and can be taken or left alone. We get no recompense for our endorsements of particular companies, airlines, etc. So here it is:

The best time for visiting is February or March. It's autumn there with bright pleasant weather most of the time, cool at night. Autumn colors. Not too many other tourists. Next best time is October or November, spring in NZ, with less reliable weather, but lots of spring

flowers and blossoms and many lambs. You will need a sweater and/or light coat at any time, and rain gear. The seasons are much like California's, only in reverse.

Driving in NZ, especially on the South Island, is quite easy (driving on the left). Traffic is light even on the North Island, but on the South one can drive for many kilometers without meeting another vehicle.

Best auto rental company is: McDonald Motors, Ltd. (Dave McDonald is in the Christchurch office), 171 Armagh St., Christchurch, or at 1 Salesyard Road, Otahuhu, Auckland. It's a small company, with personal service, lots of consideration, and excellent prices.

Best airline to get there: Way above the others is Air New Zealand (and seniors get a 10% discount). Quantas okay. Your travel agent can get good ticket prices through a consolidator if you're a bit flexible.

Don't plan on any less than 3 weeks in NZ. You'll hate to leave no matter how long you stay.

There are just a few books you should buy: The New Zealand Bed and Breakfast Book published by Pelican--wonderful city, town and farm homestays. Also excellent is Elizabeth Hansen's Bed and Breakfast New Zealand (Chronicle Books). Jane King's New Zealand Handbook published by Moon Publications is invaluable. We like Frommer's New Zealand On $45 a Day . Of course you will contact the New Zealand Tourism Office for information (501 Santa Monica Blvd., #300, Santa Monica CA 90401--Ph. 213-395-7480 or 800-388-5494).

AMERICANS IN PARADISE (No. 9 in a series)

When Jean Thompson of Dobbs Ferry, NY, first

arrived to live in New Zealand she wasn't "herself' for a long time. She felt all mixed up--but more like a "flightless eagle" than a "winged kiwi". That was in 1968.

Canterbury University in Christchurch hired her to teach in the first-year lab of the Zoology Department. After that she taught in a high school and at the same time raised cattle on one hundred acres.

Retired now, Jean Thompson lives in a lovely home on a quiet cul-de-sac near Hagley Park in Christchurch. Her home Is beautifully maintained inside and out. The rear gardens are like a park--lushly planted and with a small tree-shaded stream running through.

About every two years or so she returns to visit the United States--and always experiences culture shock. She feels daunted by the dizzying American lifestyle, by the money-oriented attitude of so many Americans.

On the other hand, in the business of raising

cattle in New Zealand, Thompson found a great deal of male chauvinism. She had to learn to compete and achieve on the male level, When she accomplished that, then all went smoothly.

Thompson feels that education is not as valued in New Zealand as it is in the US. She misses the intel- lectualism she was accustomed to in New York. She says she was forced to make a choice: overalls and gum- boots or pin-striped suits. She manufactures her own mental stimulation inside her head--and reading and taking courses are her aids.

She finds New Zealanders are quite tolerant. But when you move to NZ you almost have to acquire an interest in outdoor activities. Most Kiwi social events seem to be planned around sports of one kind or another. She finds more appreciation of the outdoors and the environment in NZ than in the States.

Thompson misses fig newtons and oreo cookies, and the mind-boggling shopping choices avail- able in the US. But she feels permanently settled now, and to make a change after so many years would be dev- astating.

NEXT STOP NEW ZEALAND--September 1992

Most of you have received the announcement of KiWIphile FILE reader and contributor Judy Miller's 21 day tour to New Zealand. This is to be a fun, inform- al trip for only 15 people, with a land-air price of $3700.

Last night I read over the detailed itinerary, and felt envious of those Judy will take with her in September. This tour will be like no other I have heard of, with visits to REAL places--not just those listed in the glossy brochures put out by the other tour companies. Imagine if you can--visiting Takaka outside Nelson in the Golden Bay area on your first visit to New Zealand! Feeding the tame eels, visiting the bird sanctuary at Farewell Spit, staying overnight at the old Vulcan Hotel in St. Bathans, visiting the Botanical Gardens in Oamaru. These are treats usually reserved for travelers who drive rental cars.

