/lifestyle/travel/rss 九一星空无限 Sat, 23 Aug 2025 09:00:42 Z en /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-savouring-the-tastes-of-the-sunshine-coast/ /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-savouring-the-tastes-of-the-sunshine-coast/ The Sunshine Coast’s sparkling reputation as a powerhouse of premium local produce continues to raise the bar. Brimming with over 900 food and drink producers, grazing from this constantly replenished larder of goodness helps underpin the region’s bragging rights as holiday heaven. I’m just back from a fresh dip with the Sunshine Coast, after indulgently noshing and sipping my way around her beachfront and hinterland hotspots.   My visit coincided with one of the region’s signature annual celebrations, The Curated Plate. Held every year between late July and early August, the region’s premier 10-day food and drink festival is an unabashed epicurean’s dream, stringing together a distinctive, inventive array of bespoke culinary experiences in gorgeous settings, showcasing dishes loaded with local flavour and helmed by the region’s decorated chefs. It’s a very convivial and embracing festival and a great opportunity to strike up a chat with friendly locals. Alongside savouring the unrivalled splendour of the culinary delights, it also reaffirmed to me just how exceptional the region’s dining and drinking offerings are.   Cocktails in the sun at The Curated Plate. Photo / Supplied I attended the festival’s opening event at Yandina Station, Farm to Fork, which was an unbelievable gorge-fest. Renowned chef Peter Kuruvita was cooking Maleny Buffalo on a wild fire pit, which were then bundled into pita bread topped with zingy herbs and tzatziki sauce to create buffalo kofta. They were a smash hit and you can buy them year-round in Maleny. I also noshed my way through roasted reef fish fillet from Rockliff Seafood Mooloolaba with ginger and chilli shallot sauce; Tanglewood organic sourdough with coconut sambal butter; and a divine pannacotta made with Maleny Buffalo Milk, paired with Green Valley finger limes and macadamia praline from Nutworks Yandina.   Buffalo Kofta at The Curated Plate. Photo / Supplied Definitely pop into Yandina when tripping the Sunny Coast because Nutworks Yandina is a journey into the world of premium Australian nut and confectionery products. Hello sampling heaven! These guys process over 5000 tonnes of Australia’s macadamia nuts every year and many of them are crafted into very moreish snacks with lip-smacking coatings. The Lamington Chocolate Macadamias, the Maple Pancake Macadamias and the Crunchy Hickory Macadamias are my favourite three.  Right across the road, the Buderim Ginger Factory. Nearly 85 years old, they remain the world’s biggest producer of confectionary ginger. The chocolate ginger balls are irresistible. And don’t miss the Ice Creamery scoop or two of Ginger biscuit and Ginger cinnamon! The Ginger Factory is also swooned over by families for its boutique theme park-style assortment of attractions, with some Disneyesque touches, including a ride aboard “Moreton”, the factory’s beloved 120-year-old ginger train which tootles through the property’s lush, leafy and impeccably maintained tropical gardens. Another head-turning feature is the extraordinary art installation, Rainbrella, comprising nearly a thousand brightly coloured umbrellas suspended over the rainforest walk.   Lush and leafy Buderim Ginger Factory. Photo / Mike Yardley  Tripping the Blackall Range tourist route, a highlight is the bustling ‘food village” of Maleny. The surrounding undulating landscape is speckled with cows, interspersed with pockets of remnant rainforest, and offset by breathtaking bird’s-eye views of the Glass House Mountains, creating an exceptionally bucolic scene. It’s home to some of Australia’s most acclaimed dairy producers including Maleny Dairies and Maleny Cheese. A winning way to distil Maleny’s abundance of artisan produce is to pop into Maleny Food Co on Maple Street. A destination in its own right, the café and deli began life 25 years ago, which is now also synonymous for its gelato and sorbet, made daily on site in traditional artisan style. With over 100 gelato flavours, you’ll just drool over the possibilities, from Coconut & Ginger and Fig & Almond to Blueberry & lavender gelato.   The formidable array of fromage is equally alluring, with Maleny Food Co sourcing the finest Australian and international cheeses made by artisan cheese makers and maturing them in their fromagerie. Spilling out the doors, an orderly queue of cheerful shoppers were lined up like kids at a candy store, waiting for facetime in the fromagerie, studded with over 250 cheeses. I highly recommend the Kenilworth Vintage Cheddar and Woombye’s decadently gooey Triple Cream Brie. You can also dine instore from the deli-style menu, or simply whistle up a picnic box, generously laden with locally produced goodies like cured meats, breads, glace fruits and olives, pastes.   Fromagerie at Maleny Food Co. Photo / Mike Yardley  Across the road, I had a Curated Plate lunch appointment at Spill Wine, which is a stirring little wine shop and sophisticated neighbourhood bar. A 270-strong line-up of wine is housed on the backwall of this chic bar, with the accent on smaller and independent producers, leaning more towards natural, organic and biodynamic vino from Australia and around the world. Founded by Jamie Fleming and Clare Hutton, it's built on a simple idea of good wine, good people and no fuss. As Jamie remarked as we started our tasting session, “we are all about enjoying wine without the wank factor.” Adelaide-born, and a finalist on Season 6 of Masterchef Australia, Jamie actually spent several years working in Methven at The Blue Pub. He adores snowboarding.   Artfully paired with local dishes, like silky ricotta from Maleny Dairies and slivers of Walker’s Albacore Tuna in coconut milk and chilli kumquats, we breezed through some really interesting wines and lesser-known varietals. My favourite was Spill’s very own pet-nat wine, Brillo. Produced from the verdelho grape, there’s something to be said about the tropical notes in Queensland wine. Brillo contains the unmistakable flavour of burnt pineapple. Pet-nat is a lovely light and summery sparkling wine, not dissimilar to Rosé, but with lower sugar and alcohol content. Arguably more popular in Australia than in New Zealand – I’m converted! Definitely add Spill Wine to your checklist.  Mike enjoys a tasting at Spill Wine. Photo / Mike Yardley Another great dining destination that I encountered was the recently opened Alsahwa Estate, in Palmwoods.  I jaunted there for a Curated Plate long lunch, tucking into Mooloolaba Prawns, ginger-braised short ribs and whole-roasted pumpkin which was filled with a central pocket of smoked yoghurt and chilli jam. It was topped off with a giant Eton Mess, consisting of layers of crushed meringue folded through delicately whipped cream, topped with citrus, passionfruit and earl grey vinaigrette. Bellissimo! But whatever is on the menu, Alsahwa is a botanical revelation, with its enchanted garden vibes, tranquil water features, swaying palms and native birdlife. But beyond its splendid good looks and retreat-like ambience, the Mediterranean-inspired restaurant is underpinned with a farm-to-plate philosophy, that promotes biodynamic and regenerative practices. The estate produces its own honey, and boasts are sprawling vegetable garden. It’s a gorgeous spot for noshing and lingering.   My indelible experience at Alsahwa began with a welcoming botanical cocktail from local craft distillers, Sunshine & Sons. I’m a huge fan of these guys, who are based next to the iconic Big Pineapple. Their magnificent rum, Nil Desperandum, (which takes its name from the 19th century Cobb and Co coaching pub that used to operate nearby) has scooped so many global awards, since its first release three years ago. As has their vodka, which is distilled from surplus grapes and grape waste from the Barossa and filtered through millennia-old volcanic rock which is a Nordic technique in vodka-making. Paying homage to their legendary neighbour, my favourite drop is their Pineapple Parfait Gin. This tropical fruit salad gin is like a sun-drenched holiday in a glass.  Sunshine & Sons cocktail stand. Photo / Mike Yardley Finally, when in Mooloolaba, take to the water with Saltwater Eco Tours. Led by Simon Thornalley and his partner Jenna, this indigenous owned and operated cruise is a sparkling experience, blending an enlightening, languid ride on the Mooloolaba waterways, aboard a beautifully restored 117-year-old timber sailing vessel “Spray of the Coral Coast.” Simon imparts a rich commentary with indigenous insights, while the signature Bushtucker cruise serves up a delicious seafood menu infused with locally foraged, seasonal, and sustainably sourced native ingredients. Tuck your way through a procession of tasty treats like fresh fish tacos with pineapple, mango and Davidson plum; grilled squid with wattleseed mayo; smoked barramundi with charcoal cracker, pigface and satin ash lillyipilly; plus, I loved the bunya nut pastries and burnt macadamia biscuits with hand-picked lemon myrtle! It’s an immersive experience with native ingredients and the ocean bounty.  Fly direct to the Sunshine Coast with the low-fares leader, Jetstar, who operate year-round services from Auckland to Maroochydore, three times a week. It’s the fastest way to paradise. You can be enjoying Mooloolaba prawns on the beach by lunchtime! jetstar.com   Grab your golden fill of sunshine moments during a flavourful escape on the Sunshine Coast. World-beating beaches, lush hinterland villages, ancient peaks, wild encounters, sublime local produce and succulent seafood are all part of the package. visitsunshinecoast.com   Mike Yardley is 九一星空无限talk ZB’s resident traveller and can be heard every week at 11.20am on Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame.  Sat, 23 Aug 2025 01:16:04 Z /lifestyle/travel/air-nz-apologises-for-refusing-to-reimburse-family-for-us-tipping-costs/ /lifestyle/travel/air-nz-apologises-for-refusing-to-reimburse-family-for-us-tipping-costs/ Air New Zealand has apologised after wrongly refusing to reimburse a family for tipping costs while they were stranded in New York City - one of the world’s most expensive cities - after their flight was grounded. A woman travelling with her partner and two young children were among passengers booked on Air NZ’s flagship NZ1 service from John F. Kennedy Airport to Auckland on July 19, which was cancelled after engineers discovered a fuel leak. The passenger, who did not want to be identified, told the Herald her family endured three days of disruption after the original flight and its replacement on July 20 were cancelled. “We got our luggage and were told to line up back at the check-in counter,” she recalled. “It was chaos ... My kids fell asleep on the floor.” While Air NZ handed out hotel vouchers to travellers, the family had relatives they could stay with, saving the airline money and them time. The family spent two extra nights in New York City after their Auckland-bound flight was cancelled. Photo / 123rf “It didn’t seem like anyone was there to help us and we felt so grateful to have somewhere to go.” Air NZ promised to pay for accommodation, transport and food but passengers still faced unavoidable costs in the form of gratuities – a near-mandatory part of daily life in the United States. “One of us is a New Yorker. It’s against nature not to tip ... Servers and drivers do not take kindly to people who don’t tip,” she said. “We also wanted to show our kids how to respect the customs of other nations.” The family spent about US$150 ($253.34) on tips for food and transport before finally departing the US on July 21. While Air NZ reimbursed the base costs, it initially rejected their claim for tips, citing a policy against covering any gratuities. Air New Zealand initially refused to cover gratuity costs for the family. Photo / Getty Images The passenger described the refusal as frustrating. “The financial hit is decent. [US$150], especially after a holiday, is a good amount of groceries,” she said. “But it’s more the principle. We saved Air NZ US$1000 ($1695) by staying with family, and then they short-change us on the gratuity – an expense that is mandatory?” Following questions from the Herald, Air NZ admitted the passenger had been given incorrect advice and confirmed it would reimburse the tipping costs. “Unfortunately, in this case, a member of our team supplied the incorrect information,” Air NZ’s general manager (customer) Alisha Armstrong said. “When there is a disruption to travel that is within the airline’s control our policy is to refund any reasonable expenses incurred, and we agree that while in the US tipping is a reasonable expense. Air New Zealand has since apologised to the affected family. Photo / Michael Craig “Our team have contacted the customer to apologise for the initial incorrect information and are reimbursing for gratuity. “This example will be used as a valuable learning opportunity for our customer service team to prevent similar occurrences in future.” Air NZ’s New York route faced several disruptions last month. In July storms and air traffic constraints forced passengers on flight NZ2 to spend the night in Washington DC with travel cancelled in both directions. Tom Rose is an Auckland-based journalist who covers breaking news, specialising in lifestyle, entertainment and travel. He joined the Herald in 2023. Wed, 20 Aug 2025 04:11:00 Z /lifestyle/travel/why-a-record-number-of-kiwis-are-visiting-asian-countries/ /lifestyle/travel/why-a-record-number-of-kiwis-are-visiting-asian-countries/ An increase in direct flights to Asia is drawing more Kiwis than ever before to visit the continent, according to new data from Stats NZ. On Friday, Stats NZ announced a record 730,000 trips were made by New Zealand residents to Asia during the year ending June 2025. Of those, 316,100 New Zealand returning residents went to Asia specifically for a holiday, accounting for 24% of all short-term overseas trips made by returning locals in the year. “Short-term trips to Asia by New Zealand residents were up 20% in the June 2025 year, compared with the year before,” international travel statistics spokesperson Bryan Downes said. “This increase was mainly driven by more trips to Indonesia, China, Japan, and India.” Zhengyang Bridge at the entrance of Qianmen Avenue, a traditional commercial street outside Qianmen Gate in Beijing, China. Photo / 123rf China was the most popular Asia destination overall for returning New Zealand residents, with 162,396 heading over there for short-term travel, while Indonesia was the top choice for holidays. “Among destinations worldwide, Indonesia and Japan saw the largest growth in holiday travel by New Zealanders in the June 2025 year, up 27,700 and 16,900 respectively, compared with the year before,” Downes said. “A holiday was the most reported reason for travelling to Asia by New Zealanders in the June 2025 year, followed by visiting friends and relatives.” Stats NZ said the increase in trips coincided with the 6% increase in direct flights from New Zealand to the continent. Lempuyang Luhur temple in Bali. Photo / Getty Images Air New Zealand, Korean Air, Air China, Singapore Airlines, and Malaysia Airlines offer direct flights to popular destinations such as Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore and Bali, for example. In March, Air New Zealand signalled a stronger focus on the Asian market and signed with Air India a Memorandum of Understanding to boost their mutual connectivity. “India represents a key growth market for Air New Zealand, and we are excited about the opportunity to enhance connectivity for travellers between our two countries. This codeshare agreement is an important first step, offering more options for customers while we work to understand what a direct service could look like,” outgoing Air NZ chief executive Greg Foran said at the time. Foran had also announced plans for a direct service between the two nations. “We are committed to working collaboratively to grow the travel market over the coming years, ensuring a strong foundation for a successful direct service by 2028,” he said. Japan has surged in popularity as an international travel destination. According to the Japan National Tourism Organisation, a record 36.8 million people visited the nation in 2024, a significant increase from 32 million visitors in 2019, before the Covid pandemic. Australia remains the most popular destination for Kiwis overall, with 1.2 million New Zealand travellers returning from short-term holidays there in the year ending June 2024. Sat, 16 Aug 2025 22:05:32 Z /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-hinterland-adventures-on-the-sunshine-coast/ /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-hinterland-adventures-on-the-sunshine-coast/ Beyond the seductive necklace of balmy beaches studding the Sunshine Coast, elevate your playground to the host of treats and treasures tucked away in the hinterland. I launched my latest hinterland dip in Eumundi, home to one of the largest artisan markets in the Southern Hemisphere. “Make it, bake it, sew it, grow it” is the market mantra. Bursting with over 600 stalls and held every Wednesday and Saturday, it's the personal interactions with the producers which underpins its magnetic pull. You’ll meet the talented hands behind handcrafted furniture, homewares, artworks, ceramics, cutting-edge fashion and jewellery.   