Volume V. No. 3

MARCH 1993

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

THE 'WILD AND MAGNIFICENT' WEST COAST OF NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand broke free from Gondwanaland some 100 million years ago and its isolation has meant much of the country has been conserved in its natural state. The Best of New Zealand, a travel company specializing in outdoor vacations, is offering a series of 11-day nature journeys to World Heritage Site-- Southwest New Zealand.

Called "Wilderness and Nature Week", the groups will explore the little known scenic wonders of the West Coast of the South Island, and seek flora and fauna unique to New Zealand.

Visitors will experience outdoor adventures such as wilderness walking, canoeing, seacoast exploration, jetboating, and a snow landing on a moving glacier.

Tour highlights include visits to the virgin Kahi- katea rainforest, site of New Zealand's tallest tree, and Open Bay Island's Wildlife Sanctuary, New Zealand Galapagos and home to thousands of fur seals, rare weka birds and lizards; educational seminars on plant and birdlife; and the opportunity to spot and identify as many as 53 bird species in one week, including one of the world's rarest penguins, the Fiordland Crested Penguin.

The groups, restricted to 12 participants, will be guided by Dr. Gerry McSweeny, a naturalist and conservationist. Previously Director of Wellington's Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society, McSweeny was also the initiator of a four-year campaign to register South- West New Zealand as a World Heritage Site, alongside Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Canyon

His young staff are all enrolled in post-graduate programs and eager to share their love and knowledge of Aotearoa (Land of the Long White Cloud--the Maori name for NZ) with ecologically aware visitors..

The groups will stay six nights at Lake Moeraki Wilderness Lodge. Here, the emphasis is on comfort, and meals inspired by local game and seafood. Guests are invited to sample some of New Zealand's top wines.

The "Wilderness and Nature Weeks" start at $1998 per person, on a share twin basis, and include eight nights lodging, most meals, wine with dinner, lectures, sightseeing, tour escorts and ground transport.

For further information, please call: The Best of New Zealand, 11872 La Grange Ave., Los Angeles CA 90025. Ph: (310)826-9105 or (800)528-6129.

A MILFORD SOUND SLEEP

One of the world's most magnificent sights is Milford Sound, an unforgettable melange of sea, mountain, waterfall, and if you're lucky, brilliant sunshine. Now it's also a wonderful place to spend the night.

The Milford Wanderer, a recently launched 30- metre boat is a traditional ketch-rigged scow with com- fortable accommodations for 70 passengers. There are 4- bunk cabins, resort-style dining rooms, bar facilities, and showers.

Overnight trips--which cost NZ$95/person-- leave Milford Sound at 5pm. Passengers will sail past mile-high cliffs, thundering waterfalls and seals before reaching the open sea. A wholesome seafaring dinner will be served in a sheltered bay, then the boat will sail back into the sound to the old sealing anchorage of Harrison Cove to spend the night. In the morning it is a hearty breakfast and a return to Milford Wharf by 8am.

The Wanderer will also operate during the day, offering morning and afternoon cruises which travel to the mouth of the sound and back. For more information contact Fiordland Travel in Te Anau. Ph. (03)249-7416 or fax (03)249-7022.

TRAVEL SAVVY

We're excited about Travel Savvy, a catalog of books, maps, and other travel necessities of all kinds for visiting New Zealand and Australia.

There are great items, some new to us, such as a super absorbent/super compact towel that soaks up like a sponge and comes with its own vinyl pouch, and a silicon- lined carrier for packing your hot curling iron. The books even include the brilliant and beautifully illustrated

Readers Digest Guide to New Zealand written by NZ author Maurice Shadbolt. This is not a compact guide to carry along with you, but a great choice for travel planning and to keep New Zealand alive in your heart.

We're happy to say that Lee Peart, owner of Travel Savvy is a KIWIphile FILE subscriber. I urge you to send for your copy of her catalog: Travel Savvy, P.O. Box 190, Burbank, OH 44214-0190 (Ph. 216-345-7821 or Fax 216-345-7662).

NEW ZEALAND ECONOMIC RECOVERY

In recent months, according to some world money analysts, great economic recovery is underway in New Zealand. Investors in New Zealand have done so badly for so long that they really can't believe in the change.