This tour will be something unique for those lucky enough to go. Judy Miller has traveled extensively in NZ, she has a great sense of humor, is thoughtful and caring.

For more details or to reserve your place on the tour please contact Judy or Rebecca Smith at 800-347- 9147 and refer to "Next Stop New Zealand 92".

VOICE OF A KIWI - by Richard Croft

The northern outlet from the city of Dunedin winds through more and steeper hills often swathed in sombre mists and drizzle or low cloud before emerging into the drier, warmer lowlands of North Otago. Palmerston at 36 miles is the junction for the eastern exit of Hwy 85 ("the Pigroot") to Central Otago. But a little further north the road runs alongside broad, surf-laden sandy beaches.

It's worth a short detour Into Moeraki to look over those geological oddities, the Moeraki Boulders. The spherical grey shapes up to 12 ft in diameter are believed to have originated on the sea bed millions of years ago as calcite crystals around which mudstone formed.

Oamaru is soon in sight straggling for 3 miles between the sea and the ridge of low hills which separate the town from its rich farming hinterland. This is tine lime- stone country and it gives the town a reputation far beyond its boundaries as Oamaru stone can be found in thousands of public buildings and homes throughout NZ. At time of quarrying, the milky white limestone can be cut easily with circular saws but it hardens on exposure to the air. Nearly all the streets of the town are named after English rivers. At the commercial end of Thames Street there are some tine examples of buildings, in classical style, crafted from the local stone.

The town has a comparatively mild, coastal ledge climate, and boasts many tine public and private gardens, especially around South Hill. From the Lookout Reserve there is a great unobstructed view of the town and the Pacific. I had a leisurely picnic lunch on a grassy slope here under a hot summer sun but, almost on cue, a stiff easterLy ocean breeze sprang up to temper it.

Runholders took up land grants here in the early 1850's to raise sheep solely for wool, but William Davidson and Thomas Brydone of the N.Z. and Australian Land Company saw the potential of refrigeration to ship frozen carcasses to Britain and a hungry market. These would otherwise have been rendered for tallow. The success of the venture formed the basis of a major export Industry. Earlier, James Little, by crossing Romney and Lincoln rams with Merino ewes produced the famous Corriedale breed which has the dual virtues of providing long wool and prime meat.

1 had intended to drive up SH. 1, but the temptation to head into the mountains again was too strong, so at Pukeuri Junction, 5 miles from Oamaru, I decided to take the Waitaki River Valley road. This broad river helps drain the snowfields and glaciers of the Southern Alps and several lake-fed rivers form its upper tributaries. There was much squabbling in the early days before the borders were defined by provincial government, but nowadays the river represents a symbolic boundary only between Otago and Canterbury to the north.

The valley steadily narrows and from Kurow the road rises through brown rocky hills past Lake Aviemore to Otematata, formerly the hydro-dam construction town now converted into a ready-made vacation retreat. It is worth taking the 3 mile detour to the Benmore Dam. It is the largest in NZ and notable because it is made from 28 million tonnes of compacted earth and rock and holds a man-made lake of 20,000 acres.

Fifteen miles further on at Omarama the junction with HWY 8 is reached. The high Lindis Pass leads off to the southwest back into Central Otago. To the north lies the broad alpine catchment. The mountain air is like balm

to the lungs, so I decided to make for the budget accommodation lodge at Twizel, another ex-construction town.

I wanted to spend a few days savouring the food, the sunshine and the tranquil surroundings. Quite a few others seemed to have the same idea and there was no shortage of good conversation long into the evening. What could be more stimulating than exchanging experiences with fellow travellers over a cool beer. The world didn't seem to be such a bad place after all.

NZ LOW-CHOLESTEROL MEAT & DAIRY FOOD

Thielen Research, an Auckland company, in a joint venture with Waikato Valley Co-operative Dairies, is working on technology to produce low-cholesterol meat and dairy food. Top-secret designs are underway for facilities to prepare the products. In the meantime large multinationals are waiting anxiously to cash in on the breakthrough by Kiwi scientists.

The United States has already given patent acknowledgement of the process. Two of America's largest dairy producers have made known their desire to participate in the work, but so far the two NZ companies have preferred to keep the technology at home.