Have a chat to the farmers and bakers who sell fresh produce and gourmet delights by the truckload. Chill out under the beautiful heritage-listed fig trees as you indulge in a massage, have your palm or tarot cards read, listen to live local music and watch the street performers. Eumundi Markets reach deep into the ‘try before you buy’ philosophy, so I happily nibbled my way through a veritable platter of delectable delights. A sure-fire hit is the Langos caravan, offering a variety of flavours. Langos is a traditional Hungarian street food, made from a simple yeast dough, deep fried in oil. If highly recommend a Langos slathered in garlic, sour cream and cheese. Scrumptious snacks!  Eumundi Markets. Photo / Visit Sunshine Coast My hinterland base was the leafy township of Yandina, staying at the namesake hotel which has been serving up yarns and coldies since 1889. Built by Australian pioneers as a staging depot on the route between Brisbane and the Gympie goldfields, this venerable wooden pile, with wrapround balcony, is one of the Sunshine Coast's oldest watering holes. Renovated last year, it’s a cracking spot for some hearty hinterland hospitality, while comfortable accommodation awaits upstairs. Just down the street, join the locals at Meadow Bake Shop for great coffee and breakfast bites. This gorgeous artisan bakery opened 12 months ago in a gracefully restored historical corner store.  Yandina Hotel. Photo / Visit Sunshine Coast Suitably fuelled up, I tracked south from Yandina to strike out on a signature Sunshine Coast experience: self-driving the Blackall Range tourist route. The brown Highway 23 signs waymark the official route – much of which skirts the razorback ridgeline of the escarpment, with several stupendous lookouts affording jaw-dropping views down to the ocean. The route also stitches together a swag of highland villages, national parks and scenic reserves and lofty lookouts. Tailor the touring circuit to your preferences. I started by first venturing to Mapleton Falls National Park. The short and sweet Wompoo circuit walk is a fragrant jaunt through verdant rainforest, heavily scented with eucalypts, to Peregrine Lookout where the gushing curtain of Mapleton Falls and expansive views across the Obi Obi Valley unfurl for your viewing pleasure.    Close by, stake out take a rainforest hike to the even more impressive Kondalilla Falls, complete with swimming hole for a revitalising dip. Needless to say, these falls gush like fire hydrants during the rainy season. Many hinterland communities along the Blackall Range first developed as farming bases, evolved into hippie strongholds in the 1960s, before morphing into solid creative hubs in the 1970s. Montville is a star specimen, richly textured by an incredibly creative class of people, bursting with colour, character and vitality. Beginning life under the bold name of Razorback, that becomes very self-explanatory when you reach the 500-metre-high ridge-top location of the town. It’s a storybook town that fast infatuates, complete with watermill, chintzy cafes, cosy craft cottages and leafy serenity.   Kondalilla National Park. Photo / Supplied Tenaciously clinging to the eastern escarpment, this picture-postcard village offers dress circle views across the softly folded valleys and lush green pastures, tumbling towards the coast. The main street stores brim with curios, treasures and confections, like the Clock Shop Montville, housed in a German chalet that looks like its shuffled out of a Brothers Grimm fairytale, ticking and tocking with several thousand timepieces.  Check out Illume Creations, home to Tina Cooper’s vibrant hand-blown glass art, particularly sculptures and vases. For a riveting display of local works all for sale, a visual feast is the Montville Art Gallery, housed in a characterful 1890’s Queenslander on the main street. There are over 40 artists on permanent display. The gallery owner, Wayne Malkin, is an acclaimed seascape, landscape and portrait artist who specialises in oils. His ocean and hinterland landscape works are drool-worthy, strongly representing his passion for the playful effect of light.   My favourite spot for coffee and cake is the legendary Poet’s Café, strikingly constructed like a Victorian conservatory-style tearoom, festooned with stained glass windows and renaissance-style portraits. They’re very proud that their coffee is made from fresh spring water bubbling up from the natural spring below the premises.   Poets Cafe, Montville. Photo / Poets Cafe After soaking up Montville’s allure, I moseyed on to Maleny, which enjoys an even loftier perch than Montville, bracketed by lush and rolling green hills. Maleny is like a microcosm of the hinterland’s finest features, a blend of creative types, aging hippies, a pumping artisan food production scene and magnificently bucolic beauty spots. Maleny is renowned as bountiful food bowl, which I will showcase in an upcoming article on Sunshine Coast’s sublime produce.   But a great starting point is to take a stroll along Maple Street, popping with colour and personality, and dotted with organic cafes, brilliant bookstores, eclectic boutiques and quirky independent stores. It’s remarkable what a tractor-beam Maleny is for alternative healing and therapy practitioners. I perused a head-spinning variety of kooky main street offerings from cosmic dieting, aerial hammock healing and soul breathing to harmonica healing and plant-based cancer treatments.   Sprawling out from Maleny, a stunningly green, undulating countryside, dotted with cows, interspersed with pockets of remnant rainforest, and offset by compelling bird’s-eye views of the Glass House Mountains. A must-do is Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve, a spectacular rainforest with boardwalks threading through this fabulous reserve, abuzz with raucous tropical birdlife. The magnificent elevated viewing deck offers a dreamy panoramic outlook across the eleven thrusting vertical rocky columns of the Glasshouse Mountains.   Glasshouse Mountains. Photo / Supplied Another radiant encounter with nature is to tootle your way to Maleny Botanic Gardens and Bird World, one of Australia’s biggest private gardens. This botanical tour de force is like a green-fingered Disneyland, is constantly expanding, including an Oriental Garden, Rose Garden, Fairy Garden, a Rainforest Walk and a fascinating grotto of ancient basalt rocks that were thrust up at the same time as the Glasshouse Mountains were volcanically formed. But as much as the gardens are divine, it’s the feathered friends who really steal the show. This is the mother of all menageries.  There’s four walk-through, free-flight aviaries to admire, aflutter with over 700 birds. It’s the parrots that are the runaway favourites, many who were abandoned by previous owners. You’ll encounter macaws, black cockatoos, Amazons, Green-cheeked conures and Alexandrines, who happily landed on my head, arms and shoulders. A crowd-favourite is Coco, the 85-year-old Amazon Parrot, who still sings opera and can belt out the first verse of “Old Macdonald had a Farm”, without dropping a note. Maleny Botanic Gardens & Bird World has just been voted Queensland’s No.1 attraction by Tripadvisor. Get amongst it!   Bird World fun. Photo / Visit Sunshine Coast Fly direct to the Sunshine Coast with the low-fares leader, Jetstar, who operate year-round services from Auckland to Maroochydore, three times a week. It’s the fastest way to paradise. You can be enjoying Mooloolaba prawns on the beach by lunchtime! jetstar.com  From glorious beaches and warm seas to nature, outdoors adventure, wellness, hyper-local food and artisan distilleries, pick your vibe and grab your fill of golden sunshine moments in the Sunshine Coast. For the latest destination inspiration and visitor tips, head to visitsunshinecoast.com  Mike Yardley is 九一星空无限talk ZB’s resident traveller and can be heard every week at 11.20am on Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame.  Sat, 16 Aug 2025 00:34:46 Z /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-treats-and-treasures-in-edinburgh-with-trafalgar/ /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-treats-and-treasures-in-edinburgh-with-trafalgar/ Brooding, imposing, ruggedly beautiful and spilling with forth with a storied history, Edinburgh stirs the senses of even the most jaded traveller. I’ve just reacquainted myself with the striking Scottish capital, as part of a riveting romp around the UK on Trafalgar’s Real Britain tour. Impossible to miss, with its lofty perch on a craggy volcanic hill, Edinburgh Castle is always irresistible. The admission lines can test your patience —we mercifully got here early— but a wander through this treasured symbol of Scottish heritage is compulsive.   My delightful Trafalgar local specialist guide Katrina, unpacked a trove of anecdotes about the castle’s history with compelling ease, as we trawled through its gritty collection of buildings and feasted our eyes on the Scottish crown jewels (not quite as blingy as the English). First built 800 years ago, the Scottish Royal Family used the castle as a royal residence until 1603. Fittingly, the statues of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce guard the main entrance to the castle, which holds the record as Britain’s most attacked castle, besieged on 26 occasions.   Exploring Edinburgh Castle. Photo / Mike Yardley  One of the biggest stains in Edinburgh’s backstory would have to be its passion and hysteria for witch-hunting. Edinburgh Castle’s forecourt, Castle Esplanade is where the Royal Military Tattoo is held every August. It occupies the same ground where many accused witches were killed.  Just before the castle entrance check out the Witches' Well, a cast-iron fountain and plaque, in memory of the thousands of women who were burned at the stake or hanged, between the 15th and 18th centuries. Most women who were killed were generally herbalists or mentally ill. Suspected witches were first thrown into a lake to determine their innocence. Those who drowned were cleared, and those who had the audacity to survive were adjudged a witch and sent to the stake.  One of Britain’s great throughfares would have to be the Royal Mile, carving a path from the castle to the Palace of Holyrood House. Jutting off the Royal Mile, a fascinating cobweb of narrow, cobbled alleys and staircases. I love strolling this atmospheric street, studded with a procession of signature sights like John Knox House and St Giles’ Cathedral, established during the reign of King David, 900 years ago.  Edinburgh Royal Mile. Photo / Supplied Dark streets and dark history are recurring themes in the city’s narrative.  Dive into the depths of subterranean Edinburgh, because the Old Town is stacked like a pancake, throwing up glimpses of city life over the centuries. One of the most absorbing such encounters is to venture down into Mary King’s Close. These 17th century streets were once a breeding ground for the black death, over-run with flea-carrying rats, which ended up killing a quarter of Scotland’s population. But the fatality count was much higher in these tight quarters. Many of the residents who survived were treated by the plague doctor, George Rae. He would slice off the top of the victim's sore and jam a red-hot poker into the wound to cauterise it.   The technique, while agonising, did indeed save lives. It’s one of the many anecdotes I gleaned while touring the close, which was emptied and sealed up over a century ago. The Royal Exchange was built on top of it and the close was forgotten about, until workers digging on the street above accidentally punched down into the winding lanes. Rediscovered, the close became a handy bomb shelter during WWII and has since become a tourist site. One of the most famous ghosts supposed to live here is a 10-year-old girl named Annie, killed by the plague. Believers report temperature changes and feeling a certain presence in her room. Toys, dolls, and sweets are continuously left for her, in the close.  Mary King's Close Tour. Photo / Visit Scotland Another absorbing underground encounter is to take a tour through the Blair Street vaults. This labyrinthine network of chambers, located within the 19 arches of South Bridge, previously housed thousands of people in the most squalid of conditions, later repurposed as a hotbed for brothels, gambling dens and associated vice. Body snatchers also used the cool, dark vaults to store corpses. Rumoured to be among the city’s most haunted spaces, traipsing through this underground world by candlelight is not for the faint-hearted!  See Edinburgh like a local and head up to the view of views via Jacob’s Ladder. Carved out of volcanic rock, this stirring pathway us unknown to many visitors, serving as a short-cut between Waverley Railway Station’s parking bay and the sublime perch of Calton Hill. Over 300 years old, this passage originally served as a key way for locals to get in and out of the city, from the Old Town to the New Town. It’s the best way to zip up monument-studded Calton Hill for unparalleled views of the castle and the city, backdropped by the ancient volcano, Arthur’s Seat. Edinburgh loves its follies and another dramatic specimen is the Scott Monument that towers above Princes Street Gardens. Illustrating Edinburgh’s reverence for its literature heritage, the Scott Monument is a ridiculously-sized Gothic tower dedicated to Sir Walter Scott - the largest monument to any writer in the world. Trek up the 287 steps for more sumptuous city views.    Scott Memorial in Princes Gardens. Photo / Mike Yardley If the weather is grizzly, there’s every chance you might opt to stay dry inside the National Museum of Scotland, a tub-thumping temple to Scottish pride, stacked with some great exhibits including Dolly the Sheep - the first cloned mammal from an adult cell. But if you share my obsession with panoramic city vistas, here’s an insider’s tip. Take the lift to the 7th floor and exit onto the rooftop terrace. Slap bang in the middle of the Old Town, it’s s tunning vantage point, gazing across Auld Reekie’s rooftops and the bustle below.   