Robert Czeschin, editor of World Money Analyst says 'There is reason to believe that the potential for profit [in New Zealand right now] is even greater than that of the early '30s in the United States."

So if you've been waiting to make NZ investments you might want to check this out with a broker. investments in Fletcher Challenge and Brierley Investments have been recommended.

FURTHER TRAVELS OF THE BAIERS

- by Kitty and Bob Baier

Everywhere we traveled in New Zealand people were complaining about the late spring following an unusually harsh winter. Most blamed the ash in the atmosphere from the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines.

The last time I wrote, we were being snowed upon so the "desert road" (Hwy 1) was closed!

We did make the journey from Turangi to the Military Museum in Waiouru in a round-about way, via the "Chateau". Rumor has it that the Chateau has been purchased by buyers from Singapore who plan to spend beaucoup dollars to restore the place to its original opulence.

During our second week on North Island we were tempted to buy yet another week of timeshare. Located on the Lake Taupo shoreline, Lake Edge Resort is comprised of 12 Mediterranean-style villas. Each has two bedrooms and three full baths. Central amenities included pool, sauna and spa. Very lovely!

We made interesting acquaintances in Taupo (both locally and with friendly Australians). Fished from the managers new Bayliner, so served baked trout for dinner one night.

Lake Taupo is clear and blue! It reminded us of Tahoe without the pine trees. Loved Huka Village, Craters of the Moon, Wairakei Prawn Farm and the ride to Huka Falls on the narrow riverboat "MV Waireka."

Anyone shopping in Taupo should be sure to visit "The Purple Patch" (16 Heu Heu Street). This shop specializes in home crafted items. Profits go to charity. We bought an adorable crocheted "Scotsman"doll, complete with kilts and bagpipes. Who would do so much work for the equivalent of $22 American dollars?

We enjoyed our visit to Rotorua (Agrodome, Rainbow Springs, etc.) but one day's exposure to a new place is not enough. We felt that keenly when we drove to Napier for a single day. On Maritime Parade, we saw the film and felt the simulated earthquake at "The Stables." The free tour of the Sheepskin Tannery was also interesting.

On October 23rd we packed a picnic lunch and headed south for more adventures.

We found the B&B home in Eastbourne quaint and comfortable. Jim and Janete Thomas were gracious hosts. We enjoyed a lovely family dinner with them complete with champagne.

It was their "New Zealand Bed and Breakfast Book" (Pelican Publ.) that was so helpful to us during our week of homestays. Rates are more reasonable when arranged privately than booking overnight stays through an agency. The most we paid for the two of us in a twin- bedded room was NZ$100. That was less than US$60 and included not only bed and breakfast but bountiful dinners as well. A true bargain!

The information Centre in each city provided brochures and many options. We learned that local bus tours were an ideal way to become oriented to each big city. Indeed, we took two tours of Christchurch, the most gorgeous city we've visited anywhere--but I'm getting ahead of my story.

The 3 1/2 hour ferry crossing from Wellington to Picton was smooth but rather boring, so it was good to climb back into our automobile.

Heading toward Nelson, we chose the scenic Queen Charlotte Drive. Fabulous views!

Bob Brown, our host on Bridge Street in Nelson. welcomed us to his comfortable home. There we had our own sitting room in addition to bedroom and private bath. Situated on the river, his house is directly across from Queen's Gardens and within walking distance of the business district.

Nelson was especially quiet because many of the shops were closed over their Labour Day Weekend. We decided to drive over Marble Mountain to Takaka and Golden Bay. Passed many orchards, fields of hops, and of course paddocks filled with sheep.

We even stopped to feed the "tame" eels. The lady tapped the wooden dock with a cane and about a dozen large eels came boiling to the surface. We fed them chunks of mussels that were skewered on the end of a sharp stick. Amazing creatures.

After two nights in Nelson we were on the road again via Blenheim and Kaikoura. We didn't have time to try a whale-watching excursion, None of the crayfish stands were operating, so that was a small disappointment.

