The national bird of New Zealand is the Kiwi. The people who live there are know as Kiwis - or in the case of the native population, Maori. The Maori are related to the Hawaiians and their languages have many similarities. Next a map of the place.

Hi Got that a bit back to front. Christchurch is considered more English than England because of it's culture. Hagley Park in the centre of Christchurch is a vast open area where you can play sport, go to huge open-air concerts, or simply go for a stroll. Every Queens Birthday weekend on the Monday (Public Holiday), the park booms to the sound of 21 gun salute (artillery firing blanks). The street names are a mix of English and Maori - Worcester, Cashel, Gloucester, Armagh, Hereford, Manchester, Colombo, Moorhouse, Wairakei, Aorangi, Papanui and so it goes on. New Zealand's biggest cities are as follows (population 100,000+): Auckland - 1.2 million Wellington - 500,000 Christchurch - 324,000 Manukau - 267,000 Hamilton - 150,000 Napier-Hastings - 110,000 Dunedin - 105,000 Palmerston North 102,000 Rob

Thanks, Rob. You found it! Of course I got it back to front. How else was I going to get you to comment *;) Hilo is full of combination names, but currently there is an ordnance requiring Hawaiian names for all new streets. Some get very long and convoluted and just about unpronounceable. http://www.govt.nz/aboutnz/nzmap.php3

Now kiddies, Listen up! We are going to learn tospeak Kiwi today. A quiz will follow. Kiwi slang is abundant, colorful and some sound oddly familiar. Some are quite British, and some are just plain wonderfully original. Last evenign I listened to short wave broadcast of the allblacks beating the jumpers off the Argentina team in Rugby last night (today their time - or is it now yesterday?) (Why is the team name always written in small letter instead of a capital at the beginning?) In many case, this is a bit of a warning about trying to be too "with it" when you go to Kiwilands: root: to have sex. A warning to folk from the USA! - A female visitor from the US has this to say... My first time in NZ I made the unfortunate mistake of listing off my hobbies to a family that had me over for tea.... among my hobbies? "I like to root for the football team!" (one of the boys said, "What, the WHOLE team??") Credit for this listing is on the page - but I'm not saying where! http://www.chemistry.co.nz/kiwi.htm

I guess I will cheer for the Canterbury teams and the allblacks, but root? I think not! I am certain will make this error just as any sports enthusiast from the US would. Please be patient with me, Rob, dear. I promise to try very hard not to embarrass you in any way.

The silver fern, and black as a uniform colour are traditionally worn by New Zealand representitives in the sporting arena. Amongst the most famous are our "Men in Black": New Zealand's: "ALL BLACKS. Rugby has long been considered our national sport. N.Z has been a formiddable side for nearly a century! Sport is one of the major parts of the Kiwi lifestyle. The Hillary Commission has been set up by the Government to develop sport and physical activity so that more people can be involved, enjoy an active lifestyle and develop their skills - perhaps even become champions. We are named after one of NZ's heroes - Sir Edmund Hillary. With his climbing partner Tenzing Norgay, Sir Edmund was the first to reach the peak of Mt Everest, a feat he achieved in 1953. Sir Peter Blake on left, with the "America's Cup". Famous for his yachting prowess. He and the crew of "Black Magic" won the "America's cup", New Zealand is the current holder of the Cup . In 1851, America crossed the finish line off Cowes leaving the Royal Yacht Squadron in her wake. A severe blow to the pride of Britannia, America's victory heralded a new era in sailing, and set a benchmark for human competition that remains unrivalled. The America's Cup is indisputably the most coveted trophy in sailing today. As the ultimate symbol of prestige and achievement, it has endured nearly 150 years of fierce competition. Fantastic links... http://www.gipsyland.com/sports.html