The process takes cholesterol out of dairy foods and makes butter easier to spread, and it removes fat and cholesterol from minced (ground) meat and gives it a milder flavor.

"THE NATIONAL PULSE OVER 150 YEARS"

For those deeply interested In New Zealand, its history, and Its people, there's an excellent new book Strangers in Paradise , compiled and edited by Jonathan Eisen and Katherine Joyce Smith (Vintage, NZ$24.95).

To quote from the New Zealand Listener and TV Times of January 27, 1992, "Unlike the natives, travel writers don't have to live with the consequences of their opinions. They can say what they like about a country without worrying about being exiled, ostracised, or lynched, because when their comments are published they will usually be safe somewhere else. A tourist's viewpoint, of course, might be superficial as well as frank, but when it is offered by the world's most celebrated thinkers and writers such as Charles Darwin, George Bernard Shaw, Mark Twain and Noel Coward, it Is worth paying attention."

Elsen and Smith have brought together the views of more than 40 visitors to NZ from 184.0 to the present. Most of the visitors are well-known. Opinions range from the passionately enthusiastic to the unimpressed.

FROM THE KIWI HOUSE REVIEW

Kiwi House in Otorohanga reports that great efforts are underway with the cooperation of the Department of Conservation to define, halt, and where possible, reverse the decline In kiwi populations in New Zealand.

TVNZ recently screened an excellent documentary on kiwis to coincide with the release of the recovery plan. Three major books on kiwis have also been released in the last 18 months. One of these books by Little Spotted Kiwi scientist Jim Jolly was aimed at teaching appreciation of kiwis to a young audience. The other two are a book by Neville Peat written to coincide with the TV documentary, and a large book by Raymond Harris Ching of his paintings, well filled out by chapters on kiwis by various authorities.

Be sure to visit Kiwi House in Otorohanga (only a few miles from Waitomo Caves). Open every day of the year except Christmas--1 am to 4 or 5 pm.

NEW ZEALAND TRAVELERS GARDEN TOURS

Alan Riegelman has sent information to us about 18-day garden tours of New Zealand which are now offered each month, October through March, by New Zealand Travelers Inc.

The garden tours feature public and private gardens on both the North and South Islands. Included on the tours are nature attractions such as the thermal areas, the volcanoes of Tongariro National Park and a look at HEBES and other world-wide known New Zealand species in their wild natural settings.

TV viewers around the world are familiar with the beauty of New Zealand's world-class flower gardens, which thrive in a benign climate, fertile soil and a long, sunny growing season. Flower-gardening is a national habit and as you drive through the often spectacular scenery, ft's difficult indeed to find a home that does not offer a substantial flower garden. Various of the gardens, both public and private, are well known in gardening circles.

Travel is in comfortable mini-buses, and accommodation is In fine motels and lodges, as well as in the private homes of local garden club members. Cuisine, as on all NZTI tours, is both excellent and plentiful, with a combination of special restaurant and home-cooked meals. Tour leaders are all New Zealand gardeners and the tours are designed for just-plain-gardeners. You don't have to be a Latin-naming horticulturist to enjoy the spectacular flowers, shrubs and trees.

If you want full information please contact:

NEW ZEALAND TRAVELERS INC.

P.O. Box 605, Shelburne, VT 05482

802-985-8865

FAX 802-985-8501

TRAVEL TRENDS IN NZ

Visitors to NZ are increasingly picking up rental cars or heading for the roads with a backpack. Coach tours and traditional tourist services are being hurt by the trend and are being forced to cut back on their staffs.

Tourists, however, are now staying longer and spreading around the country more--buying lots of souvenirs and spending money on bungi jumping, hell-skiing, and white water ratting.

* A number of overseas tourists have complained so strongly about the unsealed (unpaved) sections of roads along the route from Queenstown to the Glaciers on the South Island that Transit New Zealand decision- makers are responding with plans. The goal is to make sure all state highways in NZ are sealed within 10 years.

* A 4-day Chinese New Year festival rang in the New Year in Arrowtown, attracting more than 6,000 people. The Chinese have a place in Central Otago history, first arriving in the late 1860s as gold miners. This event is seen by the festival coordinator as a yearly event, and he hopes to expand to other Southland and Central Otago communities. The aim is to welcome tourists to NZ, mainly those from Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong.