Christchurch more than fulfilled expectations. The beautiful River Avon that wanders through the city

was flanked by stately old trees and banks of flowers. Historic buildings have been preserved or restored. It is a city of churches and parks. Rhododendrons ten to fifteen feet tall were in full bloom.

We spent one night at "Riverview Lodge" then moved to a new home called "Wairere" on Fendalton Road near Mona Vale Gardens. A truly elegant experience!

We visited Cathedral Square, of course, where we listened to "The Wizard" tell the crowd that he doesn't have to pay taxes because he is "not a real person."

Although the NZ economy is suffering, as is that of the rest of the world, there was not a single "Will work for food" sign.

There are quite a few young teens traveling with backpacks. Some, in the cities, were seen with punk hairstyles and studs in their noses, but we saw no beggars.

There is little graffiti. Roadsides were free of debris and the countryside so green it almost hurt our eyes!

Tasman Down's Sheep Station overlooking turquoise Lake Pukaki was a change of pace. We had no idea that sheep ranching would be so much WORK! (We figured that you put the sheep out in a pasture to graze and once a year you give them a haircut. Right? Not so!)

Because sheep clip the grass so short they need to be moved from paddock to paddock every 2 to 3 days. Hooves must be trimmed, medicine pumped down their throats, and their wool needs to be drenched to rid them of external parasites. Fences must be kept in repair and crops must be rotated. Lambing is a rigorous time for both the ewes and the ranchers.

Bruce and Linda Hayman and their son Ian labor dawn until dark. In addition, Linda cooks delicious meals for B&B guests. We felt lucky to be able to return their hospitality when they visited us in Queenstown. (to be continued), (Ed.: Did you enjoy and/or profit from the above report

from Kitty Baler? If you did then please consider sending us your OWN trip report next time you go to New Zealand! All contributions are WELCOME!!)

DIVERSE NEW ZEALAND AU NATUREL

Highlights of New Zealand's 36 national, maritime and forest parks are depicted in a glossy color brochure produced by the New Zealand Department of Conservation.

The national park system Includes visitor information centers, huts, walking tracks, campsites, picnic spots and other facilities like those for less mobile people, and visitor programs with guided walks and other activities.

Use of the parks is free. Passes can be obtained for overnight stays in backcountry huts.

New Zealand's national park system began in 1887 when a Maori chief Te Heuheu Tukino IV gifted Tongariro National Park to the NZ people. At this time it was only the fourth national park anywhere in the world.

Today Tongariro is one of five World Heritage sites in New Zealand, along with Westland, Fiordland, Mount Cook, and Mount Aspiring.

World Heritage status is bestowed by UNESCO in Paris on sites of internationally recognized natural and cultural significance. Other World Heritage sites around the world include Colorado's Grand Canyon, Australia's Great Barrier Reef, and Egypt's Pyramids.

To obtain a free copy of "Exploring New Zealand's Parks", please contact: Exploring New Zealand's Parks, NZ Tourism Board, 501 Santa Monica Blvd., Ste 300, Santa Monica CA 90401 (tel. 310-395- 7480 or 800-388-5494 USA or 800-888-5494 CANADA.

CLIMBERS--BEWARE MT. COOK!

A year after millions of tons of snow, ice and rock fell off the eastern face of Mt. Cook, climbers are still being warned that the area is very unstable.

Such was the size of the avalanche that it registered on seismographs around NZ. The duration of the shake enabled scientists to deduce that the avalanche traveled at an average speed of 300 km/hr.

The Conservation Officer at Mt. Cook National Park, Mr. Ray Bellringer, said no one in his right mind would attempt to climb the eastern face because loose debris would make it very unattractive and dangerous.

"It's quite safe to climb the other faces, but we're advising people to be cautious near the summit because it's still very unstable," he said.

DISABLED TRAVELERS

Of special interest to disabled travelers and their spouses is a group called Traveling Nurses' Network. Founded by Helen Hecker, R.N., this organization will supply not only nurses, but physicians, physical therapists and other health professionals as well, to accompany wheelchair-bound travelers.

For contacting: send a letter explaining needs, medical condition, destination and schedule along with $10 to Traveling Nurses' Network, Box 129, Vancouver WA 98666 (tel. 206-694-2462). In response, you'll receive names of nurses to contact.