JADE Stadium! Bad propagation and the theft of my great little short wave receiver has made discerning precisely what they are saying when it comes to names which are unfamiliar. A roaring All Blacks side ran in 10 tries to two demolishing a bruising Argentinian team 67-19 at Jade Stadium on Saturday night. The New Zealand side looked a shadow of the average side that beat Manu Samoa 50-6 last week, hungry and fired up for a resounding win. Pita Alatini and Jeff Wilson both scored two tries. Wilson's second put him equal with Christian Cullen for the most tries scored by an All Black (42). The home side were well ahead, 31-14 at halftime and added six second half tries for the convincing win. The All Blacks were a full step up from their first match of the season last week, playing with heartening determination that has been missing from their game in recent times. The last time Argentina toured New Zealand, the All Blacks hammered the South Americans 93-8, but the All Blacks, ever wary now of declaring their favourites tag, were non committal in the build up during the past seven days of the chance of another thrashing. On the Pumas' week day results the All Blacks had something to ponder over. The Argentinians were powerful against Counties Manukau beating them 70-26 and then a second string side dealt to Thames Valley 26-12. The Pumas were on the board first when Felipe Contepomi scored off a penalty conceded by the New Zealanders. The All Blacks' mistake rocked them into action for two quick tries to follow. It took the All Blacks 10 minutes to come alive with a length of a field try finished off by Tana Umaga. Leon MacDonald started what turned out to be demonstration of how to score through the backs. Some quick passing that saw Alatini, Jonah Lomu, Mehrtens each touch the ball as Lomu found Umaga at pace to finish off. With Mehrtens on target the conversion gave New Zealand a 7-3 led. Another All Black penalty conceded narrowed the gap to one point and opened up a wound Taine Randell's try, 10 minutes later healed. Randell, playing at openside flanker was convincing at Josh Kronfeld's old position, although there were still some teething problems with missed communication with his teammates on a few occasions. Randell moved to number eight when Jerry Collins left the field, with Marty Holah taking on the openside role. Randell's try however was perfect. Troy Flavell found him with plenty off space to dot down. Flavell's early season formed continued with some bruising blows, muscling his way through the burly Argentinian defence. However he found himself on the receiving end of a low blow by prop Roberto Grau when he copped a knee to the ribs in the second half. Both Flavell and Grau left the field. The All Black lock to the medics, Grau to the sinbin. Pita Alatini's effort at second five was rewarded with two tries in the first half, his first - minutes after Randell dotted down. Alatini on the end of a set move finished off to pull away from the Pumas, who were kept on the board through Contepomi's boot until a 70 metre try gave Argentina their first try of the match. A fast finishing Argentinian captain Lisandro Arbizo scoring for the visitors. With Alatini's second try just before halftime, the All Blacks had a healthy 31-14 lead at the break. The second half saw Leon MacDonald saw score a rightful reward after a revitalised effort. Doug Howlett maintained his try-scoring record of touching down in every match he has played, when Wilson unselfishly off loaded to the flying wing. While Marty Holah scored his first try of his All Black career in just his second match for the men in black. A consolation try from wing Gonzalo Camardon gave the Argentinians their second of the match. The All Blacks' all round game improved and when captain Anton Oliver was sinbinned mysteriously the side upped their work rate markedly to protect their lead while a player down. It was an angry Oliver that returned, barging through the defence eager to make up for lost time. Kickers Andrew Mehrtens and Tony Brown were solid. Mehrtens on target with three conversions and a penalty before Brown took over when the Cantabrian was injured. Brown converted four but missed three. more... http://onesport.nzoom.com/sport_detail/0,1278,44849,00.html

For Rob and John, his dad, a bit of blasphemy which I hope will not offend: (Rob asked me to post it here!) I vow to thee my country (I'll take those sprigs with pride) by Some Unknown Poet I vow to thee my country, place my heart in your marbled hands, Lift St George's flag fluttering, above proud Twickenham's stands, Sweet lord, the foe in host come gather, a haka to perform, This new white jersey's lovely, I hope it won't get torn. My lord, Tuigamala's thighs are hefty, and his chest is very broad, You mean he's on the left wing side? Oh shit, oh my bloody lord. Dear England, I place my body - firmly upon the line, And hope like hell I don't get rucked by Richard Loe this time, Geoff, my liege, I prithee sir, please say a prayer for us, as we ride for Twickenham, upon that big white bus. I vow to thee my country, I'll take the sprigs with pride, as the Black Blanket washes over us, I'll feel strong inside, I'll stand up and be counted, take Olo and take Sean, I vow to thee my country, oh shit, my jumpers torn!"

