The Written Word
for December 27, 2000

This past November/December Wendy and I went to New Zealand … for me it was my 21^st time, for Wendy it was number 8 in the 7 years we've been together. There must be, you might think, a reason … I hope this morning to give you some clues in that regard.

First off I must thank the two airlines that helped us do this trip and this resulting travelogue - Air Canada that took us to Los Angeles and return and our old friend Air New Zealand who handled it the rest of the way. They are both part of the Star Alliance and I must say all the arrangements were superb. We did go Business Class all the way which certainly helps on long journeys.

On the way down for scheduling reasons I needn't go into, we went first to LA then to Honolulu where we stayed for three days. I must tell you honestly that Honolulu is not one of my favourite places but I resolved this year to make a virtue of necessity and it turned out to be very easy. For budgetary reasons we chose the Miramar Hotel which is a couple of blocks off Waikiki (which incidentally we never even saw!) and it was a superb choice. For $500 Canadian we got three nights including breakfast. We had a large room and all the trappings you could possibly need. Unless you simply must throw a couple of hundred US a day at a hotel for the privilege of being on the beach, the Miramar is for you. My thanks to Lauire Ann at Carlson-Wagonlit for making these arrangements for us.

Wendy's friend Donna drove us around the west side of Oahu and we found a charming, almost deserted beach for a picnic then drove and saw the sights that most who visit Honolulu never get to see. We did a lot of pool time and bookstore time and for me it was just the right start to the holiday.

The trip from Honolulu to Auckland sounds a bit nightmarish on the surface - a 12:15AM departure but in fact it's a super time to do the trip. It's about nine hours - the same as to London - and you get there just after 8 in the morning. Wendy and I, after the preliminaries were over, took a little pill and got six hours sleep and felt pretty good by the time we landed. If we had been going on we could have showered and changed in the Air New Zealand Lounge but for the first two nights we were pampering ourselves at the Stamford Plaza at about $120 CDN. We usually do this - have a couple of days of luxury before we do the cabin and outside plumbing bit down when we get to Taupo.

Auckland is a very beautiful city. For us it's where we buy most of our sports clothes … because New Zealand makes, arguably, the best clothes you can get and with a 65 cent dollar the price is right. Our favourite stops are Laurel's for ladies wear and Logans, also called Rodd and Gunn for my stuff. If shopping is not on, even at these prices, and you want a bit of a flutter there is, of course, the Casino right in Downtown Auckland as part of the huge space needle.

Our dear friends Norman and Chris Martensen live in Auckland so the first night we took them to dinner at a very good but very expensive seafood restaurant called Sails. If you're having a bit of a celebration - which we were - it's well worth it but be prepared for a handsome bill at the end.

Just a word about New Zealand restaurants - there are lots of very good ones but know that many of them are BYO - that is bring your own wine or beer. This makes the meal a very reasonable one since there is no corkage charge. Best to check when you make reservations and even if you goof, there's usually a booze shop nearby.

We had a marvelous two days - Norm and Chris have moved from Howick, at the south end of Auckland, to the North Shore at Mairangi Bay, one of perhaps a half dozen beautiful bays just across the harbour bridge. These bays have the most lovely turquoise water and sandy uncrowded beaches. A very pleasant day’s drive can be had with lunch at anyone of a number of waterside restaurants and it would be very well spent.

Before I start our journey, let me tell you what we didn't do … and what I vigorously recommend that any first timer to New Zealand do. We didn't go to Northland - that is to say north through my old family seat of Whangerei to the Bay of Islands and beyond. Many first time visitors tend to go immediately south to Rotorua and the Glow worm caves and miss not only one of the beautiful parts of New Zealand but one of the loveliest parts of the world, period. We didn't go there because we wanted to do a couple of other things that I'll tell you about and, of course, we’ve been there many, many times before.

Our first task was to get a car and I've been very lucky to find a dealer who, through friendship with Norm, gives us an older model for $33 a day, all found. It's a hell of a good deal and I may be able to help any interested in getting a better than your average deal on a U-drive.

Our first stop after Auckland was a little place called Te Rangiita which is on the #1 highway between the towns of Taupo and Turangi on the largest lake in New Zealand, Lake Taupo. There, as we always do, we stayed in the cabins behind our friends Pete and Stella Gordon's Caltex station and tearoom. This is pretty fundamental - cabin, stove and fridge with the loo across the way and the shower outside but attached to the cabin. But the price is right and the company superb. We've had the privilege over the years of watching the kids grow and the business expand. This trip we met their new black lab pup Mia who replaced the late and much lamented Lucy.