QUEENSTOWN GOLD - by Eva Trapani

There's an attitude among New Zealanders, a looking down the nose at lovely Queenstown. They all say, "Tourism has ruined the place." But I suspect the place can never be ruined. No matter how many tourists flock the streets--no matter how many foreigners buy property and even show up eventually to live there--they won't ruin it.

It isn't the town that's so extraordinary. It's the surrounding country. Beyond the grandeur of the scenery, there exists an irresistible, pervasive spirit that is at once

brawny and robust, yet gentle and old-fashioned. It's a part of your past you can't quite remember, but you know you've found home again.

It's difficult to believe that Queenstown was once a country village sleeping under towering peaks. And earlier, before gold fever hit the Central Otago region in 1862, the town was nothing but a simple sheep run. Now it's a tourist mecca, summer and winter. From July through September, tens of thousands of skiers descend on the town, most seeking New Zealand's premiere ski-field Coronet Peak.

In the summer there are boating enthusiasts, fisherpeople, trampers, and plain tourists from all over the globe. Queenstown manages to make room for them all in high-rise hotels, luxury and non-luxury motels, bed and breakfast lodgings, campgrounds, and hostels. A night in a good motel will cost from US$50 to $90 for two; in a B&B, two people for US$35 to $80.

None of these burgeoning tourist trappings can take away from the magnificent setting. The mountains soaring above glorious Lake Wakatipu stay ever the same. The lively streets of the town seem insignificant beneath those mountains, beside that lake.

The landscape around Queenstown seems to be burnished in gold most of the year--not a hard, glittery gold, but an old gold, soft and worn. The spring gold comes from dazzling scotch broom scattered over the hills and in the sheltered valleys the joyous kowhai blossoms. In autumn it glows from golden leaves of populars, elms and willows planted by early settlers. All through the year sun-burnt tussock covers the lower ranges like a rough bronze blanket.

The very air over the central Otago seems to have a subtle shading of gold, much like that of northern California. The sunshine itself seems more golden. Is it a coincidence that veins of gold were discovered in both areas last century?

Wakatipu's loveliness, most compelling in early mornings and when the sun is setting, has been celebrated over the years by poets and painters. It is a joy for photographers. The lake lies in the bed of an ancient glacier, is 50 miles long and reaches a depth of more than 1,200 feet.

Every visitor to the lake owes it to his or her self to have an outing on the T.S.S. Earnslaw, which has been chugging around the lake many times each day since 1912. It's a leisurely and relaxing way to see the lake and the mountains, or to cross over to the remote Mt. Nicholas Sheep Station where you can observe the daily workings of a high country sheep and cattle station. Walter Peak and Cecil Peak stations, also on the other side of the lake, have their own launches for transporting visitors.

There are the famous jet-boat trips on the Shotover River, as well as whitewater rafting and hydrofoil spins on the lake. You may prefer more leisurely sports such as fishing for trout, and horse-trekking for a day or half a day, or back country hikes through rugged areas virtually untouched by man.

Everyone takes a thrilling gondola ride up to Bob's Peak high above the city. Don't go without a camera. You can have a meal at the restaurant or at the snack bar after you have partaken of the heady view.

From October to May you can relive the days of steam trains by taking a trip on the elegant Kingston Flyer. Kingston is about 30 miles from Queenstown on the south end of the lake. Staff members dressed in period costumes serve colonial teas during the train ride.

You can easily day-trip to glorious Milford Sound. Mount Cook Airlines provides flights to Milford, or you may choose to go by an early morning bus. The Government Tourist Bureau on Shotover Street can help with arrangements. There Is also a booking office at the Visitors Activity Centre on Beach Street and at the Fiordland Travel Centre at the Steamer Wharf.

You will want to take the breathtaking Coronet Peak chairlift from which the view Is overwhelming. Also there are scenic flights to Milford or Mt. Cook, or over the mountains and lakes. All of this Is only a sampling of the variety of attractions Queenstown has to offer.

You will need to book accommodations ahead, especially during the summer (December to February). Many visitors like to stay in Arrowtown where it's more serene and prices are lower. It's a short, picture-postcard drive to Queenstown from there.