As you may know, New Town Edinburgh is defined by the Georgian architecture of the 18th century that provided far more comfort and space for the well to do, fed-up with the overcrowding and squalor of the Old Town. It’s a masterpiece of historic urban planning, resolutely Georgian in design, with its wide streets and elegant architecture. If there’s one spot to check out, do not miss Charlotte Square. This fast became home to Scotland’s brightest thinkers, surgeons, and aristocrats. Alexander Bell lived at No.14,  No. 9 was home to the pioneer of antiseptic medicine, Lord Lister of Listerine fame. JM Barrie lived here for a while, and No.6 is the No.10 Downing Street of Scotland, home to the country's First Minister. Though the horse-drawn carriages and sedan chairs have long gone, Charlotte Square is living, breathing history.  Georgian finery in Charlotte's Square. Photo / Supplied A sure-bet way to get a flavour for the city’s soul is to enjoy a pint or a dram or two from the plethora of historic pubs. One of my favourites is Deacon Brodie’s Tavern on the Royal Mile. The pub is a tribute of sorts to the local character who inspired Robert Louis Stevenson to write Jekyll and Hyde. Brodie was head of the guild of carpenters, widely respected for his craftsmanship. With access to some of the richest houses in town, he ended up making copies of house keys, which he would burgle at night, after working in them during the day. Finally caught in 1788, his hanging drew one of Edinburgh’s largest crowds for an execution.   Also in the Old Town, on Candlemaker’s Row, Greyfriars Bobby's bar is adorned with a Skye Terrier dog statue on its awning - a homage to Edinburgh’s most famous pooch. The story goes that Bobby stood vigil and slept at his owner's grave, guarding his master for 14 years after his death. His dedication became legendary, and when he finally died in 1872, he was laid to rest in Greyfriars churchyard, close to his owner's grave. A public statue was erected the following year, close to the namesake pub. Disney even made a film about Bobby.   Greyfriars Bobby Pub. Photo / Mike Yardley  Finally, take a jaunt to Edinburgh’s historic port of Leith. It’s where the hip young things love to hang-out sipping creative cocktails, but it’s also home to Royal Yacht Britannia - an experiential must for royal junkies. Permanently berthed at Ocean Terminal, the on-board tours are astoundingly comprehensive – it’s access all areas, allowing you to see where the royals ate, slept and played. Left in situ after the yacht was decommissioned in 1997, the state reception rooms and even the Queen’s Bedroom have been left exactly as they were. You can even see Princess Margaret’s numerous cigarette marks. The ship brims with royal memorabilia, artefacts and a trove of official gifts.   Get the insider’s view on Edinburgh, with authentic, in-the-know and immersive encounters. That’s what I loved about touring Edinburgh with Trafalgar. Trafalgar’s Real Britain tour serves up a dazzling array of headline attractions, experiences and insights, all seamlessly stitched together over 6 days. Optional add-ons include local theatre shows, walking tours and even seasonal events like the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. 2026 pricing for the tour is from $3,056pp. For full details head to trafalgar.com/en-nz/tours/real-britain   Mike Yardley is 九一星空无限talk ZB’s resident traveller and can be heard every week at 11.20am on Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame.  Sat, 09 Aug 2025 00:52:28 Z /lifestyle/travel/kiwis-travel-to-europe-alters-over-climate-change-insurers-25-000-flood-payout-as-claims-rise/ /lifestyle/travel/kiwis-travel-to-europe-alters-over-climate-change-insurers-25-000-flood-payout-as-claims-rise/ A global travel company with operations in New Zealand says it will move some Europe tours out of peak season, as Kiwis try to avoid increasingly dangerous and disruptive weather in the continent. Data from Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) shows nearly three in four New Zealanders think travel insurance has grown more important because of climate change. And the insurer said one family claimed more than $25,000 in accommodation and airfare costs after their flights from Tokyo were cancelled when the 2023 Auckland Anniversary floods closed Auckland Airport. As a result of the increased concern, Intrepid Travel, which sees more New Zealanders join its tours per capita than any other country, has made a significant operational shift in response to travellers’ concerns. Popular destinations like Italy, Spain and Portugal are no longer summer hotspots, with tourists increasingly opting to travel to those locations in spring instead. David, a Kiwi currently travelling through Southern Europe, said being outside during Greece’s most recent heatwave “felt like being in an oven”. In Athens, his group managed to visit the Acropolis the day before the ruins were partially shut over extreme temperatures. When the heat was at its worst, people would stay indoors or “stick to the shade as much as possible” throughout the day – although after 6pm, the streets filled back up again. Intrepid Travel, which sees more New Zealanders join its tours per capita than any other country, has made a significant operational shift in response to travellers’ concerns. David (right), a Kiwi currently travelling through Europe, said the extreme heat has "felt like being in an oven". Photo / Supplied Intrepid’s Australia and New Zealand managing director Brett Mitchell said it’s now “evolving how and when we run” Europe tours, moving some to the Iberian Peninsula out of peak season (June to August) and into April, May and September. The company has also made itinerary tweaks, like visiting attractions earlier or later ”when it’s cooler and less crowded”. “For the first time, over half (55%) of our travellers to Southern Europe are booking in the shoulder seasons,“ Mitchell said. “Destinations like Italy, Spain and Portugal are still incredibly popular, but we’re seeing demand shift to spring and autumn when it’s cooler and less crowded.” June 2025 was Western Europe’s hottest on record, with temperatures exceeding 40C in some cities. Fires have ravaged Greece, North Macedonia and other parts of the Balkans this month as extreme heat continued to roast the region. Intrepid Travel is shifting some European tours to spring and autumn due to extreme heat and overtourism concerns. Photo / AFP David, who is now in Albania, said they could “see the wildfires on the hills” and “firefighters tending to [the flames]” during a coastal drive. Temperatures have since dropped to about 30C, and with the ability to swim at the beach, the heat wasn’t as unbearable as it was in Athens. “Everyone goes for ‘Euro summer’, you expect it’ll be hot ... you still have fun.” Insurers are also witnessing the consequences of climate-related disruption play out through rising claims. “We’re definitely seeing increases,” said Allianz New Zealand managing director Kevin Blyth. “Those one-in-100-year floods are becoming far more prominent and far more prevalent than once in 100 years.” Smoke and flames rise from a wildfire near Athens on July 26. Photo / Getty Images Jess Strange, SCTI’s chief customer officer, said it “certainly feels like” travellers are making more climate-related claims. The company paid out over $593,000 across 425 claims related to cyclones, fires, floods, heatwaves, storms and turbulence between July 2024 and July 2025. One family claimed over $25,000 in accommodation and airfare costs after their flights from Tokyo were cancelled when the 2023 Auckland Anniversary floods closed Auckland Airport. Strange said the earliest flights available for the family were two weeks later via Kuala Lumpur. “Then, bad luck struck again with that flight cancelled due to Cyclone Gabrielle.” They managed to return to Auckland on February 17 – three weeks later than originally planned. Bookings to Italy during shoulder seasons are up 16% in one year. Photo / Intrepid Travel The increasing frequency of such events is making travellers more cautious, and engaging them more with their insurance policies, Strange said. “There’s significant media coverage – traditional and social – and our customers are experiencing extreme weather events firsthand.” House of Travel chief executive David Coombes said how Kiwis book Europe travel is changing fast. “Our early September bookings are 141% higher than mid-July and the first week of September will be our busiest week for customer departures to Europe this year.” Cooler and less crowded destinations are also seeing a surge in bookings, and Intrepid has opened its first Northern Europe office in Copenhagen to manage the influx. “Between June and August, we’ve seen strong growth in Norway, Estonia, Lithuania and Iceland,” Mitchell said. Intrepid’s Australia and New Zealand managing director Brett Mitchell said it’s important we don’t stop travelling to European destinations. Photo / Supplied “For travellers from ANZ alone, Iceland bookings are up 46% year-on-year for those months, with Serbia (+27%), Estonia (+20%) and Bosnia & Herzegovina (+18%) also climbing.” Mitchell said bookings to Italy in the shoulder seasons alone have risen 16% in the past year. “This shift spreads tourism more evenly across the year, which is better for our travellers and better for local communities.” With weather-related disruptions affecting everything from flight paths to cruise itineraries, insurance providers are encouraging customers to think ahead. “Every insurance policy is different,” Coombes said. “Many policies won’t cover you if you choose not to travel due to adverse weather, or if there were warnings or advisories in place before you left New Zealand.” But rather than cancelling tours or discouraging travel to affected destinations, Intrepid wants to build a tourism model that works with a changing climate. “We believe the most important thing we can do is not stop travelling to these places, rather adjust the way that we travel to ensure the best possible traveller experience. “For us, this means small group, locally-led visitation that works in concert with the people and places that we visit.” As extreme weather becomes more prevalent worldwide, Mitchell said they expect climate-related questions will inevitably “play a greater role in travel planning going forward”. Tom Rose is an Auckland-based journalist who covers breaking news, specialising in lifestyle, entertainment and travel. He joined the Herald in 2023. Sun, 03 Aug 2025 02:30:12 Z /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-headline-experiences-in-liverpool-with-trafalgar/ /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-headline-experiences-in-liverpool-with-trafalgar/ Tucked between North Wales and the serene good looks of the Lake District, gritty, vital Liverpool provides an indelible and grounded dose of "real" urban England. It proved to be one of my favourite destinations on my whistle-stop romp with Trafalgar’s Real Britain tour. Yes, Beatles fans flock to Liverpool to learn about the Fab Four's early days, but the city’s appeal extends far beyond those towering music legends. There’s a wealth of excellent free museums and a fast-evolving skyline, where storied old red-brick maritime warehouses dramatically mingle with glassy new skyscrapers and architectural flourishes on the recently gentrified Royal Albert Dock harbourfront, as ferries chug across the Mersey. Overlay all of that with the distinctively earthy, assertive charm of the Liverpudlians.   History-hounds are richly blessed in Liverpool, but first things first, I felt duty bound to tick off the headline sights on the Beatles’ parade. John and Paul's boyhood homes are now both restored, circa 1950s, and open for visits. It's a worthwhile pilgrimage for the faithful. For a wider overview with all things Beatlemania, I took a "Magical Mystery" bus tour, which hits the lads' homes (from the outside and a variety of pilgrimage sites. The Eleanor Rigby grave site is located in St. Peter's Churchyard. It’s also where McCartney and Lennon first met at a church fete.   Magical Mystery Tour turning into Penny Lane. Photo / Cavern Club Once part of McCartney and Lennon's teenage routine, Penny Lane is quiet suburban street in Liverpool, worth a photo-stop (the street signs have to be regularly replaced). And the Strawberry Field site is particularly evocative. It was donated to the Salvation Army in 1936 – a large Victorian house which became a home for the city’s most vulnerable children. The gardens at Strawberry Field were a place of peace and refuge. It was in these gardens that Lennon as a child could play with friends, climb trees and reflect, serving as the inspiration for another Beatles anthem. In the heart of town, beckoning like Beale Street in Memphis, the narrow, bar-lined Mathew Street is ground zero for Beatles fans and its swag of themed bars.   This of course is where the Fab Four made their name in the original Cavern Club, deep in a cellar along this street. While that's long gone, a mock-up of the historic nightspot (built with many of the original bricks) lives on a few doors down. Still billed as "the Cavern Club," this noisy bar is worth a visit to see the reconstructed cellar, pumping with a roster of Beatles tribute bands. On the other side of the lane, the Wall of Fame. Created by Gerry Marsden to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Cavern Club, every brick represents an artist or band who played at the original Cavern Club, and in the rebuilt club. It’s a who’s who of music royalty, from Adele and Suzi Quatro to Oasis and Jim Morrison.  Cavern Club entrance. Photo / Mike Yardley Back at Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool's most popular museum is unquestionably The Beatles Story, stacked with plenty of genuine memorabilia to keep the fans happy. The museum houses a full-size replica Cavern Club (which was actually tiny) and the Abbey Rd studio where the lads recorded their first single. I also spotted George Harrison's crappy first guitar – which is now valued half a million quid! The museum’s audio guide is narrated by John Lennon's sister, Julia Baird. Further down the waterfront, don’t miss a fantastic life-size bronze sculpture of the world’s most famous foursome. It’s a de rigueur selfie-spot!  In the mid-19th century, Liverpool was known as 'the New York of Europe' because it was such a commercial powerhouse. Not only was the port a mecca for international freight, but Liverpool was the major gateway for emigrants heading off into the big blue to begin new lives in North America and Australasia. I actually spotted an unloved old stone building emblazoned with New Zealand House on its exterior. Back in the day, its core business was migration and meat. Today, Hooters has taken up residence on the ground floor.   Hooters at New Zealand House. Photo / Mike Yardley See Liverpool the way seafarers of old once did: from the water. Mersey Ferries has been eulogised by generations of Scousers, but it remains very much a fleet of working boats. There are sightseeing cruises throughout the day or alternatively, join commuters during the morning or evening rush hour for the 10-minute hop from Pier Head to Woodside. Look out for the Dazzle Ferry, the exuberant livery designed by Sir Peter Blake, the artist behind The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band sleeve.  Royal Albert Dock, where tourists now gravitate, was a trailblazing piece of construction when it opened in 1846. What were once mighty redbrick warehouses now house museums, galleries, shops and restaurants. It’s a great spot to watch the boats putter by. Amid the dazzling array of museums, the Merseyside Maritime Museum at the Royal Albert Dock is a cracker. It charts the story of the city’s seafaring past from the 13th century onwards. Inside are exhibitions on the sinking of the Titanic, the loss of the Lusitania during the First World War, plus happier episodes from modern nautical history, as well as a staggering fleet of model ships. Nearby, the International Slavery Museum which doesn’t flinch from fronting up to the city's role in the African slave trade.  