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location<br />

on<br />

ISSUE 7<br />

Summer 2012<br />

NZ$6.95<br />

experience all the best spots on the planet<br />

Touring Spectacular<br />

<strong>Spain</strong><br />

with Globus<br />

INSIDE:<br />

Uncovering Norfolk Island’s secrets<br />

Cruising the Danube<br />

French-style family break


Look here<br />

to find your local<br />

<strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong><br />

professional<br />

Auckland City Level 7, 203 Queen St, Auckland ........................................... 09 302 2100<br />

Avonhead Cnr Merrin St & Withels Rd, Avonhead, Christchurch. .............................. 03 358 2922<br />

Bayfair 18 Girven Rd, Bayfair, Mt Maunganui ............................................. 07 574 1150<br />

Birkenhead 25 Birkenhead Ave, Birkenhead, Auckland . .................................... 09 480 0652<br />

Blenheim 98 Market St, Blenheim. ...................................................... 03 578 8575<br />

Botany Town Shop 31, Park Way, Botany Town Centre, Auckland. ............................ 09 277 2010<br />

Browns Bay 24 Clyde Rd, Browns Bay, Auckland. .......................................... 09 478 4416<br />

Dinsdale Whatawhata Rd, Dinsdale, Hamilton. ............................................ 07 847 1571<br />

Dunedin 63 Hanover St, Dunedin. ...................................................... 03 477 0443<br />

Epsom 581 Manukau Rd, Greenwoods Corner, Epsom, Auckland ............................. 09 630 0574<br />

Gisborne 37 Bright Street, Gisborne. .................................................... 06 868 7700<br />

Hastings 320 West Heretaunga St, Hastings. .............................................. 06 878 8113<br />

Havelock North Shop 4 Porter Drive, Havelock North ...................................... 09 877 4219<br />

Howick 63 Picton St, Howick, Auckland. ................................................. 09 535 9747<br />

Kaiapoi Kaiapoi Village Arcade, 123 William St, Kaiapoi. .................................... 03 327 9247<br />

Lower Hutt Shop 10 Centre City Plaza, 49 Queens Drive, Lower Hutt. ......................... 04 569 7504<br />

Mairangi Bay 437 Beach Rd, Mairangi Bay, Auckland. ...................................... 09 478 5663<br />

Masterton 12 Perry St, Masterton. ...................................................... 06 378 2454<br />

Mid City Nelson 46 Bridge St, Nelson ................................................... 03 548 3300<br />

Milford 186 Kitchener Rd, Milford, Auckland. ............................................. 09 489 2597<br />

Miramar 37 Miramar Ave, Miramar, Wellington. ........................................... 04 388 1107<br />

Mt Maunganui 149 Maunganui Rd, Mt Maunganui ........................................ 07 572 3040<br />

New Plymouth 110 Devon St, New Plymouth. ............................................ 06 758 5712<br />

Newmarket 10 Kingdon St, Newmarket, Auckland. ........................................ 09 524 5064<br />

Northcote 13 Pearn Pl, Northcote, Auckland. ............................................. 09 481 1747<br />

Ohakune 27 Clyde St,Ohakune. ........................................................ 06 385 9512<br />

Palmerston North 103 Broadway Ave, Palmerston North ................................... 06 357 4605<br />

Paraparaumu Coastlands Shoppingtown, SH1, Paraparaumu. ............................... 04 296 1118<br />

Ponsonby 293 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby, Auckland ......................................... 09 360 0443<br />

Porirua IOOF Building, 1st Floor, 16 Hartham Pl, Porirua. ................................... 04 237 4409<br />

Pukekohe 67 King St, Pukekohe, Auckland ............................................... 09 237 1108<br />

Rangiora 99 High St, Rangiora. ......................................................... 03 310 6288<br />

Remuera Shop 11, 319 Remuera Rd Remuera, Auckland. ................................... 09 520 5620<br />

Richmond 231 Queen St, Richmond. .................................................... 03 544 6640<br />

Rotorua 1235 Tutanekai St, Rotorua. .................................................... 07 349 4130<br />

St Heliers 41 St Heliers Bay Rd, St Heliers, Auckland ....................................... 09 575 3708<br />

Taupo 28 Horomatangi St, Taupo. ....................................................... 07 378 9028<br />

Tauranga Cnr The Strand & Devonport Rds, Tauranga. ...................................... 07 578 0936<br />

Te Kuiti 119 Rora St, Te Kuiti. .......................................................... 07 878 8184<br />

Thames 642 Pollen St, Thames. ........................................................ 07 868 9260<br />

Timaru 257 Stafford St, Timaru ......................................................... 03 688 6099<br />

Tokoroa 231 Leith Pl, Tokoroa. ......................................................... 07 886 6258<br />

Upper Hutt 156 Main St, Upper Hutt. ...................................................... 04 527 7114<br />

Waipukurau Ruataniwha St, Waipukurau. .................................................. 06 858 8140<br />

Waiuku 5 Bowen St, Waiuku. ............................................................. 09 236 5005<br />

Wanganui Trafalgar Square Centre, Wanganui. ............................................ 06 348 8190<br />

Warkworth 6 Baxter St, Warkworth. ..................................................... 09 425 7989<br />

Wellington City Cable Car Centre, 280 - 292 Lambton Quay, Wellington. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 04 473 1199<br />

Whakatane 45 Kakahoroa Pl, Esplanade Mall, Whakatane. .................................... 07 307 0122<br />

Whangarei Shop 5, 30 Rathbone St, Whangarei ............................................. 09 430 2862


Europe<br />

touring with<br />

Globus<br />

6<br />

Norfolk,<br />

a close<br />

and friendly<br />

neighbour<br />

12<br />

contents<br />

On<br />

safari<br />

in Africa<br />

15<br />

Santa<br />

Monica<br />

sun<br />

18<br />

Cruising<br />

the<br />

Danube<br />

24<br />

French-style<br />

family<br />

break<br />

28<br />

Regular Spaces<br />

8 What’s hot<br />

16 Experience this<br />

22 Cruise news<br />

26 Cooking on location<br />

at Club Med<br />

Cherating Beach<br />

30 Around New Zealand<br />

32 Newlywed bliss<br />

in French Polynesia<br />

34 News<br />

38 Airline update<br />

40 Gadgets to go<br />

41 Favourite spot<br />

on the planet<br />

- Club Med Kani<br />

in the Maldives<br />

42 <strong>Travel</strong> tips<br />

- Packing for Europe<br />

43 Business traveller<br />

Exploring<br />

Hawaii<br />

36<br />

44 What’s on<br />

46 On tour


Welcome<br />

HARVEY WORLD TRAVEL GENERAL MANAGER Adrian Turner<br />

Time to book your European getaway<br />

Welcome to the latest issue of on location magazine, packed<br />

with UK and Europe holiday ideas.<br />

There have never been more wonderful ways to see this<br />

wonderful part of the world, including luxurious guided holidays<br />

such as the Globus Spectacular <strong>Spain</strong> tour featured on<br />

our cover. Or perhaps a leisurely Viking River Cruise through<br />

Southern France or the heart of Europe, sailing down the Rhine,<br />

the Danube or the Rhône. There’s also a wealth of rail tours<br />

available, with fully escorted or independent travel itineraries,<br />

and of course, self-drive. Every choice of European holiday<br />

comes with plenty of options for all budgets and lengths of stay.<br />

The UK and Europe have always held a fascination for Kiwis; its<br />

beauty, history, architecture, culture and cuisine are a magical<br />

lure. The best UK and Europe holiday deals are in <strong>Harvey</strong><br />

<strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> stores throughout the country, so book now to<br />

secure your UK/Europe escape for 2013.<br />

EDITOR Tracey Mehrtens<br />

USA and Tahiti – Family trip of a lifetime<br />

I’ve just returned from a two-week USA and Tahiti trip with the<br />

family and what a trip it was! The 11- and 14-year-old were<br />

in seventh heaven.<br />

Still young enough to skip around Disneyland with childhood<br />

glee, they also roamed Hollywood Boulevard on ‘Star’ alert<br />

and cycled the winding beachfront path from Santa Monica<br />

to Venice Beach. Hearst Castle en route to San Francisco,<br />

and then Alcatraz and the city’s majestic Golden Gate<br />

Bridge, etched another whole raft of memories in their minds.<br />

All the USA excitement was capped off with a few nights<br />

in the sunshine and French-Pacific ambiance of Papeete<br />

on the way home. It was the perfect way to finish a busy<br />

holiday and break the long flight back.<br />

Of course, two weeks wasn’t nearly enough and the children<br />

are crying out for more. I’ve assured them it’s all waiting for<br />

them out there, at their own expense next time!


location<br />

on<br />

EDITOR Tracey Mehrtens<br />

SUBEDITOR John Corbett<br />

Contributing Writers Jane Daniels,<br />

Pamela Stephenson, Tracey Mehrtens, John Corbett<br />

Contributing <strong>Travel</strong> Agents Tracey Lynch,<br />

Natalie Archer, Robert Schroder, Tim Dunnill, Nick Tilly,<br />

Kathleen Pool<br />

American Express ®<br />

Cardmember?<br />

Publisher<br />

<strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> and Lexlee Media Group Ltd<br />

<strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> Project Manager<br />

Andrea Smith, <strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong><br />

Production & Design<br />

Kirsten Harrison, <strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong><br />

Print<br />

PMP Maxum<br />

Editorial and Advertising Enquiries<br />

tracey@4pr.co.nz<br />

Why not pay for<br />

all or part of your<br />

next trip with<br />

Membership Rewards ®<br />

points^.<br />

on location (ISSN 1179-9943) is subject to copyright in its entirety.<br />

The contents may not be reproduced in any form, either in whole or in<br />

part, written or electronic, without the written permission of the publisher.<br />

Opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of<br />

<strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> or Lexlee Media Group Ltd.<br />

harveyworld.co.nz<br />

0800 088 802


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TURKEY<br />

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Companion noW onLY $1675<br />

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Private Deluxe tour noW onLY $2820PP tWin<br />

*As experienced by NZ Fashion Designer, Jane Daniels.<br />

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CroisiEurope River Cruise, Bordeaux Region 7 Days<br />

noW onLY $1640PP tWin<br />

Conditions: Subject to availability; A $400.00 per person (non refundable) deposit will be required within one week of<br />

confirmation. All other conditions apply as per the Terms and Conditions detailed in the Ancient Kingdoms Holidays,<br />

& CroisiEurope River Cruises brochures. Glories of Turkey price is valid for travel 4 Apr - 31 Oct ; Authentic Turkey for<br />

travel May, Jun, Sept, Oct; Morocco in Style 6 Jan to 28 Feb & 1 June to 31 Aug; All must be booked and paid by 14<br />

December, 2012; CroisiEurope Bordeaux cruise valid for travel selected dates, must be booked & paid by 18 Nov;<br />

surcharges may apply for currency fluctuation and other seasons of travel, international airfares are not included.<br />

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Absolutely Moorish!<br />

Tracey Lynch of <strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> Nelson<br />

takes in the cultural glories of <strong>Spain</strong> on a Globus guided holiday.<br />