Plan for time in Queenstown. You'll need it in order to savor the past and linger along the tree-lined streets and roads, for leisurely walks and drives. You will find that commercialization has not marred the distinctive quality of Queenstown, so named many years ago by settlers who found its regal setting "fit for a queen.N

Fly to New Zealand in September to see the spring gold, in April to see autumn gold--discover gold any time of the year in Queenstown.

POHUTUKAWA ENDANGERED

At first glance there still seem to be plenty of pohutukawa crowning the country's coasts, but in fact the tree is easily harmed and is disappearing fast, those we see are centuries old and no saplings are surviving to replace them.

Auckland University botany graduate Sandra Wotherspoon, who is preparing a master's thesis on pohutukawa seedling regeneration, says the problem is largely introduced pasture grass which is invading foreshore pasture slopes causing seeding habitat loss. Pohutukawa loss on Kawau Island and in various parts of Northland is serious. (From North & South magazine)

VOICE OF A KIWI - by Richard Croft

Hanmer Forest Park encompasses over 40,000 acres and contains within its boundaries a remarkable diversity of tree species, from Northern Hemisphere exotics to the native beech, and it covers an altitudinal range from open river bed to alpine grasslands. Because there

were no suitable trees in the area for building purposes the original Lands Department early in the century imported, among many others, spruce, alder, Douglas fir, ponderosa, Corsican and Monterey Pine, as well as larch to grow on an experimental basis.

They planted silver birches, poplars and other deciduous varieties along the inter-connecting forest "rides" that would give pleasure to any landscape architect, while the rivers and streams are fringed with the rich greens of English willow. There is colour and vibrance everywhere but never more so than in autumn as the leaves of the exotics burnish and fall amongst the evergreens.

Hanmer itself sits on the sloping eastern edge of the park almost obscured by its own verdant canopy and its 1200 population is swelled at weekends and vacation time by many more visitors and holiday home owners, mainly from Christchurch which is only 85 miles distant. Bush walking, climbing, canoeing and whitewater rafting on the nearby Waiau River are all popular pastimes for the energetic.

The main attractions, however, are the hot thermal pools and the surrounding gardens. The mildly saline waters are considered to have curative properties for certain chronic arthritic and skin ailments. The pools complex is within the grounds of the original sanatorium. When it burned down In 1914 the Queen Mary Hospital was built in its place for convalescing WW1 invalids. Since then it has had various uses, lately as an alcoholics treatment centre.

At 1200 feet the air here is invigorating and clear and there are some fine walks of short or long duration to points overlooking the surrounding valleys. Easily the most attainable for senior citizens like myself is the zig- zag up on to Conical Hill which provides fine panoramic views from the lookout. Much more rewarding if you have a day to spare is the walk up the subalpine track to 5,000 ft. Mt. Isobel where certain areas of the producing forests are open to the public. There are also various gravel roads winding up through the forest to Jack's Pass. Excellent fishing for trout or salmon as well as horse trekking are to be found.

Hanmer has always been one of my favourite off- beat stopovers in the South Island not only for the relaxing and stimulating effects of the mineral spa but also for the peace and tranquility of the surroundings.

Several days and a number of refreshing dips in the pools later, it seemed time to hit the road north to Waiau, over the hills to Parnassus, then up S.H.1 via the steep Hundalees to meet up once again with the broad blue Pacific. The precipitous, forest-clad bluffs overhang the highway here, and the railway route ducks and dives in and out of a series of tunnels and slip shelters.

Below, breakers crash unceasingly among the rocky outcrops, dumping huge mounds of giant kelp onto the shingly sand beaches. The air seems always to be filled with a heavy, all-pervading smell of salt, ozone and dehydrating weed. Crayfish (lobster) is a major export

from this area and wayside stalls offer the freshly boiled delicacy to passersby. In fact, the name of the town just ahead, Kaikoura, actually means "feast of crayfish" to the Maori. Kaikoura lies to the north of the peninsula of the same name and is a popular stop-over for travellers enroute overland to and from the ferry terminus at Picton. Its quaint, narrow little main street leads on to a broad esplanade lined with Norfolk pines.