The Maritime Museum at Royal Albert Dock. Photo / Visit Liverpool Soaking up the sunshine, I strolled along the harbourfront to Pier Head, home to a creamy cluster of showpiece Edwardian buildings known as the Three Graces. The middle of the trio is the ornate Cunard Building, styled like Italian palazzo, which was once HQ to the Cunard Steamship Line. The old first-class passenger lounge on the ground floor is now home to the British Music Experience.  If you have a head for heights, Liverpool’s Anglican cathedral is a structure of superlatives: the UK’s biggest religious building, it’s home to the country’s largest pipe organ and with the highest and heaviest ringing peal of bells in the world. And its tower has one of the best views in Liverpool; take two lifts to the top and, on a clear day, all of Merseyside extends before you, from traffic on the Mersey to the faraway silhouette of the Blackpool Tower, 80km away. It was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott who also created the iconic red telephone box. His grandfather, Sir George, was the prolific Gothic Revival architect who designed Christ Church Cathedral.   At the other extreme, head to St Luke’s Bombed Out Church, which was damaged during the 1941 Liverpool blitz and has stood roofless ever since. After lying derelict for more than 60 years, it has been reborn as an open-air cultural space for theatre, dance, cinema, visual art and regularly staged craft markets.  St Lukes Bombed Out Church. Photo / Supplied There are some sobering reminders to Liverpool’s darker days. A sullen Victorian building whose facade bears the title ‘Sheltering Home for Destitute Children’ might not be the place you’d instinctively look to for fine dining. Nonetheless, if some posh local nosh whets your appetite, this building is home to Art School restaurant: one of Liverpool’s shining culinary stars, with linen-clad tables under a glass atrium. Lancashire-grown produce dominates the menu, plus seafood from over the border in North Wales. Served in the Lantern dining room, the tasting menu is particularly good, spanning Cumbrian salt-aged roast duck, Liverpool Bay seabass and Loch Fyne scallops.  The stately streets of the Georgian Quarter are prime territory for a pub crawl, beyond the Beatles bling of Matthew St. the pub to end all pubs, however, is the staggeringly ornate Philharmonic Dining Rooms, adorned with copper panels and mosaic floors. In the men’s loos, you’ll find palatial urinals made of pink marble. With the biggest Irish population in England, Liverpool enjoys a similar vibe to the Temple Bar district in Dublin, where the locals are very chatty and outgoing over a few pints.    George St Quarter. Photo / Mike Yardley I also noticed that female Scousers love getting dressed up. Jeans and a nice top won’t normally cut it when it comes to a night out in Liverpool. They seem to treat a night out, as if they’re off to the Met Gala. Don’t be surprised if you spot quite a few ladies going about their business in the daytime with curlers in their hair. My Trafalgar travel director Selene also pointed out to us the current trend among young women – the Scouse brow. You won’t miss these extreme facial statements – cartoonishly oversized eyebrows! They are everywhere.   From iconic sites and hidden gems to authentic cultural encounters, Trafalgar’s Real Britain tour serves up a dazzling array of headline attractions, experiences and insights, all seamlessly stitched together over 6 days.  In addition to guided sightseeing, there’s ample free time for personal discovery. Optional add-ons include local theatre shows, walking tours and even seasonal events like the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. 2026 pricing for the tour is from $3,056pp. For full details head to trafalgar.com/en-nz/tours/real-britain  Mike Yardley is 九一星空无限talk ZB’s resident traveller and can be heard every week at 11.20am on Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame.  Sat, 02 Aug 2025 01:24:21 Z /lifestyle/travel/air-nz-backs-regional-events-with-new-sponsorship-programme/ /lifestyle/travel/air-nz-backs-regional-events-with-new-sponsorship-programme/ Air New Zealand has launched a new programme in partnership with regional tourism organisations across the country to showcase 20 emerging events in locations the airline flies to. The Air New Zealand Regional Event Sponsorship programme aims to support and promote domestic travel and the collective effort in building New Zealand’s event calendar, especially during shoulder and off-peak seasons. Air New Zealand’s chief sustainability and corporate affairs officer, Kiri Hannifin, said the airline’s goal was to back local events that deserved the spotlight. “These events not only celebrate the spirit of their regions, but they also give people another reason to visit, explore, and stay a little longer. Events like the Hokitika Wild Foods Festival are a perfect example – authentically local, proudly unique, and unforgettable,” Hannifin said. “We want to help create more of these all over the country. The kind of events that bring communities together and showcase the best of Aotearoa.” Kiri Hannifin, Air NZ chief sustainability and corporate affairs officer. Photo / Dean Purcell The first-of-its-kind sponsorship programme for Air New Zealand will support events across a range of categories, including sport, arts and culture, food and wine, music, heritage or nature. Each event will also receive a three-year commitment to support the regions they are in, whether that’s flights, marketing and promotional activity, or investment. Air New Zealand said there was not a specific amount allocated to the programme as its funding would be assessed case by case. Two very different events have been picked to launch the programme, Nelson’s The Spectacle and the Hamilton Arts Festival. The Spectacle brings runners of all levels and backgrounds together to race through the streets of Nelson, with events ranging from one mile to a 100-mile race. The Hamilton Arts Festival has been the Waikato’s premier arts event for 25 years, showcasing performing arts and a curated selection of national and international touring shows at the city’s award-winning Hamilton Gardens. Hamilton & Waikato Tourism general manager Nicola Greenwell said she was pleased to hear of the airline’s plans. “This festival is iconic for our region and is identified in our regional major event strategy as an emerging anchor event,” Greenwell said. “We look forward to working with both the arts festival team and Air New Zealand to encourage visitation to the Hamilton Arts Festival and to our mighty region.” Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Louise Upston was thrilled with the initiative to encourage more visitors to the regions. “We’ve been laser-focused on growing tourism in New Zealand and one way to do this is to encourage people to explore beyond the main tourist centres,” Upston said. “It means more visitors spending money in local cafes, businesses and accommodation providers, driving economic activity in our regions.” Air New Zealand will be prioritising applicants to the sponsorship for new or emerging events that help stimulate visitation outside peak periods and align with the principles of sustainable tourism. “This is just the beginning. Air New Zealand will continue to roll out support across Aotearoa, with more regions set to benefit from the programme in the coming months,” Hannifin added. Air New Zealand has previously faced flak for high fares, especially to the regions where it is often the only airline operating. But earlier this year the Commerce Commission decided not to initiate a market study into regional airfares. After looking into the domestic market in February and March, the commission decided a market study was unlikely to result in cheaper prices for consumers. It said major factors driving current concerns were structural and due to economic factors much broader than competition issues. “Many costs occur on landing, take-off or from having a plane on the ground.” Costs included airport landing charges, air traffic management and passenger security levies. Airlines had faced big fee increases, the commission said, and these had to be recouped from passengers through fares. Tom Raynel is a multimedia business journalist for the Herald, covering small business, retail and tourism. Tue, 29 Jul 2025 03:20:48 Z /lifestyle/travel/air-nz-ally-singapore-airlines-takes-a-hit-from-air-india-s-financial-disaster/ /lifestyle/travel/air-nz-ally-singapore-airlines-takes-a-hit-from-air-india-s-financial-disaster/ Air India’s part-owner Singapore Airlines took a hit in its latest financial results, with profit well down from a year ago. Singapore Airlines’ first quarter results released today showed net profit down almost 60% year-on-year to SG$186 million ($242m). Singapore’s flag carrier is a close ally of Air New Zealand and also owns 25.1% of Air India. Air India registered a major financial loss, even for the period preceding the fatal June 12 plane crash in Ahmedabad. The Singapore Airlines Group’s total revenue was up 1.5% on a year earlier. It said the flag carrier and its budget carrier Scoot both achieved record passenger numbers in the first quarter of 2025/26. The group said it carried 10.3 million passengers, up 6.9% from the same quarter last year. “Despite economic and geopolitical uncertainties across the network, demand for air travel and cargo remained strong,” the group said. It said the fall in net profit was largely attributable to a lower interest income and losses at associated companies, especially from Air India. The Indian airline’s financial results were not part of the Singapore group’s results for the same quarter last year. Indian conglomerate Tata Group owns 74.9% of Air India. Earlier this month, Tata Group said Air India registered an annual loss of Rs108.59 billion ($2.09b) in the year to the end of March 2025. According to CNBC, Tata Group’s annual report represented Air India’s first financial statement as a unified entity. That followed the merger of Air India, Air India Express, Vistara and AirAsia India. Air India’s chief executive is New Zealander Campbell Wilson. Singapore Airlines in June told the Herald it would bring the giant Airbus A380 to Auckland next summer. The A380 is the world’s biggest commercial passenger aircraft and the only full-length, double-deck jetliner. Singapore Airlines and Air New Zealand currently operate 21 weekly services between Auckland and Singapore. One-third of those are in Singapore’s Airbus A350-900 twinjet and the rest are on Air New Zealand’s Boeing 777-300ER twinjets. Singapore Airlines also operates seven weekly services from Christchurch to Singapore, on A350s. John Weekes is a business journalist mostly covering aviation and court. He has previously covered consumer affairs, crime, scammers, politics and court. Tue, 29 Jul 2025 01:13:37 Z /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-sights-bites-and-stories-in-york/ /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-sights-bites-and-stories-in-york/ Few British cities can match eye-catching York and its wondrous layers of history. Northern England’s walled city was founded by the ancient Romans, was conquered by the Vikings and also boasts a trove of medieval riches. The city’s storied history is woven into virtually every brick and beam. All these ingredients underpin York’s star-power, serving up a stirring sense of Ye Olde England, when tripping the UK. But it’s so much more than just a living museum.   York continues to evolve, on-trend with the hip and chic, with a wave of hipster hangouts and a foodie hot-spot too, touting a slew of Michelin restaurants, anchored by Yorkshire produce. I’ve just enjoyed a fresh fling with York as part of Trafalgar’s Real Britain Tour. This superbly guided tour is like a tasting plate of Britain’s finest, blending the best of England, Scotland and Wales into a seamless experience.  I loved striking out along York’s City Walls, known as the “Bar Walls.” They’re a sublime piece of history that the ancient Romans built to fortify the city.  There’s over 3km of surviving masonry, and the elevated perch delivers great vistas of the city from all the best angles. The whole route takes around two hours to complete. My effervescent Trafalgar travel director Selene led our convivial group on a thrilling introductory walking tour through the medieval streets of York’s centre, while regaling us with stories about some of the city’s most legendary inhabitants.   Walking the York City walls. Photo / Supplied The who’s who roll call included Dick Turpin. The notorious highwayman is buried here. He jumped off the gallows and killed himself, before they could hang him. My grandmother once told me that one of Turpin’s fellow riders is in our family tree! Then there’s Guy Fawkes, who was born here, just behind York Minster. Even further back in history, Constantine the Great is perhaps the city's most famous past resident. He was acclaimed as the Roman Emperor in York in 306AD, credited as being the Roman ruler to embrace Christianity after centuries of resistance. Towering above the tangle of the slinky old streets, a visit to York’s crowning glory, the colossal York Minster is a do-not-miss. Northern Europe’s largest medieval Gothic cathedral is a showstopper. Taking 250 years to construct, and completed in 1470, the honey-hued architectural masterpiece is majestic from the outside, aglow in the sunlight. But the seduction intensifies once you’re inside, with all its compelling features like the intricate and ornate ceiling in the Chapter House, the hallowed corridors, the nose-picking gargoyles, and the spectacularly crafted 128 stained-glass windows – headlined by the Rose Window. If you have a head for heights, climb the Minster's 275 steps for the most eye-popping panorama in excelsis.   York Minster. Photo / Mike Yardley  Nearly as iconic is the Shambles, a perfectly imperfect, medieval, cobblestone street that used to be the home to York’s butchers. The shadiness of the street was deliberately designed to protect the shelves of meat. Half-timbered crooked buildings lean at implausible angles in this atmospheric lane which brims with a stack of artisan stores like Shambles Kitchen, Monk Bar Chocolatiers and The Shop That Must Not Be Named. The latter is an independent gift shop that specialises in officially licensed Harry Potter merchandise. Wands, anyone?   The Shambles was the inspiration for Diagon Valley in the Harry Potter universe. I also loved the Shambles Sausage and Pie Company, although you’ll need to get here before midday to bag the best pies. In the adjoining open-air Shambles Market, there are fishmongers, butchers, bakers, food, flower and craft markets, and street eats. Definitely browse the daily market buzz. You’ll notice the word "Gate" all over York, which is an old Danish word for street or area. My favourite named street is Whip-ma-whop-ma gate. It is York's tiniest street and means "neither one thing or another."  Ambling through the Shambles. Photo / Mike Yardley  A new wave of bakeries has added to York’s appeal with the cool kids in town. Haxby Bakehouse is one of the new local heroes, swooned over for its French-style sourdough. You can’t go wrong with a slow-cooked beef cheek and chilli jam sourdough sandwich! Add to your check list, Bluebird Bakery, tucked away in the Shambles, for their divine curry puffs.   