CHEAP LABOR (From the Listener)

New Zealand National Radio presents Stories by David Somerset each day. A recent story was about "The Lost Children of the British Empire".

"It's an extraordinary story, to do with a scheme that existed in the UK for 350 years. Unwanted children were collected off the streets and shipped out to the colonies without their parents' consent. The numbers were vast--it's estimated that 11 percent of Canada's population is descended from these children. And the practice didn't stop until 1967. They were still coming to New Zealand in the 1950s. The idea was to give the children the benefits of life out here, among all the wide open spaces. But in fact they were used as cheap labour on remote farms."

AN AMERICAN IN AUCKLAND (From WEEKEND MAGAZINE--NZ Herald)

As I watched Auckland trounce New South Wales in rugby at Eden Park last month, I imagined myself magically transported to Baltimore's Memorial Stadium.

Sitting elbow to elbow with the other fans, basking in the sun and catching whiffs of spilt beer and fried potatoes, I felt as much at home as if I was watching the Orioles play baseball.

In my euphoria, I even concluded that I understood the ins and outs of this game, despite the fact I'd never seen rugby played before.

My satisfied feeling tasted only until the next morning, however, when I read a match report in the newspaper. Bewildered by the terms and explanations, I realised that I understood as little about what goes on inside a scrum as I did about the internal workings of New Zealand's people and institutions.

It's easy to assume we're just one big global

family on a warm day with a cold beer. But after three months in NZ, as a United States Fulbright scholar working for the New Zealand Herald, I no longer have the notion that speaking the same language and watching the same TV shows means that Americans and Kiwis share a similar outlook on life.

Probably I could have guessed that right away, from the reaction to the first local airing of the Oprah Winfrey Show. During that programme, a look at nice women married to nasty men, Oprah's guests revealed much that might have better been left unsaid--showing their personality defects, insufferable attitudes, selfish habits, even the odd infidelity or betrayal.

The next day at work, people told me they were certain that the show's guests must have been paid to say such things. No, I explained, there are countless Americans who would pay for the opportunity to spill their guts on the air.

My embarrassment at admitting that was far greater than any shown by Winfrey's guests.

The American enthusiasm for letting it all hang out, in contrast to Kiwi reticence, was just one of the differences I discovered early on in my visit. A greater revelation was the way people here treat one another.

People don't act with the suspicion or grudging acceptance I see at home. Bus drivers wait for passengers as they sprint for the stop and passengers say thanks to the drivers as they leave.

The man at the take-away says five scoops of chips would be far too much for you, better make it three. Rugby fans clap politely when the other side scores.

When I point out such incredible acts to Kiwis, they say, "Don't you do that?' Usually the idea had never even crossed my mind.

But after a few weeks here, I realised how accustomed I'd become to such treatment. I had gone to visit a friend and ended up at the wrong house. The man who came to the door said my friend didn't live there.

"I'd better call her and get the right address," I said. "Do you know of a phone I could use?"

"There might be one down the street," he replied, leaving me standing on the doorstep.

At home I'd never invite a stranger in to use my phone. Here I was shocked. "Where's he from?" I grumbled to myself as I trudged up the street "New York?"

But in the end it didn't matter. A woman at the dairy called my friend, told her where to pick me up and probably would have made me a cup of tea If I'd stuck around a bit longer.

I could really get used to this. I thought, beginning to notice myself becoming less guarded, more patient. I've gotten into the habit of saying "no worries."

Another difference between the two cultures, one about which I have mixed feelings is the New Zealanders' assumption of a nationally shared set of values, a universal morality among Kiwis.

I noticed this in the aftermath of an Auckland

car accident, in which a driver knocked over a baby's pram at a crosswalk then sped away, leaving a little boy seriously injured. The next day, one newspaper used a banner headline to urge the driver to come forward, 'fess up, do the decent thing.

At home we would not have believed in the power of a moral argument in such a case. Here, the young driver turned himself in; Ministry of Transport officials credited media attention with influencing him to surrender.

On the whole. New Zealanders can be heard us- ing moral arguments to fight off "evils" long since adopted in the US: Sunday shopping, for example, or sexual suggestiveness on television programmes.