The Hawaii-Kiwi Connection: New Zealand/Hawaii nudges defending champ Lanikai The 50th Anniversary Bank of Hawaii Hinano Molokai Hoe covered 41 miles yesterday, yet less than 41 inches from the finish line the outcome was still very much in doubt. For the closest finish in race history, Team New Zealand/ Hawaii just nosed out defending champion Lanikai to capture its first title in what is considered the world championship of men's outrigger canoe racing. After finishing third and then second twice the last three years, the team comprised of five paddlers from New Zealand and four from Hawaii broke through for a victory in the Molokai-to-Oahu race with a winning time of five hours, two minutes, 57 seconds. Lanikai made a hard charge for the finish line, but came up barely short for second at 5:02:59. Both crews challenged but did not break the overall race record (4:50:31) that Lanikai set in winning last year. "We kind of lost some ground there on the inside, we didn't want to bail water," said New Zealand/Hawaii's stroker, Kealii Paiaina. The team's canvas cover had been giving it trouble throughout the race, according to Paiaina, allowing water to get in, making the boat heavier. "We kind of evened up, and it was just bump for bump, stroke for stroke, and somehow we just pulled a nose ahead." The race started at 7:23 yesterday morning at Hale O Lono Harbor, Molokai, with 107 teams, including 16 from the mainland and 10 foreign-based crews. The teams challenged serious waves with 15- to 20-foot faces crossing the Kaiwi Channel, with waves still in the 8- to 12-foot range as they rounded Portlock at Hawaii Kai. Despite switching the lead position a couple times in the race, with gaps between them approximately a quarter- to half-mile on occasion, New Zealand/ Hawaii and Lanikai rounded the buoy off the Hilton Hawaiian Village pier for the homestretch virtually even. New Zealand/ Hawaii had the lead at the outset, while Lanikai was the front-runner across most of the channel. New Zealand retook the lead as the two hit Hanauma Bay off Koko Head, but Lanikai was able to make up some ground in the surf off Waikiki. "When a race finishes that tight, it can go either way," Lanikai's Mike Judd said. "It's kind of like a basketball game, tied at 72, with one shot left. Whichever team has the ball in the end and can make the hoop is going to win. more... http://starbulletin.com/2001/10/08/sports/story1.html

Hi all Ever heard of the Under Arm incident in Cricket? A strange and unsporting idea thought up by the Chappell brothers of Australia in 1981, it strained New Zealand sporting relations with Australia and intensified the rivalry considerably. It all came about when we needed a 6 of the last ball, and so the Chappell Brothers put their heads together. Trevor goes back to umpire, bends over and under-arms the ball down the pitch. The crowd is disgusted and so are the NZ team. A radio commentator had this to say of New Zealand "If we could have got the ships, guns, tanks, planes and troops needed to invade Australia, we would have." Rob

I heard mention of this incident but no further enlightenment. Thanks,Rob! In the sports conference we actually have a cricket topic. I need to get that going again now that spring has arrived in Aotearoa and other places in habiting the lower half of our planet.

I am still laughing at the battle which nearly erupted over the incident. One does not mess about with tradition and sportsmanship. I'm delighted to know your lovely islands were not instigators of the unhappy event. That could never have happened!

Hi all New Zealand is a safe place to come to in the wake of the terrorist attacks and our relative isolation from the rest of the world means we are rarely in the international spotlight. I think that there are advantages to being small. We are 2100 km from Sydney, and a similar distance to Hobart.

It is getting to the plane and on it with friendly people that is the concern in a time of hijacking and using planes as missiles. I want vry much to see New Zealand, and one day, I shall. Coming to Hawaii is also lpretty safe, especially the Big Island. It's right on the way to New Zealand, too!