A more traditional mainstay is Bettys, a beloved York landmark, where you’ll probably have to queue to get a prime table. This resolutely old-school café and tearooms is where monochrome-dressed staff serve up delicious food and confectionery, cakes and pastries. Menu highlights include the signature Swiss Rosti and the homemade schnitzel. If the queues look too formidable opt for the takeaway patisserie. The vanilla slices are fluffy and crisp - custard-cream pieces of pure patisserie bliss.  Sweet treats at Bettys Cafe and Tea Rooms. Photo / Supplied Seek out some of York’s atmospheric old pubs. The city is not short of imbibing establishments, with more than 365 at last count. My favourite old boozers include the Guy Fawkes Inn, with its marvellously wonky wooden floors and a history lesson on Yorkshire’s notorious plotter. And drink in the history at The Blue Bell, York’s smallest pub. It’s a pint-sized wood-panelled Edwardian beauty, dating back to 1798, with Irish snug vibes.  Billed as the “Most haunted city in Europe” York groans with ghost stories and sightings, like the Grey Lady at York Theatre Royal, or the Golden Fleece pub which apparently is inhabited by 15 ghosts. If haunted happenings is your bag, there are tours galore. But for a walking tour with a difference, stake out the York Cat Hunt, a quirky walking trail around the city. A century ago, Sir Stephen Aitcheson put two cat sculptures on his building in Low Ousegate to scare away rats. The idea caught on with many locals installing cat figures as lucky charms. Local architects have since designed buildings with little black cats planted on top to further the tradition. The York Cat Trail takes in all the fabulous feline installations around York. The trail ends at York’s only cat cafe, The Cat’s Whiskers. Have a cuppa with the kitties or just tag along for the purr-fest.  York has an impressive assortment of museums, like the Jorvik Centre, where I took a liking to the Vikings legacy. Jorvik is the Viking name for York, and the centre is built on the site of the original Viking settlement, brilliantly reconstructing how life was in the 10th century. Alongside the excavation digs, ride a "time-machine car" which recreates the sights, smells and sounds of Jorvik life, studded with life-like animatronics. York Castle Museum, housed in two old prisons, is where Dick Turpin spent his final days. You can see his cell and even lie in his bed. Jorvik Viking Centre animatronics. Photo / Supplied But something to really toot your horn about is the free-to-enter National Railway Museum, celebrating its 50th anniversary. Boasting 100 locomotives, it’s a trainspotter’s fantasy, a giant trainset made real, as you trawl the staggering collection in the world’s largest railway museum. It enjoys enormous appeal beyond just the rain-jacket brigade. You’ll discover what made Stephenson's "Rocket" so successful. You’ll see the world’s fastest steam train, the Mallard, and Shinkansen, the Japanese bullet train is on display too. Plus, it’s home for the Flying Scotsman. Get amongst it!  Trafalgar’s 6-day Real Britain tour is a cracking romp covering iconic destinations like London, Bath, Cardiff, Liverpool, the Lake District, Edinburgh and York. In addition to guided sightseeing, there’s ample free time for personal discovery. In York, we also enjoyed a Be My Guest experience, heartily treated to a home-cooked roast in the stately residence of Whitwell House. It’s these sorts of authentic cultural encounters, along with local specialist guides in Edinburgh and Cardiff that enrich the entire trip with personal, meaningful connections. 2026 pricing for the tour is from $3,056pp. For full details head to trafalgar.com/en-nz/tours/real-britain   Mike Yardley is 九一星空无限talk ZB’s resident traveller and can be heard every week at 11.20am on Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame.  Sat, 26 Jul 2025 00:45:43 Z /lifestyle/travel/tourism-nz-s-everyone-must-go-campaign-boosts-australian-visitor-numbers-exceeding-targets/ /lifestyle/travel/tourism-nz-s-everyone-must-go-campaign-boosts-australian-visitor-numbers-exceeding-targets/ The Tourism and Hospitality Minister says the “Everyone Must Go!” campaign exceeded its target of bringing 6750 additional Australians to New Zealand over autumn. Louise Upston, who announced the campaign in February alongside Christopher Luxon, called it a “winner” as she claimed its controversial slogan had stirred up interest in New Zealand across the Tasman, contributing to a rise in visitor numbers. The campaign raised eyebrows at home and overseas, with some outlets reporting it to be tone-deaf as the country dealt with record emigration numbers. But it appears to have worked, with Upston revealing nearly 8000 extra Australian visitors had pumped an estimated $22 million into the economy – $5m more than was initially targeted. “Tourism NZ stats released to me show it delivering an additional 7981 visitors to smash its initial forecasts,” Upston said. “It also attracted significant attention on both sides of the Tasman, and got Kiwis and Aussies talking about New Zealand as a destination.” Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Tourism Minister Louise Upston. Photo / Dean Purcell Upston said tourism was essential to the Government’s plan “to grow the economy, create jobs, lift wages and help Kiwis get ahead”. “We knew Aussies would recognise it as a great opportunity. Just like they grabbed Phar Lap and pavlova, it’s proved the same story with ‘Everyone Must Go!’” Upston said more than 450 tourism operators had offered hundreds of deals on accommodation, transport and experiences throughout the campaign, driving up visitor spending. And because there was a “solid return” on the initial $500,000 investment in the campaign, the Government boosted the campaign with an additional $300,000. Tourism Industry Aotearoa applauded the campaign’s success, saying it’s “a great outcome for this activity out of Tourism NZ to drive measurable results”. Several regional tourism organisations (RTOs) also stood by the campaign results, with Love Taupō saying that “increasing our ability to engage consumers and trade globally is essential to stay competitive”. The campaign's slogan sparked international interest and discussion. Image / Tourism NZ “The opportunities to get into the international marketplaces with our national tourism agency [Tourism NZ] and the campaigns associated with Minister Upston’s regional booster are essential to capture the hearts and minds of international visitors – particularly Australians, who are likely to visit New Zealand at least four times in their lifetime.” With Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment data only available up until May this year, Hamilton & Waikato Tourism Ltd (HWT) said there’d been a small increase in visitor spending in the Waikato region in May compared to the year before. “During this same timeframe we have welcomed the return of international connectivity directly to our region – with Jetstar daily flights arriving directly to Hamilton Airport from Sydney and Gold Coast." HWT said the “Everyone Must Go!” campaign had generated much discussion abroad. However, there were other marketing campaigns also aimed at attracting Australians to Aotearoa “as a result of the Tourism Boost Fund distributed to collaborative groups of [RTOs]“. Thu, 24 Jul 2025 03:34:37 Z /lifestyle/travel/qantas-drops-prices-of-transtasman-tickets-offering-219-flights-to-australia/ /lifestyle/travel/qantas-drops-prices-of-transtasman-tickets-offering-219-flights-to-australia/ Qantas has cut its transtasman prices in a flash sale for Australia-bound Kiwis with seats as low as $219. Starting today, Australia’s flag carrier will offer discounted fares to the five largest cities across the Tasman for 72 hours. Flights leaving Auckland to destinations that Qantas has recently connected – Adelaide, South Australia, and Perth, Western Australia – have been included in the airline’s price slash. However, flyers will have to pay full fare for the return leg, which is not included in the sale. The cheapest fares start from $219 one-way for tickets from Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington to Melbourne. Travellers can book flights from the same three New Zealand cities to Brisbane for a flat rate of $249, Sydney for $259 and Adelaide for $329. Flights departing from Queenstown to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane are also included in the sale, but at a higher price. Qantas has launched discounted fares on one-way flights out of New Zealand for 72 hours. Photo / Getty Images By stretching the wallet a bit more, travellers can book Premium Economy tickets during the three-day sale from Auckland to Brisbane and Sydney for $459 and $469 respectively. One-way Business Class tickets to various destinations are also being sold for no more than $559. Return tickets are not included in the sale. In May, Qantas began stirring up competition in the Tasman by introducing two new routes to rival Air New Zealand. A direct Auckland-Perth service was the first announced, with Qantas’ non-stop flights between the two cities restarting on December 8. A second new international route out of New Zealand, announced less than two weeks later, will connect Auckland to Adelaide from late October. Qantas is launching direct flights between Auckland-Adelaide (pictured) and Auckland-Perth. Qantas was recently hit by a cyber attack in which more than 5.7 million people’s unique customer data was stolen by cyber criminals, generating concerns the leaked data could be used to commit financial fraud and identity theft. However, a June on-time performance report by Aviation analytics company Cirium brought better news for the company. Data showed Qantas ranked eighth out of the airlines surveyed for its timeliness – beating Singapore Airlines and our own national carrier in the process. Qantas’ 72-hour sale fares: Economy Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington to Melbourne - $219 Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington to Brisbane - $249 Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington to Sydney - $259 Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington to Adelaide - $329 Queenstown to Melbourne - $269 Queenstown to Sydney - $319 Queenstown to Brisbane - $369 Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington to Perth (direct from Auckland) - $509 Premium Economy: Auckland to Brisbane - $459 Auckland to Sydney - $469 Business: Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington to Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne - $559 Queenstown to Melbourne - $559 Wed, 23 Jul 2025 01:28:22 Z /lifestyle/travel/air-nz-s-new-york-to-auckland-service-grounded-by-fuel-leak/ /lifestyle/travel/air-nz-s-new-york-to-auckland-service-grounded-by-fuel-leak/ Auckland-bound travellers heading out of New York with Air New Zealand have been stranded in the Big Apple after the aircraft being used was grounded with a fuel leak. It’s the latest disruption to the airline’s route, after the cancellation of services both ways earlier this month because of bad weather. Air New Zealand flight NZ1, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner that flies from New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to Auckland, was meant to depart at 9.55pm (local time) on July 19. However, the flight was cancelled after the discovery of a “minor, intermittent fuel leak” during routine pre-departure checks and crew duty limitations, Air New Zealand’s chief safety and risk officer Nathan McGraw said. “Our team on the ground in New York are working to fix the issue as quickly as possible. “We have scheduled a replacement flight for July 21, which all affected customers are being rebooked on. Air New Zealand's July 19 flight from New York City to Auckland was cancelled because of a fuel leak. Photo / 123rf “We sincerely apologise to our customers for the disruption to their plans and thank them for their understanding.” One affected person told the Herald that passengers who were booked on the July 19 flight were frustrated about how long it took for them to discover the fate of their flight. A scramble then ensued to book hotel rooms for those hit by the delays. At the start of July passengers leaving Auckland on flight NZ2 spent a night in Washington DC after thunderstorms and air traffic constraints in New York forced their plane to divert. Flights on the Auckland-New York route were also cancelled earlier this month after bad weather disrupted the plane's flight schedule. Photo / Brett Phibbs The weather disruption led to some scheduled NZ1 and NZ2 flights being cancelled in the days after. Mon, 21 Jul 2025 03:56:35 Z /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-languid-delights-in-england-s-lake-district/ /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-languid-delights-in-england-s-lake-district/ It’s undoubtedly Britain’s equivalent to our Queenstown Lakes district. Windermere and the Lake District is England’s favourite national park, a sprawling tourist honeypot that stretches across hundreds of square kilometres of rugged Cumbrian countryside, woodland valleys, shimmering tarns and lakes – all backed by strikingly craggy mountains. It was the 18th century Romantic poets who captured the world’s imagination, igniting the region’s first tourism wave. Since then, the stature of the Lake District has only grown as a getaway destination, the wave has never crested, culminating in the district securing World Heritage status just eight years ago.  I’ve just enjoyed an illuminating romp through the Lake District as part of Trafalgar’s Real Britain Tour. This beautifully guided tour serves up a stirring highlights-reel, blending the best of England, Scotland and Wales into a seamless experience. Windermere was a runaway highlight.   Lake Windmere shoreline. Photo / Mike Yardley With so much glorious countryside to savour, where the hedge rows give way to dry stone walls, what are the essential experiences in the Lake District? A great base is Bowness-on Windermere, a perky tourist town that flanks the district’s biggest body of water. Ever since the railway arrived in Windermere in 1847, it became the Lake District gateway – a development famously opposed by William Wordsworth, who wrote, in a poem, ‘Is then no nook of English ground secure from rash assault?’.   England’s largest lake is a shimmery, glossy expanse that stretches for 17km, from Ambleside in the north to Bowness in the south. If you’d rather steer yourself on the lake, there are numerous kayak and row-boat hire options. Feeling lazy, I enjoyed a gorgeous guided cruise taking in its full length. Rich with stories, this floating scenic medley also vividly illustrated the immensity of the lake and the towering size of the mountains, while my face was gently exfoliated by a frisky spring breeze.   Grand manors grace the lakefront, as do a plethora of swanky five-star boutique hotels. They all huddle around the lake edge like safari animals around a watering hole. There are quirky sights too, like Belle Isle, the lake’s largest island, which features Belle Isle House. Nestled amid a grove of trees, it was built in 1774 and was the first Neoclassical Calendar house in England. Resembling a cylindrical pantheon topped by a dome, this enormous stone house symbolically contains architectural elements in quantities that represent the respective numbers of days in a year. As you do.   Belle Isle and the Calendar House. Photo / Supplied I also gazed over the turrets and fortifications of Wray Castle, which is currently closed for restoration. Wray ignited Beatrix Potter's love of the area, when the family stayed in the castle on their holidays in 1882. Remarkably, this was another passion project. Despite resembling a mighty relic of medieval England, Wray Castle was only built in 1840, as a neo-gothic castle by a retired Liverpool surgeon. It’s been in National Trust ownership for the past century.  