Would you pay $80 for a tour of an old film set? What if they threw in a free glass of beer and a guide whose main role was to politely hurry people past hobbit holes and rolling hills? Not being a massive Lord of the Rings fan (and a critic of the stretched out, … Read more
What makes for a romantic travel destination? Normally I’d say the place itself doesn’t matter, and that you could have a romantic weekend pretty much anywhere, but a nice setting definitely helps. We recently spent a romantic weekend in Akaroa, one of New Zealand’s most quaint old towns. We dined at expensive French restaurants (Akaroa … Read more
When visiting Queenstown you’ll eventually have to dust off your hiking boots and hit a trail or two. The scenery, which mostly consists of jagged snow-capped peaks, glassy lakes and calm coves, kind of demands it. But what to do if you’re unfit, lazy or short on time? Luckily there are numerous short and easy … Read more
Cars represent freedom in New Zealand. When you’re a teenager they open up a whole new world of parties and lunchtime drives to KFC. When you’re 32 they are vessels in which to explore the country — hubcap thieving gravel roads, overrun tourist sites, deserted beaches, iconic mountains and all. The most I’d spent previously on a car … Read more
I spent the first 10 years of my life in Timaru, a nondescript little city about halfway between Christchurch and Dunedin. Oamaru is about an hour away from Timaru, and we always regarded it as our ugly, boring little brother. That is the case no more; Oamaru has reinvented itself as one of New Zealand’s best … Read more
After gorging on paradise white sand beaches in Asia, I couldn’t help but think about the coastal areas in my own neck of the woods. A world away in both distance and looks, the rugged stretch of coast just south of Dunedin (my home town) known as the Catlins is somehow just as stunning. On … Read more
I remember seeing a TV show about a group of ghost hunters searching for evidence of the supernatural in the sleepy old gold mining town of St Bathans, New Zealand. They didn’t find anything (apart from a photo that looked like it was digitally enhanced), so I took it upon myself to find out if the … Read more
I set off for Mount Doom at 8.30 am from Clyde, a small town in Central Otago, New Zealand. My companions were Steve, son of Lloyd, and Princess Gia of Manila. Our quest was to get to the Tongariro Crossing and find Mount Doom (and capture it in a great photo) – the fate of … Read more