Hi all GOD DEFEND NEW ZEALAND God of nations, At thy feet, In the bonds of love we meet, Hear our voices we entreat, God defend our free land. Guard Pacific's triple star, From the shafts of strife and war, Make her praises heard afar, God defend New Zealand. That is the National Anthem of New Zealand. Rob

Hi all Franz Josef and Fox are located about 90 minutes and 110 minutes southwest of Hokitika on the West Coast. Hugging the Southern Alps, they are on the Alpine Fault which is prominent in both towns. They are best noted for the big glaciers that go by the same names as the two towns. I have been to both glaciers which is really neat. The West Coast is rugged, isolated and drop dead beautiful. The human population is only 40,000 but the people are very friendly and well respected by all around the world. The Greens want to stop mining and forestry on the West Coast even though both have been a traditional source of income - gold and coal mining has a rich history there. Rob

Please tell me where the Kermedec Islands are. They have a lot of earthquakes, and I cannot seem to find them on the internet nor on my maps.

Hi all The Kermadecs are several hundred kilometres north-northeast of New Zealand on the boundary of the Australian and Pacific tectonic plates. They get with fair frequency earthquakes and I think Raoul Island is part of a submerged caldera. Rob

Thank you!!! I need a much better atlas than I currently have. World Atlas, that is.

Raoul Island, 21 November 1964 - Our most northerly active volcano last erupted in 1964 from vents close to Green Lake. A seismic crisis in 1994 did not culminate in an eruption. (photo by D. Merton) Raoul is a stratovolcano located in the Kermadec Islands. The volcano rises 8987 ft (2740 m) above the ocean floor. Raoul is roughly triangular in shape with an area of 29.25 sq km. The center of this island contains a caldera. This caldera is 2.05 miles (3.3 km) wide. A second crater lies in the rim of the cliffs that surround the island. These cliffs also encircle half of the nearby bay. A third crater lies east of the main island. Raoul island is composed of material ejected from several eruption centers. Most of the early materials erupted from Raoul are andesitic tuffs. The Herald Islets in the east were the first to be active. A later eruption of pumice tuffs covers these andesitic tuffs. Raoul has erupted 14 times. It last erupted in 1965. http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/img_raoul.html

andesitic tuff is the product of HIGHLY explosive eruptions!!!

Hi all Provincial mottos for NZ - the Rob Glennie variant (Marcia, I modified this to include others): Canterbury: The folk at Jade Stadium have two eyes, not one. Auckland: City of sails, and wasted taxes. Waikato: Baaa!!!! Wellington: We have not been blown away, yet. Otago: Gold!!!! Southland: Speights - Pride of the south for over 100 years. West Coast: That place deserves a Monteiths! Marlborough: Good wine. Hawke's Bay: Art Deco Province. Wairarapa: The shaky province. Taranaki: The mountain IS Taranaki! Bay of Plenty: Sulphur, steam, and volcanoes. Manawatu: Tararua cheese. Northland: Land of Waitangi. Rob

Hi all Better add Nelson. I would never be forgiven by a friend there for leaving her of the list. Nelson: Sunshine province.

Nelson "sounds" lovely. Or, is that fjordland?! What is Tararua cheese like?

Hi all Different ends of the South Island. Fiordland is the dramatic rugged area in the extreme southwestern corner of the South Island from Milford Sound southwards. Nelson city is in the north and is on the east side of Tasman Bay. The Nelson area is the northwestern corner of the South Island. Tararua cheese is tasty and I think small quantities get exported overseas. You might want to try New Zealand apples if they can be got in Hilo. I think they were available in 1992 because apples tasting identical to some of ours were identified by label as having come from Washington State! Rob

We do get New Zealand apples and I am especially fond of them and your lamb. I will check for your cheese at my local purveyor.