I was visiting Windermere in May, which was busy enough. Avoid the region in the summer peak, when the tourist hordes swarm like midges. One of starring attractions is the World of Beatrix Potter, which lustily brings to life various scenes from Potter's books, including Peter Rabbit's garden, Mr McGregor's greenhouse, Mrs Tiggy-winkle's kitchen and Jemima Puddle-Duck's glade (complete with a themed tearoom). Plus, a Peter Rabbit live puppet theatre show. It's squarely aimed at kids, but kids of all ages (myself included) will find it enchanting.  On the western side of Windermere is the village of Hawkshead, a pretty and atmospheric place, with intimate connections to Beatrix Potter. You can visit Potter’s old home, a 17th-century cottage called Hill Top. This idyllic farmhouse was purchased in 1905 by Potter and was used as inspiration for many of her tales. You might recognise the kitchen garden from Peter Rabbit. Wreathed in climbing ivy and crammed with memorabilia, the house looks like something out of a storybook, but Beatrix only actually lived here until her marriage to William Heelis.   Hill Top, home of Beatrix Potter. Photo / National Trust The newlywed couple moved to a larger farm at nearby Castle Cottage, where the author wrote many more tales until her death in 1943. Fascinated with sheep, my Trafalgar travel director Selene remarked that she introduced the Herdwicks breed to the Lake District. She went on to own 14 farms in the area. She bequeathed Hill Top (along with Castle Cottage and more than 1600 hectares of farmland) to the National Trust with the proviso that Hill Top should be left with her belongings and decor in situ. Castle Cottage can be rented out for private stays. The royalties from Potter's books continue to benefit the National Trust.   Wordsworth was schooled in Hawkshead and lived for a time in Grasmere, just north of Lake Windermere. Visiting Grasmere was a huge highlight of my Trafalgar tour through the area. You can visit his old home, the creeper-clad Dove Cottage, where he penned some of the greatest poetry ever written – much of it concerned with the nature he found around him. I also went see his grave in St Oswald’s Churchyard, alongside his family members. Fittingly, there were fresh daffodils placed on his grave. Grasmere is wrapped in bucolic good-looks, and the locals created a Wordsworth Daffodil Garden, which is a soothing, tranquil space, edged by a babbling brook.  While I was in chocolate-box-pretty Grasmere, I staked out their famous gingerbread. Grasmere Gingerbread, a British icon in the sweet treat stakes, is a unique spicy-sweet cross between a biscuit and a cake. Crispy, crumbly, chewy and utterly moreish, one piece is never enough. It was invented by Victorian baker Sarah Nelson in 1854, and the Grasmere Gingerbread shop is located in the old village schoolhouse, built in the 1600s. As I munched down on this taste sensation, I was intrigued to learn that Wordsworth and his wife formerly taught in this school and firmly believed that universal education was the escape-chute from poverty for Victorian children. Selene also recommended I try another local specialty, a Cumbrian sausage roll with chilli jam. You’ll find them in the village green at Lucia’s Bakery. Delish!   Grasmere Gingerbread. Photo / Made in Cumbria Sticking with the Wordsworth trail, he actually spent a great deal more time at Rydal Mount, just out of Ambleside, at the top end of the lake. This was his family home until he died in 1850, and the house contains a treasure trove of Wordsworth memorabilia. The gardens are lovely too; Wordsworth fancied himself as a landscape gardener and much of the grounds were laid out according to his designs. Hardcore Wordsworth fans should also add Penrith to their bingo-card. It’s home to Gowbarrow Park, whose drifts of daffodils inspired a certain poem.   Many Lake District aficionados point their compass towards the area’s most northerly hub, Keswick, a slate-roofed market town that has retained much of its local character. Enrobed by some of the region’s most legendary fells, including Catbells and Skiddaw, and within easy striking distance of Scafell Pike, this is the adventure capital of the Lake District. For the glory of saying you’ve climbed the highest peak in the country, Scafell Pike beckons. The summit tops out at 978m, but this is doable for anyone with reasonable fitness but should be approached with some common sense (Thinking Tongariro Crossing). For more leisurely pursuits on foot, a 10-minute stroll from Keswick town centre brings you to Derwentwater, one of the loveliest lakes here with its islands and coves.   Just outside town is the mountain forest of Whinlatter, a tangle of pine, larch and spruce that feels more Scottish than Cumbrian. Other draws include the stone circle at Castlerigg, thought to pre-date Stonehenge, Lingholm Kitchen & Walled Garden, which was the inspiration behind Mr McGregor’s garden in the Beatrix Potter books, the surprisingly enthralling but quirky Pencil Museum. Keswick was the home of the first pencil factory. The museum includes a replica graphite mine which would have served as the source of the pencil industry over three centuries ago, given the rich graphite deposits in the Lake District.   It was the French who would later mix finely ground graphite with clay powders, to change the hardness of the pencil and give birth to the likes of the HB. Also in the museum, you’ll see secret WW2 pencils with hidden maps; the Guinness World Record for the largest colour pencil measuring almost 8 metres and the late Queen's Diamond Jubilee pencil. Add that to the tick-list!  Trafalgar’s 6-day Real Britain tour is a riveting romp covering iconic destinations like London, Bath, Cardiff, Liverpool, the Lake District, Edinburgh and York. In addition to guided sightseeing, there’s ample free time for personal discovery. Optional add-ons include local theatre shows, walking tours and even seasonal events like the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. 2026 pricing for the tour is from $3,056pp. For full details head to trafalgar.com/en-nz/tours/real-britain  Mike Yardley is 九一星空无限talk ZB’s resident traveller and can be heard every week at 11.20am on Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame. Sat, 19 Jul 2025 00:50:21 Z /lifestyle/travel/fog-disrupts-south-island-flights-major-delays-at-christchurch-airport/ /lifestyle/travel/fog-disrupts-south-island-flights-major-delays-at-christchurch-airport/ Lingering fog is preventing dozens of flights from getting in and out of the South Island’s main airports today. “Fog is impacting visibility and has led to some disruptions in Christchurch and Dunedin this morning,” Air New Zealand chief operating officer Alex Marren told the Herald. This morning a Christchurch Airport spokesperson said there were at least 20 delayed flights and a “small number” of cancellations resulting from the haze, with more expected over the course of the day. “Unusually, it’s hanging around longer than normal,” the spokesperson said. “The situation is compounded when aircraft which can’t land disrupts the outgoing schedule even more.” Marren said safety was Air New Zealand’s priority and thanked customers for their patience while they dealt with the disruptions. Fog has disrupted dozens of flights at Christchurch and Dunedin airports today. Photo / Sarah Ivey Christchurch Airport acknowledged disruptions might be causing frustration among passengers but said the terminal remained open for those awaiting flights. “Some aircraft have managed to land, including Singapore Airlines, and others have departed in small windows of opportunity.” While flights in and out of Dunedin appeared to be returning to normal, persistent fog in Christchurch was continuing to disrupt the southern city’s flight schedule. A Fiji Airways flight from Nadi and an Air New Zealand flight from Palmerston North had been diverted from Christchurch to Wellington in the past hour. Meanwhile, at least five inbound flights scheduled to land between 1pm and 2pm have been cancelled. These were travelling from Auckland (JQ231), Wellington (NZ5371), Invercargill (NZ5710), Rotorua (NZ5785) and Tauranga (NZ5803). Marren urged travellers with flights booked today to monitor the Air NZ app for any delays or changes to the service. As of midday, FlightRadar24’s disruption index for Christchurch Airport was at five – the highest it can be valued – meaning it’s facing “major problems with long delays and several cancelled flights”. There is an average delay of 120 minutes for flights arriving and 51 minutes for those departing. Dunedin Airport has been approached for comment. Tue, 15 Jul 2025 01:31:52 Z /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-the-brilliance-of-bath-with-trafalgar-tours/ /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-the-brilliance-of-bath-with-trafalgar-tours/ Steeped in Roman heritage and swooned over as Britain’s premier spa destination, Bath’s architectural flourishes and all-encompassing grandeur underpins my love affair with the city. I recently reacquainted myself with its atmospheric charm in a whistle-stop romp around Blighty with Trafalgar’s Real Britain tour. Adeptly helmed by travel director Selene, this is Trafalgar’s fastest-paced UK tour, delivering a whistle-stop experience with some of Britain’s most desirable destinations. If you’re short on time but want to tick-off a swag of top-billing icons, it’s a cracking option.   En-route to Bath, we called into one of Europe’s most recognisable prehistoric monuments: Stonehenge. The World Heritage Site was built in the late Neolithic period around 2,500 BC, and the imposing stone circle is still shrouded in mystery as to its full purpose. The orientation of Stonehenge around the rising and setting sun is a remarkable feature, which continues to attract hordes of self-styled Druids and New Age revellers every solstice.   The sun rises directly above the heel stone on June 21 and December 21. They’re the only days you can actually touch the stones, as part of the solstice celebrations. Selene remarked that the Druids were learned men, second only to the King or Queen, in a Celtic clan. They presided over all ceremonies and the Celts were very spiritual. They believed Oak trees were a portal into the next world.   Standing the test of time at Stonehenge. Photo / Mike Yardley  When I first visited Stonehenge 25 years ago, it was an underwhelming, undignified experience with constant road traffic clattering past this monumental antiquity on the Salisbury Plain. Ten years ago, that section of road was re-routed and a major makeover to the visitor experience was carried out. You now have to board a shuttle bus to reach the visitor centre, before strolling a pathway across the fields to enjoy the supreme sense of solitude Stonehenge now enjoys. Back at the visitor centre, the exhibition gallery, which includes reconstructed Neolithic homes, delves into the secrets of the Neolithic Britons, who are believed to have swept across Europe from Anatolia from 4000BC. And how Stonehenge was a place of ceremony, a calendar, burial site and site of human sacrifice.   Rolling through England’s green landscapes and rolling hills, Bath’s majestic honey-hued limestone architecture soon shuffled into view, enveloped by the Mendip Hills. I’ve always thought an exacting test of a city’s grandeur, is how well it looks under grey, grizzled skies. (This is Britain, after all.) But rest assured, if you happen to strike the city when it’s bucketing down, Bath passes the rain test in flying colours.    Boasting Britain’s only natural thermal springs, immerse yourself in the warm, mineral-rich waters, just as the Celts and Romans did, over 2000 years ago. The Thermae Spa is where to head for the ultimate immersion experience.  I always enjoy taking a sizzling soak after admiring the World Heritage-listed Roman Baths, a stirring monument of engineering prowess where natural hot water still flows through this extraordinary temple and its cavernous labyrinth of bathing rooms.   Roman Baths in Bath. Photo / Mike Yardley  Lording over the thermal baths is Bath Abbey, the last of the great English medieval churches which was built in 1499. Following dissolution in 1539, the abbey was sold into private ownership, before being returned to the city’s purview in 1572. But it’s the Georgian architecture that looms large as Bath’s calling card; a living, breathing museum of graciously curved buildings and the uniformity of the honey-coloured buildings. They were principally designed by masterly town planners, Ralph Allen and the two John Woods’ – the elder and the younger. Throughout the 1700s, the streets of Bath were flanked in the fashionable Palladian style and Georgian-style townhouses.    Size up the splendour of John Wood’s Queen Square, the gold-standard of Palladian design, built to provide Georgian gentry on a visit to the city the same sense of grandeur that they were accustomed to in their country estates. The Circus and the Royal Crescent are both masterpiece triumphs of urban living, with the artful curvature of these multi-storey stone buildings. The Circus was inspired in part by the stone circle at Stonehenge and the sun’s movements, while the Royal Crescent apparently represents the moon.  And the grand stone Pulteney Bridge was inspired by Florence’s Ponte Vecchio, built with shops incorporated into it. Curiously, it featured in the 2012 Les Misérables film, depicting street scenes in Paris. Bath is a set-jetting mecca, recently fuelled by Bridgerton being extensively shot in the city. Take a boat ride on the River Avon to intimately size up the striking splendour of the bridge.   Putney Bridge in Bath. Photo / Mike Yardley  Catering to the social needs of the ever-growing city, John Wood the younger built Bath’s Assembly Rooms in 1769. This gracious complex comprising the Ball Room, Tea Room, Card Room and Octagon were the nerve-centre of 18th century society life. A stirring collection of contemporary and period dress is showcased on-site, in the Fashion Museum, which rekindles a sense of the high-life and formal balls that the Assembly Rooms bore witness to.   If you’re a Jane Austen fan, don’t miss the eponymously named centre, that showcases Bath’s most famous resident. The centre provides a snapshot of life during Regency times and how living in Bath influenced Jane Austen’s life and her writing, which she focused on particularly in Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. Set in a classically decorated Georgian town house, the costumed guides, film footage and authentic period exhibits make this attraction a winner. After enjoying the guided tour, I perused the exhibits at leisure and was somewhat startled when what appeared to be costumed mannequins, sprang to life as real people, who are only too happy to share their knowledge and literary passion with you.   Dress up at the Jane Austen Centre. Photo / Supplied Top it all off with a pot of loose-leaf tea in the upstairs Regency Tea Room, where Jane once slept. The centre’s rooftop serves up supreme views across the city’s historic centre. Also on the literary trail, two doors down is Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein. The museum is a slasher-esque immersive experience that makes use of customised room scents, an 8ft automaton, electric shock displays and actors. But it’s also a painstakingly researched retelling of Shelley’s life and times in Bath, where she wrote most of the novel that gave birth to her beautiful monster, in 1816.  Unbeknown to Shelley, she was practically living on top of the Roman Baths in Abbey Gate, at the time. They weren’t discovered until 60 years after she left.  Afternoon tea is a seriously big business in Bath and another great venue is the Bath Priory, built in 1835 as a private residence. With its architecturally gothic characteristics and discreetly situated on a tree-lined residential road, it’s a divine setting.  