I was thrilled to be invited recently<br />

on a nine-day Globus Spectacular<br />

<strong>Spain</strong> guided holiday. The journey<br />

was to take in Madrid, Toledo, Granada,<br />

the Costa del Sol, Ronda, Jerez, Seville<br />

and Córdoba. I had been to <strong>Spain</strong><br />

a few years previously with girlfriends<br />

and the opportunity to visit wonderful<br />

places such as Seville and Granada<br />

again was exciting.<br />

Our group flew from Auckland with<br />

Emirates, with a three-day stopover in<br />

Dubai on the way. We arrived in Madrid<br />

a day before the tour began, which<br />

allowed us to have a short look around<br />

and get our bearings. It had been<br />

suggested that we take the 30-minute<br />

journey by high-speed train to the old<br />

city of Segovia, and we did. What an<br />

amazing town! At its centre is a Roman<br />

aqueduct built around 50 AD and it is in<br />

remarkable condition. The town is easy to<br />

walk around and there is lots to see and<br />

plenty of eateries for an alfresco lunch.<br />

Back in Madrid that afternoon we went<br />

to where it all happens, in my opinion:<br />

the Plaza Mayor. I haven’t seen anything<br />

like this massive marketplace square<br />

anywhere else. It has over 100 stalls<br />

where you can buy food and drink –<br />

anything from tapas, oysters, pastries,<br />

meat, ice cream, chocolate, sweets, beer,<br />

wine and spirits. You just walk through the<br />

stalls and buy your small plate of food,<br />

take a seat or keep on walking to the<br />

next stall to buy something else – and<br />

so on for as long as you like. The smells<br />

are incredible and the sights are quite<br />

something. This is a must-do, in my book.<br />

It’s accessible to anyone and the plates<br />

are just a few euros each, depending on<br />

what you are buying.<br />

The first day our Globus Spectacular<br />

<strong>Spain</strong> guided holiday was made up of a<br />

walking tour to see the sights of central<br />

Madrid, followed by an in-depth visit to<br />

the Prado Museum. Now, I am no art buff,<br />

but this was one of my favourite visits of<br />

the entire trip. I was practically glued to<br />

the local guide who took us through and<br />

gave us so much detailed information on<br />

each painting and the artists.<br />

Later that afternoon I took the optional<br />

8 harveyworld.co.nz on location


tour to El Escorial, the monastery that<br />

has been the burial site for most of<br />

the Spanish monarchs for the last five<br />

centuries. Located about 45 kilometres<br />

northwest of Madrid, it is a UNESCO<br />

<strong>World</strong> Heritage site and is considered to<br />

be one of the eight wonders of the world.<br />

The tombs and the layout of the museum<br />

are jaw-dropping, and I have to add this<br />

to my must-do list.<br />

Our first destination the following<br />

day was the holy city of Toledo, about<br />

70 kilometres south of Madrid. It is<br />

impressive at first sight and even more so<br />

when you explore the old city on foot.<br />

The small cobbled streets are a hive<br />

of activity and we were lucky enough<br />

to witness a bride-to-be-arriving at the<br />

cathedral with her guests, and musicians<br />

serenading her arrival.<br />

The Alhambra Palace is one of the<br />

great glories of Granada, an ancient<br />

city four hours’ drive south of Toledo<br />

and a capital of the southern region of<br />

Andalucía. When the Moors first came<br />

to <strong>Spain</strong> in 711 AD they brought with<br />

them their knowledge and know-how, and<br />

one of their legacies is <strong>Spain</strong>’s Moorish<br />

architecture. Nothing is more indicative<br />

of this style than the Alhambra. We had a<br />

long visit there, a chance to see it in its<br />

entirety and to learn about its history.<br />

The Costa del Sol, just a two-hour drive<br />

away on the southern Mediterranean<br />

coast of <strong>Spain</strong>, has a considerable ZY<br />

reputation, and it lives up to it with<br />

beautiful blue waters, white sand<br />

beaches, seafood restaurants and the air<br />

of a colourful market. The tour gave us a<br />

day to ourselves to enjoy the coast or to<br />

take an optional excursion to Gibraltar:<br />

those who chose to do so were very<br />

pleased to see this historical and cultural<br />

oddity – a tiny (6.8 square kilometers)<br />

enclave of British territory perched on<br />

the very southern tip of <strong>Spain</strong>. For myself,<br />

I took the opportunity to laze by the<br />

pool, walk around the market stalls, stroll<br />

through some<br />

shops and just<br />

generally do my<br />

thing for the day.<br />

Our next<br />

destinations<br />

were the towns<br />

of Ronda and of<br />

Jerez, en route to<br />

Seville. In Jerez,<br />

instead of doing<br />

the scheduled<br />

walking tour<br />

around its sights,<br />

I sat at a local<br />

La Mancha<br />

café and people-watched. A street artist<br />

was working nearby and some workmen<br />

were paving the streets. Surrounded<br />

by peaceful everyday life in a faraway<br />

place, I felt completely at home.<br />

The Alcázar of Seville was, and remains,<br />

one of <strong>Spain</strong>’s royal palaces, and the<br />

Spanish royal family uses its upper levels<br />

as their official residence in Seville. This,<br />

and the Plaza de España, which was<br />

built in 1929 for the Ibero-American<br />

Expo, were the highlights of Seville for me.<br />

A must-do here is to go to a flamenco<br />

show – a real flamenco show. Here, the<br />

dances and songs tell a continuous<br />

story of love and its twists and turns. It<br />

was vibrant, lively, full of passion and very<br />

professionally done.<br />

Bullfights. There was one on when we<br />

were in Madrid, and some of us went<br />

along to see what all the fuss was<br />

about. The build-up to each fight was a<br />

spectacle in itself. First the musicians, then<br />

the horses, then the matadors and even<br />

a procession of small model ships filled<br />

the floor of the arena – and finally, the<br />

first bull. At the start, the fight is exciting as<br />

the bull is full of life and energy, but I must<br />

confess that towards the end I chickened<br />

out and couldn’t watch.<br />

There was so much more that I saw and<br />

experienced during my spectacular trip<br />

through <strong>Spain</strong> that I can’t put into words,<br />

so you will just have to go and see for<br />

yourself. If I had had more time than two<br />

weeks to be away, I definitely would<br />

have added an extension of my tour<br />

to Barcelona – and I would definitely<br />

do another Globus guided holiday.<br />

It’s a perfect, easy, comfortable and<br />

sophisticated choice for travellers of any<br />

age and ability.<br />

El Escorial<br />

▼<br />

Madrid<br />

2 1<br />

Toledo<br />

▼<br />

Cordoba<br />

SPAIN<br />

2 Seville<br />

Andalusia<br />

1<br />

Ronda<br />

Granada<br />

Jerez<br />

2<br />

Costa del Sol<br />

Gibraltar<br />

Mediterranean Sea<br />

Barcelona<br />

3<br />

The highlights of my<br />

Globus Spectacular<br />

<strong>Spain</strong> guided holiday:<br />

• Every hotel we stayed in was<br />

central to the action/sights and<br />

was of a very high standard.<br />

• Breakfasts were included<br />

throughout and they were<br />

as little or as large as you wanted.<br />

• Early mornings? Not this girl – and I<br />

wasn’t disappointed. Breakfast was<br />

mostly around the 8 am mark, which<br />

gave us plenty of time for touring<br />

and sightseeing.<br />

• Our holiday guide, Pedro, was<br />

absolutely fantastic. He ensured<br />

everyone felt included and no-one<br />

was left behind. If we wished to do<br />

our own thing at any time, we were<br />

told exactly when and where to<br />

rendezvous with the group again.<br />

• The local guides were also<br />

amazing. They gave us information<br />

that you just wouldn’t know unless<br />

you spent hours trawling through<br />

books or on the internet. Thanks to<br />

them, my experience of Madrid –<br />

and Seville, and Granada – was a<br />

thousand times better than on my<br />

‘DIY’ visit with my girlfriends several<br />

years previously. I thought I had<br />

seen everything in these places,<br />

but I had not even scratched<br />

the surface. Without Globus and<br />

its local guides you just wouldn’t<br />

properly see these places and<br />

hear their history and local myths<br />

and stories, or understand their<br />

significance in history or today.<br />

• I found <strong>Spain</strong> surprisingly<br />

inexpensive compared to my last<br />

visit. A coffee was 3 euros, lunch<br />

could be had for 10 and dinner for<br />

15 – on a par with New Zealand,<br />

I thought. Many Spanish people<br />

speak pretty good English and<br />

as in most European destinations,<br />

the locals do like you to try their<br />

language first.<br />

on location harveyworld.co.nz<br />

9


what’s HOT<br />

10 harveyworld.co.nz on location


Exciting additions<br />

for Club Med<br />

Cherating Beach<br />

A new quiet pool with its own Zen space,<br />

Club Med’s first noodle bar and a Baby<br />

Club have just opened at Club Med<br />

Cherating Beach in Malaysia.<br />

These exciting new additions further<br />

enhance this already stunning resort, which<br />

is a leader in eco-nature tourism, offering<br />

guests the chance to interact with many<br />

indigenous plants and animals including<br />

monkeys, lizards and birds which live in<br />

the resort’s grounds. There is also a turtle<br />

sanctuary next door.<br />

Following the success of the relaxation<br />

areas at Club Med Phuket and Bali,<br />

Cherating Beach’s new Zen Space<br />

– including an infinity pool fringed by<br />

cabanas – is located on a natural<br />

peninsula which juts into the South China<br />

Sea. The Noodle Bar offers guests a<br />

colourful and casual dining option serving<br />

a taste of Asia, with chefs creating a range<br />

of noodle dishes in the open kitchen.<br />

The new Baby Club caters for babies<br />

aged between four and 23 months and<br />

features a Baby Splash Park water play<br />

area where parents can share water fun<br />

with the kids.<br />

Club Med Cherating Beach is located<br />

on Malaysia’s east coast and is set<br />

within 80 hectares of protected rainforest<br />

which stretches along four kilometres of<br />

pristine beaches.<br />

Club Med’s all-inclusive package includes<br />

accommodation; all meals including<br />

snacks; an open bar including unlimited<br />

coffee, juice, cocktails, beer, wine, spirits,<br />

milk shakes and soft drinks; a range<br />

of activities including tennis, beach<br />

volleyball, archery, squash, rock climbing,<br />

rainforest walks and circus school, as well<br />

as a Kids Club and evening entertainment.<br />

Aloha to Hawaii’s<br />

newest attraction<br />

Hop-on and hop-off<br />

around Hawaii’s tourist<br />

attractions on the new<br />

AlohaBus.<br />

The double-decker,<br />

open-top bus fleet is uniquely designed<br />

with seating on the top deck only to offer<br />

all passengers a grand view of Honolulu<br />

and its sights.<br />

The buses tour through Waikiki, Honolulu<br />

and Pearl Harbor, offering more than<br />

1,500 different shopping, dining, historical,<br />

activity and photo opportunities. GPSactivated<br />

narration features fun and<br />

unique stories and facts along the way.<br />

The Waikiki-Honolulu loop travels through<br />

Waikiki with stops at Hawaii’s most popular<br />

shopping centres, at Downtown Honolulu,<br />

which is full of historical points of interest,<br />

and Chinatown.<br />

The Pearl Harbor Express stops at Pearl<br />

Harbor to explore the USS Arizona<br />

Memorial, USS Bowfin, USS Missouri and the<br />

Pacific Aviation Museum. It also stops at the<br />

Aloha Stadium on Wednesdays, Saturdays<br />

and Sundays for guests to enjoy its famous<br />

swap meet (flea market), after which it is on<br />

to the famous Bishop Museum.<br />

AlohaBus passes include access to all three<br />

loops: the Waikiki-Honolulu day loop, the<br />

Pearl Harbor Express, and an exciting night<br />

loop for dining and entertainment. 24-hour,<br />

48-hour and 72-hour passes are available.<br />

Hilton comes to<br />

New Caledonia<br />

Nouméa’s beachfront La Promenade hotel<br />

is transforming to a Hilton.<br />

The hotel offers sweeping views of Anse<br />

Vata Beach from each of its 154 rooms<br />

and will be refurbished before opening<br />

as Hilton Nouméa La Promenade in mid-<br />

2013. It features a restaurant, bar, health<br />

club and swimming pool and has 21 Junior<br />

Suites, 68 Deluxe Suites, 20 Executive<br />

Suites and 45 Royal Suites.<br />

Located in the heart of the South Pacific,<br />

a short 2-1/2-hour flight from New<br />

Zealand, New Caledonia is surrounded<br />

by an immense coral reef creating a<br />

superb lagoon – the largest in the world<br />

and also a UNESCO <strong>World</strong> Heritage site.<br />

Ocean tunnel<br />

to open at<br />

Sunshine Coast’s<br />

UnderWater <strong>World</strong><br />

Visitors to UnderWater <strong>World</strong> at<br />

Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast will<br />

experience a magical new world under<br />

the sea filled with colourful coral, fanciful<br />

fish, awe-inspiring sharks and majestic sea<br />

turtles in its new Ocean Tunnel.<br />

The new attraction is part of a $3.5-million<br />

refurbishment of the aquarium that<br />

introduces four exciting new themed zones:<br />

Shark Shipwreck, Coral Cove, Bay of Rays<br />

and Turtle Temple.<br />

Turtle Temple, filled with the ruins of a<br />

Polynesian temple, houses recovering sea<br />

turtles of all species and sizes, as part of<br />

UnderWater <strong>World</strong>’s rescue, rehabilitation<br />

and release programme.<br />

Eight different species of shark call Shark<br />

Shipwreck home and visitors can come<br />

face to face with the creatures as they walk<br />

through the ruined remains of a submarine.<br />

The Bay of Rays features a collection<br />

of rays, including sleek stingrays, spotty<br />

leopard rays and cownose rays, gliding<br />

smoothly through the seawater tank, while<br />

over at Coral Cove, brilliantly coloured fish<br />

swim in and around the shipwreck remains.<br />

on location harveyworld.co.nz<br />

11


Isn’t it time you<br />

experience europe?<br />

Free<br />

ON GLObUS<br />

mOTORCOaCHeS<br />

Parc Güell , Barcelona<br />

experience europe with Globus.<br />

Gaudi’s inspirational architecture in Barcelona’s Parc Güell is just one of the many fascinating<br />

attractions you’ll encounter when you travel with Globus.<br />

We take you behind the scenes to spotlight what makes your destination unique, introduce you to its<br />

local flavours and help you get out there and really experience Europe.<br />

<strong>Travel</strong> by deluxe air-conditioned motorcoach (with extra leg-room), stay in superior hotels conveniently<br />

located to local sights, enjoy VIP access to the must-see attractions – and we’ll carry your bags!<br />

A Globus tour isn’t just planned. It’s been perfectly planned by travel experts who know the best times,<br />

the best places, and the best ways to experience Europe.<br />

S A V E<br />

5 %<br />

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Save $150 Save 2.5%<br />

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COuPle<br />

SeCOND TOUR DISCOUNT *<br />

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www.globusfamily.co.nz<br />

S A V E<br />

5 %<br />

*Terms and conditions: $3488 based on tour ZYE 30/03/13 departure. $4059 based on 09/04/13 departure.$7779 based on 03/03/13 departure. Save 2.5% Early Payment Discount applies when you pay in full 4 months<br />

before departure of your first tour. Save 5% repeat traveller discount – must provide Journeys Club member ID at time of booking to receive 5% discount. Journeys Club discount is based on the land-only portion of core tour<br />

and twin share price, not including extra night accommodations, extensions, taxes/fees, tips and supplements/reductions. Prices correct as of 18/10/2012. For full terms and conditions see website: www.globustours.co.nz<br />

12 harveyworld.co.nz on location<br />

www.globusfamily.co.nz


Spectacular <strong>Spain</strong><br />

Madrid to Barcelona<br />

The Best of the British Isles<br />

london to london<br />

europe in Depth<br />

london to london<br />

Madrid, Toledo, Granada, Costa del Sol,<br />

Ronda, Jerez, Seville, Cordoba, Barcelona<br />

12 days from $3488 *<br />

per person, twin share<br />

Stonehenge, Plymouth, Bath, Cardiff, Blarney,<br />

Killarney, Limerick, Cliffs of Moher, Dublin,<br />

Liverpool, Lake District, Glasgow, Inverness,<br />

Edinburgh, York, Stratford-upon-Avon, Oxford<br />

17 days from $4059 *<br />

per person, twin share<br />

Belgium, Holland, Germany, Switzerland,<br />

Liechtenstein, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy,<br />

France, <strong>Spain</strong><br />

29 days from $7779 *<br />

per person, twin share<br />

Departures: march to October<br />

Departures: april to September<br />

Departures: march to December<br />

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To book visit your local <strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> store.<br />

For more information visit www.globustours.co.nz<br />

on location harveyworld.co.nz<br />

13


An island unto itself<br />

Geography, history, scenery,<br />

gastronomy – and more.<br />

John Corbett explains the<br />

unique mix of attractions that<br />

makes Norfolk Island one of<br />

his favourite destinations.<br />

Like many people in the travel industry,<br />

I’ve travelled to many places. Some I’ve<br />

loved, some have left me indifferent, and<br />

some – a very few – have stayed strongly<br />

in my thoughts and memories. When I tell<br />

people, especially New Zealanders, that<br />

Norfolk Island is one of my special places,<br />

they look surprised.<br />

The received view about Norfolk Island (or<br />

Norfolk, for short) is that it is small<br />

and pretty and quiet. It has long<br />

been seen as a peaceful setting for a<br />

honeymoon, and the place where Nana<br />

went for a holiday. The one-line summary<br />

of its tourist demographic: ‘Newly weds<br />

and nearly-deads’, still persists. But I’m<br />

here to tell you that this view of Norfolk is<br />

uninformed and wrong, and that the island<br />

has a very good future as a destination.<br />

Here’s why….<br />

Nana might have liked the idea that<br />

Norfolk is only 90 minutes northwest of<br />

Auckland by air – but so should everyone<br />

else. It’s close, but sufficiently far enough<br />

north, at 29 degrees latitude, for a feeling<br />

of South Pacific warmth and languor to<br />

come over you as the Air New Zealand<br />

Airbus 320 lands on a runway fringed with<br />

palm trees, banana trees and brightly<br />

coloured bougainvillea.<br />

Norfolk’s mid-ocean setting makes its<br />

temperatures pleasantly moderate all year<br />

round, and the best months to visit are<br />

between November and April, especially<br />

if you like snorkelling. The island itself is the<br />

eroded remains of an ancient basaltic<br />

volcano and the landscape is lush and<br />

rolling, with many microclimates that are<br />

one of the keys to the island’s impressive<br />

fertility. From seafood to beef, to fresh<br />

produce and even beer and wine, Norfolk<br />

is self-sufficient in delicious food – about<br />

which more later. And since it measures five<br />

by eight kilometres, there’s plenty of room<br />

for agriculture.<br />

One of the first things you also also note<br />

about Norfolk is that it is extravagantly<br />

beautiful. Basalt cliffs topped with groves<br />

of the island’s famous Norfolk Pines leap<br />

out of the pounding Pacific surf. Verdant<br />

green valleys act as glorious suntraps,<br />

with lucky cottages tucked away amongst<br />

them. Pause during a hike on a headland<br />

and take in some of the freshest, purest air<br />

in the world, and vistas of infinite, pristine<br />

ocean. There are plenty of other things<br />

for all kinds of visitors to enjoy, including<br />

golf, biking, swimming, surfing, scuba diving,<br />

birdwatching and puttering along the<br />

island’s 80 kilometres of winding roads in<br />

its fleet of pint-sized rental cars (in which,<br />

by law, you must give way to cattle on<br />

14 harveyworld.co.nz on location


the roads). And don’t forget the fishing:<br />

since Norfolk is the highest point of a vast<br />

undersea ridge that runs all the way south<br />

to New Zealand, the fishing is excellent.<br />

Captain James Cook wasn’t the first<br />

voyager to set foot on Norfolk Island<br />

when he charted the island in 1774.<br />

There is evidence that East Polynesian<br />

seafarers lived there for a time in the<br />

fourteenth or fifteenth centuries, but it was<br />

left to the British to claim the island in<br />

1786. Much of Norfolk’s early European<br />

history, when it served for two periods in<br />

the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries<br />

as one of Australia’s most infamous penal<br />

settlements, was unhappy; today, the<br />

carefully preserved remains of the island’s<br />

gaol and other heritage buildings in the<br />

Kingston and Arthur’s Vale Historic Area<br />

are a <strong>World</strong> Heritage site.<br />

The arrival of settlers from Pitcairn<br />

Island in 1856 added a vibrant strand<br />

to the island’s human history. As the<br />

descendants of Tahitians and the HMS<br />

Bounty mutineers, they brought with them<br />

the island’s unique language, Norfuk, as<br />

well as a down-to-earth and democratic<br />

approach that pervades life on Norfolk to<br />

this day. The spirit of the locals makes it a<br />

relaxing and refreshing place in which to<br />

holiday: staff in the hotels and shops talk<br />

away to you happily and unaffectedly,<br />

without angling for a tip as is often the<br />

case overseas. On my first visit, a while<br />

back now, I smiled at signs pinned up<br />

behind several shop counters that read:<br />

‘Prices subject to change, depending on<br />

customer’s attitude.’<br />

Has Norfolk changed with the times?<br />

Yes, and in some pleasing ways, no. In<br />

the twenty or so years since I first visited,<br />

there has always been good food, and<br />

sufficient good cafés and restaurants to<br />

enable you to dine at a different place<br />

for lunch and dinner for a week. The arrival<br />

of the global ‘food revolution’ in recent<br />

years has amplified that, with the bonus<br />

that the island has ‘food metres’ instead<br />

of food miles: chances are the excellent<br />

local and seasonal produce you enjoy at<br />

a restaurant or café will have been grown<br />

very close by.<br />

In the last decade, a lively bunch of<br />

artisan food and beverage enterprises<br />

has also sprung up, including the island’s<br />

own boutique brewing company, a<br />

distillery producing liqueurs, a producer<br />

of ‘Norfolk Blue’ – a unique breed of<br />

gourmet heritage beef – and, tucked away<br />

in a sunny eastern corner of the island,<br />

the cellar door for Two Chimneys Winery,<br />

which sells a range of local wines including<br />

chardonnay, semillon, verdelho and merlot.<br />

The final thing to point out to anyone<br />

who still clings to the idea that Norfolk is<br />

for Nanas is that the island has become<br />

an aspirational destination. Luxurious<br />

five-star eco resorts such as the awardwinning<br />

Forrester Court Cliff Top Cottages<br />

draw discerning guests from around the<br />

world to enjoy views of rare native birds,<br />

waterfalls and whales frolicking offshore.<br />

Complete with personal chefs, such<br />

venues are also doing good business as<br />

corporate retreats – and why not, when<br />

Air New Zealand, the island’s designated<br />

air service provider, offers two direct flights<br />

per week from both Sydney and Brisbane,<br />

as well as a weekly service from Auckland.<br />

Stopping off for a few days of luxury and<br />

reflection in a pristine, mid-ocean setting<br />

can be the perfect finale to a busy trip<br />

across the Ditch.<br />

Geography, history, scenery, gastronomy –<br />

and more. When I think about why Norfolk<br />

remains one of my favourite places, it’s<br />

because of this unique mix. And the<br />

‘something more’ – the authentic and<br />

genuinely welcoming spirit of the people<br />

and the place – is unique too. Whether<br />

you’re a sophisticated traveller or are<br />

just starting out, Norfolk has plenty to<br />

offer. I commend you to go and see<br />

for yourself why it has a very good future<br />

as a destination.<br />

Getting there<br />

Air New Zealand flies from Auckland to<br />

Norfolk Island every Sunday, and also has<br />

two direct flights per week from both Sydney<br />

and Brisbane.<br />

Language and currency<br />

Norfolk Island is an External Territory of<br />

Australia and the official languages are<br />

English and Norfuk. The currency is the<br />

Australian Dollar. Major credit cards (Visa,<br />

MasterCard, American Express, Diners etc)<br />

are accepted as well as cash in local<br />

currency. ATM facilities are available in the<br />

main town of Burnt Pine.<br />

Climate<br />

Norfolk Island has a subtropical climate<br />

moderated by its oceanic setting. Summer<br />

temperatures rarely exceed 28 degrees<br />

Celsius and seldom go below 10 degrees<br />

Celsius in winter and rainfall is evenly spread<br />

throughout the year. If you want to enjoy a<br />

South Pacific holiday in the warmer months<br />

of the year without feeling uncomfortable,<br />

Norfolk is the place to go.<br />

Where to stay<br />

With over 60 AAA Tourism-inspected hotels,<br />

resorts, apartments, villas and holiday homes,<br />

Norfolk offers a range of accommodation<br />

for all levels of comfort and budget. Highend<br />

eco resorts such as Forrester Court Cliff<br />

Top Cottages are popular with discerning<br />

travellers and as corporate retreats.<br />

What to see and do<br />

From the Hardy’s ProAM on the world’s only<br />

<strong>World</strong> Heritage golf course, Bounty Day at<br />

Kingston, First Fleet Celebrations, the weeklong<br />

Jazz in the Pines Festival, line dancing,<br />

quilting, ballroom dancing, squash and much<br />

more, Norfolk offers an endless range of<br />

special event, tournament and independent<br />

traveller opportunities.<br />

The island’s splendid natural environment<br />

offers a wide range of active pursuits and<br />

its stirring history rewards cultural tourists. A<br />

burgeoning local food scene is making the<br />

island a worthwhile destination for foodies.<br />

on location harveyworld.co.nz<br />

15


South Africa Spectacular<br />

9 days from $3,575 - departs daily<br />

Sophisticated Cape Town plus an amazing safari in world<br />

renowned Kruger National Park.<br />

• Enjoy the sights of beautiful Cape Town, with a gorgeous<br />

boutique hotel as your base<br />

• Safari in Kruger National Park, staying ‘Out of Africa’ style<br />

at &Beyond Kirkmans Kamp. Thrilling game drives with expert<br />

trackers will open your eyes to the African wilderness and the<br />

fascinating animals that inhabit it.<br />

Price includes: 4 nights More Quarters incl breakfast, free wi-, transfers<br />

to/from Victoria & Alfred Waterfront;<br />

4 nights &Beyond Kirkmans Kamp incl all meals, beverages (excl<br />

premium brands), safari activities, airport transfers. Not Included: ights;<br />

