Spain - Harvey World Travel
Spain - Harvey World Travel
Spain - Harvey World Travel
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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 />
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<strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> Project Manager<br />
Andrea Smith, <strong>Harvey</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Travel</strong><br />
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on location (ISSN 1179-9943) is subject to copyright in its entirety.<br />
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harveyworld.co.nz<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 />
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Save $150 Save 2.5%<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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52 harveyworld.co.nz on location