Their full afternoon tea service includes a selection of freshly cut sandwiches, scrumptious homemade cakes and warm scones served with clotted-cream and a local preserve.   I took my tea-sipping explorations further at Bath’s oldest house (1482) and home to its most celebrated local delicacy; the Sally Lunn bun.  Lunn was a French refugee who established her bakery in Bath in 1622, and the same site continues to serve up those deliciously delicate semi-sweet buns, best washed down with a pot of tea. With a unique bready, cakey texture that’s still light despite being so huge they serve them in halves. You choose between sweet toppings like cinnamon butter or lemon curd to spread over yours.  Sally Lunns in Bath. Photo / Mike Yardley  Not to be confused with the Sally Lunn variety, The Bath Bun Tea Shoppe is THE place to sample the Bath bun. This is another type of yeast-leavened bun that’s smaller and sweeter, with currants mixed in and crushed sugar cubes on top. The Bath bun also has a fabled history. It’s said that an eighteenth-century doctor, William Oliver, first invented them for his patients, but they were so popular for many of them, it proved to be their undoing. So Oliver rethought his snack prescription and came up with the healthier Bath Oliver biscuit instead. Tucking into a Bath bun at the Tea Shoppe is a genteel experience, a quintessential English tearoom with fine china and staff dressed in period costume.  Trafalgar’s 6-day Real Britain tour serves up a stirring highlights-reel, blending the best of England, Scotland and Wales without a long-time commitment. It covers iconic destinations like London, Bath, Cardiff, Liverpool, the Lake District, Edinburgh and York. In addition to guided sightseeing, there’s ample free time for personal discovery. Optional add-ons include local theatre shows, walking tours and even seasonal events like the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. 2026 pricing for the tour is from $3,056pp. For full details head to trafalgar.com/en-nz/tours/real-britain  Mike Yardley is 九一星空无限talk ZB’s resident traveller and can be heard every week at 11.20am on Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame. Sat, 12 Jul 2025 01:16:08 Z /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-flying-latam-airlines-to-south-america/ /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-flying-latam-airlines-to-south-america/ LATAM, Latin America’s leading airline group, connects Auckland to Santiago and beyond. I recently travelled to Ecuador and the Galapagos with LATAM Airlines. From New Zealand, there is no quick and easy route, but LATAM jetted me all the way to Quito and onto the Galapagos, via their Santiago hub.  From Auckland, LATAM deploys its magnificent 787 Dreamliners for the overnight Trans-Pacific service to Santiago, which will operate four days a week from October. It’s one of the more intriguing long-haul routes, because as the on-board flight map vividly illustrates, the journey’s track generally resembles a broad smile, dipping deep down towards Antarctica, as your cross the southern Pacific Ocean. I kept an eye out for icebergs!  LATAM new business class mini-suites. Credit LATAM If you’re up at the pointy-end, LATAM is currently spending over NZ$650 million upgrading its cabins. The business class mini-suites feature an all-new Recaro R7 lie-flat seat, laid out in 1-2-1 formation, all affording direct aisle access, with privacy doors. Each seat has a universal power outlet, USB charging point, an 18-inch (46-centimetre) touchscreen TV with in-seat remote control, and noise-cancelling headphones.  The renovations include upgrading its Latin-American-inspired cabin to maximise relaxation and comfort, across all classes. The new economy seats feature state-of-the-art ergonomic design that recline up to 180 degrees. The seats in both economy and business class are being upgraded to be upholstered with up to 70% recycled leather. Economy class on LATAM Dreamliner. Credit Mike Yardley   I chose to fly in economy class which is an excellent product and I actually clocked up a good six hours sleep, on the 11-hour flight from New Zealand to Chile. Prior to that, I tucked in to a hearty beef dish for dinner, while grazing from the extensive selection of on-demand entertainment. LATAM Play boasts over 240 movies, 740 TV show episodes, 1,500 music tracks, and exclusive content from Max, Paramount+, and Disney+, all of which can be viewed on new 12-inch high-definition touchscreens. I opted for the incredibly intense blockbuster, Conclave, before revisiting some beloved episodes of Friends.   Across all LATAM flights I took, the cabin crew were convivial, outgoing and efficient, seamlessly switching between Spanish and English for their respective passengers. (I loved it how on domestic flights between Quito and the Galapagos, the captain would greet passengers on the PA, not from the cockpit, but while standing up front by the main door.) Arriving into Santiago, and with a long layover before my onward flight to Lima and Quito, some languid, indulgent lounge time was highly desirable.  LATAM Santaigo Premium Lounge. Credit Mike Yardley LATAM’s Santiago lounge offering is sublime, tailored for Signature and Black LATAM Pass programme members and premium class passengers. If you’re flying economy, you can purchase a lounge pass for up to three hours in the Premium Lounge, subject to availability. It’s a fabulous experience, with a diverse buffet-style gastronomic offering. Menus are complemented by a premium selection of beverages and drinks. The barista whipped me a great flat white! There’s TV rooms, children’s rooms, resting areas, work stations and comfy seating, depending on how you wish to spend your time.  Lounging in Santiago at LATAM Lounge. Credit Mike Yardley LATAM Pass is the airline’s loyalty scheme, which enables you to earn points on LATAM flights, as well as on those with partner airlines like Delta, Qantas, British Airways and JAL - plus when spending with booking.com and Amazon.  The airline has an expansive network across Latin America, domestically and internationally, zipping you to Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador, in addition to its worldwide operations. In fact from LATAM’s hub in Santiago, the airline has onward connections to 144 South American destinations. They’re they trusted, proven carrier when flying to discover the wonders of South America. For best flights and seats to suit, head to www.latam.com  Mike Yardley is 九一星空无限talk ZB’s resident traveller and can be heard every week at 11.20am on Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame.  Tue, 08 Jul 2025 03:06:21 Z /lifestyle/travel/air-nz-dream-seats-dame-valerie-adams-josh-emett-simran-kaur-to-mentor-100-kiwis/ /lifestyle/travel/air-nz-dream-seats-dame-valerie-adams-josh-emett-simran-kaur-to-mentor-100-kiwis/ From grand Olympic stadiums to local tracks and everything in between, travel has been an important part of champion shot putter Dame Valerie Adams’ career. Now she wants to help other Kiwis reach the places, both literal and personal, they aspire to go. Alongside golfing legend Ryan Fox, rugby league player Shaun Johnson, acclaimed chef Josh Emett, financial educator Simran Kaur, and comedian Tom Sainsbury, Adams will be an ambassador for the Air New Zealand Dream Seats campaign, launched today. Through the initiative, which Air NZ says aims to help people achieve their ambitions, more than 100 Kiwis will be offered domestic or international flights to move closer to professional opportunities. The online application process involves writing a submission which explains how a Dream Seat could help develop an ambition, business, opportunity or idea. Dream Seats ambassadors Josh Emett and Valerie Adams. Photo / Air NZ Each ambassador will also personally award two top applicants with Dream Seats and provide them with mentoring. “Travel was an integral part of my journey. It involved early morning flights, long layovers, missed celebrations, and time spent away from home,” says Adams. “Yet, it also opened doors to new opportunities. Sometimes, a single flight has the power to transform everything.” Chef Josh Emett, a former judge on Masterchef New Zealand, says he left New Zealand with a one-way ticket to London and “a dream of making it in the food world”. Josh Emmett: "I know how powerful it is when someone backs your potential and now, I want to do the same for another Kiwi". Photo / Dean Purcell “I worked in some of the toughest kitchens and eventually earned a place in Gordon Ramsay’s team. I know how powerful it is when someone backs your potential and now, I want to do the same for another Kiwi. “I’ll be looking for someone who’s already put in the work and just needs that extra push to go further,” he says. For former Warriors player Johnson, some of the biggest moments of his career came from when he was representing New Zealand overseas and testing himself “against the best”. “But it all started here at home, playing for the Warriors, grinding through the early days, and having people who believed in me before the spotlight found me. “Travel has opened doors for me, but it was the support behind the scenes that got me on the plane. That’s what Dream Seats is all about. I want to help someone who’s already doing the work and just needs that boost to get where they’re meant to be.” Two-time PGA Tour winner Fox says representing New Zealand on the world stage has been one of the “great honours” of his life. But it wasn’t easy for him to get there. Ryan Fox with his family after winning the Canadian Open. Photo / Getty Images “It took years of hard work, a lot of travel, and time away from my family to get there. I had an incredible support system, and I still do, and that makes all the difference. That’s why Dream Seats means a lot to me.” Air NZ chief executive Greg Foran says Dream Seats isn’t a one-off campaign. “It’s part of our enduring commitment to champion Kiwi success, here at home and on the global stage,” he says. “This isn’t about granting wishes,” adds Foran. “It’s about backing New Zealanders who are already doing the hard work and helping them take the next step, not just in their journey, but in their lives.” Applications are open online via dreamseats.co.nz. Candidates are expected to share details on how the opportunity could help propel them towards something bigger. Tue, 08 Jul 2025 01:24:01 Z /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-my-latest-favourite-travel-apps/ /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-my-latest-favourite-travel-apps/ Travelling? There’s an app for that! The digital age has certainly made travelling easier than ever, planting a wealth of information tools at our fingertips, making many elements of travelling far less stressful and even immersive. The galaxy of travel-related apps never stops expanding, but here’s a swag of my latest favourite apps to help tackle travel logistics, save you money and enrich your adventures.  Maps. Yes, the big daddy, Google Maps has become a fixture in our lives. Google Maps also displays a ‘busyness’ indicator for popular landmarks and restaurants. Another savvy mapping tool that I actually prefer is CityMapper, optimising your journey to give you the quickest route from point A to point B, be it on foot, bike or by taxi. Just tap in where you are and where you want to go. The walking and cycling options will also show you how many calories you’ll burn, comparing it to food and drink consumption. For example, 141 calories equals 1.2 full-milk flat whites. Nice! CityMapper is also integrated into Uber for over 400 cities worldwide, so you can book an Uber right from the app.   Photo / Supplied Build your own itinerary? TripIt is a nifty travel itinerary app which stores all of your travel plans in a super organised itinerary. Virgos, rejoice! Simply forward all of your flight, rental car and hotel confirmations to an email address and it will automatically curate an itinerary for you. It will even update your calendar with your trip details if you want it to. You can also share your TripIt itinerary with friends and family, with ease. There is also a paid premium version which will do even niftier things like delay and disruption notifications; real-time risk alerts and gate-change information; and on-the-ground destination-specific insights and airport guides. It’s the one stop shop.  Hiking? If adventure and the outdoors are key components of your vacation, don’t leave home without downloading AllTrails. With over 450,000 trails listed, regularly updated by members of the app’s global community), AllTrails offers searchable tracks wherever you happen to be or are heading to. For those more off-the-grid hikes, AllTrails can be used offline with downloadable maps that track your GPS location.  Stargazing. You’re exploring a new place at night and tilt your head to the heavens to gaze at that location’s unique astronomical view. But what are you looking at?  iPhones offers the Night Sky app, while Android users should download Stellarium. With both apps, you’ll be able to locate constellations and planets overhead by simply pointing your phone to the sky to see which of the app’s 1.7 billion catalogued stars are sitting bright above you. You can even track the international space station’s whereabouts, from where you are.  I’m also a big fan of PeakLens. Point your phone at any mountain or range of mountains, to find out what you are looking at. Similarly, while I was in Ecuador at Mashpi Lodge, I came across the nifty birding app, Merlin Bird, which will swiftly identify exactly what bird comes into view of your phone, stacked with information, including its bird calls. It works, worldwide.   Coffee snobs? This is fun. Check out the Roasters App, RSTRS. A great cup of coffee is only a click away, with a directory of over 17,000 cafes in more than 100 countries, at your fingertips. The focus is on specialty roasters and ‘hidden gem’ experiences, complete with tasting notes, recommendations and reviews.  In-the-know foodies app? Unleash the power of locals and your fellow travellers to experience the world’s best restaurants and eateries with Yelp. I’ve noticed that in the USA particularly, Yelp is the go-to guide. You can also book reservations directly in the app and order takeaway food.   Nannybag. I haven’t tried this personally, but several of my friends have been raving about it. Let’s suppose you are staying in an Airbnb, but you actually want to spend all day in that destination, after checking out. Or perhaps you’re passing through somewhere en-route to your destination, that you’d like time to explore without the clatter of a heavy suitcase on cobblestones. What to do with your luggage? Introducing Nannybag: an app that links up shopkeepers and hoteliers offering safe storage space for your baggage. The app’s map feature will let you locate businesses offering storage near train stations, ports or town centres, and displays reviews and prices per day or hour. Great idea!  Atlas Obscura. Nothing beats uncovering some quirky, offbeat, less-trafficked sights and experiences to a destination you are visiting. Enter, Atlas Obscura! The holy grail of hidden gems and the obscured. The app’s database includes more than 20,000 unexpected sites and landmarks worldwide, each with their own curious story. It’s like having a trove of local stories without having to sign up to a guided walking tour.  Photo / Supplied Do you need packing support? Confession time – I generally over-pack, taking far more items away with me than I ever use. Conversely, even the most seasoned traveller can overlook packing the essentials. Packpoint helps finetune your packing approach with a series of questions – where you’re going, for how long, what time of year and what activities are involved – to help curate a personalised list that you can then customise with your itinerary. Mike Yardley is 九一星空无限talk ZB’s resident traveller and can be heard every week at 11.20am on Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame.  