gratuities; travel insurance.<br />

Jambo! East Africa<br />

13 days from $6759 - departs Tuesdays<br />

Kenya and Tanzania, birthplace of the safari with diverse wildlife<br />

and colourful cultures, plus the ‘Spice Island’ of Zanzibar.<br />

• Spot the ‘Big Five’ game in Amboseli, Ngorongoro Crater,<br />

Tarangire, and the Serengeti, scene of the Great Migration.<br />

• Explore the historic Stone Town and idyllic white sand beaches<br />

of Zanzibar<br />

Price includes: Airfares Arusha > Zanzibar > Dar es Salaam, 12 night group<br />

tour with expert local guides, 3-star & 5-star accom’, sightseeing & entrance<br />

fees, most meals. Not Included: ights from NZ; gratuities; travel insurance.<br />

Best of Southern Africa<br />

small group escorted tour<br />

27 days from $16,720 including airfares! Departs 11 May 2013<br />

South Africa’s Cape Town and famed Garden Route, Namibia’s<br />

Sossusvlei Dunes, remote Damaraland and the incredible wildlife<br />

of Etosha National Park, Botswana’s Chobe National Park and<br />

Okavango Delta, plus Victoria Falls!<br />

Price includes: Airfares ex Auckland; airline taxes; transfers & transport,<br />

sightseeing & entrance fees; 4-star hotels & safari lodges, plenty of<br />

meals, safari activities, gratuities, and a <strong>World</strong> Journeys host (subject to a<br />

minimum 15 participants). Not Included: <strong>Travel</strong> insurance; visas.<br />

Contact your local <strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> professional<br />

Conditions: All pricing is in NZ$ on a per person share twin basis, and is subject to seasonal variation.<br />

Other conditions apply as per <strong>World</strong> Journeys ‘<strong>World</strong>2012’ and ‘Journeys 2012/13’ brochures.<br />

16 harveyworld.co.nz on location


Getting there<br />

Qantas flies from Auckland to<br />

Johannesburg several times a week. Air<br />

New Zealand and South African Airways<br />

also offer services from Sydney or Perth.<br />

Emirates flies into Nairobi and Dar es<br />

Salaam via Dubai.<br />

On safari<br />

with <strong>World</strong> Journeys<br />

There is something about Africa.<br />

Something uniquely wild, uniquely<br />

exhilarating. Sure, you can go bush<br />

in New Zealand, but unless you are<br />

camped next to the zoo the most you<br />

will hear is a pesky possum. Nothing<br />

can prepare you for your first lion roar.<br />

It will send chills down your spine and<br />

have you on the edge of your seat in<br />

anticipation for what might unfold.<br />

A day on safari in Africa begins just<br />

before dawn with a gentle tap on the<br />

door. A soft voice rouses you awake<br />

and the smell of fresh coffee provides<br />

the much-needed incentive to get up.<br />

They say the early bird catches the worm<br />

– well, out here the early bird discovers<br />

much, much more.... Africa is at its most<br />

exciting at first light; the cool of the<br />

morning is when all the action happens.<br />

Driving off-road, all eyes are peeled<br />

for what could be around the next<br />

corner. Four-wheel-drive safari vehicles<br />

can tackle this terrain, and with an<br />

expert tracker sitting up front, the thrill of<br />

spotting a wild animal has you on full<br />

alert. If you’ve been caught up by David<br />

Attenborough’s breathless narrations, wait<br />

until you’re actually there and the drama<br />

of the wilderness is all around you.<br />

A game drive lasts about three hours,<br />

long enough to see a great variety<br />

of animals, anything from the comical<br />

warthog to a matriarchal elephant with<br />

her herd, a lion making a kill, or even<br />

the elusive leopard. Back at the lodge<br />

there are tales of great sightings over<br />

breakfast, then it’s time for a siesta, a dip<br />

in the pool, or a chat with the rangers<br />

who are passionate about the wilderness<br />

and the amazing way in which each<br />

animal has its own niche. With no TV or<br />

cell phones, it’s just you and the stillness<br />

of nature.<br />

Before dusk, you venture out again. The<br />

carnivores have also spent the hottest<br />

part of the day in siesta, lolling about<br />

under bushes. Dusk is when their ears prick<br />

up again and it’s off out in search of the<br />

next meal. The harsh realities of life in a<br />

food chain aside, it is a scenario that will<br />

have you enthralled.<br />

African sunsets are to be celebrated,<br />

and what better way than with a cool<br />

G&T in the bush on the way back to<br />

camp? After a sumptuous dinner it is time<br />

to sit back with a South African red in<br />

front of the ‘bush TV’ (campfire). Flickering<br />

firelight and chirruping insects form a<br />

great backdrop to stories of the day’s<br />

highlights as you relive each mesmerising<br />

encounter of yet another magical day<br />

in Africa.<br />

What to see and do<br />

Think Africa and you think: ‘safari!’ The famed<br />

wildlife parks of Southern and East Africa<br />

are a huge draw card, with a style of safari<br />

to suit every budget. Of course there is<br />

much, much more. South Africa offers the<br />

wonderful Winelands, a vibrant culture, and<br />

exciting luxury rail travel such as Rovos Rail<br />

and The Blue Train.<br />

Namibia’s German heritage, fascinating<br />

desert tribes and stunning deserts are<br />

little-known gems. Kenya and Tanzania<br />

offer the living traditions of the Masai,<br />

legendary wildlife regions like the vast<br />

Serengeti, and the spice island of<br />

Zanzibar. Botswana’s Okavango Delta<br />

has to be the ultimate safari destination,<br />

its waterways teeming with prolific wildlife.<br />

Then there are the mountain gorillas<br />

of Uganda, the melting-pot culture of<br />

Madagascar, and the Indian Ocean<br />

islands of the Seychelles and Mauritius.<br />

The possibilities are endless.<br />

When to go<br />

Southern Africa enjoys a temperate<br />

climate so it can be visited at any time<br />

of year. In general, Africa’s winters are dry<br />

and cool and summers are hot and wet.<br />

If planning a safari, check with your travel<br />

expert about the best times to go to<br />

various regions. In winter (May to July) there<br />

is less vegetation and water, so the wildlife<br />

can be easier to spot as it gathers around<br />

water holes, but in the summer (October to<br />

February), you’ll witness new life and it’s the<br />

best time to see the prolific birdlife.<br />

In East Africa you’ll want to try and catch<br />

the Great Migration, and as these great<br />

herds of animals are moving for almost nine<br />

months of the year, it is essential to consult<br />

your travel expert who will plan to have<br />

you in the right place at the right time.<br />

on location harveyworld.co.nz<br />

17


experience this<br />

Gawler Ranges Wilderness Safari, Eyre Peninsula<br />

Join nature-lover Geoff Scholz on an<br />

outback experience that takes in the<br />

unique wildlife and landscapes of the<br />

spectacular Gawler Ranges. Come evening,<br />

experience ‘glam camping’ in a luxury safari<br />

tent at Geoff’s Kangaluna Camp.<br />

The raised, ensuite tents (just three of them)<br />

are perfectly designed to make camping<br />

out a dreamy experience and there’s a<br />

telescope for star-gazing and delicious<br />

food to top it all off. If it’s all too luxurious,<br />

ask for a swag so you can sleep outside<br />

under the stars.<br />

Tours vary from pure outback experiences<br />

to see magnificent sights such as Lake<br />

Gardiner’s glistening white saltpan and<br />

the magnificent Organ Pipes Rock, to<br />

combinations of outback and ocean<br />

adventures where you can swim with the<br />

sea lions.<br />

Experience the hidden treasures of Singapore<br />

Ali Alsagoff, Chef Concierge at the luxury<br />

Four Seasons Hotel Singapore, shares his<br />

top sightseeing secrets with on location<br />

readers....<br />

From shopping in the city’s high-end malls,<br />

to sampling its thriving restaurant scene<br />

and dancing your way into the wee hours,<br />

Singapore has it all.<br />

For locally designed jewellery, visit Loang<br />

& Noi, an upscale shop on Orchard<br />

Road. From pearls to polished cabochons<br />

to cut gems, almost all the designs are<br />

one-off pieces, often inspired by nature.<br />

Also on Orchard Road, alldressedup is a<br />

local fashion label known for its eclectic,<br />

contemporary appeal.<br />

It doesn’t get any more authentic than<br />

Singapore’s Chinatown, a spirited enclave<br />

along Keong Saik Road. A mix of the old<br />

and the new, the neighbourhood is home<br />

to a handful of recently opened, stylish<br />

bars and restaurants.<br />

There are plenty of beautiful parks for<br />

outdoor recreation in the city. Go for<br />

a run in the nearby Singapore Botanic<br />

Gardens or trek through the Bukit Timah<br />

Nature Reserve. For colourful bird life,<br />

take a walk through the Jurong Bird Park.<br />

Housed in a modern 20-storey building<br />

along tree-lined Orchard Boulevard,<br />

Four Seasons Hotel Singapore is a luxury<br />

five-star hotel just minutes from shopping<br />

centres, family attractions and the city’s<br />

bustling financial district.<br />

18 harveyworld.co.nz on location


Trafalgar unveils innovative<br />

America & Canada itineraries<br />

Trafalgar, the leading guided holiday<br />

company, has unveiled its most innovative<br />

America & Canada programme so far,<br />

offering 50 itineraries including nine new<br />

ones.<br />

The guided holidays, which also include<br />

Costa Rica and Mexico, range from<br />

seven to 14 days, each offering guests<br />

the chance to connect with the essence<br />

of their chosen destinations through the<br />

guidance of Trafalgar’s travel directors<br />

and the company’s signature Be My Guest,<br />

Hidden Treasures – and, new for 2013,<br />

Your Choice Dining experiences.<br />

The range of tailored itineraries offers a<br />

pace and style to suit every client. For<br />

guests enjoying an At Leisure trip, with<br />

later starts and multiple nights in each<br />

destination, Your Choice Dining has been<br />

specially crafted to cater to all tastes by<br />

providing four distinctly different venue<br />

choices for dinner on a selected evening.<br />

Other new additions to the programme<br />

include four different Taste of America<br />

guided holidays. These food-focused<br />

itineraries immerse guests in the local<br />

flavours of the region they are visiting, such<br />

as sampling wine made from honey at a<br />

meadery in New England on the 11-day<br />

New York Zest & New England’s Best,<br />

which also takes in Cape Cod and the<br />

White Mountains.<br />

Departure dates for Trafalgar’s America &<br />

Canada itineraries are throughout 2013,<br />

with early payment savings available.<br />

Anantara opens Eastern Mangroves<br />

Hotel & Spa in Abu Dhabi City<br />

Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara is Anantara’s newest<br />