Te Rangi Ita is in the shadow of the three great sister volcanoes, Ngauruhoe, Ruapehu and Tongariro … they are still very active and in fact about five years ago Ruapehu blew its stack and smothered everyone in Taurangi with ash … which did nothing to enhance the fishing in the Togariro which became sodden with lava ash. A drive from here through Tongariro National Park is a must. It’s also an easy day trip to Hawkes Bay with Hastings and Napier and lovely views … or to Rotorua and the geysers or even Tauranga in the lovely Bay of Plenty.

There are four main rivers flowing into Taupo - the Waitanahui, the Hinemaiai, the Tauranga Taupo and the Tongariro. Pete and Stella's place is right at the mouth of the Tauranga-Taupo, or T-T as we call it and Wendy and I spent six wonderful days fishing it. We have two spots we like - one a stretch in the middle water which has the most lovely runs and has done so well for us and the upper reaches which is beauty that beggars description.

We fished five of our six days in the middle runs and I'm bound to tell you that while we got our fish, it was slow. This was spawning time, you see, and while there were more fish in the river than I've ever seen, they seemed to have their minds mostly on other things than eating. We did one day up at the top of the river which is a pretty tough slug for these aging legs. It's about a 45 walk to where we start fishing now compounded by the fact that a huge flood this past spring threw mountains of trees and rocks over several parts of the trail extending the walk by about 15 minutes and testing the legs even further. I wanted to make this walk because, as time goes by, I'm never certain how often I'll have the opportunity in days to come. I was not disappointed. We gave the famous Ranger's Pool a pass and moved upstream through the Cathedral Pool - which I named incidentally, which name has stuck into what I call Rafe's Run … a name that has not stuck, I might add, and immodestly named by me because of outstanding fishing I've had over the years at this spot. I was fortunate and hooked a five pound hen which elected to run down stream in the fast current taking me the very end of my backing before I got things under control and landed her.

While we were at Taupo we took to having dinner at a marvelous restaurant in Turangi called Anglers Paradise which is part of a very nice and quite reasonable motel complete with pool and sauna. The restaurant - you must book - is a family affair, Terry and Linda and their superb chef Rocco. You will find yourself seated with others and invariably you will feel much enriched by the experience. This trip we have a former American ambassador to several African nations, along with visitors from all over the world as our dinner companions. This is a must.

Wendy had never, in her previous 7 trips, visited the capital, Wellington, an oversight we decided to cure. The drive down #1 highway is really quite a trip. You move from rolling hills scattered with sheep to a desert which will quickly remind you of the interior of BC. It is a very pleasant and easy four hour drive and if you happen to stay in the James Cook Hotel - which we did - the exit off the highway leads you right into the hotel's unloading area … and a waiting bellhop. I highly recommend the James Cook though it's at the high end at about $100 per night Canadian. If you can get the water side you will have magnificent views of Wellington for this is a curious structure built on the side of a very steep hill so that the lobby is actually on the 11^th floor which, from the back, is street level! The hotel has a marvelous buffet as well as an a la carte menu and a piano bar with an older chap who can play anything you want and superbly.

We took the city tour of Wellington and it is a very good one. For me the highlights was the old, now no longer a parish church, St Paul's cathedral built with the marvelous kauri wood. My great great grandfather started the trade in kauri gum from the Bay of Islands back at the beginning of the last century so I’ve always had an interest in this wonderful wood. If you have a chance, buy a bowl or some other example of kauri - it really is a lovely wood … and the other highlight was the view, 360 degrees, from Mount Victoria. I'm not a big fan of department stores but Wellington has an exception to my rule in Kirkaldy and Staines, accepted around New Zealand as the best in the country. They were good enough to sell me a jacket and slacks and some outfits for Wendy – with their quality and a 65 cent dollar – plus a class guy as a salesman, it was hard to resist. At the risk of being repetitive, New Zealand is a world class fashion center and makes outstanding clothes.