Hi all Here are the lyrics from a cool New Zealand song by Crowded House (19??-1996). It is called Weather with you and was written by their popular frontman Neil Finn. He and his brother Tim are possibly one of the biggest acts to come out of New Zealand. Weather With You Written By N. Finn & T. Finn Walking 'round the room singing Stormy Weather at 57 Mt. Pleasant St. Now it's the same room but everything's different You can fight the sleep but not the dream Things ain't cooking in my kitchen Strange affliction wash over me Julius Caesar and the Roman Empire Couldn't conquer the blue sky There's a small boat made of china Going nowhere on the mantlepiece Do I lie like a loungeroom lizard Or do I sing like a bird released CHORUS Everywhere you go you always take the weather with you (Repeat) Rob

Hi all Tomorrow (April 25)is ANZAC Day. A day where New Zealanders come together to give thanks to the war veterans and those who did not come home. LEST WE FORGET (I will be at the ANZAC Day Dawn Parade tomorrow as a mark of respect - 6.30AM start). Rob

Hi all Today was ANZAC Day in New Zealand and I just want to post this article for you all to read: http://www.stuff.co.nz/inl/index/0,1008,1178868a1561,FF.html Rob

HAPPY ANZAC DAY, ROB!!!!!! (and any other Kiwis out there)

Goodness, I was elsewhere for this celebration. New Zealand's cricket team just missed being wiped out by a bomb in Karachi. This is frightening!

Rob, I'd like to ask you a couple of questions. My husband announced last night that he'd like us to go to NZ next year to visit the rainforest and the other natural attractions. Could you give us some guidance here? Such as when is the best time to travel (we are totally flexible), weather considerations, recommended destinations, etc.?? Thanks for any help you can provide!!

Hi all COOL!!!!!!!!! Cannot hardly complain there can I?? ***GRINS*** Anyway, a good idea is to fly to Auckland or Christchurch (Auckland is the gateway to the North Island and generally New Zealand as a whole, but Christchurch is the gateway to the South Island). You can get into Wellington but your options are limited, since the airport has Cook Strait to the south and the harbour to the north, so a 767 will be the largest aircraft getting in and out of there. I recommend you spend at least 3 days in Auckland and Christchurch, because there has been a significant improvement in the attractions over the last decade. Attractions in Auckland include the Skytower, and the America's Cup village at Viaduct Basin where the next defence will be held. There is the museum on the slopes of one of Aucklands 48 extinct volcanoes. Umm, Auckland is fairly warm all year round (mid 70.Fs in summer by day and not much cooler at night), still mild in winter and rainfall is about 47 inches annually. Take a jersey or something if you go near the coast though because the wind may be cooler. Rotorua is world renown for it's volcanoes, geothermal attractions and Maori arts and crafts (the Maori Institute of arts and crafts at Whakarewarewa geothermal reserve (all Rotorua is on a very active geothermal system so no matter where you build you will have steaming ground, or a slight smell of rotten eggs)is a MUST SEE). The Buried Village of Te Wairoa is a superb stroll through the ruins of a village demolished by the big 1886 eruption of the Tarawera volcano clearly visible across Lake Rotomahana. You can go on a 4WD trek up to the summit of the volcano and walk through a segment of the 17km (11 mile)rift with its 22 craters. So much to see and do in the central North Island, that I will leave it there and move on to other parts of NZ. In Wellington the first attraction everyone asks about is Te Papa (Museum of NZ)which is very well worth a look. It requires several hours to get a decent look. The other attraction is the Parliament of New Zealand which sits on Thursdays. The viewing gallery above th chamber will afford a good view of New Zealand politics. If you are into geology go to the Karori Reservoirs and marvel at the stupidity of the decision to build over the Wellington