retreat in the Middle East, and blends a convenient urban location<br />

with an inspirational waterfront setting.<br />

Located in Abu Dhabi city, and part of an integrated marina, retail<br />

and residential destination, the hotel offers a scenic urban escape.<br />

Spread over five levels, the hotel’s 222 spacious guestrooms<br />

and suites are triple-glazed to ensure a peaceful stay, and are<br />

designed to reflect the region’s regal opulence. Eastern Mangroves<br />

Hotel & Spa by Anantara capitalises on its waterfront setting<br />

perfectly. Guests can relax by the pool and soak up tranquil views.<br />

The stylish rooftop lounge, Impressions, is an exclusive nightlife<br />

destination where guests can admire uninterrupted views of the<br />

mangroves, the twinkling lights of the city skyline, and Saadiyat and<br />

Al Reem Islands.<br />

The hotel’s Anantara Spa is a lifestyle sanctuary which invites guests<br />

to enjoy yoga and Pilates classes, and to work out in two state-ofthe-art<br />

gyms, with one reserved exclusively for ladies.<br />

on location harveyworld.co.nz<br />

19


Santa Monica cruising<br />

On the first leg of a trip to California and Tahiti,<br />

on location Editor Tracey Mehrtens and her family<br />

take in some of LA’s famous sights.<br />

Santa Monica’s rambling wooden pier is<br />

an iconic Californian attraction. Jutting<br />

out into the Pacific Ocean from the long<br />

expanse of Santa Monica Beach, the<br />

tip of the pier is also the end – or is it<br />

the beginning? – of another American<br />

institution, Route 66.<br />

Fondly known as the Main Street of<br />

America, the famous highway was<br />

originally the main route across the USA<br />

from Chicago to Los Angeles. Where<br />

exactly it finishes in LA appears to be<br />

debatable, but the Santa Monica Pier<br />

is touted as its fictional end in order to<br />

boost tourism. Regardless, we imagined<br />

the pier to be the beginning of the<br />

route since it marked the start of our trip.<br />

Our USA road journey began by<br />

bike. We figured that the best way to<br />

blow away the cobwebs and get our<br />

bearings after a long flight was to get<br />

out into the fresh air, especially seaside<br />

at Santa Monica. Comfortably aboard<br />

our Blazing Saddles cruisers and well<br />

fuelled with H 2<br />

0, we hit the easy-to-ride<br />

cycle path to colourful Venice Beach.<br />

Originally built around a series of canals<br />

in the early 1900’s – and thereby deriving<br />

its name from the famous European city<br />

of canals – the suburb of Venice is now<br />

largely sans water and home to an<br />

eclectic mix of people, sights and stalls. In<br />

its early days, it was the abode of many<br />

LA writers and artists and served as an<br />

important cultural centre.<br />

The balmy breeze drifts us along<br />

past Muscle Beach, where bronzed<br />

bodies flex their biceps for all to<br />

see, pumping up and swinging like<br />

monkeys across swaying rings. Street<br />

performers, fortune tellers, tattoo artists,<br />

t-shirt and handicrafts stalls line the<br />

bustling sidewalks. Already we’re feeling<br />

refreshed and are fitting into local LA<br />

time with ease.<br />

With a sleep under our belt it’s off the<br />

next day to Universal Studios, where<br />

many Hollywood movies and TV shows<br />

are created and filmed, including our<br />

very own Peter Jackson’s modern version<br />

of King Kong, which was filmed here.<br />

At Universal we take in Wisteria Lane,<br />

the home of Desperate Housewives,<br />

and spot the revamped house from<br />

The Munsters TV show; with some purple<br />

wisteria vines draped over it, it slots into<br />

the modern-day TV set like a dream. Oh,<br />

the magic of television.<br />

As we continue our tour, golf carts<br />

stickered with ‘CSI crew’ labels whiz past.<br />

The hit TV show apparently occupies<br />

up to seven of the massive on-site<br />

filming studios when in full production<br />

and we peer around hopefully for a<br />

glimpse of one of the stars. Alas for us,<br />

there isn’t a crime in sight, let alone one<br />

that needs solving....<br />

Then it’s Transformers time, and the<br />

special effects on this ride are amazing.<br />

While Josh, my son, assures me that we’ve<br />

hardly actually moved, I’m exhausted<br />

after battling every creature that crosses<br />

our path, some of them diving at us from<br />

directly above at mind-blowing speed.<br />

Despite the excitement, a lot of creative<br />

inspiration has also happened over the<br />

years on the Universal site in the quaint<br />

writers’ bungalows; the silhouette of<br />

famous director Alfred Hitchcock is visible<br />

on bungalow 5195. Originally built as<br />

private dressing rooms for stars such as<br />

James Stewart, Rock Hudson, Doris Day,<br />

Lucille Ball and Robert Wagner, the<br />

bungalows serve today as offices for<br />

producers and production companies.<br />

No trip to the city of stars is complete<br />

without a visit to the Hollywood<br />

Boulevard Walk of Fame, or to Madame<br />

Tussauds – the latter is undoubtedly<br />

as up close and personal to the stars<br />

as you will get. And of course there’s<br />

the majestic Hollywood sign. Originally<br />

erected to advertise the sale of a<br />

new subdivision, it’s now a Hollywood<br />

institution, its bold white letters discreetly<br />

20 harveyworld.co.nz on location


eplaced every now and then to<br />

eclipse the weathering of time.<br />

Nestled high up in the Hollywood hills<br />

and surrounded by the prestigious<br />

homes of stars and the LA wealthy, the<br />

sign proudly overlooks its kingdom.<br />

Another LA ‘must-visit’ is world-famous<br />

Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Gucci,<br />

Giorgio Armani and Ralph Lauren are<br />

a tad out of reach of our shopping<br />

budget and we take up peoplewatching<br />

over a glass of wine instead.<br />

At the Luxe Hotel on North Rodeo<br />

Drive we join friends for drinks and<br />

soon get chatting to some locals at<br />

a nearby table who regularly venture<br />

down from the seclusion of their Beverly<br />

Hills mansion for a spot of peoplewatching<br />

themselves.<br />

In one of those ‘small world’ moments, it<br />

turns out that one of the people we are<br />

chatting with works for Warner Brothers<br />

and is a huge Peter Jackson fan who<br />

spends a lot of time on-set in Wellington.<br />

He waxes lyrical about New Zealand<br />

and its landscape and people.<br />

The next day, it’s time to head out of<br />

LA, but leaving an adventure along<br />

Route 66 parked for another time. Our<br />

itinerary takes us north on the scenic<br />

coastal route to San Francisco...<br />

about which more next time.<br />

Tracey and her family were hosted<br />

by Air Tahiti Nui, Santa Monica<br />

Convention & Visitors Bureau, the<br />

Viceroy Santa Monica, Blazing<br />

Saddles & Universal Studios.<br />

A hidden<br />

Santa Monica gem<br />

The Viceroy Santa Monica hotel is a secluded<br />

resident of Santa Monica’s Golden Mile. Set just<br />

one block back from the beach with uninterrupted<br />

views, it’s a hidden gem.<br />

Passing by its Ocean Avenue frontage you<br />

wouldn’t afford the hotel a second glance, but<br />

step inside and you enter another world. Designed<br />

by famed LA-based designer Kelly Wearstler in a<br />

blend of classic sophistication and contemporary<br />

chic, the stylish lobby of the Viceroy Santa Monica<br />

greets you with white upholstered chaise longues<br />

divided into cosy pair settings by elegant drinks<br />

tables. Majestic chandeliers sparkle overhead.<br />

Outside, a pool area with perfectly manicured<br />

trees and palms and lawns is a perfect setting<br />

for dining under the stars. Private cabanas in<br />

British Regency style are romantic venues for<br />

dinner. Overall, the pool area has the ambience<br />

of a cosy lounge, with graceful high-backed<br />

white upholstered chairs mirroring those in the<br />

lobby, and an elegant conversation area that<br />

is backdropped by a collection of intricately<br />

imprinted white china plates. It’s just another aspect<br />

of the sophisticated indoor/outdoor style that is<br />

evident throughout the hotel.<br />

The daily-changing menu at Whist Restaurant<br />

features produce from local growers and providers,<br />

including organic. If ingredients cannot be sourced<br />

fresh, the dish does not appear on the menu.<br />

The ‘Bites’ and ‘Simple Salads’ make for a relaxed<br />

dinner filled with variety: Sea urchin crostini, sea<br />

salt, lemon and lardo; Dungeness crab crostini with<br />

yuzu mayonnaise and Petrossian caviar crostini,<br />

egg yolk topped with cucumber dill are just some<br />

of the delights. The salads are just as intriguing:<br />

figs and melon, prosciutto, almonds and arugula;<br />

nectarines, hazelnuts, watercress, treviso and noble<br />

vinegar.<br />

The classy Viceroy Santa Monica isn’t just a<br />

favourite with its guests. It’s also a popular dining<br />

and bar spot for well-heeled locals, and a<br />

good place for star-spotting away from the usual<br />

Hollywood environs.<br />

The guest rooms at the Viceroy Santa Monica are<br />

spacious, with homely touches like plump feather<br />

pillows that fill the bed. The hotel’s signature<br />

white china plates feature on the walls, and the<br />

bathrooms are spacious and marble-tiled. Bottles<br />

of designer bathroom amenities line the mirrorbacked<br />

dressing vanity<br />

that is complete with<br />

a Hollywood star-style<br />

make-up stool.<br />

Air Tahiti Nui, the international airline of Tahiti, flies from Auckland to Tahiti four times<br />

a week, with a convenient choice of morning or afternoon departure times. Services<br />

on Thursdays and Sundays are operated by Air Tahiti Nui’s Airbus A340 aircraft;<br />

Air New Zealand codeshare services on Mondays and Fridays are by Boeing 767.<br />

From Papeete, Air Tahiti Nui offers daily connecting services to and from Los Angeles.<br />

Papeete to Auckland services depart on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.<br />

A well dressed and<br />

stylish resident of this<br />

renowned beachside<br />

suburb, the Viceroy<br />

Santa Monica is ‘the’<br />

place to stay in<br />

Santa Monica.<br />

on location harveyworld.co.nz<br />

21


Do you yearn for Southern France with its Roman monuments<br />

and delectable food and wine? Or Russia, with its grand imperial<br />

cities, dramatic history and glorious treasures? Perhaps you<br />

imagine sailing into the heart of Europe, past emerald forests<br />

and medieval towns, where fairytales were born.<br />

Every traveller dreams of their own perfect journey. That’s why,<br />

at Viking River Cruises, we take great care to create a selection<br />

of holidays – each different, all offering a rich itinerary, deluxe<br />

accommodation, superb service and, of course, value for money.<br />

There is no more memorable way to see the world than from its<br />

great rivers. The Rhine, the Danube, the Volga, the Rhône and<br />

Saône – each takes you on its own magical adventure.<br />

Speak to your <strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> professional for more<br />

