New Zealand Travel Guide

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Shopping Two of New Zealand's Best Farmers' Markets: What to See, Smell and Taste

Where: 55 Melmore Terrace, Cromwell, Otago, New Zealand, 9342
December 21, 2011 at 4:06 PM | by | Comments (0)

Based on our recent experience eating our way through New Zealand, the country’s food scene is bursting at the seams not only with talented chefs discovering the agricultural bounty of their island nation, but also farmers' markets where the producers and purveyors of all these fabulous foodstuffs are peddling their wares and showing off the best of what they grow.

To find out just where all these tasty products are coming from and to meet some of the growers, we stopped by two of the country’s best known weekend farmers’ markets at opposite ends of New Zealand:

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Ninja Plane? This Air New Zealand 777 Gets Painted Jet Black

December 19, 2011 at 8:40 AM | by | Comments (0)

If a black airplane lands at night, do you even see it land at all? Okay that was kinda stupid, but all words pale in comparison to the awesomeness of the newest Boeing 777-300ER to be delivered to fun-loving Air New Zealand. It's the All Blacks-edition jet, the second plane in AirNZ's fleet to be outfitted in the black livery that's an ode to the rugby team All Blacks. One could even say the color is jet black.

The 777 is fresh off the Boeing assembly line in Everett, WA and lucky to start its life as the pimpest-looking plane in the sky. It's actually the largest plane painted noir, as the old Playboy DC-9 is long gone and AirNZ's other black metal is the smaller Airbus A320, confined to domestic itineraries. But this baby—this one with its three classes (four if you count the Skycouch)—this one is also flying further, like to LAX and London from Auckland.

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Project Re:Start Brings (Colorful) Retail Back to Christchurch

Where: Cashel Street, Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand
December 13, 2011 at 4:25 PM | by | Comments (0)

While much of the “red zone” in the city center of Christchurch remains empty of people (save for the demolition crews checking the abandoned buildings that still make up a large part of the area), we came across a little rehabilitation project right at the edge that’s bringing life and color back to the devastated city, Project Re:Start.

Project Re:Start is kind of like a pop-up mall made up of purpose-built, brightly colored shipping containers that have been arranged and stacked along Cashel Street and converted into shops and cafes. The project was financed with NZ$3.36 million from a the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal fund.

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Five Foods You've Just Got to Try in New Zealand

December 6, 2011 at 10:29 AM | by | Comments (0)

New Zealand is more than the kiwi fruit. In fact, most of the country's unique foods elude most people unless you make the long journey way down under.

On our own recent long visit to the South Island, we discovered more and more chefs are putting New Zealand’s unique foodstuffs on display in creative (and delicious) ways...including these five New Zealand foods you should try on your next visit.

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Where to See (and Swim With) the World’s Smallest Dolphins and Penguins

November 29, 2011 at 12:39 PM | by | Comment (1)

Jaunted special contributor Eric Rosen drops us a line from way, way down under...

There’s nothing new about swimming with dolphins these days; it seems like you can hang out with the aquatic mammals pretty much anywhere from Australia to the Bahamas. But during a recent visit to check out post-quake Christchurch, I drove an hour outside the city to the Frenchified hamlet of Akaroa on the craggy Banks Peninsula to swim with some pretty special aquatic life: the world’s tiniest marine dolphins and wild penguins.

Akaroa is a winding hour-long drive southeast of Christchurch through the hills of the Banks Peninsula, where some of the earliest settlements on New Zealand’s South Island were founded. Akaroa actually lies quite near the center of this bulbous landmass, but it’s on the water because its harbor was formed by the collapse of an enormous mega-volcano eons ago.

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Gotta Get Away? Air New Zealand Now Lets You 'Grabaseat' for Cheap

November 29, 2011 at 8:45 AM | by | Comments (0)

Take a pinch of premium airline and a dash of low-cost carrier and the end product will be low airfares with a whole lot of confusion. This week, Air New Zealand launched a new fare on domestic services by using a little of this recipe. They're calling it grabaseat™ and, by the looks of it, ANZ is attempting innovation by offering cheap prices so long as you're willing to abide by tighter rules.

grabaseat™ is ANZ's solution to budget carriers, but isn't offered on all flights. The fare is so basic it only allows for 7kg (15 lbs.) of carry-on baggage; anything over that will be a further charge. Since most of these fares are offered on flights that don't even have overhead compartments—in the case of their Beechcraft—the 7 kilo limit might make boarding a bit easier. If flying with nothing but a camera isn't your idea of fun, then you will have to cough up about $10 US to check a bag.