Fault. The nearby reserve is being used for Kiwi breeding and is a natural habitat fenced off to predators. Welcome to my world (Christchurch, and the marvellous province of Canterbury). In Christchurch there are many attractions in this very English city. They include the New Brighton Pier, which was built a few years ago in and is immensely popular with fishermen, and has fireworks displays on Guy Fawkes Day every November 5. The Arts Centre has a fine range of local crafts and arts, with buskers, food stalls, and entertainers to keep you occupied. Nearby is the Museum of Canterbury, looking down Worcester Boulevard to Cathedral Square. A thorough look at the Arts Centre and the Museum I am guessing will take the better part of a day. The Christchurch Art Gallery, which is currently under construction will be ready for use by mid next year I think. You must have a look in the Botanical Gardens adjacent to the Museum and Hagley Park, a vast open park where huge open air concerts are held every March and December. Finally the Antarctic Museum near the airport recognises Christchurch's role in Operation Deep Freez - the American Antarctic operation, for which we are the staging post. Of stunning beauty and awe inspiring grandeur is the province of Westland which is on the west side of the Southern Alps. The people are very friendly and typify New Zealand - a nation of geographical isolation and independence. Despite the rain (rainfall here can be phenomenal - up to 550 inches (yeah you read that right)of rain in Southern Alps annually), and the sandflies, the beauty of the low cloud hugging the forest clad valleys and gorges, the crisp clean air, is just brilliant. So what is there to do, well, I will cover the natural features of NZ in a separate section. New Zealand has 12 national parks covering a significant portion of the country, of which two are world heritage areas. The two World Heritage areas are Tongariro National Park in the central North Island. It has three volcanoes, all of which are dormant, and they are Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe, and Tongariro. The other one is in Fiordland and is the Fiordland National Park. This is an area of beauty which cannot be described, except that it is simply awesome. It is an area of very high rainfall (Milford Sound gets 25 inches of rain in January alone). It is home to three of our greatest walking tracks, the Milford (one of the best in the world), the Kepler, and the Routeburn. Mount Aspring National Park is dominated by the mountain which lends it name to the Park. Mount Cook National Park is best known for holding the highest peaks in the country and Mount Cook is 12300ft which is the highest place in New Zealand. Westland National Park is best known for the two glaciers that are called the Franz Josef, and Fox. A uch lesser known feature, but one deserves a reserve of some sort to itself is the Alpine Fault, a 320 mile long fault that marks the collision of two tectonic plates and is the reason for the Southern Alps. Across the divide is Arthurs Pass Nationa Park which is a great place to see how quickly the rainforest hugging the slopes of the Southern Alps, give way to tussocky grassland typical of inland Canterbury and Otago. The Nelson Lakes National Park is comprised of two lakes in the ranges south of Nelson and some of the best fishing in the world is here. In the northwest of the South Island there is also the Kahurangi National Park, which is popular with trampers and over which the Heaphy Track passes. Further east nearer to Nelson is the Abel Tasman National Park, named after the Dutch explorer who came here in 1642. In the North Island, the Egmont National Park is dominated by a single classically shaped dormant volcano - Mount Egmont, also known as Taranaki. The Whanganui National Park south of the Tongariro National Park, is well worth a look. I don't actually know anything about it. The Urewera National Park rounds of our tour of New Zealand's scenic beauty even though this is just the starting point. It comprises Lake Waikaremoana. Rob