information about Viking’s inspiring holidays.<br />

THE WORLD’S LEADING RIVER CRUISE LINE...BY FAR ®<br />

22 harveyworld.co.nz on location


The many<br />

faces of<br />

Morocco<br />

Leading New Zealand designer and travel ambassador,<br />

Jane Daniels, describes the inspirational beauty of a journey<br />

with Innovative <strong>Travel</strong>.<br />

We are led through dark mysterious<br />

alleyways by a bent figure in a hooded<br />

djelleba. The only light is from his flickering<br />

lantern. A solid blue door is opened,<br />

revealing a magnificently coloured tiled<br />

courtyard, a fountain and pools, all<br />

fragrant and strewn with petals. An exotic<br />

dinner and evening await....<br />

Morocco, in fact, has been a continual<br />

doorway that the Phoenicians, Romans,<br />

Arabs, Berbers, Muslims, Jews, Spanish,<br />

Portuguese and French have all walked<br />

through, leaving behind a diverse culture<br />

whose cuisine, crafts and architecture are<br />

unique but clearly influenced by exotic<br />

lands near and far.<br />

There is more to Morocco though than its<br />

iconic fez, or red felt hat. While you see<br />

many people living subsistence-level lives,<br />

it is also good to know that Morocco<br />

was the location of one the world’s first<br />

universities, a land that was teaching the<br />

decimal system in the tenth century, and<br />

the homeland of the great fourteenthcentury<br />

explorer, Ibn Battuta, who rivalled<br />

Marco Polo in the extent of his travels.<br />

Much of Moroccan life carries<br />

on as it has done for centuries,<br />

surrounded by masses of people<br />

in the souks (markets) and squares<br />

that are awash with coloured ceramics,<br />

embroidery and spices – goods that<br />

are the lifeblood of many, all competing<br />

for your attention and your dirhams.<br />

In places, the camels, tagine pots and<br />

donkeys give way to a new sophistication.<br />

In many beautiful properties that I visited,<br />

you are surrounded by design ideas for<br />

interiors that have influenced the West<br />

for decades. Westerners who have made<br />

Morocco home also collaborate with<br />

skilled local craftsmen in the making of<br />

beautiful objects that you can buy in<br />

contemporary boutiques. In terms of colour<br />

alone it is easy to be passionate about<br />

Morocco: the palette here is a rainbow,<br />

and it is easy to follow in the footsteps of<br />

Delacroix and Matisse.<br />

On one day I can be sitting on a<br />

terrace, drinking mint tea from a gilded<br />

glass out of an ornate teapot, and<br />

taking in a vista of white cube-shaped<br />

houses in a medina (old city quarter)<br />

set against a brilliant turquoise sea.<br />

The the next day I can be in a labyrinth<br />

of streets of lilac-blue houses in<br />

Chefchaouen. Then in the burnt sienna<br />

of the desert kasbahs (citadels) and<br />

the gold-through-red shadings of the<br />

desert sand dunes. On another day I can<br />

be encompassed by the deep purpleblue<br />

hue of the snow-capped Atlas<br />

Mountains above Marrakech, the pink city<br />

that Winston Churchill described as “the<br />

most lovely spot in the world.” It all leaves<br />

you breathless.<br />

on location harveyworld.co.nz<br />

23


new<br />

CRUISE<br />

Cruise the<br />

waterways<br />

of Europe<br />

Le Boat, the number-one self-drive<br />

European boating company, is<br />

pleased to announce it is now a<br />

specially selected broker for Afloat in<br />

France, by Orient-Express.<br />

With Afloat in France, guests will be<br />

pampered aboard the most exclusive<br />

and lavish barges, or pénichehôtels<br />

as they are locally known, that<br />

navigate the French waterways. Each<br />

individually designed péniche-hôtel<br />

is distinguished by spacious, opulent<br />

facilities that include – on certain<br />

barges – heated swimming pools and<br />

sun deck areas offering 360-degree<br />

Uniworld’s regional Europe<br />

boutique river cruising<br />

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises’ 2013<br />

Europe and Russia programme showcases<br />

30 itineraries, with early booking savings of<br />

up to $1,200 per couple available until<br />

15 January, 2013.<br />

Uniworld’s in-depth regional offerings<br />

cover the rivers Rhine, Moselle, Main<br />

and Danube; Italy’s Po River and Venice<br />

Lagoon; France’s Seine, Rhône and<br />

Saône Rivers; the Douro River in Portugal<br />

and <strong>Spain</strong>; Russia’s Volga, Neva and Svir<br />

Rivers, as well as Holiday Season Cruises.<br />

There are several multiple-country<br />

itineraries as well as country-specific<br />

options, including two all-new Italy choices<br />

for 2013 and three popular regional<br />

French cruises as well as the introduction<br />

of Uniworld’s new Queen Isabel ship<br />

operating the Portugal, <strong>Spain</strong> and Douro<br />

River Valley itinerary from next March.<br />

Next year, Uniworld will be the only major<br />

river cruise line to offer river cruising in<br />

Italy along the Po River and the Venice<br />

Lagoon. Other new Europe itineraries<br />

include Grand Danube & Prague, a 17-<br />

day trip exploring seven countries, and<br />

the eight-day Highlights of Eastern Europe<br />

from Vienna to Belgrade, sailing through<br />

five inspiring countries: Austria, Slovakia,<br />

Hungary, Croatia and Serbia.<br />

24 harveyworld.co.nz on location


MSC Cruises’ founder receives<br />

prestigious industry award<br />

views, as well as full entertainment<br />

systems, internet access, large lounge<br />

areas and many more on-board<br />

comforts.<br />

This is an all-inclusive cruising<br />

experience, and the barges may be<br />

reserved on a ‘private hire’ or ‘per<br />

cabin’ basis. Either option includes<br />

all meals, beverages and excursions,<br />

plus airport transfers by first-class,<br />

high-speed train or private chauffeur.<br />

With a capacity of four to 12 guests<br />

across the fleet, it is truly a unique way<br />

to cruise the canals.<br />

A variety of journeys is available in the<br />

cruising season from April to October,<br />

including travel around Côte-d’Or,<br />

Burgundy, Franche-Comté, Saône,<br />

Provence, Vallée du Rhône, Canal du<br />

Midi and the Loire region.<br />

MSC Group Owner and President,<br />

Gianluigi Aponte, has been presented<br />

the highly prestigious Cruise International<br />

Lifetime Achievement Award.<br />

Cruise International Editor, Liz Jarvis, says:<br />

“We are delighted to bestow upon<br />

Gianluigi Aponte this well-deserved honour.<br />

Under his guidance MSC Cruises has<br />

become one of the world’s leading cruise<br />

companies; that it has done so in such a<br />

relatively short period of time is testament<br />

not only to Mr Aponte’s expertise, but also<br />

to his extraordinary vision.”<br />

Mr Aponte founded MSC Cruises in the<br />

late 1980’s. In just over two decades<br />

he has grown his company from modest<br />

beginnings to become the world’s fourthlargest<br />

cruise operator, boasting an<br />

ultramodern fleet of 12 ships – a thirteenth,<br />

MSC Preziosa, will be christened next<br />

March – and market-leading positions in<br />

the Mediterranean, South Africa and Brazil.<br />

Despite its spectacular growth, MSC is still<br />

a family-owned business and its founder<br />

remains dedicated to the company and<br />

to his family.<br />

Kiwis can now cruise<br />

on board Carnival with ease<br />

There’s a new cruise ship visiting New<br />

Zealand shores over the summer<br />

cruise season. Carnival Spirit is the<br />

newest and largest cruise liner to be<br />

homeported year-round in Australia,<br />

and offers a range of eight to 13-<br />

day itineraries to the Pacific Islands<br />

and New Zealand.<br />

Carnival Spirit offers 12 decks of<br />

fun, excitement and relaxation,<br />

with four restaurants serving local<br />

and international cuisine and a<br />

selection of bars and lounges with<br />

live entertainment nightly. Chill out in<br />

the pools or the child-free Serenity<br />

Retreat, cool off in the Splash Park or<br />

hit the onboard water park featuring<br />

Green Thunder – the steepest and<br />

fastest water slide at sea.<br />

When the ship docks, step ashore<br />

and explore tropical South Pacific<br />

islands, embark on a 4WD safari<br />

in New Zealand or a thrilling flying<br />

fox adventure in Fiji to add to the<br />

holiday excitement.<br />

on location harveyworld.co.nz<br />

25


Viking Longship sailing past Passau<br />

Sweet<br />

escape<br />

Pamela Stephenson, actress, comedian and wife of funny man<br />

Bill Connelly, discovers rich culture, sacred spaces and dark,<br />

dangerous chocolate on a trip along the Danube.<br />

When it comes to travel, I’m known for<br />

being a bit of a snob. But before your<br />

eyebrows hit your hairline, I have to qualify<br />

that I’m not the kind of snob who’ll only<br />

travel in high style, or who insists on visiting<br />

this season’s ‘it’ destinations. No – I promise<br />

I’m nowhere near that shallow. Rather,<br />

I’m the kind of travel snob who’s usually<br />

inspired to venture only to a corner of<br />

the world that seems utterly intrepid; if I’ve<br />

never heard of it, the location beckons.<br />

Just a few months ago I was striding around<br />

the highlands of Papua New Guinea and<br />

paddling up the Sepik River in a dugout<br />

canoe to visit tribes who deliberately scar<br />

their own backs to resemble the skin of<br />

crocodiles. I trekked through dense jungle<br />

to witness the flamboyant mating dance<br />

of the bird of paradise and risked dengue<br />

fever and robbery at machete-point in<br />

the interests of having what I regard as<br />

life-affirming experiences.<br />

By comparison, I imagined that a<br />

comfortable river cruise down the River<br />

Danube would be as civilised as a stroll<br />

through Kew Gardens. But I hate to say<br />

no to any adventure, so I decided to<br />

approach the trip as a contemplative<br />

journey, with culture and history to savour,<br />

as well as ample time to learn how to<br />

pace myself. How wrong I was.<br />

The first hint that my Danube trip would not<br />

be quite as expected was when my guide<br />

Robert announced that he owns four<br />

pairs of lederhosen. I hooted involuntarily,<br />

before realising he was serious.<br />

“When exactly do you wear them?” I asked.<br />

Robert’s reply: “Oh, birthdays, holidays...<br />

and when I got married.” But any initial<br />

culture shock was eased once I stepped<br />

on board the Viking Prestige – my home for<br />

the next few days. My suite was lovely and<br />

larger than I’d imagined, with a bathroom<br />

one rarely associates with ships.<br />

The Danube is more than 2,700 kilometres<br />

long and winds through ten countries. Blue it<br />

is not, but I gleaned that Strauss may have<br />

been somewhat blau (tipsy) himself when he<br />

wrote his famous waltz in ode to it. That said,<br />

it’s easy to see why the Austrian composer<br />

was so enchanted by the Danube. Even the<br />

news that the river’s water level was lower<br />

than normal could not dampen my swelling<br />

spirits. Settled comfortably in the observation<br />

lounge with a glass of sweet, nutmeg-y<br />

glühwein in hand, I surveyed the river. Five<br />

feet deep, they said. In high heels, I could<br />

wade to Budapest.<br />

Our first destination was Nuremberg.<br />

Made infamous by those Nazi rallies<br />

and post-war trials, Nuremberg is a fine<br />

medieval city with a bustling square full of<br />

townsfolk selling local handicrafts and toys.<br />

It’s also the embarkation point from which<br />

many passengers begin to navigate the<br />

Main-Danube Canal, a waterway cleverly<br />

dreamed up by the Roman Emperor<br />

Charlemagne, who saw the potential of a<br />

short cut towards the Black Sea.<br />

The customs officer who stamped my<br />

passport had proudly mentioned that our<br />

next mooring – Regensburg – was his home<br />

town (as well as the current Pope’s) and<br />

that it boasted a 900-year-old Romanbuilt<br />

bridge, the Steinerne Brücke. Since<br />

the Viking Prestige docked right next to<br />

this multi-arched structure, I strode across<br />

for a good look. The sweeping view up<br />

26 harveyworld.co.nz on location


and down the river was breathtaking. And<br />

with so few river craft, the glass-like water<br />

was calm enough to reflect the handsome<br />

clock-tower bridge gate, 17th-century salt<br />

store and the impressive openwork spires<br />

of St Peter’s Cathedral.<br />

Founded as a Roman military camp,<br />

Regensburg is now a vibrant university<br />

centre. Its contrasts are plain to see. The<br />

historic sausage kitchen is a 900-year-old<br />

building where the Romans were fed and<br />

which still serves 6,000 sausages every<br />

day. It overlooks funky late-night bars, rows<br />

of delightfully diverse shops and quaint<br />

cobblestoned squares. I set out on a<br />

history seeking, hot-chocolate imbibing<br />

mission and, yes, I even purchased some<br />

lederhosen from local company Angermaier<br />

– who knew that they came in purple?<br />

Admittedly, this was not the near-horizontal<br />

trip I’d been expecting. But with so many<br />

wonderful sights on offer, I figured there was<br />

ample time left in which to enter a more<br />

reflective mood. This in mind, I charged off<br />

to the 7th-century Benedictine Abbey of<br />

Weltenburg, near Kelheim.<br />

Founded by Irish monks in around AD<br />

600, it lies beside a narrow, chalk-lined<br />

gorge – one of the most dramatic areas<br />

of natural architecture on the Danube.<br />

So when I heard that the monastery had<br />

been brewing beer for nearly 1,000<br />

years, I plonked myself down and swigged<br />

some of that light amber liquid. It tasted<br />

fantastic, and pretty soon I was feeling<br />

pleased to have made what felt like a truly<br />

novel discovery.<br />

“You should bottle this stuff,” I recall saying<br />

to a bemused barmaid. “They’d love it<br />

back home....”<br />

Our next port of call was the Austrian city<br />

of Passau, often dubbed “the Venice of<br />

Bavaria”. I think this unfair, for Passau has its<br />

own idiosyncratic charms, including pretty<br />

but relatively austere buildings painted<br />

all the colours of a French patisserie.<br />

Depending on the time of year you visit,<br />

it is possible to attend a concert at St<br />

Stephen’s Cathedral, which houses the<br />

largest pipe organ in Europe, or sneak<br />

off to a café and sample a slice of<br />

chocolate-y Sachertorte. If you choose<br />

the latter, be warned: it’s addictive.<br />

Indeed, it was about halfway through my<br />

second piece that the truth of river cruising<br />

dawned on me – intrepidness takes many<br />

forms. I certainly didn’t have to be rambling<br />

through a tropical rainforest or climbing<br />

a mountain to find a sense of adventure.<br />

People have been taking ships along the<br />

Danube since at least the 17th century and<br />

now here I was, following in their footsteps.<br />

Still, they presumably managed it without<br />

entering a chocolate-induced coma, which<br />

is more than can be said for me.<br />

Melk Abbey, a superb Baroque monastery<br />

with delightful gardens on the banks of the<br />

Viennese section of the Danube was, for<br />

me, the land highlight of the trip. It’s been a<br />

spiritual centre since the 11th century and<br />

boasts an unforgettable library containing<br />

around 1,800 valuable manuscripts, some<br />

illustrated with miniatures. I was inspired to<br />

sit huddled at a tiny wooden desk, filling<br />

my brain with the wisdom of people whose<br />

minds had never been contaminated by<br />

TV, red-carpet interviews and the debate<br />

over global warming. This room held the<br />

peace I’d been craving.<br />

But even that was trounced by the<br />

astoundingly beautiful church – a<br />

shimmering altar, frescoes, a magnificent<br />

dome and side-altars conceptualised by<br />

Antonio Beduzzi. My gasp of delight was<br />

echoed by an equally impressed American<br />

lady: “They really had that ornate thing<br />

down, didn’t they?” she observed. But<br />

perhaps the most visually enchanting<br />

part of the cruise is the golden-leaved<br />

Wachau Valley, the heart of Austria’s<br />

wine country. Here is the opportunity to<br />

settle in by one of the picture windows<br />

and enjoy spectacular scenery along<br />

the riverbank – until you’re firmly docked in<br />

Vienna. This is the time to don your finery<br />

like a member of the royal Habsburg family<br />

and attend an orchestral concert as the<br />

prelude to a full day in one of the most<br />

romantic cities in Europe – think the Steffl<br />

Cathedral, Schönbrunn Palace, Belvedere,<br />

Burgtheater, a lot more Sachertorte,<br />

followed by a long lie-down.<br />

Then it’s on to Budapest – the highlight<br />

of the trip for most people, I imagine. On<br />

one bank the old city of Buda beckons,<br />

with its turreted fortress, famous church<br />

and ancient bridges; and on the other,<br />

the lively, modern Pest. There’s even time<br />

to venture to the Puszta (cowboy) region,<br />

to witness expert horsemanship at Lázár<br />

Equestrian Park.<br />

My Danube experience was unexpectedly<br />

illuminating. I had not imagined discovering<br />

such surprising towns, a rich, diverse<br />

riverscape and such dark and dangerous<br />

chocolate. Where else in the world can<br />

one balance heavy Bavarian nights with<br />

the privilege of entering sacred spaces<br />

and, in between, be cradled by the lilt<br />

of a peerless river? Oddly enough, in this<br />

‘civilised’ part of the world, it seemed I had<br />

managed to redefine intrepid.<br />

This article was first published by the<br />

Telegraph Media Group Ltd.<br />

Cruising<br />

on board a<br />

Viking Longship<br />

In 2013, sail the romantic Danube<br />

on board a state-of-the-art, luxury<br />

Viking Longship. Viking is changing<br />

the history of river cruising once<br />

again with the launch of an<br />

additional eight Viking Longships<br />

in 2013. From spacious Veranda<br />

Staterooms and French Balcony<br />

Staterooms with a sliding glass door,<br />

to the two-room Veranda Suites,<br />

each offers casual comfort and<br />

excellent river views. Or choose one<br />

of two stunning Explorer Suites – the<br />

largest on Europe’s rivers – with a<br />

wraparound veranda providing<br />

270-degree views and a sumptuous<br />

sense of luxury.<br />

Other onboard amenities include<br />

the Aquavit Terrace at the bow<br />

of the ship for al fresco dining, a<br />

restaurant with panoramic views,<br />

an observation lounge and bar, a<br />

sun deck and free shipwide wireless<br />

internet service.<br />

Complementing the ship’s rich<br />

variety of onshore excursions are<br />

Viking’s Old <strong>World</strong> Highlights and<br />

Culture Curriculum – a range of<br />

onboard and onshore immersive<br />

learning and enhancement activities<br />

which illuminate each itinerary. The<br />

onboard cuisine, with five-course<br />

gourmet dinners matched with<br />

regional wines, provides an elegant<br />

complement to the local culture.<br />

The Viking Longships are also<br />

eco-friendly ‘green’ ships, running on<br />

hybrid diesel-electric engines which<br />

produce fewer vibrations<br />

for a smoother ride.<br />

on location harveyworld.co.nz<br />

27


Cooking<br />

on location<br />

Sautéed prawns with fresh mint<br />

With its clean, fresh flavours and fast, sauté method<br />

of preparation, this appealing dish from the acclaimed<br />

kitchens of Club Med Cherating Beach in Malaysia<br />

is perfect for summer eating.<br />

Le Mutiara restaurant at Club Med’s Cherating Beach is one of<br />

lub Med’s 12 ‘Table Coup de Coeur’ status resorts worldwide, which<br />

guarantees delicious, creative cuisine and immaculate service.<br />

Located adjacent to the Main Bar and poolside area of the resort,<br />

Le Mutiara offers diners a constantly changing array of specialities<br />

from French to Chinese to Italian and Malaysian cuisine. For guests with<br />

culinary interests – and isn’t that all of us? – Le Mutiara offers regular<br />

cooking classes hosted by the resort’s expert chefs.<br />

Sautéed prawns with fresh mint<br />

Serves 4<br />

Ingredients<br />

• 0.5kg fresh tiger prawns<br />

• 20g finely chopped onion<br />

• 50g garlic<br />

• 1 tomato, cut in small cubes<br />

• 1 tbsp olive oil<br />

• 125ml white wine<br />

• 5g chopped fresh mint<br />

• 8g butter<br />

• Salt and pepper to taste<br />

Method<br />

Peel and clean the fresh prawns,<br />

leaving the tips on the tails.<br />

Chop the onion and garlic,<br />

cut the tomato into small cubes<br />

and chop the mint.<br />

Pour the olive oil into a hot<br />

frying pan, add the onion and<br />

garlic and sauté slowly. Add the<br />

prawns and cook until they are<br />

sealed on both sides.<br />

Continue cooking the prawns until<br />

they are golden and then add the<br />

cubed tomato and cook for two<br />

minutes. Add the white wine<br />

and let the acid in the wine cook<br />

away. Add the freshly chopped mint.<br />

Add the butter to thicken the sauce.<br />

Serve with rice or bread.<br />

28 harveyworld.co.nz on location


The <strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong><br />

Gift Registry<br />

Getting Married?<br />

And have everything but the honeymoon? <strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> will take the stress out of<br />

planning your holiday with our unique Gift Registry service.<br />

How does the Gift Registry Work?<br />

We will provide you with professional personalised gift registry<br />

cards for you to send out in your wedding invitations. These<br />

cards invite guests to contribute to your <strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong><br />

Gift Registry as their wedding present to you.<br />

If your guests decide to contribute, all they need to do<br />

is contact your chosen <strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> store to make<br />

their donation.<br />

Additionally, we can provide your guest with a congratulations<br />

card which they can include in their wedding card to you.<br />

This card states that they have contributed towards the<br />

gift registry, but does not specify the amount.<br />

Once the registry is closed, we will provide you with a final<br />

tally of the donations for you to put towards your dream<br />

honeymoon and the memories that will last you a lifetime.<br />

Should you have any questions about this service,<br />

please contact your local <strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong><br />

Professional on 0800 08 88 08<br />

on location harveyworld.co.nz<br />

29


A South Pacific<br />

family break<br />

French-style<br />

Tahiti is the perfect stopover on a long trans-Pacific flight, and a great place for children<br />

to garner some foreign language skills, writes on location Editor, Tracey Mehrtens.<br />

After two busy weeks on a recent road<br />

trip holiday in the USA, the relaxing islands<br />

of Tahiti offered a welcome change of<br />

pace, beautiful scenery and tropical<br />

warmth before we headed home to New<br />

Zealand. Only one hour ahead with<br />

daylight saving – but a day behind – Tahiti<br />

also provides a gentle way of easing<br />

yourself back into your usual time zone.<br />

And from Papeete, it’s less than a six-hour<br />

flight home.<br />

Tahiti et ses îles (Tahiti and Her Islands)<br />

comprises five archipelagoes in the<br />

southern Pacific Ocean, sprinkled over<br />

an area the size of Europe. Home of the<br />

stunning black pearl, this overseas territory<br />

of France possesses a romantic South<br />

Pacific charm with more than a dash of<br />

Gallic style.<br />

Arriving at our hotel, the Manava Suite<br />

Resort in Papeete, the beauty of Tahiti – as<br />

always – amazes me. From the terrace of<br />

our suite, the wide views are breathtaking,<br />

the infinity swimming pool blending invisibly<br />

into the lagoon backdrop and the craggy<br />

outline of the mainland’s nearest island,<br />

Moorea, which dominates the skyline.<br />

Colourful lagoon sea life encircles the<br />

pool where the reef drops away for some<br />

magical snorkelling.<br />

The Manava Suite Resort isn’t far from<br />

Tahiti’s main hub of Papeete where<br />

we head for a taste of local cuisine.<br />

Every night, the town square comes to<br />

life crammed with les roulottes – food<br />

caravans – to satisfy every taste at a very<br />

reasonable price: Chinese, French crêpes,<br />

fresh seafood, even good old steak frites<br />

(steak and chips).<br />

Pull up a stool and settle at a picnicstyle<br />

table in the balmy evening breeze,<br />

soaking up the local atmosphere as<br />

you feast. It’s not only a place to dine<br />

but also to catch up with friends over a<br />

relaxed meal, with lilting Tahitian verse<br />

and ukuleles twanging in the background.<br />

The adjacent band rotunda is circled by<br />

children on bikes and skateboards, not<br />

overly interested in eating and<br />

more intent on playing.<br />

Surrounded by French banter,<br />

you could almost be in the<br />

centre of Paris. Many Kiwi kids<br />

learn French at school, so<br />

it’s a chance to try out their<br />

language skills. The local greetings of<br />

bonjour and bonsoir, merci (thanks), au<br />

revoir (goodbye) and, of course, how<br />

to order a Coke (un Coca, s’il vous<br />

plaît) – are soon rolling off the youngsters’<br />

tongues, bringing smiles to the locals.<br />

The signage around town also has them<br />

reciting French out loud.<br />

The next day dawns and we catch the<br />

ferry to the nearby island of Moorea. A<br />

short 30-minute trip away, it’s a true slice of<br />

island life, tranquil, laid-back and beautiful.<br />

As we loop around Cook’s Bay, it isn’t hard<br />

to see why the great navigator, Captain<br />

James Cook, fell in love with the island and<br />

its people.<br />

We head off with Moana Adventure Tours<br />

to swim with stingrays and feed the sharks,<br />

as well as hopefully catch a glimpse of a<br />

moray eel. The warm water is crystal-clear,<br />

30 harveyworld.co.nz on location


a calm contrast to the booming surf<br />

break along the encircling reef. Huge<br />

gliding stingrays surround the boat<br />

even before the boat anchors and<br />

our Tahitian guide jumps into the water<br />

carrying their petit déjeuner (breakfast)<br />

of squid and fish. The darting reef<br />

sharks keep a wider berth.<br />

“They love the taste of people,” the<br />

boat’s captain quips with a wry smile.<br />

The almost-tame rays slither up the<br />

guide’s side, gently snuffling for<br />

their petite morsels. The rest of the<br />

boatload gingerly follows him into<br />

the water and he weaves the rays<br />

between them. Apprehension is soon<br />

all but lost as the swimmers first touch<br />

the silky-smooth creatures and then<br />

offer them titbits of seafood. The sharks<br />

stay further at bay.<br />

“Please don’t touch the sharks,”<br />

our guide cautions. “They’re not<br />

quite as friendly!”<br />

The local wildlife’s appetite<br />

appeased, we anchor off a small<br />

motu (islet) to satisfy our own hunger.<br />

Especially delicious is the local dish<br />

of poisson cru (raw, marinated fish).<br />

There’s cubed marlin tossed with lime<br />

juice and coconut milk and mixed<br />

with onion, cucumber, tomato, chilli<br />

and seasoned with salt. There’s also<br />

barbecued marlin and chicken, rice<br />

salad and fresh sweet pineapple<br />

washed down with the local Hinano<br />

beer to round off our feast.<br />

Back at the dock, it’s time to bid<br />

Moorea a reluctant farewell, and the<br />

next morning it’s also au revoir to Tahiti.<br />

Next time, our stay will be longer as a<br />

couple of more days in the sun would<br />

have been perfect. A bientôt! – See<br />

you soon.<br />

Family haven at Manava Suite Resort Tahiti<br />

The Manava Suite Resort Tahiti, located at Punaauia, a short<br />

ten-minute drive from Tahiti’s Faa’a International Airport, is a familyfriendly<br />

resort nestled on the edge of a lagoon with panoramic<br />

views of Tahiti’s closest neighbouring island of Moorea.<br />

Offering a welcoming and contemporary Tahitian ambience<br />

in a lush, tropical landscape setting, the four-star resort has a<br />

selection of 121 luxury rooms and suites, including spacious onebedroom<br />

Lagoon View and Garden Suites and Studio Suites with<br />

kitchenettes, as well as multi-bedroom duplex apartments. The<br />

spacious balconies of the Lagoon View Suites frame a sweeping<br />

view of the resort’s pool and the lagoon, with Moorea beyond. It’s<br />

a perfect spot for relaxation.<br />

Each guest room at the Manava Suite Resort Tahiti has been<br />

designed by Tahitian architect/designer Bruno Hervochon to<br />

reflect authentic Polynesian décor, and is fitted to the very highest<br />

standard.<br />

Sip a cocktail at the Taapuna Pool Bar and watch the sun slip<br />

below the horizon before sampling a fusion of Polynesian and<br />

international cuisine at Vaitohi Restaurant, which also serves<br />

breakfast. Children eat free with dining adults. The trendy<br />

Punavai Lounge Bar serves a selection of tapas-style,<br />

Polynesian-inspired bites.<br />

For those heading out to the islands, Manava Suite Resorts<br />

has sister properties on the islands of Moorea, Huahine, Bora Bora<br />

and Tikehau.<br />

Tracey was hosted by Air Tahiti Nui, Tahiti Tourisme, Manava Suite<br />

Resort Tahiti and Marama Tours, a family-owned and-operated,<br />

full-service service, travel and transport company.<br />

Air Tahiti Nui, the international airline of Tahiti, flies from Auckland<br />

to Tahiti four times a week, with a convenient choice of morning or<br />

afternoon departure times. Services on Thursdays and Sundays are<br />

operated by Air Tahiti Nui’s Airbus A340 aircraft; Air New Zealand<br />

codeshare services on Mondays and Fridays are by Boeing 767.<br />

From Papeete, Air Tahiti Nui offers daily connecting services to and<br />

from Los Angeles.<br />

Papeete to Auckland services depart on Wednesdays, Fridays,<br />

Saturdays and Sundays.