There is another unbelievable bargain in New Zealand - cds. We bought several dozen great, older cds at $10 per cd or $6.50 Canadian. The selections are huge and vary from outlet to outlet. If your bag is music of the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s – or the classics - you will be astonished what you can get and how much older stuff has been digitally remastered. I had one cute incident where I found a two disc album of Lionel Hampton and I took it to this kid at the counter who couldn't have been more than 18. "I don't suppose you can tell me anything about this disc, after all, Hampton is well before your time." "Hey, man", he said, "I'm a vibraphonist and Lionel Hampton is my hero … those cds are the greatest, man … let me give you a listen!" Which proves once more, as if proof were necessary, that you shouldn't get all your exercise jumping to conclusions!

After two great days in Wellington we headed north, bound for the Coromandel which, if you imagine New Zealand as an upside down boot, would be a small projectory between the toes and the heel. I had sailed around this lovely area bit like Wendy, had never actually been there. On the way we went up through Wanganui to Egmont National Park past the very classic looking volcano. On the way to our destination of Te Kuiti we hit a rainstorm like I've never seen in my life which was the only bad weather we experienced. After overnighting in the very nice Panorama Motel, which has an excellent restaurant, we motored up to the beauties of Coromandel. At Christmas time there is an extra bonus - the Pohutakawa tree or the Christmas tree which blooms in magnificent crimson. They are all up and down the coasts of the Coromandel and make quite a sight. Unfortunately they're like our Japanese Cherry and Plums where the blooms only last a couple of weeks but they're sure great while they last.

We had been advised to try the Church Motel in Hahei which we did and were not disappointed. Hahei is on the east coast in a small bay with a beautiful uncrowded beach of about a mile (for me it was a walk of about 45 minutes to do it twice) The motel can only be described as charming. The owners, Karen and Richard, moved an abandoned old church from Northland, stick by stick, and rebuilt it as their office and bar/restaurant. The studios are all roomy with double beds and patios on their lovely garden. Unfortunately their highly acclaimed restaurant is not open Tuesday and Wednesday which were the very days we were there but there are two other very fine restaurants about ten minutes walk away. But the highlight is the beach - but it is by no means unique. The North Island is full of them and often you'll see no one at all on them.

On our way back to Auckland we went up the peninsula to Kuaotunu where we crossed to Coromandel Town on the west coast where we drove down the coast, lined with pohutakawas until we got to Thames and then turned for the easy run through Auckland to our friends the Martensens where we spent our last three days.

There is a lot we didn't do, of course. We didn't visit Rotorua and the great geysers and we missed the east coast and Hawkes Bay. Mostly we didn't do the South Island which is a cornucopia of scenic goodies all of its own. In fact we are already making our plans for next year where at least a half, probably 2/3 of the time will be spent looking at the Southern Alps and Mount Cook, Christchurch that oh-so-English town on the Avon, the Salisbury Plain, Milford Sound, Queenstown and the southern cities of Dunedin and Invercargill.

New Zealand may seem like a small country but in truth it's not really and it takes plenty of time to see properly. With three weeks divided between the two islands you will just touch the surface.

Some general observations. New Zealand drivers are fast - sometimes scary fast, but courteous. If they are going slowly they will often pull over to let you pass. The main highways, while mostly two-laned, have plenty of passing lanes. They are carefully covered by speed cameras. And of course, one drives on the left.

New Zealand is not a hot, which is to say, tropical country. In the Spring and summer it can be hot but seldom unbearably so … and often it cools down very nicely in the evening. It is, for the most part, a pretty casual country so except in the better restaurants you'll not feel uncomfortable in shorts and a golf shirt. Public transit by bus is pretty good and very reasonable.

One of the many nice things about New Zealand is that apart from the common mosquito and the sandfly, it has no nasty things out there … no snakes of any kind, no vicious animals, no poison ivy.

People are often put off by the long airplane ride and there's no avoiding the fact that if you go Vancouver-Honolulu-Auckland you're looking at about 17 hours including an hour stop over in Honolulu. But there's good news. The timing is such that the part between Honolulu and Auckland is the perfect time to get some sleep in time for breakfast just before you land. Moreover, if you go during their summer, there is only a three hour "body" change. It's actually 21 hours of course because of the international dateline but for your body clock it's only 3.

Of perhaps the most importance, Kiwis are without doubt the friendliest, most accommodating and helpful people in the world. You are never lost and never in trouble without an instant friend … ask anyone who's been there.

There’s a reason I’ve been to New Zealand 21 times – in fact there is no end of reasons. It’s plain and simply a wonderful place to visit.

Again my thanks to Air Canada and especially Air New Zealand for their help getting us there and back so competently … and to Carlson Wagonlit, especially our own Laurie Ann Storoz.