WOW!! I am in information overload. Rotorua sounds awesome on so many levels. I love the idea of getting a taste of Maori culture/history. The buried village sounds incredible (we loved Pompeii), but we probably won't be able to convince the kids (ages 8 and 10) to do Parliament or any museum too adult-oriented. Re the Wellington Fault--they built reservoirs over it? I'm not real clear on that. Christchurch sounds like the most urbane of destinations--is that the biggest city in NZ? What is the population? Is it easy to drive in or is there ample public transport? Westland and Nelson sound amazing and full of wild, rugged beauty. Is there a rainforest region in NZ?

Hi all Fear not. Rainbows Springs has kids things to do in Rotorua, like farm displays, farm animals, sheep shearing displays and so on. The only real theme park in NZ is Rainbows End near Manukau City about 25 kilometres (15 miles from Auckland). Te Papa has interactive displays and an earthquake simulator for the kids to have fun in. The buried village of Te Wairoa is easy walking for practically all ages. Another thing you might want to see in Rotorua is Waimangu valley. This is just one in a number of spectacular zone of great geothermal sights. Others include Whakarewarewa, Hells Gate, and Waiotapu (hint Lady Knox geyser erupts daily at 10.15AM - BE THERE). I should mention Queenstown in Otago. If you are into winter sports then Queenstown is a must - if you can find accommodation. It has heli skiing, skiing, snow boarding, and a winter festival. Cardrona, the Remarkables, and Coronet Peak skifields are all nearby. Even in summer there is a lot to do. A gondola goes up the hill and there is the SS Earnslaw to go for a ride around Lake Wakatipu on. It is a mecca if you are into gold mining because Otago and Westland had major gold rushes in the 1800s and before the huge Clyde Dam was built the confluence of the Kawarau and Clutha rivers had a gold excavation site on it. Now on to other things. New Zealand has a temperate climate all year round with warm summers and cool winters (although a good southerly blast might leave the temperature hovering around 2-5.C in winter, we do not have the huge snow drifts or ice storms you get). Always take spare clothes when you go into the mountains, near the coast or the bigger lakes, because the weather is notoriously unpredictable and can get rough quickly especially in Spring. That said Auckland enjoys a mean daily maximum temperature in Summer of 23.C (about 70.F), Christchurch 21.C (something similar), and Wellington 21.C (see Christchurch), and Dunedin 19.C. Auckland in winter is mild with temperatures of up to 20.C, Christchurch is considerably cooler, but that is because we have an annoying sea breeze. Our mean daily maximum temperature in winter is 11.C. Don't be put off by the cooler temperatures or you will miss out on a lot of the country in winter. Inland areas in summer might experience temperatures of up to 40.C on the hottest days and convection storms in the afternoon are not uncommon on the central plateau of the North Island, inland Canterbury, or central Otago. Transport in Christchurch is excellent with ring and radial bus services, and traffic congestion is confined to relatively few roads, but the ones that get it are best avoided if possible. Auckland has commuter trains, but the biggest problem is motorway gridlock in the rush hour periods. Aside from that it is actually a fairly reasonable city to get around in. Cannot comment for Dunedin, but traffic coming into Wellington during the rush hour periods can be problematic. By all means take rental cars in all cities and on longer trips, but just be prepared to spend a bit of time in the traffic of the urban areas. Do not worry too much about poisonous insects and creatures here, because aside from the White tail and Katipo spiders (SEEK TREATMENT IF BITTEN BY EITHER), the only problems are blue bottles on the beach, jelly fish, and of course I would be lying if I said we don't have sharks or stingrays. No snakes. No poisonous reptiles, at all. Do lock your car and hide valuables when you are away from it or take the valuables with you, for like all western countries we do have a filthy element. Women, I would advise you not to go alone anywhere at night and avoid if possible darkened areas. Don't get lifts in cars with strangers if on your own unless an emergency. Aside from that, look forward to seeing you in Godzone and Canterbury. My e-mail is lava.dome@eudoramail.com Rob

We are going to have our hands full paring it down to the must-do things! We were planning to spend about two weeks. What, in your opinion, is an ideal itinerary for this period of time? If you can think in these terms--I can't imagine doing the same for someone who is planning to be in the US for 2 weeks!

Hi all 1 week in each island. In that case allow a full day sightseeing for Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and spend the rest of it travelling. I would see the Museum and Skytower in Auckland, and Museum of Te Papa and Parliament in Wellington. In Christchurch I would go to the Museum of Canterbury, the Arts Centre and Cathedral Square. I forgot to mention we also have a gondola that goes up to the summit of the Port Hills (an extinct volcano that has been breached by the sea). For the North Island I would fly to Rotorua, drive to Wellington (take say 4 days)via the Central Plateau, catch a ferry across Cook Strait to Picton, and drive to Christchurch. Spend a day looking around town, then spend the rest of your time driving a loop around the South Island. May I suggest that you head south to Timaru, then go inland to Tekapo. Stay a night there and drive to Queenstown the following day. The day after that you look around Queenstown and drive to Wanaka in the evening (about 70km from Queenstown). Next day drive to Franz Josef. I would have gone further to Franz Josef. Franz Josef and Fox (town over the hill from FJ heading south)have two glaciers which are well worth a look. Go to Hokitika or Arthurs Pass the following day and drive to Christchurch on the last day. On the map here you see a road junction inbetween the towns of Hokitika and Greymouth. Turn right and follow that road to Arthurs Pass. Follow the road from Arthurs Pass to Christchurch. Map here is not the greatest and misses several important places out. Rob

Great! My husband tried to email you and was informed that his message was "in queue", whatever that means. Hopefully you'll get it someday!

Hi all Cool! Best e-mail to try is lava.dome@eudoramail.com because I check it daily. Rob