around<br />

New Zealand<br />

Peppers continues<br />

New Zealand expansion<br />

New reptile babies<br />

for Rainbow Springs<br />

Peppers continues to expand its network of luxury<br />

retreats and resorts in New Zealand, announcing<br />

the addition of The Carrington Resort.<br />

Located on the Karikari Peninsula in picturesque Northland,<br />

four hours’ drive north of Auckland, this leading golf resort offers<br />

superb lodge and villa accommodation, a vineyard and<br />

cellar door and extensive conference and event facilities.<br />

To be known as Peppers Carrington Resort, the property<br />

will be the third addition to the Peppers network in 2012.<br />

Peppers Parehua Martinborough and Peppers Awaroa<br />

Lodge joined the portfolio earlier this year, and the addition<br />

of the Carrington Resort brings the Peppers presence in the<br />

North and South Islands to seven.<br />

The resort is set in the middle of the Carrington Farms Estate,<br />

a 1200-hectare ecologically planned property of private<br />

virgin beaches, restored natural wetlands, a Black Angus stud<br />

farm, and Karikari Estate – the northernmost winery in New<br />

Zealand. The property is Qualmark 4 ½-star rated and has<br />

achieved the Qualmark Environmental Gold status.<br />

The jewel in Peppers Carrington Resort’s crown is its<br />

6417-metre, par 72, 18-hole championship golf course,<br />

located between sweeping ocean views to the north and<br />

east, and the hillside vineyards of Karikari Estate to the south.<br />

Rotorua’s Rainbow Springs has eight new reptile<br />

arrivals – baby bearded dragons.<br />

The native Australian lizards hatched at Auckland Zoo<br />

and recently made the journey by car to their new home<br />

at Rainbow Springs in Rotorua. Rainbow Springs houses a<br />

range of New Zealand native and exotic wildlife and has<br />

a strong conservation role as a tuatara breeder. It is also<br />

New Zealand’s largest brown kiwi hatchery.<br />

The four-month-old lizards are now on public display and<br />

in time will be between 330 to 610 mm in length, a long<br />

stretch from their current 70-mm length. They currently weigh<br />

between 5.6 and 12.1 grams and at mature weight will be<br />

between 2 to 3 kg.<br />

Eventually the bearded dragons will feature in the<br />

free-flight bird and exotic wildlife show at Rainbow Springs,<br />

along with stars of the show Ritchie the macaw – one of the<br />

world’s largest parrots, Charlie the cockatoo and Qantas<br />

the galah. Fellow-reptiles a blue tongue lizard and a water<br />

dragon also feature, making for a fact-filled and fun look at<br />

their lives and habitat.<br />

32 harveyworld.co.nz on location


The Martinborough<br />

Hotel joins the Heritage<br />

Boutique Collection<br />

The Heritage Boutique Collection welcomes<br />

The Martinborough Hotel as the eighth property<br />

to join the Luxury Collection.<br />

Post-eruption Tongariro<br />

Alpine Crossing now<br />

has new appeal<br />

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing, which was closed<br />

following the August eruption at Mt Tongariro, is<br />

ready for the summer hiking season.<br />

The iconic one-day walk attracts more than 80,000 visitors<br />

each year and as a result of the volcanic activity the walk<br />

holds new appeal and will be an even bigger drawing card<br />

for international and domestic visitors.<br />

Destination Great Lake Taupo Marketing Manager, Donna<br />

Jarden, says, “The crossing is already a ‘bucket list’ activity for<br />

many visitors to our region, from seasoned trampers through<br />

to first-timers to the mountain.<br />

Built in 1882, The Martinborough Hotel was restored to the<br />

status of a five-star boutique hotel by a comprehensive<br />

refurbishment in 1996. It features beautiful Georgian-style<br />

architecture which makes it a perfect venue for a leisure<br />

break, executive retreat or private wedding.<br />

“Now, with even more steaming craters, volcanic ash,<br />

boulders and hot vents there is plenty of new activity<br />

to see. Add to this an important and authentic cultural<br />

dimension and you have a world-class visitor experience<br />

that is second to none.”<br />

The property is a 75-minute drive east of Wellington’s CBD<br />

via the Rimutaka Hill Road and is positioned on the square<br />

in the charming village of Martinborough. The 24 surrounding<br />

vineyards of the Martinborough wine region specialise in<br />

world-renowned pinot noir.<br />

The hotel has 16 guest rooms, consisting of nine Verandah<br />

Rooms and seven Garden Rooms. Each room opens onto<br />

a peaceful balcony or the rose-filled garden.<br />

The hotel’s facilities include The Martinborough Hotel Bar<br />

& Grill, which provides bistro-style dining and showcases<br />

local wines including some of the pinot noirs that have put<br />

Martinborough on the world wine map. Conference and<br />

wedding facilities for up to 60 people are also available and<br />

the garden provides a perfect venue for summer weddings.<br />

on location harveyworld.co.nz<br />

33


Newlywed bliss<br />

on a floating bungalow<br />

34 harveyworld.co.nz on location


A luxurious small ship and the<br />

fabled islands of Tahiti….<br />

For Natalie Archer<br />

of <strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> Remuera,<br />

they were the ingredients for<br />

a perfect honeymoon.<br />

Tahiti has always been a destination that<br />

conjures up romance and relaxation in<br />

my mind, so what better place to go for<br />

a honeymoon? I’d always had my heart<br />

set on staying in an overwater bungalow<br />

in Bora Bora – until I found out how much<br />

that would cost!<br />

After comparing a few alternatives I came<br />

across Paul Gauguin Cruises. For a fraction<br />

of the cost of an overwater bungalow, we<br />

could have our own moving ‘overwater<br />

bungalow’ for seven nights to explore<br />

several islands in French Polynesia! So it<br />

was decided and we booked for April,<br />

a great time of year to visit since it’s right<br />

after the rainy season and we were lucky<br />

enough to have ten days of pure sunshine.<br />

Paul Gauguin Cruises offers great value<br />

and ease for the traveller as all meals,<br />

drinks (including alcohol), gratuities and<br />

entertainment are included in your cruise<br />

fare, so all you need to budget for are<br />

shore excursions and spending money.<br />

The m/s Paul Gauguin is a small,<br />

322-passenger luxury cruise ship with a<br />

very relaxed island atmosphere. From the<br />

moment we stepped on board we felt at<br />

home and the staff really go out of their<br />

way to ensure you have a memorable<br />

experience, to the point where our waiters<br />

memorised not only our names but also<br />

our drink preferences! The food on board<br />

was so delicious and plentiful that it was<br />

hard coming back home to cook our own<br />

meals again!<br />

Having cruised many times on large<br />

ships of around 3,500 passengers, we<br />

expected the cabins and public areas to<br />

be small, but we were surprised to find the<br />

ensuite bathroom in our stateroom had<br />

a full-size bath (with L’Occitane personal<br />

care products) and an overhead shower.<br />

There was also plenty of space to store<br />

our suitcases for the week.<br />

The public areas were also very spacious<br />

and we even managed to get deck chairs<br />

around the pool with ease. Of course, you<br />

don’t have the glitzy Broadway shows and<br />

array of activities as you would on a large<br />

ship, but there are some great activities<br />

you can participate in while on board.<br />

There are small nightly shows, a piano bar<br />

and visits to the galleys and the bridge.<br />

We enjoyed the stargazing experience a<br />

couple of times which was very informative.<br />

Out at sea, without light pollution, the stars<br />

are truly amazing.<br />

Since our voyage, Paul Gauguin has had<br />

a seven-million-dollar facelift so I’m sure<br />

she is now even more impressive.<br />

We flew direct from Auckland to Papeete<br />

with Air Tahiti Nui, and on arrival were<br />

transferred to the Radisson Plaza Resort,<br />

which was about 20 minutes from the<br />

airport. We spent a lot of time in the<br />

resort’s fabulous swimming pool as well<br />

as drinking cocktails! We also caught<br />

the Radisson’s complimentary bus into<br />

Papeete and had a good look around<br />

the markets and the surrounding area, but<br />

we couldn’t wait to get out and see the<br />

islands and the crystal-clear waters that<br />

French Polynesia has to offer.<br />

That day soon arrived and we were<br />

collected from the Radisson Plaza<br />

Resort and taken to the pier in Papeete.<br />

Embarkation was very quick and efficient<br />

and before we knew it we were sipping<br />

Champagne on board before being<br />

escorted to our stateroom.<br />

We booked the seven-night ‘Tahiti &<br />

Society Islands’ cruise in an Oceanview<br />

Stateroom, which was great for us as we<br />

spent a lot of time out and about. I must<br />

admit though that next time we’ll go for<br />

a Veranda or Balcony Stateroom so we<br />

have a lovely deck to relax on in the<br />

afternoons.<br />

One of the highlights of the cruise was<br />

a day spent on Motu Mahana, Paul<br />

Gauguin Cruises’ own private motu (little<br />

island) off the larger island of Taha’a. It<br />

was a fabulous day spent snorkelling in<br />

the crystal-clear waters, eating (they pull<br />

out all the stops for the beach barbecue),<br />

drinking from the floating bar (you don’t<br />

even need to leave the water to get a<br />

cocktail!) and relaxing in the sun on the<br />

deck chairs. This is now my ‘happy place’:<br />

I dream of lying in the sun here when I’m<br />

having a bad day!<br />

The other highlight was definitely Bora<br />

Bora. On one of our days there we<br />

booked an Aqua Safari underwater walk<br />

that took us to the bottom of the ocean<br />

wearing old-style diving helmets. It’s a<br />

whole different world down there and the<br />

coral and tropical fish were spectacular.<br />

The next day we booked Le Truck and<br />

went for a tour around the island. I have to<br />

say that Bora Bora has some of the most<br />

stunning scenery and beaches I’ve ever<br />

seen in my life and it truly does look like a<br />

computer screen-saver.<br />

Moorea was also a beautiful island<br />

surrounded by beautiful beaches and<br />

full of history. We took a tour of Moorea<br />

with one of the locals who took us out<br />

to explore the pineapple fields and an<br />

ancient Tahitian stone temple en route to<br />

the Belvedere Lookout. At the summit, there<br />

were breathtaking views of Cook’s Bay,<br />

Opunohu Bay and Mount Rotui.<br />

On another day in Moorea we wanted<br />

to do something a little different so we<br />

took a Dolphin Watching Expedition<br />

with Dr Michael Poole, who was very<br />

knowledgeable about the spinner<br />

dolphins we saw. We also got some<br />

great photos.<br />

Sadly, our seven days on the Paul Gauguin<br />

sped by and before we knew it we were<br />

back at the pier in Papeete and off to<br />

board our plane home. The only thing that<br />

made that a bit more bearable was flying<br />

in Business Class on Air Tahiti Nui!<br />

We definitely fell in love with Tahiti and the<br />

Society Islands and can safely say that<br />

we’ll be back one day – and we’ll do a<br />

longer Paul Gauguin Cruise next time!<br />

on location harveyworld.co.nz<br />

35


news<br />

Kangaroo Island<br />

Farm Gate and<br />

Cellar Door Trail<br />

Discover Melbourne’s<br />

best-kept secrets<br />

The Swanston Hotel, Grand Mercure<br />

Melbourne reveals the city’s best- kept<br />

secrets with its latest ‘We Know Melbourne’<br />

city guides.<br />

The ‘We Know Melbourne’ concierge<br />

team has roamed the city streets and<br />

hidden laneways to provide hotel guests<br />

with new city guides such as ‘A Rainy Day’,<br />

‘Melbourne with Kids’, ‘Art & Design’, ‘Guide<br />

to Cheap Eats’, ‘Guide to Late Night<br />

Dining’ and ‘Sunday Night in the City’.<br />

The hand-picked, one-page guides<br />

reveal more of Melbourne’s hidden gems<br />

along with the best places to eat and<br />

drink, must-see attractions, great value<br />

day tours and what’s on in Melbourne.<br />

The new ‘Art & Design’ guide highlights<br />

top galleries showcasing works from<br />

up-and-coming local artists to some of<br />

history’s greatest artisans. And travellers<br />

on a budget can’t go past the hotel’s<br />

‘Guide to Cheap Eats’ for a concise list<br />

of the best places to grab a bite to eat<br />

at the best value for money.<br />

The Swanston Hotel, Grand Mercure is<br />

located in the very heart of Melbourne’s<br />

CBD, surrounded by a wealth of places to<br />

see and things to do.<br />

Visitors to Kangaroo Island in South<br />

Australia can now explore a new trail<br />

featuring the finest in local food and wine.<br />

The Kangaroo Island Farm Gate and<br />

Cellar Door Trail lists a range of producers,<br />

cellar doors and events, allowing visitors<br />

to this iconic destination to easily find<br />

and sample its best fare and call in at its<br />

welcoming cellar doors.<br />

The Trail brochure, which is available in<br />

hard copy and online, includes three<br />

suggested itineraries developed for<br />

visitors with varying amounts of time on the<br />

island, each featuring a mix of art, scenery<br />

and natural delights. Kangaroo Island is<br />

renowned for products such as freerange<br />

eggs, olive oil, native berry jams,<br />

seafood, regional yoghurts and cheeses,<br />

honey, breads and biscuits. The island’s<br />

200 hectares of vines are tended by<br />

30 growers, who together produce wine<br />

for 18 labels. Ciders and spirits are also<br />

made locally.<br />

Kangaroo Island is a 30-minute flight<br />

from Adelaide or a 90-minute drive and<br />

35-minute ferry ride.<br />

36 harveyworld.co.nz on location


Trafalgar opens the door to Asia<br />

Leading guided holiday company<br />

Trafalgar has introduced Asia into its<br />

travel portfolio, giving Kiwis the chance to<br />

explore China, Japan and Vietnam with the<br />

popular brand from January 2013.<br />

Featuring eight expertly planned itineraries<br />

ranging from nine to 18 days, plus five<br />

extension options, Trafalgar’s 2013 Asia<br />

programme offers a new way to explore these<br />

incredible destinations through a wide range<br />

of authentic and traditional experiences.<br />

Guests also enjoy a more personalised<br />

experience with no more than 26 guests<br />

on the land-based guided holidays, or a<br />

maximum of 35 guests on combined land<br />

and river holidays, all led by Trafalgar’s<br />

expert travel directors.<br />

From Mount Fuji in Japan to the Great<br />

Wall of China and the Cu Chi Tunnels in<br />

Vietnam, all of the amazing, must-see sights<br />

are included, yet the Trafalgar difference<br />

ensures that guests ‘get beneath the<br />

surface’ of each destination.<br />

Integral to the programme are Trafalgar’s<br />

renowned Local Specialties and Unique<br />

Insights, providing travellers with the<br />

chance to actively participate in regional<br />

activities such as a sushi-making class or<br />

sake sampling in Japan, practising the art<br />

of t’ai chi on a traditional junk boat in<br />

Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay, or learning how to<br />

make true Chinese dumplings in Xi’an.<br />

Matt falls hook, line<br />

and sinker for ‘The Rock’<br />

Extreme fisherman and television<br />

personality, Matt Watson, recently<br />

packed his tackle box and headed<br />

for Niue, aka ‘The Rock’. What started<br />

out as a work gig filming for the hugely<br />

popular ITM Fishing Show quickly turned<br />

into a personal plan for the Watson<br />

family’s next holiday.<br />

Next time around, Matt will be looking<br />

for more time to do everything on land<br />

as well as on and under the water, and<br />

sharing with his family his appreciation<br />

for “real people with real lives doing<br />

real stuff.”<br />

Matt is looking forward to returning<br />

next year and sharing Niue’s natural<br />

environment with his wife, Kaylene, and<br />

his children, ten-year-old Hannah and<br />

seven-year-old Shaw.<br />

“The family are all water nuts like me,”<br />

says Matt, but Hannah is especially keen<br />

on getting up close to Niue’s migrating<br />

dolphins. And along with the rest of the<br />

family she is keen to explore the sea<br />

tracks and coves and snorkelling and<br />

the local way of life.<br />

The last, says Matt, is truly one of Niue’s<br />

charms. “So many destinations try to<br />

steer tourists away from the locals, but<br />

the locals of Niue are actually a really<br />

big draw card.”<br />

on location harveyworld.co.nz<br />

37


38 harveyworld.co.nz on location


Cruising the<br />

Coconut Coast<br />

Twenty minutes by air from Honolulu, Robert Schroder of <strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> Browns Bay<br />

encounters the diverse beauty and aloha spirit of Kaua’i, Hawaii’s garden island.<br />