I must admit that at times I find this assumption of moral oneness to be stifling, even a bit frightening. And yet, like many Americans I am becoming less enchanted with the results of the opposite tendency, the emphasis on individual differences rather than community values and shared responsibility.

When I first arrived in Auckland, I was surprised at how often Kiwis apologised for their country's "back- wardness." Over time I detected the national pride that coexists with this self-deprecation. But I also see that many people are eager to encourage New Zealand's gradual moves toward anything-goes consumerism, American style.

As one who has done some whingeing in the past three months about local inconvenience--the lack of computers at work, the frustrating shopping hours, the impossibility of getting a New York Times or a fresh bagel--I can appreciate the desire to join that world.

I just wonder if you can do that--and still live in the kind of place where people believe "she'll be right."

SOUTH ISLAND--NORTH ISLAND TRANSITION

Part 7 by Mike Giannone, New Jersey

At 6:00 AM, Friday, March 2, 1990, 1 found myself staring at an incredibly bright Venus rising before the sun over Halfmoon Bay in Oban, Stewart Island. Linda and Amy were still blissfully asleep, but I was eagerly anticipating the next phase of our current trek through NZ. . . the Bay of Islands. Although the past few weeks had, as always, been thoroughly enjoyable (except for some disappointment here at Stewart), my thoughts drifted to our friends in Paihia and our charter boat waiting at Opua. The next few hours were a blur as we packed up, had breakfast and flew (uneventfully) back to Invercargill to meet the noon ANZ flight to Auckland.

While waiting at Invercargill airport under the sign which proclaims, "Sister City of Hobart, Tasmania"! Amy noticed a very appealing bunch of young men clustered about the lunch counter. Since they all were wearing identical outfits and seemed older than elementary school age, it was not too surprising to learn that they were members of the Southland Rugby Team, traveling with us to Christchurch for their match with the

Canterbury team. Unfortunately for Amy, they were more interested in devouring the Bluff oysters that had just come in than in spending a lot of time talking to a pretty, young, lonely American girl. Such is the allure of those Foveaux Strait mollusks!

After the Christchurch stop we arrived in Auckland at about 3 PM having traded cool, windy weather for a very warm and muggy day. While Linda and Amy stayed in the domestic terminal waiting for our flight to Kerikeri, I took the airport bus back to the international terminal storage lockers (about 1/2 mi.). There I would retrieve our "boat" clothing, gifts for friends, and leave our "glacier" clothing behind at the storage I had so wisely rented when we arrived nearly three weeks earlier.

I carefully retrieved the key, inserted it into the lock, turned, and .... NOTHING HAPPENED! After about twelve more attempts at this procedure, it was clear that the door was not going to open of its own accord and I would risk arrest and imprisonment if I ripped it off its hinges! Muttering about the stupidity of mechanical contraptions, I asked an airport policeman to help me with the stubborn locker. After a few polite questions, he determined that I had originally inserted a 50-cent piece, took the key, and walked away.

to Kawau Island, etc.). the short 45 minute flight is worth it to the first time traveler for the views it gives of the coast and the Bay of Islands on the way up. Our friend Bob met us at the Kerikeri "airport" and drove us back to Paihia and the BBQ that Barbara had prepared.

Bob is an ex-Californian who met lovely Kiwi Barbara, stayed, married, and raised two sons in Paihia for the past twenty years or so. I had met Bob in 1985 when I paid a visit to the Paihia Volunteer Fire Brigade where he was a member. Beyond normal firefighter offers of hospitality. Bob and Barbara had invited the two of us to their home for a few dinners during our first stay in Paihia. We have been friends since then and all our visits to NZ include an extensive stay in the Bay of Islands. Their home is built into the side of one of the tree-covered hills that surround Paihia and their decks overlook the Bay and the wharves of Paihia and Russell. Even in March it is light until nearly 9 PM, so we sat there, relaxed, and caught up with news while the sub- tropical twilight gradually deepened. It was good to be back! We slept very soundly that night until a morepork (type of owl) woke us up at 5 AM.