Further along is the South Bay fishing port and a road leading to the seal colony inhabited by hundreds of seals. In summer, especially, and at low tides you can wander quite close to them as they bask in the warm sun. Dolphins abound in these coastal waters which are warmed by an unusual gulfstream type current, and more than 200 species of fish have been recorded.

Whales and seals were ruthlessly hunted last century, virtually to the point of extinction, and it is encouraging that as the whales have gradually returned to their natural feeding grounds in recent years, Kaikoura has become internationally known for whale-watching. These huge sperm whales are the largest of the toothed whales and can grow to over 60 ft in length and weigh up to 50 tons. They can dive to over 3,000 ft, and they surface for up to 15 minutes at a time to rest and re-oxygenate-- which makes a superb and unforgettable sight for onlookers. They appear to even enjoy fraternising with the gawking zodiac-laden tourists, but no one can ever know if that is true.

Kaikoura is scenically delightful, curving as it does for several miles around the bay which adjoins a rich dairy farming flat running back to the foothills. But admidst this abundance of natural beauty nothing can match the stunning backdrop of the Seaward Kaikoura Range, paralleling the coast to the north and rising in folds to 8,000 ft at many points. In winter the combination of pastureland, forest, and blue-green sea backed by the mountains swathed in their thick winter mantle of snow is enough to soften and captivate the most austere of souls.

I first contemplated this very scene as an impressionable teenager in the early spring of 1945 and have never forgotten the occasion. It was early on a still, crisp, frosty morning with the sun gently spreading its glow as it rose into a cloudless sky. In all my visits to Kaikoura since, I have never quite been able to recapture that effect. Now it is autumn with its own unique kind of seasonal display, so different yet still so charming.

Cutting north, S.H. 1 provides many more miles of attractive coastline arid innumerable picnic spots but very little habitation. North of Kekerengu the road becomes more undulating and starts to veer inland as the mountains recede. Another of those never-ending transformations that confront the traveller in New Zealand is beginning to take place. The denuded hills from here to Blenheim are swept by the dry prevailing norwesters to create an almost permanently parched brown appearance. It is almost a relief to come down to sea level again at the start of the broad open Wairau plain.

Blenheim was named when the new province of Marlborough was created in honour of John Churchill, the first Duke of Marlborough, who achieved his famous victoty over the French at Blenheim in 1704. The New Zealand Blenheim had an uncertain beginning when the 1855 earthquake lowered most of the plain by about 6 ft and destroyed nearly every building. Today it is a thriving market town of some 15,000 people, well-known for the district's horticulture and its fine wines and also as the "sunshine" capital of the South Island. There is excellent fishing, hunting, and tramping to be had in the head- waters and tributaries of the Wairau River valley, easily accessible by Hwy 63 which is also a more direct alternative route to the Nelson Lakes and the West Coast.

It can be blazingly hot on the plain and this March day was just such a one as I drove over the short 18 miles to Picton. Picton is tucked away at the foot of a ring of high hills which constantly change colour at the whim of sun and cloud, while cooling winds swirl and swoop to ruffle the waters of the Sound. Picton is very picturesque even though to many travellers it only represents a transit point for joining or disembarking from the Cook Strait ferry. There are a number of eateries and taverns, and the grassy esplanade is an ideal place to relax and laze. At nearby jetties a colourful selection of passenger launches and charter craft vie for customers who may wish to explore and enjoy the endless variety of bays, inlets and fishing spots which make these land- locked waterways so different.

Now it is time to prepare for my return to the other island. Although I do not contemplate the prospect with great enthusiasm I have to admit "there's no place like home". There is another saying, too -- "the grass is always greener over the hill", and I am surprised now, in looking back, that it took so many years for me to discover that it isn't really greener at all. That doesn't stop questing travellers from looking over the next hill anyway.

The other thing that surprises me is that no matter how many places I visit around the world my happiest recollections are not of soaring city skylines or rugged mountains or restless seas, but more often of the people I have met. I think of the unsolicited acts of kindness and offers of hospitality from complete strangers. In a world which has become increasingly riven by ethnic conflict and by rampant materialism in the modern consumer society, it is enriching to find how helpful ordinary people can be. A smile is the international passport--most people react warmly to it. We are, after all, members of that great fraternity the human race.