I’m certainly no stranger to Hawaii. The<br />

extraordinary beauty of this chain of mid-<br />

Pacific islands keeps drawing me back<br />

and with the addition of three direct flights<br />

a week from Auckland to Honolulu by<br />

Hawaiian Airlines in March 2013, I predict<br />

that Hawaii will be ‘the’ place for holidaying<br />

Kiwis to be. I will certainly need no<br />

encouragement to renew my acquaintance<br />

with the stunning island of Kaua’i.<br />

Kaua’i, named for the favourite son of a<br />

legendary Polynesian navigator, is the<br />

oldest and northernmost of the Hawaiian<br />

Islands. Located 170 kilometres northwest<br />

of Oahu (about 20 minutes by air), it’s<br />

the fourth-largest of the Hawaiian Islands<br />

at 1,400 square kilometres and is widely<br />

known as the ‘garden island’ because of<br />

its lushness. As the plane approached the<br />

airport at Lihu’e on the southeastern side<br />

of the island, I admired the multiple shades<br />

of green of the tropical rainforest and the<br />

sparkling blue waters washing the shoreline.<br />

After collecting the rental car – a<br />

convertible is the option of choice by the<br />

majority of visitors – we checked in to the<br />

beautiful Kaua’i Marriott Resort & Beach<br />

Club on Kalapaki Beach in Lihu’e and<br />

started to explore the island.<br />

About ten to 15 minutes’ drive away, a<br />

beautiful old plantation house, reminiscent of<br />

a setting in a novel by Somerset Maugham,<br />

has been converted into Plantation<br />

Gardens, a complex of galleries and a fine<br />

dining restaurant. Close by is the Koloa Rum<br />

Company, which offers free tastings and a<br />

short journey on a restored train which once<br />

hauled wagons of sugar cane. We then<br />

returned to the resort and after a short walk<br />

along the beautiful beach, relaxed beside<br />

the pool with a cocktail.<br />

When in Hawaii you have to dine in at<br />

least one of Jimmy Buffett’s restaurants, and<br />

that evening in Lihu’e the queue to get<br />

into the restaurant proved they are still a<br />

popular choice.<br />

The second day of our visit dawned with<br />

blue skies, allowing us to lower the top<br />

of the convertible and cruise to Waimea<br />

Canyon, one of the major attractions on<br />

the western side of the island. The twisting<br />

roads took us up to a height from where<br />

we could look down on this massive gorge,<br />

which is 900 metres deep in places,<br />

and admire its deep red soils, brushed<br />

with green where the tropical forest has<br />

regenerated. For those with the time and<br />

energy, the 16-kilometre-long canyon has<br />

over 60 kilometres of hiking trails.<br />

Returning to Lihu’e, we stopped off at the<br />

villages of Hanapepe, Kalaheo and Koloa<br />

to explore their galleries and boutiques.<br />

I even found some books to buy in a<br />

second-hand book shop. At Koloa we<br />

deviated and drove to Poipu on the<br />

South Shore to view the ‘Spouting Horn’<br />

blowhole, where the surf is channelled<br />

into a natural lava tube and releases a<br />

spout of water high into the air. Also in<br />

the Poipu area are the excellent Allerton<br />

and McBryde Gardens administered by<br />

the National Tropical Botanical Garden<br />

organisation, and the Moir Gardens<br />

located on the grounds of the Kiahuna<br />

Plantation Resort.<br />

On any visit to the USA it is a must to shop<br />

in a Walmart, and yes, Lihu’e has one and<br />

we made some purchases, convinced they<br />

were bargains.<br />

On the third day we drove an hour north<br />

to Princeville on the North Shore of Kaua’i,<br />

having been invited to breakfast at the<br />

luxurious St Regis Princeville Resort which<br />

overlooks Hanalei Bay. While there, we<br />

were asked if we wanted to view the<br />

Presidential Suite which was to be used by<br />

George Clooney while filming the movie,<br />

Descendants. The island of Kaua’i is used<br />

as a location by many film companies and<br />

maps are available showing them.<br />

On the drive back to Lihu’e we stopped<br />

in the village of Kilauea and again at<br />

Wailua on the beautiful Coconut Coast,<br />

so called for the groves of palm trees<br />

that grow along its beautiful beaches.<br />

As always, we were tempted to purchase<br />

some of the beautiful local artworks, and<br />

on one village green a surfboard swap<br />

meet (flea market) was being held.<br />

It had been a splendid three days,<br />

the beauty and diversity of Kaua’i’s<br />

landscapes and attractions matched by<br />

the creature comforts of its resorts, the<br />

excellent food and service and the laidback<br />

atmosphere of its small towns. It was<br />

with a big sigh and a firm mental note to<br />

return that we boarded our late-afternoon<br />

flight back to Honolulu.<br />

Getting there<br />

Air New Zealand flies to Honolulu from<br />

Auckland three times a week. Hawaiian<br />

Airlines will also commence Auckland-<br />

Honolulu services three times a week<br />

from March 2013. There are frequent<br />

air connections from Honolulu to the<br />

neighbouring islands of Kauai, Maui<br />

and Hawaii Island, as well as to the US<br />

mainland. Kaua’i is also a destination for<br />

cruise ships.<br />

Language and Currency<br />

Hawaii is a State of the USA and the<br />

official languages are English and<br />

Hawaiian. The currency is the US Dollar.<br />

A variety of credit cards (American<br />

Express, MasterCard, Visa, Diners, JCB)<br />

are accepted as well as cash in local<br />

currency. ATM’s are plentiful.<br />

Climate<br />

The Hawaiian Islands have a gentle<br />

tropical climate moderated by trade<br />

winds. There are only two seasons –<br />

summer, which runs from May to September,<br />

and winter, which runs from October to<br />

April. Summer temperatures are between<br />

23 to 32 C. daily and 18 to 25 C. in<br />

winter. Sunshine is plentiful year-round.<br />

Where to Stay<br />

As a major global tourist destination,<br />

the Hawaiian Islands offer a huge range<br />

of accommodation at all levels of<br />

comfort and budget. A number of major<br />

accommodation brands have hotels and<br />

resorts on Kaua’i.<br />

What to See and Do<br />

In addition to varied scenic beauty, the<br />

island offers a variety of outdoor activities<br />

including hiking, kayaking, snorkelling and<br />

ziplining above lush valleys. Its cultural<br />

attractions also reward attention.<br />

on location harveyworld.co.nz<br />

39


Etihad Airways<br />

goes organic<br />

Etihad Airways, the national airline of<br />

the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has<br />

purchased 200 hens which are being<br />

raised free-range at Abu Dhabi<br />

Organics Farms.<br />

Supporting the airline’s commitment to<br />

offering customers the finest and freshest<br />

products, eggs produced by the hens will<br />

be used in Etihad Airways’ Diamond First<br />

Class dishes, including the hugely popular<br />

‘Eggs any style’ breakfast option, prepared<br />

fresh by the airline’s onboard chefs.<br />

In addition to the hens, Etihad Airways<br />

has purchased three beehives, which<br />

are also based at Abu Dhabi Organics<br />

Farms. Honey produced by the bees will<br />

be served exclusively to Etihad Airways<br />

passengers and used in an array of dishes.<br />

Etihad Airways is planning to introduce<br />

its first entirely organic dish, the Tomato<br />

Caprese Salad, to the Diamond First<br />

Class Mezoon Grille menu. The salad’s<br />

ingredients of cherry tomato, basil, rocket<br />

leaf, mozzarella and olive oil will all be<br />

organic ‘Products of the UAE’.<br />

The airline is also developing a line of<br />

signature pickles which will be available<br />

to customers. The pickles are made from<br />

entirely organic ingredients including<br />

paprika, chilli, onion, capsicum and dates.<br />

They will be served with warm bread and<br />

a range of cheeses.<br />

Ned Kahn<br />

masterpiece graces<br />

upgraded airport<br />

One of Australia’s largest pieces of public<br />

art will greet the millions of passengers<br />

who fly in and out of Brisbane Airport’s<br />

Domestic Terminal every year.<br />

The massive, nine-storey artwork by the<br />

California-based environmental artist<br />

and sculptor, Ned Kahn, caps Brisbane<br />

Airport’s Domestic Terminal upgrade,<br />

which also includes a 5,000-space smart<br />

car park, an adjoining Skywalk and the<br />

complete redesign of the road network.<br />

Kahn’s Brisbane Airport work appears<br />

to ripple and move as the wind blows<br />

through its 250,000 aluminium panels.<br />

Inside the car park, intricate patterns of<br />

light and shadow are projected onto the<br />

walls and floor as sunlight passes through<br />

the kinetic facade.<br />

The Domestic Terminal Precinct Upgrade<br />

project commenced in 2010 and<br />

includes:<br />

• A satellite terminal upgrade, opened in<br />

April 2011 (A$51 million)<br />

• The Stage 2 Northern Domestic Terminal<br />

Expansion (A$76.6 million)<br />

• A new multilevel car park (A$250 million)<br />

• The Skywalk, a raised pedestrian walkway<br />

linking the car parks to the terminal<br />

• A reconfiguration of the road network<br />

within the precinct to ease traffic flow<br />

• A new ‘free’ passenger pick-up facility.<br />

40 harveyworld.co.nz on location


Air Adventure Australia<br />

makes the Outback<br />

more accessible<br />

Flying is the best way to access the vast<br />

Australian outback and Air Adventure<br />

Australia now brings the landscape and its<br />

people even closer with a new addition<br />

to the skies.<br />

The recent acquisition of the ‘Outback<br />

Jet’ (Cessna 441 Conquest II) will<br />

make outback Australia not only more<br />

accessible but much more comfortable.<br />

John Dyer, Managing Director of Air<br />

Adventure Australia says, “Outback<br />

Australia is large and diverse, making it<br />

challenging to explore in a short amount<br />

of time. Air Adventure Australia has been<br />

defeating the tyranny of this distance for<br />

more 35 years through private aircraft, small<br />

groups of no more than 10 people and<br />

unparalleled knowledge of the outback.”<br />

Currently enjoying an extensive refit,<br />

Outback Jet will take to the skies for the<br />

first time on an Air Adventure trip in early<br />

2013. Departures during the year include<br />

Cape York & The Gulf, Western Wedge<br />

Wildflower Safari and the Heart of the<br />

Flinders Ranges.<br />

The inspirational landscapes are<br />

complemented by excellent cuisine and<br />

accommodation: Bullo River Station<br />

in the Northern Territory, where guests<br />

overnight at a cattle station; The Bush<br />

Camp at Faraway Bay in the Kimberley,<br />

where each of eight cabins overlooks the<br />

Timor Sea, and the African-inspired safari<br />

camp of Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef, nestled<br />

in white sand dunes.<br />

Air Pacific’s<br />

transformation<br />

to Fiji Airways<br />

Fiji’s heritage, and the beauty and warmth<br />

of the Fijian people and their islands, will<br />

be reflected in the imminent rebranding of<br />

Air Pacific.<br />

Air Pacific, Fiji’s international airline,<br />

relaunches as Fiji Airways in 2013 and its<br />

new Masi (traditional bark cloth) symbol,<br />

created by the Fijian artist Matemosi,<br />

captures all that is unique about the<br />

airline and the Fijian experience.<br />

According to Matemosi, “What<br />

I’ve created is something entirely<br />

different that has never been<br />

seen in any of the Masi designs in<br />

Fiji. I hope this Masi symbol means<br />

a lot to our nation, our people,<br />

and our visitors, because we are<br />

proud of our country and proud<br />

of the new Fiji Airways.”<br />

The unveiling of the airline’s new<br />

Masi brand mark is the latest<br />

milestone in a series of initiatives<br />

that are part of Air Pacific’s<br />

restructuring and rebranding.<br />

The rebranding will begin its final phase in<br />

early 2013 when the airline returns to its<br />

1951 name of Fiji Airways, and welcomes<br />

the first of three brand-new Airbus A330’s.<br />

on location harveyworld.co.nz<br />

41


gadgets<br />

to go<br />

The Apple Airport Express<br />

Slimline laptops, the iPhone, the iPad.... Apple has<br />

certainly made communication easier for travellers and<br />

now it has a handy new device to add to the list.<br />

The Airport Express makes wireless internet more accessible in hotels<br />

and airports, which sometimes only supply wired internet. The compact<br />

device plugs into wired internet, creating a fast wireless network that<br />

can support up to ten devices and enables the use of non-USB-capable<br />

devices like iPads.<br />

The Airport Express is particularly handy for group travellers and<br />

families who want to connect to the internet at the same time. The wi-fi<br />

network is easy to set up and can also be used on non-Apple products.<br />

As well as being a handy travel gadget, the Airport Express has at-home<br />

benefits, including extending the range of an existing wireless network<br />

and enabling the AirPlay streaming system.<br />

AirPlay lets you send music wirelessly from an iTunes library on<br />

a computer, iPhone or iPod to speakers in your home. You can also<br />

change tracks easily from anywhere in the house instead of having to<br />

return to the speakers.<br />

Protect wine bottles with WineSkin<br />

You’re dicing with danger putting wine in check-in<br />

luggage, risking a shattered bottle en route and winedamaged<br />

clothing at the other end.<br />

WineSkin is the answer – and the most useful bag any wine-loving<br />

traveller can have. Simply insert the bottle into the WineSkin and peel<br />

and stick the strong adhesive seals so they are airtight. The WineSkin’s<br />

strong shock-absorbing bubble wrap material prevents the bottle from<br />

breaking in-flight, and if it does happen to break, the seals prevent any<br />

liquid from leaking out. WineSkin can also of course be used to safely<br />

transport bottles of spirits.<br />

Available online at www.brightidea.co.nz<br />

42 harveyworld.co.nz on location


Favourite spot on the planet<br />

The Maldive Islands<br />

Tim Dunnill and Nick Tilly from <strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> Richmond<br />

wax lyrical about Club Med Kani in the Maldives.<br />

What is your favourite<br />

spot on the planet?<br />

The Maldives. A collection of almost 1,200<br />

coral islands and atolls in the Indian<br />

Ocean spread across almost 90,000<br />

square kilometres of ocean, the Maldives<br />

are about 400km southwest of India. Only<br />

about 200 of the islands are inhabited<br />

and the largest island, Gan, is only 7.8km<br />

by 3.4km. The Maldives also has the<br />

distinction of having the lowest natural<br />

high point of any country in the world –<br />

2.4m above sea level.<br />

What’s the best way<br />

to get there?<br />

From New Zealand, the easiest way<br />

is to fly to Singapore and then on<br />

to Malé, the capital of the Maldives.<br />

Singapore Airlines operates daily flights<br />

to Malé (twice-daily in the northern high<br />

season). The flight time from Singapore<br />

to Malé is four and a half hours.<br />

What makes it your<br />

favourite spot?<br />

Its beauty. And the fact that it’s so different<br />

to New Zealand. The Maldives is the<br />

only place we have ever been where the<br />

destination is holiday-brochure beautiful<br />

from the moment you arrive. Picture tropical<br />

islands, crystal-clear waters teeming with<br />

fish, pure white beaches and clear blue sky<br />

What are the tourist must-do’s?<br />

• A scenic flight<br />

• A day trip to Malé on a guided tour<br />

• Snorkelling and scuba diving<br />

• Forget shopping – relax and unwind<br />

• A few days in Singapore on the way<br />

home for shopping<br />

with just the occasional cloud and a warm<br />

gentle breeze.<br />

The local people we met were friendly<br />

and genuinely interested in making our<br />

stay a pleasant one. To our surprise, the<br />

people of the Maldives were familiar with<br />

New Zealand; one morning our young<br />

waiter asked where we were from and told<br />

us that they get milk powder and apples<br />

from New Zealand. He thought New<br />

Zealand sounded very exotic because<br />

we “have valleys”.<br />

Where did you stay?<br />

We stayed at Club Med Kani Resort, which<br />

is reached by a fast water taxi transfer from<br />

the airport – about 45 minutes. We arrived<br />

at midnight and one of our favourite<br />

memories is speeding through the dark,<br />

watching the lights from other boats and<br />

resorts whip by and smelling the tantalising<br />

scents of flowers and spices in the air. It<br />

was a magical experience.<br />

Club Med Kani is rated one of the best<br />

Club Med resorts in the world, and we’d<br />

wholeheartedly agree! One of the great<br />

things about Kani is that it’s ‘all-inclusive’,<br />

with all meals and alcohol (except for topshelf<br />

spirits and wines) included in the price<br />

for accommodation. Generally speaking,<br />

the Maldives is not a cheap destination,<br />

but we loved the fact that Club Med was<br />

every bit as stunningly beautiful, and the<br />

water as clear and the sand as white as<br />

on the next island, where guests might be<br />

paying millionaires’ prices.<br />

How do you while away<br />

your time there?<br />

We spent lots of reading and relaxing<br />

by and in the pool. We enjoyed some<br />

fantastic food. We met some Aussies whom<br />

we got on well with so we socialised with<br />

them a lot.<br />

We took a scenic flight over some of the<br />

islands near Kani and Malé. Seeing Malé<br />

from the air was a treat: it looks like a<br />

slice of Manhattan set down in the Indian<br />

Ocean and is quite a sight. Other options<br />

at Club Med Kani include snorkelling,<br />

scuba diving and wind surfing. Game<br />

fishing is also a significant tourist attraction<br />

in the Maldives.<br />

What are some<br />

of your favourite sights?<br />

Malé. It’s unbelievably crowded – imagine<br />

over 100,000 people living on a little<br />

island of just six sq km – and we’ve never<br />

seen so many motorbikes in our lives! The<br />

place was full of life and a riot of colour,<br />

and the fish market was fascinating, as<br />

was the harbour where the boats come<br />

in. We also visited a coffee shop, the<br />

former home of a nobleman, where we<br />

were served great coffee in fascinating<br />

surroundings.<br />

When is the best time to visit?<br />

Any time is a good time to visit the<br />

Maldives. The temperature very rarely<br />

drops below 25 degrees, and during<br />

the hottest months (April and May) it<br />

reaches 37 degrees. June and July are<br />

the wettest months.<br />

on location harveyworld.co.nz<br />

43


<strong>Travel</strong> tips for packing for Europe<br />

By Kathleen Pool, <strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> Dinsdale.<br />