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The Who, What, Where, and Why of the Air New Zealand Wine Awards

November 16, 2011 at 10:46 AM | by | Comments (0)

Harvest may be over in most parts of the Northern Hemisphere, but south of the equator they’re headed into spring, and in New Zealand, that means it’s time for the Air New Zealand Wine Awards, the biggest, most prestigious wine competition on the country. And yes, it’s sponsored by an airline.

6.5 MILLION GLASSES OF WINE

We’ve already explained just what makes Air New Zealand’s wine program so unique—including the fact that the airline takes its role as an ambassador of all things New Zealand very seriously, leading its top brass back in 2004-2005 to make the decision to serve only New Zealand wines (except Champagne and Port) on its planes, and that it serves over 6.5 million glasses of NZ wine a year, making it the largest single server of New Zealand wines in the world.

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Flying 14 Hours in Air New Zealand's Snazzy New White 'Spaceseat'

October 4, 2011 at 4:34 PM | by | Comment (1)

And now a dispatch from DJ Max Graham, who's somewhere off in the world...

I spent 36 hours with Air New Zealand recently; that's 14 hours in the infamous Skycouch on the way to Auckland from LA, many hours in assorted airport lounges, and 14 hours back, where I was lucky enough to be upgraded to Business the new Premium Economy called "Spaceseats." This is my review of that second leg.

First off, Air NZ gets it. Not only are they pushing the boundaries of the in-flight experience with completely innovative and unique products, but their staff are simply excellent. The small country has a pride you can feel in the flagship airline’s staff, and smiles were all around.

I was extremly excited to try the “Spaceseat” on the new Boeing 777-300ER and ended up with a bulkhead window and no one beside me. Right away I felt as if I was accidentally in business class, hoping nobody catches me. There’s no way this is just an economy product! But it is. Bottled Water, pillow and blanket greeted me as I entered my pod.

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How You Can Volunteer at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand

June 8, 2011 at 1:45 PM | by | Comments (0)

This fall New Zealand is hosting the massive Rugby World Cup 2011, but they need a lot of help to pull it off. Currently NZ is looking for more than 2,000 volunteers for performing and support roles at the Opening Ceremony, which will take place on September 9, 2011.

The ceremony will showcase New Zealand culture, as well as the cultures of the 20 other participating countries. It is expected to draw a crowd of more than 60,000 fans who will be in attendance for first match of the Tournament, between New Zealand and Tonga in Eden Park, as well as a TV audience of millions worldwide.

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New Zealand's 'Biggest Loser' Tour is Fat Camp, 2011-Style

April 19, 2011 at 4:57 PM | by | Comments (0)

Whether you fell in love with New Zealand during the latest season of The Biggest Loser, are a mega-fan of the show or want to commemorate Jillian Michaels as she leaves to get her own TV show, you can go on a Biggest Loser tour of the Land of the Kiwi.

Although only two episodes thus far have shown the contestants sweating it out in New Zealand, Air New Zealand Vacations is offering a 10-day trip to the country that shows you the sites that the contestants visited.

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Richard Simmons and Snoop Dogg: Coming to an Air New Zealand Flight Near You

March 28, 2011 at 9:01 AM | by | Comments (0)

If there is one video you watch today, please let it be this one. Introducing the newest in-flight safety video from Air New Zealand, a short film in its own right, which continues what's becoming a tradition of AirNZ viral videos.

Mashable went so far as to call it the "best in-flight safety video ever." It's great and got us bopping a bit in our seats, sure, but if you're a frequent AirNZ flyer, then we can imagine several Simmons' peppy workouts a week equals annoyance. It's not the best thing ever; their bodypaint in-flight safety vid really started them on this roll, so that should get some credit:

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Christchurch Suffers 6.3 Magnitude Earthquake; Air New Zealand Pledges help

February 22, 2011 at 8:37 AM | by | Comments (0)

Yesterday in New Zealand—or what is today to most of the world—a 6.3-strength earthquake right right underneath the city of Christchurch, causing much destruction and at least 65 deaths. Both the city's Anglican and Catholic cathedrals were partially destroyed in addition to many other downtown buildings and Christchurch's airport terminal has suffered damage. Currently the airport is open only to emergency aid flights, after over 1,000 travelers and airport staff were evacuated following the quake.

In regards to tourism, Christchurch was enjoying the high point of the summer season, but this earthquake combined with the 7.1 jolt that shook nearby the city back in September are making more than just the tourists nervous. You know we love us some New Zealand Travel, but the country does unfortunately sit right on the Pacific Ring of Fire.

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