Those itchy feet I mentioned early in this journey of re-discovery are not quite so itchy these days. It could be a case of the heart is willing but the flesh is weak, not to mention a diminishing bank account. Oh well, I have some wonderful memories, some great friends, and I can always reach over to the bookshelf and choose from a large assortment of maps, brochures or travellers' tales for browsing.

Perhaps it would be appropriate to conclude with these few stanzas written some years ago:

"I've wandered far and wide,

Wher'er my restless feet have willed

But shall I ever find and hold

True happiness and hopes fulfilled.

Instead shall I search forever

Not knowing what I'll find

Then just as I am growing old

God grant me death and peace of mind."

GROUP MOTORHOME TOUR

Might you be interested in traveling through New Zealand in a motorhome with group advantages? On a 28-day tour offered by BREAKAWAY TOURS, companion/guides will travel along with the group, assisting in side trips and keeping in touch constantly by mobile telephone intercom.

The companion/guides welcome your company, but there is no requirement that you travel in convoy. Sound like fun?

The groups are usually small, four vehicles or so, and there is lots of personal attention. The routes are well planned (total distance about 2000 miles).

The escort will introduce "left" side driving and lead the way for the first short-run day. You will not be allowed to get lost.

There are options as to size of motorhome and the amenities included. There will be an occasional country dinner and overnight homestay along the route.

Information can be acquired directly from BREAKAWAY TOURS in Hastings. NZ, by phoning 64-6-874 8833 or faxing 64-6-874 8850. Address: RD 11, Hastings NZ.

For reservations contact Anzac Travel, 2567 152nd Ave NE, Redmond WA 59052. Tel. (800) 886-

9886 or FAX (206)861-4504

BITS AND BITES

* If you're heading for NZ any time soon you'll need the NZ Tourism Board's travel guide Getting Around New Zealand. The pocket-size book has forty pages on transportation with full schedules of intra-NZ air, bus and train schedules and particulars on rental cars and motorhomes. All necessary phone numbers are included. Contact: NZ Tourism Board, 501 Santa Monica Blvd, Ste 300, Santa Monica CA 90401. Ph. (800) 388- 5494 or (310) 395-7480.

* We've told you before about the fine piano music of New Zealander Carl Doy. We've driven throughout Kiwiland enjoying Doy's mellifluous tones. Now he's going international and we've seen his "Piano by Candlelight" album advertised on some American cable channels. Order it. You'll love it. All the selections are well- known and many are contemporary. The phone number given on TV is 800-237-7900. BUT--beware: there's

another "Piano by Candlelight" album out there produced by Reader's Digest, and this is NOT the Carl Doy collection, so look for Doy's name.

* Some advice from our NZ friend Betty Croft for those of you who bring home recipes from down under. It's obvious to Betty, after some experience, that American ovens get hotter than theirs--so she would advise you that "moderate" in the USA would be 325 deg. So try it out, but definitely reduce the heat slightly.

Wanganui, December 3. A pleasant trip, yesterday, per Ballarat Fly. Four hours. I do not know the distance, but it must have been well along toward fifty miles. The fly could have spun it out to eight hours and not discommoded me; for where there is comfort, and no need for hurry, speed is of no value--at least to me; and nothing that goes on wheels can be more comfortable, more satisfactory, than the New Zealand trains. Outside of America there are no cars that are so rationally devised. When you add the constant presence of charming scenery and the nearly constant absence of dust--well, if one is not content then, he ought to get out and walk. That would change his spirit, perhaps? I think so. At the end of an hour you would find him waiting humbly beside the track, and glad to be taken aboard again.

Much horseback riding, in and around this town; many comely girls in cool and pretty summer gowns; much Salvation Army; lots of Maoris; the faces and bodies of some of the old ones very tastefully frescoed. Maori Council House over the river-- large, strong, carpeted from end to end with matting, and decorated with elaborate wood carvings, artistically executed. The Maoris were very polite.