ONE<br />

Take a universal travel adaptor, as<br />

the UK and Europe have different<br />

types of power points.<br />

3<br />

5<br />

Some churches have strict dress<br />

codes, so make sure you have<br />

suitable clothes or (for the ladies)<br />

a shawl or pashmina that covers<br />

your shoulders, and shorts/<br />

skirts that cover your knees.<br />

Always have a pen<br />

in your handbag<br />

to fill out forms on<br />

the plane and at<br />

airports.<br />

2<br />

Pack for four<br />

seasons, as the<br />

weather will vary<br />

from place to place. It<br />

could be cool and raining<br />

in London, and after a<br />

two-hour train ride, hot<br />

and sunny in Paris.<br />

4<br />

When ordering<br />

foreign exchange, get your<br />

travel agent to print off a<br />

foreign cash rate card and<br />

keep it handy throughout your trip. It<br />

will help you quickly convert purchases<br />

back to New Zealand Dollars.<br />

SIX<br />

Make sure you have local currency in<br />

small dominations before you arrive in<br />

a country, as some European airports<br />

charge for the use of baggage trolleys.<br />

7<br />

Pack a set of clothes in your hand luggage, just in case your suitcase<br />

doesn’t arrive with you at your final destination.<br />

8Talk to your travel agent<br />

about getting a <strong>Travel</strong>SIM card<br />

for your cell phone. The rates<br />

for calls and texts work out<br />

a lot cheaper than your cell phone<br />

provider’s roaming rates.<br />

10<br />

9Don’t forget your camera<br />

and charger, plus a memory<br />

stick with heaps of memory<br />

for all the photos you will<br />

take of the sights of Europe.<br />

If your camera runs on batteries,<br />

take extra batteries with you as it<br />

can be hard to find the right ones.<br />

Pack comfy walking shoes. No matter what<br />

sort of holiday you’re having, these will be<br />

the best item you will pack in your suitcase.<br />

44 harveyworld.co.nz on location


Business <strong>Travel</strong>ler<br />

Location, location, location<br />

The latest Accor Asia Pacific Business <strong>Travel</strong>ler<br />

survey reveals a wealth of information about<br />

corporate travellers’ wants and needs.<br />

Location is the key decider when business<br />

travellers choose a hotel, with New<br />

Zealanders placing this factor well ahead<br />

of free wi-fi and price. A comfortable bed<br />

is the most sought-after service, followed by<br />

good quality bathrooms and free internet.<br />

While New Zealanders might portray<br />

themselves as bargain-hunters and always<br />

looking for ways to get value for money,<br />

that doesn’t mean they take advantage of<br />

corporate credit cards or extend business<br />

trips to take a holiday.<br />

This was revealed in the recent<br />

Accor Asia Pacific Business <strong>Travel</strong>ler<br />

Survey 2012, which surveyed travellers<br />

from New Zealand, Australia, China,<br />

Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia,<br />

Singapore and Thailand.<br />

Kiwis would also like to see more<br />

personalised services in hotels for business<br />

travellers, including a dedicated check-in<br />

counter for loyalty card members. They<br />

would also like more hotel amenities and<br />

products from New Zealand.<br />

The survey also revealed that New Zealand<br />

business travellers are less inclined than<br />

their Asian counterparts to mix business and<br />

pleasure while travelling on company time<br />

and money. Kiwis are also reluctant to use<br />

their company credit card for ‘non-work’<br />

activities while away on business.<br />

Business travel is still dominated by the<br />

boys: almost 75% of the survey respondents<br />

were male. This represents little change<br />

from 2011.<br />

Of the eight countries surveyed, New<br />

Zealanders were the least likely to extend<br />

a business trip to take a holiday break<br />

(10%), visit friends or family (11%), or to take<br />

a partner on a business trip (12%).<br />

MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences<br />

and events) travel accounted for 28%<br />

of all trips taken in the first six months of<br />

2012, and the quality of the agenda<br />

(60%) is what drives New Zealand business<br />

travellers to attend MICE events, more<br />

so than to seek business development<br />

opportunities. In comparison, their Asian<br />

counterparts cited business travel as an<br />

opportunity for the ‘hard sell’ and to also<br />

make worthwhile contacts.<br />

Regardless of whether they had a positive<br />

or negative hotel experience, business<br />

travellers are not likely to regularly post<br />

comments on social media websites such<br />

as Facebook or TripAdvisor, with 52% of<br />

New Zealanders reporting having ‘never’<br />

posted reviews, and the majority preferring<br />

to contact hotels directly via comment<br />

card or email.<br />

Business travellers also prefer to book<br />

themselves, either online or direct with the<br />

hotel.<br />

Australia was the top destination (72%)<br />

for New Zealanders to travel for business<br />

in the first half of 2012, followed by<br />

Singapore and China. Neither Australia<br />

nor New Zealand were in the top three<br />

destinations of the Asian countries.<br />

Looking ahead for the next six months, New<br />

Zealand corporate travellers are planning<br />

more business, at slightly higher levels than<br />

for the first half of the year.<br />

on location harveyworld.co.nz<br />

45


What’s on<br />

Every Sunday,<br />

3.30pm<br />

www.santamonica.com<br />

17 Nov-Jan 1<br />

Christmas at the<br />

Newport Mansions<br />

Newport, Rhode Island, USA<br />

See magnificent historic houses dressed in their Yuletide<br />

finery. www.discovernewengland.org<br />

Toast Martinborough<br />

Martinborough<br />

One of New Zealand’s premier wine,<br />

food and music festivals<br />

www.toastmartinborough.co.nz<br />

End of Nov-early Dec<br />

2 Dec<br />

Judafest Cultural<br />

& Gastronomy Festival<br />

Budapest, Hungary<br />

A five-day festival with free concerts<br />

in the heart of Budapest’s former Jewish quarter.<br />

www.budapest-tourist-guide.com<br />

Jazz in the Pines Week<br />

Norfolk Island<br />

A seriously hot line-up of acts includes the<br />

Nielsen Gough Quartet, Rick Robertson and the<br />

Feral Swing Katz www.travelcentre.nf<br />

12 Dec<br />

Festival of Our<br />

Lady of Guadalupe<br />

One of Mexico’s biggest religious<br />

festivals with free concerts and fairs.<br />

www.mexicocity.com<br />

5 Jan<br />

Glenorchy Race Day<br />

Glenorchy, Queenstown<br />

A true Southern Kiwi experience for<br />

over 40 years<br />

www.queenstownnz.co.nz<br />

24 Jan<br />

Vienna<br />

Philharmonic Ball<br />

The most beautiful and authentic of<br />

Viennese Balls, taking place in the<br />

sumptuous halls of the Musikverein.<br />

www.vienna-unwrapped.com<br />

National Tropical Botanical Garden<br />

Kaua’i, Hawaii<br />

www.kauai.com<br />

13 Jan<br />

Maldives National Day<br />

Maldive Islands<br />

Commemorate and celebrate<br />

one of the islands’ steps towards<br />

independence.<br />

www.zapaday.com<br />

Port Lincoln Tunarama<br />

Eyre Peninsula, South Australia<br />

A festival of local seafood and<br />

produce, with events and activities for<br />

all ages, including the famous Tuna<br />

Toss. www.southaustralia.com<br />

Car and Bike Show<br />

Otamatea Christian School,<br />

Maungaturoto<br />

www.northlandnz.com<br />

Ninth Annual<br />

Christmas Craft Fair<br />

5 Dec<br />

Passion of Candy<br />

and Magic Festival<br />

New Caledonia<br />

www.spto.org<br />

Las Fiestas de Zapote<br />

San Jose, Costa Rica<br />

A weeklong celebration of all things Costa<br />

Rican, with rodeos, cowboys, carnival rides,<br />

fried food and a whole lot of drinking.<br />

www.lonelyplanet.com/costa-rica<br />

26 Jan<br />

FIX Tussock Traverse<br />

Tongariro National Park<br />

An alpine adventure run and<br />

walk through the heart of the<br />

<strong>World</strong> Heritage Tongariro<br />

National Park<br />

www.runningcalendar.co.nz<br />

46 harveyworld.co.nz on location


What’s on<br />

New Zealand International<br />

Air Show<br />

Ardmore Airport, Auckland South<br />

www.events.nz.com<br />

Feb 2013<br />

Pasir Gudang<br />

International Kites<br />

Festival<br />

Johor, Malaysia<br />

www.mybatik.org.my<br />

Feb 2013<br />

Winterlude<br />

Ottawa, Canada<br />

For the first three weekends<br />

each February, the nation’s<br />

capital puts on a festival with<br />

ice skating, ice sculptures,<br />

concerts and more.<br />

www.gocanada.com<br />

Whale Shark<br />

Diving<br />

Kenya<br />

A month-long diving season<br />

for whale sharks near Diani,<br />

Malindi and Watamu.<br />

www.kenya.world-guides.com<br />

Feb 15-16<br />

Moorea Marathon, Moorea, Tahiti<br />

www.temooreaclub.pf<br />

The Academy Awards<br />

Los Angeles<br />

Running since 1929, the awards ceremony is one<br />

of Hollywood’s number-one events.<br />

www.los-angeles.world-guides.com<br />

1-17 March<br />

Melbourne Food and<br />

Wine Festival<br />

Melbourne, Australia<br />

Delicious food festival events,<br />

including the <strong>World</strong>’s Longest Lunch.<br />

www.visitvictoria.com<br />

International Nomad Festival<br />

M’hamid El Ghizlane, Morocco<br />

The traditions, costumes and know-how of<br />

nomadic peoples are celebrated during this<br />

festival of song, dance and exhibitions.<br />

www.visitmorocco.com<br />

Mid-March<br />

Camel Racing Festival<br />

Al Ain, UAE<br />

A week-long competition at the Al Wathba<br />

race track.<br />

www.dubaifaqs.com<br />

March<br />

Cow Racing Festival<br />

Mekong Delta, Vietnam<br />

Part rodeo, part race and part comedy, a Khmer cow race<br />

is an unforgettable spectacle.<br />

www.threeland.com<br />

NZ Superbike<br />

Motorcycle Road<br />

Race Championship<br />

Taupo<br />

www.events.nz.com<br />

30 Mar<br />

Kenilworth Cheese<br />

Wine and Food Fest<br />

Kenilworth, Sunshine Coast<br />

Australia<br />

A memorable farm-to-fork feast!<br />

www.kenilworthfoodfest.org.au<br />

on location harveyworld.co.nz<br />

47


Russia & Scandinavia<br />

31-day tour escorted by Greg Lysaght<br />

From $16,869 * Pp (based on twin share)<br />

INCLUDES: Return coach transfer from Rotorua to Auckland,<br />

Economy Class airfares & taxes from Auckland to Copenhagen<br />

and Moscow to Auckland, 2 nights’ accommodation in Dubai,<br />

12-day Trafalgar Scandinavia tour with daily breakfast, gratuities,<br />

4 dinners & sightseeing, flight from Stockholm to Helsinki, 2 nights’<br />

accommodation in Helsinki, transfer to ship in St Petersburg,<br />

12-night APT Russian Waterways cruise on board ms AmaKatarina<br />

from St Petersburg to Moscow with all meals, beer & wine with<br />

dinner, all shore excursions, gratuities and entertainment onboard,<br />

1 night in Moscow, 1 night in Dubai and a Russian Visa.<br />

HIGHLIGHTS: Dubai, Copenhagen, Aalborg, Stavanger, Bergen,<br />

Flåm Railway, Leikanger, Geiranger, Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki,<br />

St Petersburg, Moscow and more.<br />

brought to you by<br />

<strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> Rotorua, Tutanekai Street<br />

Phone: 0800 088 802 or visit www.harveyworld.co.nz/tours<br />

Rajasthan Cultural Fiesta<br />

16-day tour & flights, fully escorted by Tracey Lynch<br />

From $7049 * Pp (based on twin share)<br />

INCLUDES: Return Economy Class airfares with Singapore Airlines,<br />

escort from New Zealand, 15 nights’ accommodation, travel by<br />

air-conditioned coach, plane & train, sightseeing with local guide<br />

& entry fees to selected monuments, all breakfasts & dinners.<br />

HIGHLIGHTS: A sunrise yoga lesson in front of the Taj Mahal,<br />

rickshaw ride in Delhi, elephant ride at Amber Fort in Jaipur,<br />

cooking lesson & dinner with Rajput Family in Jaipur, camel safari<br />

in Jaisalmer, boat ride at Udaipur, marble inlay workshop, textile<br />

market, visit Sadar Bazaar, jewellery bazaar, Khan Market and<br />

Connaught Place for shopping, private dinner at stepwell, horse<br />

safari in Narlai and jeep safari in Jodhpur.<br />

Tour Departs Christchurch 22 March 2013<br />

brought to you by<br />

<strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> Mid City Nelson, 46 Bridge Street, Nelson<br />

Phone: 0800 088 802 or visit www.harveyworld.co.nz/tours<br />

*Terms and conditions apply. Please contact your <strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> Consultant for full details.<br />

48 harveyworld.co.nz on location


Escape to Vietnam<br />

17-day tour escorted by Claire Barraclough<br />

From $4869 * Pp (based on twin share)<br />

Includes: Return airfares from Auckland to Hanoi, & Ho Chi Minh<br />

City to Auckland, transfers, 16 nights’ accommodation, sightseeing<br />

and all meals.<br />

Highlights: Vietnam stretches south from the Chinese border along<br />

the east coast of the Indochinese Peninsula. The country has a complex<br />

geography with soaring mountains, fertile delta plains, winding rivers<br />

and long sandy tropical beaches, some of which are the best beaches<br />

in Southeast Asia. The people of Vietnam are gentle, happy and<br />

welcoming to visitors. Shopping in Vietnam is second to none with so<br />

much variety to choose from. Get clothing made at unbelievable prices<br />

and pick up a spare pair of eye glasses from NZD$35. You will sample<br />

an array of mouthwatering foods, shop until you drop and enjoy the<br />

history and culture and spectacular scenery along the way.<br />

Tour departs Auckland October 2013<br />

brought to you by<br />

<strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> Dinsdale, Whatawhata Road, Hamilton<br />

Phone: 0800 088 802 or visit www.harveyworld.co.nz/tours<br />

Calgary Stampede & Alaskan Cruise<br />

14 nights’ luxury touring & 7 nights’ premium cruising escorted by Greg and Ellen Lee<br />

From $17,395 * Pp (based on twin share)<br />

INCLUDES: Meet and learn about the Royal Canadian Mounted<br />

Police, Calgary Stampede 2-day package with tickets to the<br />

great rodeo show, Mountain Heritage Guide walk along the<br />

shore of Lake Louise, Breakfast at Butchart Gardens in Victoria,<br />

two days aboard the Rocky Mountaineer in GoldLeaf Service,<br />

2 nights at The Fairmont Banff Springs in Valleyside or Mountain<br />

View rooms, overnight at The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in<br />

Lake View Rooms & a 7-night Inside Passage cruise in a Verandah<br />

Stateroom on board Holland America Line.<br />

HIGHLIGHTS: You’ll well and truly get a feel for Calgary’s unique<br />

identity, and the spirit of the ranchers, cowboys and pioneers of<br />

the region, with your 2-day Stampede Thrill Package. Then board<br />

your ship for a fantastic cruise through the Inside Passage.<br />

Tour departs Vancouver 29 June 2013. Airfares are additional.<br />

brought to you by<br />

<strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> Waipukurau, 49B Ruataniwha Street<br />

Phone: 0800 088 802 or visit www.harveyworld.co.nz/tours<br />

*Terms and conditions apply please contact your <strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> Consultant for full details.<br />

on location harveyworld.co.nz<br />

49


Kung Fu & T’ai Chi Experience<br />

14-night tour escorted by Robert Schroder<br />

From $3589 * Pp (based on twin share)<br />

INCLUDES: Economy Class flights from Auckland to Beijing, & Shanghai to Auckland, transfers, 14 nights’ accommodation in 4-star<br />

hotels, domestic flights in China, transportation in air-conditioned coaches, English-speaking guides, sightseeing.<br />

HIGHLIGHTS: Visit Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, silk factory, Great Wall at Juyongguan section, then<br />

jade carving factory, Chang Tomb and acrobatic show, the birthplace of T’ai Chi – Chen’s Village, Luoyang City Museum,<br />

Lord Guan’s Memorial Temple dedicated to Guan Yu, a heroic general in the Three Kingdoms period, Longmen Grottos, visit<br />

the earliest Buddhist temple in Chinese history, the White Temple. You will travel on to the Shaolin Monastery, the home of most<br />

Asian martial arts. Be it kung fu or karate, taekwondo or judo, they all originated in ancient China as fighting techniques of one<br />

individual against another. A training hall has been built next to the monastery which still houses 70 monks; it is here you will be<br />

entertained by a wonderful Shaolin show, with time to practise Shaolin kung fu instructed by kung fu instructors, then visit Kaifeng,<br />

known as one of the Seven Ancient Capitals of China. Here you will visit the Dynasty Imperial Street, the Iron Pagoda, the former<br />

Song Hall and then the Song Dynasty Theme Park. Then take a hovercraft cruise on the Yellow River, Yu Gardens, the Old Town,<br />

the Bund, Oriental Pearl TV Tower and Nanjing Road Shopping Centre.<br />

Tour departs Auckland 20 Apr 2013. Price does not include tipping or Chinese Visa fees.<br />

brought to you by<br />

<strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> Waipukurau, 49B Ruataniwha Street<br />

Phone: 0800 088 802 or visit www.harveyworld.co.nz<br />

Experience Vietnam & Cambodia<br />

20-day tour escorted by Lynne Bennett<br />

From $7999 * Pp<br />

INCLUDES: Economy Class flights from Auckland to Hanoi, and<br />

Siem Reap to Auckland, 10 nights’ accommodation in 4- and 4.5-<br />

star hotels, 8-night First Class Mekong Delta cruise on board RV<br />

Indochine, 1-night overnight stay at Halong Bay on a deluxe junk<br />

boat, most meals, all transport throughout the tour, all tipping and<br />

gratuities, local English-speaking guides, fully inclusive sightseeing.<br />

Tour departs Auckland 14 September 2013<br />

brought to you by<br />

<strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> Whangarei, 30 Rathbone Street<br />

Phone: 0800 088 802 or visit www.harveyworld.co.nz/tours<br />

*Terms and conditions apply. Please contact your <strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> Consultant for full details.<br />

50 harveyworld.co.nz on location


4WD Adventure, Fraser Island, Queensland.<br />

See your nearest <strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> professional for the latest Queensland holiday deals<br />

on location harveyworld.co.nz<br />

51


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Text “JOIN” to 4346 to sign up<br />

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52 harveyworld.co.nz on location

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