Paihia, Russell, and the entire Bay of Islands region is a major vacation destination in a country chock full of holiday spots! Added to the natural allure of sand, surf, sailing, and sport fishing is the presence of Waitangi, the "birthplace" of modern New Zealand and all the history it represents. Once again, most guidebooks do an excellent job of describing the delights and facilities of this region. You should be able to find plenty to see and do.

On our first trip we had rented a vacation home for a few days from a list maintained by the Bay of Islands Information Centre (Main Wharf--in a new building designed by architect friend Bob). Since then we have stayed on boats and in friends' homes. Paihia tends to be expensive by NZ standards (which still makes it quite reasonable compared to the good old USA!). However, there are many levels of accommodations, from campsites to luxury suites, to suit practically any taste or pocketbook. To be honest, I have not heard any negative stories about any establishment, so choose freely. For those of you inclined towards motels, I would recommend staying in Paihia on the main drag, Marsden Rd. It's centrally located and convenient to everything, plus it looks out over the Bay to Russell.

There's a lot to do around here, yet one thing (besides friends and the PVFB) keeps bringing me back ...sailing! But I'm not going to go into that now. Those of you who have put up with this narrative for the last several issues know that Eva, our revered editor, has space limitations and generally has to cut my ramblings at about this point. Since I want the sailing section to stay relatively intact, I'll save that for next installment. To fill out this chapter, let me skip to a few other Northland thoughts.

Other than to say that you've been there, it's probably wise to skip a trip to Cape Reinga. That

investment in time could be better spent in smaller chunks on several other destinations. For instance, get out and really explore Kerikeri or Russell. Or take a few hours and drive through the Waipoua Kauri Forest south of Opononi on the West Coast.

A drive along 90 Mile Beach can be exhilarating. but there are a lot of beaches. On the other hand, there aren't many Kauris left and you will leave Tane Mahuta (Lord of the Forest) or Te Matua Ngahere (Father of the Forest) shaking your head in wonder at these magnificent trees. (If you find kauris fascinating you MUST stop at Otamatea Kauri and Pioneer Museum near Matakohe on Highway 12). Take a walk along Doubtless Bay or hike to Marsden Cross or Cape Brett. There is nothing wrong with Cape Reinga, other than the fact that an entire day is used up just to get there and back. It is a nice spot, but in my opinion it just isn't that unique.

One more thought: save Northland for LAST. The nature of this area begs for relaxation and reflection. Most of the rest of the country pulls you from one staggering display or experience to another. If New Zealand were a meal, there are plenty of appetizers and main courses to choose from, but Northland gives you a refreshing plate of desserts and a satisfying cup/glass of ??? (Then again, there's nothing sedate in battling a marlin off Cape Wikiwiki or running with the leerail awash between Waewaetorea and Urupukapuka Islands. No analogies are perfect).

By the way, Amy did get to see Elton John. Walked up to the ticket window at Mt. Smart Stadium, plunked down NZ$35, got SECOND row seats, and had a time to remember, along with a packed house of enthusiastic Kiwis!

NEXT - Sailing the Bay and some final thoughts.

NEW ZEALAND GOLF TOURS - 1992

KlWiphile FILE subscriber Stuart Douglas again informs us of upcoming NZ golf tours: 7 nights first class motel, 6 breakfasts, all ground transportation, round trip fares--Honolulu-Auckland-Honolulu, Auckland Harbor Dinner Cruise, 6 rounds of golf, welcome and farewell cocktail parties and tourney with prizes--all for $1,995 (some restrictions.) 16 maximum per tour--non golfers welcome.

Contact Stuart Douglas - ph. 1-800-729-1490, or at 73-1150 Oluolu St., Kailua-Kona HI 96740.

SOUTH ISLAND COUNTRY WALKERS

New Zealand is every walker's dream. The South Island combines fantastic scenery with day hikes that take you into a variety of environments: mountain meadows, coastal rain forests, glacier valleys and endless deserted beaches.

The itinerary is an exciting one, with comfortable and distinctive hotel, motel and wilderness lodge accommodations.

