Central Otago in summer is hot, relaxing, historically interesting, wonderfully scenic and full of activities, and most of those features continue into autumn. Queenstown was lively over the summer months, but nothing like its heady days when the place was packed with international visitors and Kiwis felt alienated by the crowds and the high prices. Autumn is when … [Read more...] about Why there’s never been a better time to check out the charms of Central Otago
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‘An authentic Kiwi experience’: Reflections of a campervan virgin
At just past midday on a sunny Auckland Sunday, I climbed into the driver’s seat of a Maui campervan at their depot and pointed my turtle, as I called my new home, down Manu Tapu Drive and onto SH20 and then SH1 and SH 2 heading for Waihi Beach. Eight days later at a bit before midday on another sunny Auckland Sunday, I returned the van having driven 1179km, having spent … [Read more...] about ‘An authentic Kiwi experience’: Reflections of a campervan virgin
Let’s go to a holiday park this summer
Families, couples, and the few remaining international visitors still in New Zealand are flocking to holiday parks around the country to take advantage of reasonably priced accommodation in attractive scenic areas. At the Foxton Beach Holiday Park, owner Uwe Kroll told me his customer profile pre-Covid was 80:20 domestic - international. “It's Kiwis only now”. A migrant from … [Read more...] about Let’s go to a holiday park this summer
Is Nelson really at the centre of things?
Promotional material aimed at domestic and international tourists says the centre of New Zealand is up a hill in the centre of Nelson City with a commanding view of the Nelson Tasman area. It is sort of true, and information on the Nelson City Council’s sites both back and qualify the claims. The country’s main tourist site NewZealand.com says: “The Centre of New Zealand, … [Read more...] about Is Nelson really at the centre of things?
Memphis: City of two kings
Memphis, the biggest city in Tennessee, epitomises the old and new South of the United States. Once a major slave-trading centre, in the 1960s it was the focus of civil rights action. Dr Martin Luther King was assassinated there, and the National Civil Rights Museum in the city is his memorial. It has always been, and still is, a major musical centre for blues, country, jazz … [Read more...] about Memphis: City of two kings
Kindness of strangers
Travelling’s easier when people go out of their way to help. Three incidents during my latest travels in the United States have reaffirmed my faith in the essential decency of human beings. I was travelling from Memphis to Nashville by Greyhound bus. I duly arrived at the terminal, handed over my suitcase to the loader and got on the bus with a shoulder bag and a laptop … [Read more...] about Kindness of strangers
Time out in Victoria
All roads to the Great Ocean Road pass through Geelong, once a bustling port and now an attractive retirement town. At Geelong, travellers can head due west on the inland road or take the more common route south west to the Victorian Riviera. We took some friends’ advice and went inland to avoid the holiday crush. It turned out to be good advice. The first part of our … [Read more...] about Time out in Victoria
Lyon: a culinary gem amid a violent history
Lyon is a gem of a city. Set on a hilly site, it's where the Rhône and Saône rivers meet – making it a it a natural military and commercial and an attractive location in its own right. Its long history dates back to Roman times when it was called Lugdunum and was the capital of Roman Gaul. By 1032 it was part of the Holy Roman Empire but was annexed to France in 1312. It … [Read more...] about Lyon: a culinary gem amid a violent history
Abby’s tale
When I first saw her she was huddled in a near tearful conversation with another young woman of about her age, seeking comfort, information and reassurance, but clearly getting none of those. The first girl – I’ll call her Abby, although throughout our brief encounter I never knew her name – was clearly distressed about something. The second was listening politely in that … [Read more...] about Abby’s tale