Up until the mid-1930s, travelling around New Zealand was still an adventure. In fact, as late as 1950 when the Dicks and the Dickettes moved from Auckland to Dunedin, I can remember my father poring over his book of Shell Road Maps of New Zealand to try and plot a safe route for the huge [...]
A glorious early spring morning and I’ve got the nose of the Blue Streak (my Nissan Pathfinder) heading up the Waitaki Valley and into the Lindis Pass. This is one of my favourite drives. The Waitaki Valley with its three interlocking lakes, burgeoning vineyards, dairy and sheep farms all hemmed in with snow-capped mountains, is [...]
If we were aeroplanes, we’d be heading towards the end of the runway, so we decided it was time to start taking off. Since buying a Ford Ranger, my husband has been very keen to do a 4WD safari, and NZ Adventures seemed to have just what he wanted – a tour on the West [...]
Driving around the ever-changing one-way system of Christchurch’s inner city you pass empty building sites full of rubble, bounded by link fences, and littered with signs: Keep Out. Building Site. Wrong Way. Dead End. It’s confusing and – yes – it is confronting. Knowing this, I’d set out early for my afternoon interview with David [...]
I was, I suppose, the token Sheila. A woman among men. Many men, as it happened. We assembled at Christchurch’s Sudima Hotel for the early morning briefing. When I say early morning, I mean somewhere between breakfast and morning tea. Along with the proffered indemnity sheet to sign and information about the defibrillator and other [...]
As the trail enters the sixth season of business, it’s timely to take a moment and consider two of the issues that come up when you are planning to ride this trail. How long do you have available to ride the trail? The Alps2Ocean trail has eight sections – with a ninth section offered as [...]
The ‘H’ word used to strike terror in my heart. They were horrific things to be avoided at all costs. Now I find them exhilarating … as long as they are not too narrow, boulder-strewn, or on the edge of a precipice. Hills are of no consequence to an e-biker, a mere blip on the [...]
This issue we’re providing updates on walking/hiking trails around Kaikoura district. Most of the regular hiking trails are open and the town is ready to welcome visitors. The marine life has not been affected at all. Local tourism operators have said the whale, dolphin, seal and albatross viewings have been as good as, if not [...]
My refusal to use satnav is well known. My friends think I’m crazy, but I think they are the ones missing out. A traveller flies into Christchurch, picks up a campervan or rental car, dials ‘Queenstown’ into the satnav and sets off, ignoring road signs, the view, the towns and villages along the way – [...]