From a walk through the Garden City of Christ-

church to the West Coast's Pancake Rocks, walking to the unique coastal glaciers and around peaceful Lake Matheson, through exotic rain forests, canoeing or fishing on wilderness lakes, endless beaches to roam and spot seals, dolphins and penguins. There's a hike up to a hanging glacier with awesome 300-ft. waterfalls. You see keas, the world's only alpine parrots. You are allowed plenty of time in Queenstown for the wide choice of re- creation, as well as a trip to Milford Sound.

November in New Zealand is mid-spring with average temperatures in the 60's and 70's. February is late summer with the temperatures in the 70's and 80's-

-a wonderful time to swim in the "gin clear" waters. March is the beginning of autumn.

A Country Walker guide and a native New

Zealander accompany each trip.

Dates: Trips in November 1992, Feb. and March 1993. Price: $2499.00.

Contact: Country Walkers, Inc., P.O. Box 180, Waterbury VT 05676-0180.

MT COOK SUMMIT CLOSED TO CLIMBERS (From NZPA - February 1992)

The summit of Mt. Cook will probably be out of bounds to climbers for at least a season after a massive avalanche which devastated the east face of the mountain recently.

The 6.5km fall of rock and ice from the peak to Tasman Glacier has altered the mountain's profile dramatically. The avalanche path was described yesterday as a "moonscape".

Climbers who were about 1km from the fall, which lasted for several hours, were unaware of its extent until the ice cloud settled in mid-morning. All climbers on the mountain at the time were soon accounted for.

The summit has been left teetering above a concave slope, scooped away during the fall. The Mt. Cook conservation officer said the ice cap was marred by massive fissures, further destabilising the area.There would have to be more falls from the fragile area before the peak would be safe for climbers.

"We cannot predict when that Is going to happen. It could be caused by an earthquake. It's a matter of letting nature take its course."

The almost perfect pyramid shape of the north peak has been ruined but the world-famous view from Mt. Cook village is unaltered.

"As far as tourists and other people go there is no change. The public are going to see the difference only if they go by air," the officer said.

Heavy winter snowfalls combined with hot weather In the preceding week were thought to have triggered the avalanche.

Alpine Guides operations manager Mr. Bob Munro said about 200 people would have to alter their plans to reach the summit this climbing season.

"We will try to hold off any climbing until we get

a feel of the situation. The face is continually active. The actual summit is still there but not for much longer."

A University of Canterbury geologist Dr. Ian Owens said the avalanche was not an unusual event in the geological time scale but had significant implications for the mountain's topography.

Climber Mr. David Ellis, who was with a party of five other mountaineers at the Grand Plateau, said the sound of the avalanche was "like a paddock full of a thousand bulls amplified a thousand times."

TELL THEM YOU SAW IT IN

THE KIWIphile FILE!!!

LETTER BOX

Just got the latest newsletter and, as always, thoroughly enjoyed it! I know you are always pressed for space, but I always find myself wishing there were even more pages to read! This is the best sign of a successful publication, looking forward to the next issue, even before the current issue is totally absorbed!

I have to thoroughly agree with the observation that the NZ Tourist Board has overlooked the East Coast as a potential market. Hasn't stopped the Aussies though, since Paul Hogan and the Quantas Koala are well known symbols here. Then again, on a purely selfish note, it wouldn't really bother us If we never ran into another Northeastern native trekking across NZ. Okay, so we'll share it with the rest of the region, just as long as the tourist growth rate only steadily improves, not wildly explodes!

By the way, we just happened to look in the TV Guide last week and saw a show advertised on Philadelphia Station 57 Sunday nights at 10PM called "Pacific Magic". This is a half hour WEEKLY show on New Zealand, subsidized by Air New Zealand, and produced by New Zealand Television! It is a weekly series and always starts with an up to date status on the America's Cup Challenge in San Diego and then has two or three additional stories. We saw it on February 23 and March 1 and so far it has talked about heli-skiing, bungy jumping, jetboats, a "tame" porpoise in Golden Bay, whale watching off of Kaikoura, and a New Zealand golfer enjoying success on the Senior circuit. An 800 number is advertised for a NZ travel guide (1-800-456-7730), and is overall, quite enjoyable. You probably already know about it on the West Coast, but this Is very unusual here.