I was assured by a member of the House of Representatives that the native race is not decreasing, but actually increasing slightly. It is another evidence that they are a superior breed of savages. I do not call to mind any savage race that built such good houses, or such strong and ingenious and scientific fortresses, or gave so much attention to agriculture, or had military arts and devices which so nearly approached the white man's. These, taken together with their high abilities in boat-building, and their tastes and capacities in the ornamental arts, modify their savagery to a semi-civilization--or at least to a quarter-civilization.

It is a compliment to them that the British did not exterminate them, as they did the Australians and the Tasmanians, but were content with subduing them, and showed no desire to go further. And it is another compliment to them that the British did not take the whole of their choicest lands, but left them a considerable part, and then went further and protected them from the rapacities of landsharks--a protection which the New Zealand Government still extends to them. And it is still another compliment to the Maoris that the Government allows native represen- tation in both the legislature and the cabinet, and gives both sexes the vote. And in doing these things the Government also compliments itself; it has not been the custom of the world for conquerors to act in this large spirit toward the conquered. (will be continued).

THE NEW ZEALAND BED AND BREAKFAST

BOOK 1993 edition - Compiled by J. and J. Thomas

For the traveler who wants to experience the feel of the real New Zealand, The New Zealand Bed and Breakfast Book can help insure a memorable trip. In fact. we feel no one traveling independently should travel to New Zealand without this book (see Baler article, page 2).

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

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

(Pelican Publishing Company, 1101 Monroe St., P.O. Box 189, Gretna LA 70053 - 504-368-1175).

SOUTHERN CROSS TOURS INTL. (180 Degrees Beyond the Ordinary)

Suzi Beacham of Southern Cross Tours, Inc., has sent a last-minute fax message about her new business (Southern Cross Tours) as a travel expert in the South Pacific, especially New Zealand, since 1971.

She is offering some wonderful tours at fantastically low prices. There isn't room here for the details, but get in touch with her right away for information on what's coming up!

Details: Southern Cross Tours Intl., 2433 N. Government Way. Ste A, Coeur de'Alene ID 83814. Ph. 208-667- 2999, 800-793-2999. Fax 208-765-1435.

ANOTHER PLACE LIKE HOME--from NZ Herald

For Gail and Charlie Howard, home is where Westport is.

And it doesn't seem to matter which side of the world it is on.

For just over half of the year the couple who hail from Westport, Maine, in the United States, are content to enjoy their island home. But come December they leave winter and Westport USA in favour of Westport, New Zealand.

It is a pattern that has been followed for the eight years since the Howards fell in love with Tauranga Bay on the South Island towns outskirts.

Mrs. Howard said her husband, a retired firefighter and lobster fisherman, had always wanted to visit New Zealand and had talked about buying a house here.

So when they began their first New Zealand holiday, visiting their homeland's namesake was a must.

"It was like a mission, coming to Westport," she said.

But what the pair had not bargained for was an instant love affair with the town and Tauranga Bay.

Conveniently for the Howards a beach house was for sale.

"I said, Mr. Howard, if you want a house in New Zealand, this is it," according to Mrs. Howard who formerly ran chambers of commerce in Maine. And so they bought it.

She said she felt equally at home in both Westports although it was getting harder and harder to leave their New Zealand home each year.

The Howards say they have been welcomed into the West Coast community with open arms.

"I don't think the hospitality of the West Coast can be matched anywhere," said Mr. Howard.

During their first New Zealand Christmas a tree was delivered to their doorstep and carols were sung on Christmas morning.

These days the couple immerse themselves in a variety of activities. Mr. Howard's hobby is gold-dredging and Mrs. Howard is involved with the Rotary club.

They drive to and from town in their silver 1967 Valiant car.

The Howards belong to an organisation called the Westport Association--an international group of Westport residents from around the world. It is believed there are about 27 places called Westport in the English- speaking world.

It takes the Howards 41 hours to travel between Westports, but they have no regrets about their lifestyle.

When winter bits New Zealand in May, the pair will bid farewell to their Southern Hemisphere Westport friends and reacquaint themselves with their other Westport buddies half a world away.

Until next time, KIA ORA!!