Speaking of traveling, it looks like Linda and I are going to be fortunate enough to get back to NZ in 1992 (between Thanksgiving and Christmas)! This will be the first time we have been there In spring, and we are certainly looking forward to experiencing a new season. During this trip, I'm going to correct some oversights and among them are stays in the Taranaki region (Mt Egmont) and Golden Bay (near Takaka). Any suggestions or thoughts you'd care to pass along would be greatly appreciated (especially any information on the

Stratford Mountain House, Dawson Falls Lodge, or the Golden Bay area). (Ed.--can anyone help?)

Mike Giannone, New Jersey

(Ed. note: Has anyone viewing "Pacific Magic" noticed the series is ALL about sports, nothing else? In my opinion NZ offers so much more than sports!)

I did really enjoy New Zealand! Wish I could go back ... But my 18 days on the coach (Australian Pacific) were just wonderful! We did visit so much, and that country is so beautiful, so unusual--the people are hospitable, so marvelously generous. Wish we in America could learn somewhat from them. They smile all the time--always polite--always wanting to make you feel good and at home.

I did meet my son's friend's parents and for two days they drove me around Auckland and also had me over to their house for dinner. The next day my coach tour was starting, and I was lucky to go back to some of the high spots these two lovely persons had taken me to.

On the entire trip we stayed in major hotels, like Quality Inn Rose Park, THC James Cook, Southern Cross, THC Hermitage, Manuel Oasis at Taupo, etc.!

I had taken the option with meals and was glad as I found them very well organized. Big buffet-style breakfasts as well as dinner buffet--the very best. I gained almost 8 pounds!

The rotation of seats in the coach was also special--very well handled. Our coach captain Mervin Whitehead was very witty and interesting. He certainly knew his NZ history!

We were given a videocassette about NZ which I enjoy showing my family and friends. I just simply enjoyed it all, and took lots and lots of pictures!

Juliette Smith, Quebec, Canada

BITS AND BITES

Yarrows Bakery in the tiny Taranaki district township of Manaia is annually exporting more than 4.5 million hand-rolled croissants to the USA. What makes these croissants so special, company director Paul Yarrow says, is the New Zealand butter. "Of course it helps to be sited next door to one of the world's largest butter factories, the Kiwi Dairy Company."

* Plans are afoot for a possible fast ferry service between Auckland and Coromandel. This service is visualized as part of a 230-berth marina including facilities for fishing boats. Such a ferry service would make travel to the Coromandel Peninsula simpler and faster.

* In May of 1991 television came to the lonely, windswept Chatham Islands in the Pacific Ocean about 500 mi. east of Christchurch. The TVNZ news comes via satellite, and during the ad breaks the islanders insert their own notices on screen--lost and found, items for sale, party invitations. Phone numbers aren't even included since everyone knows everyone else.

* Air New Zealand has published The Angler's Guide to New Zealand. The 42-page magazine-format book, handsomely done in color on glossy paper, tells where and how to fish on both islands. For your free copy write to Mike McClelland, The Best of New Zealand Fly Fishing, 11872 La Grange Ave., Los Angeles CA 90025. Tel. 310- 826-9105. Mike might also send you a copy of his newsletter.

* You don't have to be an artist to enjoy NZ from the artist's perspective. Visit galleries, weaving, craft, and pottery artisans, etc. on a 16-day tour of the country led by an art teacher and gallery owner. Sandy Frick, Educators' Travel, 428 Rome, Rockford IL 61107 (815-226-0507).

* McDonald Motors, our choice for car rentals in NZ has new phone numbers beginning in July--366-0929 or. 366-0927. Addresses: 171 Armagh St., Christchurch, or 1 Salesyard Rd., Otahuhu, Auckland.

* Write to us for a list of companies which represent many individuals or families who offer home or farm stays and holiday packages. A directory is offered by any companies on the list. It you write, please send SASE.

* One home hosted B&B stay listed in above-mentioned directory is "Pineapple Cottage", where John and Sheila Rose will greet your Convenient to everything in Auckland. From airport take "Super Shuttle" bus--door to door service. 27 Shipherds Ave., Epsom North, Auckland 3 NZ (tel. [09]630-3542).

* NEW: A great way to save money on airline tickets within NZ, rental cars, accommodations, etc. without booking ahead. Call Newmans, (800) 421-3326 about buying ChegueMates from your travel agent.