Sat, 05 Jul 2025 01:27:59 Z /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-new-town-sights-and-delights-in-quito/ /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-new-town-sights-and-delights-in-quito/ Beyond the storied charm and colonial trappings of Quito’s Old Town, there is plenty more to explore in the Ecuadorian capital. Given its dramatic topography, Metropolitan Quito spans 17 different ecosystems. Wedged in a valley between volcanoes, it made sense to the Incas and Spanish as a crucial trading route between mountain passes. But today, it seems an unlikely location for such a rapidly expanding metropolis. Hemmed in by steep slopes, this city of 3 million people stretches for 60km in length, but is just 6kms wide, spilling into nearly 200 ravines.  Its quirky geographical layout has given rise to a jigsaw of distinct neighbourhoods or barrios, each with their own character.  Travelling with Ecuador to Viva Expeditions, I spent a couple of nights experiencing what the locals call the “hyper-centre” of Quito, staying in the modern, glassy central city neighbourhood of La Carolina. It’s a conspicuously more moneyed area. The New Town feels like a world away from the Old Town, projecting the aspirations of Ecuador’s wealthy middle-class and the stomping ground of oil executives and the city’s growing ranks of ambitious young professionals. My bubbly local guide Vanessa led me to the sprawling park that the barrio takes its name from. Parque La Carolina is to Quito what Central Park is to New York. An enormous oasis of green spanning 165 acres, the city swarms with happy families and loved-up couples on the weekends, snacking from the street food stalls, paddle-boating, picnicking and playing volleyball and football. It was entertaining to sample this snapshot of local life.  La Carolina from above, central Quito. Supplied  Best of all, La Carolina’s Botanic Gardens which unfurl a showcase of Ecuador’s varied native habitats, from the high-altitude Andean grasslands, cloud forests, wetlands and Amazonian jungle. I loved orchid greenhouse, the towering cacti garden and the climate-controlled Amazonian greenhouse is particularly engrossing with its carnivorous plants. Vanessa also led me through a display of powerful and hallucinogenic plants, widely used by shamans. They are dangerous in the wrong hands. One example was Angel’s Trumpets, closely related to the Devil’s Trumpets datura plants. Its exuberant beauty belies its toxic nature. Vanessa explained that many rural mothers will still use the plants to help their babies go to sleep – under the guidance of shamans.   We also jaunted to the nearby National Museum. Among its beautifully presented collection of artifacts from the 20 indigenous cultures across Ecuador, I gazed in awe at exquisite ceramic sculptures and relics reaching back 14,000 years.  Highlights include arrowheads from Ecuador’s first nomadic hunter-gatherers, golden sun masks used in burial, and 6000-year-old pottery from the Valdivia people. They were the first known people to produce ceramics in the Americas. The history is head-spinning.  Antiquities in the National Museum. Credit Mike Yardley For more cultural riches, head to Capilla del Hombre & Guayasamín Museum. Translating as the Chapel of Man, this an awe-inspiring cultural space was envisioned by Ecuador’s legendary artist, Oswaldo Guayasamín. This monumental museum is dedicated to the struggles, resilience, and spirit of Latin American people, reflected in Guayasamín’s powerful paintings and sculptures.  If you’re visiting on the weekend, Quito’s top hotels lay on decadent buffet lunches. It’s a fiendishly popular treat for many locals. I grazed heartily from the expansive array of hot and cold dishes at one of the Sunday buffet lunch star-performers, JW Marriott Hotel. It’s also a dream opportunity to treat your taste buds to a gastronomic adventure with a spree of signature Ecuadorian dishes, including their amazing seafood; delicious green plantain soup; encebollado (fish stew); fritada (fried chunks of pork, served with hominy), and I also adored locro de papas (potato soup with avocado and cheese.)  Ceviche in the buffet lunch at JW Marriott. Credit Mike Yardley My swanky roost in the hyper-centre was Go Hotel Quito. Swathed in a vertical garden, the hotel’s interior and architectural design was inspired by the natural beauty of the Andean landscapes, brimming with local art, colours, and textures. Ramping up its elemental appeal, head up to the 17th floor and the roof-top Panecillo Restaurant, for the best view in town. (The lavish buffet breakfast is worth getting out of bed for, too!)    Ceviche in the buffet lunch at JW Marriott. Credit Mike Yardley As I perked myself up on the finest Ecuadorian coffee, the stupendous wraparound panorama vividly reaffirms Quito’s epic topography. Stepping outside on the roof terrace, Pichincha Volcano was brooding on the horizon, just west of the city centre, sporting a fresh skiff of snow. A pinkish haze bathed the city as curious cloud and mist formations rolled downed the volcano’s slopes, dispersing as fast as they arrived. Minutes later, bulging clouds barrelled in, and a torrential rain shower drenched the city, like a firehose being turned on. The clouds parted – and the radiant sunlight emerged again. It’s all part of Quito’s ethereal, mysterious charm.  If you have a head for heights, take a ride on the cable car, TeleferiQo, that climbs 2.5km from the lower slopes of Pichincha, up to the 4100-metre-high lookout. It’s one of the world’s highest cable car rides, best done early morning before the clouds roll in. For the extra-adventurous, the ride is a launch-pad for the 4km round-trip hike to the summit of this sleeping volcano, a further 600 metres up from the lookout.    Teleferico ride Quito, Supplied As you may know, Quito is super close to the equator, the inspiration for the nation’s name.  25km north of the city, take a jaunt to the “middle of the world”, La Mitad del Mundo. The stone monument, topped with a brass globe, houses a viewing platform and quirky museum, honouring the equatorial line. If you really want to, you can balance an egg on its tip as a polar magnetic trick, or stand with one foot in the northern and southern hemispheres.   The equatorial line’s positioning was determined by the French Geodesic Mission in 1736, which is where the monument is sited. However, somewhat awkwardly, GPS data proves that the placement of the line is 240 metres off-beam. One job, Hugo! Curiously, there’s a nearby archaeological site that sits exactly on the equatorial line – the pre-Inca Catequilla hilltop site of the Quito people. It’s believed this was an ancient astronomical observatory. Now crowned with a monument, it’s the more accurate alternative!  Cerro Catequilla on the equator. Supplied Viva Expeditions know Ecuador inside-out. You’ll enjoy premium, meaningful travel experiences, with a down-to-earth approach. You’ll meet local people, experience authentic food and culture and stay in superb, distinctive accommodation. Viva’s 24/7 on-the-ground local support with their superb partners, Metropolitan Touring. Explore Ecuador and beyond with New Zealand’s proven experts in travel to South America. www.vivaexpeditions.com  Throughout my entire trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos, I always felt safe, welcome and secure. Like any major city, opportunist street crime can occur in Quito. But your guide and hotel will happily flag with you any trouble-spot areas to avoid, particularly at night. In busy tourist areas, I would turn my backpack into frontpack. Don’t flash your smart phone around. Tuck it away, after taking photos. And leave your wallet at the hotel – just take a credit card and some dollars, so it’s flat in your pocket. Pack your travel smarts and you will be absolutely fine in this truly magnificent city.  Explore the world with the trusted name in travel insurance, Cover-More Travel Insurance, which has you covered with added safeguards, over and above the typical travel cover, for the likes of medical treatment. In addition to single-trip cover, multi-trip annual cover is another great option, wherever you want to go. Check out the full range of protections and tailor the level of cover to your requirements. Cover-More’s 24 hour global assistance centre is just a phone call away. www.covermore.co.nz  Jet your way to Ecuador with LATAM. Latin America’s leading airline group connects Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru with the world, including direct flights from Auckland to Santiago, with onward connections to Quito. www.latam.com  Mike Yardley is 九一星空无限talk ZB’s resident traveller and can be heard every week at 11.20am on Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame.  Sun, 29 Jun 2025 04:28:15 Z /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-classic-encounters-in-quito-s-old-town-ecuador/ /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-classic-encounters-in-quito-s-old-town-ecuador/ Second only to La Paz as the highest capital on earth, Ecuador’s high-altitude capital is a breath-taker. I’ve just enjoyed my first foray to captivating Quito with Viva Expeditions, and I cannot recommend it high enough. It is a tantaliser, bursting with enchantment and a welcoming embrace in equal measure. Flying into Quito is fascinating, because with the city situated at 2850m above sea-level, my aircraft’s descent felt decidedly underdone. Dramatically tucked into a long and sinuous valley snaking around the foothills of the Andes, with vast hillside barrios densely cascading down the slopes, it is a topographically compelling sight, on final approach.  But don’t downplay Quito as merely a stepping stone to the rainforest or the Galapagos. It is a superlative destination in its own right. The crowning jewel is Quito’s 17th-century Old Town, a heaving historical quarter so impeccably preserved that it was the first city in the world to be accorded UNESCO World Heritage Status. Arriving late at night, Viva Expedition’s incomparable ground operators Metropolitan Touring, greeted me at the airport and whisked me into the Old Town, for a few nights stay at the landmark Casa Gangotena Hotel.   Casa Gangotena in Old Town Quito. Photo / Mike Yardley Perfectly poised overlooking Plaza San Francisco, this boutique luxury property sings with the history of the city. First built in 1600, a Basque Spaniard, Martin Gangotena purchased the residence as his home a century later. This influential family reconstructed the mansion just over a century ago, commissioning the famous Italian architects the Russo brothers, to refresh the building, with strong Art Deco and Art Nouveau influences. This neo-classical mansion was later repurposed as an intimate hotel by a former Quito mayor, opening its doors to the world just 14 years ago. Do not stay anywhere else.  Not only is its architecture and design irresistibly elegant, with so many divine spaces, but the exceptional guest service is a masterclass in personal, graceful and authentic hospitality.  One of my favourite spots is the light-filled conservatory lounge. Once an open-air courtyard, this elegant space was where I often enjoyed lunch, and it still whispers of the past. The Italian fountain that used to flow here can now be found just outside in the garden. The hotel brims with freshly cut and radiantly coloured roses at every turn. My Metropolitan Touring guide Rodney remarked that Ecuador is one the world’s biggest exporters of roses – many ending up in the USA.   Basking in the lap of luxury, accommodations are palatial in size and awash in indulgence. My massive marble bathroom was like a temple to cleanliness. Beneath high ceilings, my stupendously sized bed was blissfully comfortable. House-keeping staff routinely plied me with chocolates, sparkling and still water, fresh Ecuadorian coffee and generous platters of local fruit including so many unfamiliar delights like Uvilla. These golden berries, as big as a plum, are deliciously sweet and tart.  The hotel has been honoured with the prestigious Relais & Chateaux status for its world class service and gastronomy. This designation is not given lightly and dining at Casa Gangotena is another prized draw. Every dish is prepared in “Cocina Mestiza-style” which is the combination of indigenous and European-influenced cooking traditions, envisioned anew, cleaved from fresh, native, and locally sourced ingredients. The divine selection of empanadas, brimming with inventive combos like green plantain and shrimp, were sensational. I noshed on so many exceptionally executed dishes like Smoked Andean Lamb and Criollo Pork, which was slow cooked for 72 hours, served with carrots, roasted beets and sour cream.    Dining delights at Casa Gangotena. Photo / Mike Yardley  Casa Gangotena is the perfect blend of tradition and innovation. The same murals and antique furniture remain in place from past generations, accentuating the soul of the house, while contemporary touches—like luxurious clawfoot tubs, creative cuisine, and a salivating rooftop terrace and bar with panoramic skyline views is the unmissable cherry on top. This hotel will sweetly seduce you, swiftly and strongly. In the galaxy of memorable luxury boutique hotels, Casa Gangotena is a shining star.  Waking up to the bustle and buzz of Plaza San Francisco, treacle-dipped in the early morning sunshine, Rodney led me on a riveting tour of Quito’s historic quarter, which is crammed with colonial architectural confections, extravagant cathedrals, low-slung historic merchant shops and evocative cobbled plazas.  I was goggled-eyed at Museo Casa Alabado, gazing over a staggering archaeological collection, with exquisite ancient art works and pottery dating back to 4000 BC!   I ventured up El Panecillo hill to the Virgin of Quito, the city’s guardian angel, a 40 metre high statue of Mary, complete with a crown of stars, angelic wings and a chained dragon – all crafted from a patchwork of aluminium sheets. I strolled the lost-in-time La Ronda Street, a sleepy 17th century cobblestone lane lined with colonial houses, that morphs into a fiesta of ebullient salsa bars, after dark. And I took my fill of people-watching paradise, in the historic heart of the Old Town, palm-fringed Plaza Grande, just before the inauguration of their charismatic and youthful President, Daniel Noboa.  Virgin of Quito sculpture. Photo / Mike Yardley Here’s a round-up of some of the other essential sights and experiences. Before Spanish colonisation, the region was home to the indigenous Quito people who were later absorbed into the Inca Empire. In the 15th century, the Inca reduced their temples to ruins so they wouldn’t fall into the hands of the conquistadors. Right across from the hotel, San Francisco Church and Monastery is Latin America’s largest religious complex. Built on top of an Inca temple site, the first bricks were laid here in 1535, just months after the Spanish seized control. The monastery is still active, with a dozen or so monks, while the palm-filled Andalucian-style cloisters made me feel like I’d been transported to Seville.   The complex previously had its own brewery (now a museum) which produced the very first beer in the Americas. But it’s the main church that swept me up in sight-inducing awe. Heavily gilded and intricately decorated, its lavish baroque splendour is overwhelming.  We climbed up the belfry for a sweeping view across the Old Town. Beneath the church, a series of small shops in the basement sell a fiesta of religious goods like incense, rosary beads and ceramic figurines, including Jesus dressed as a firefighter. There’s no denying Quitenos’ faithful fervour! Across on the other side of the plaza, La Compañia Church is another eye-popping baroque masterpiece, which took 160 years to complete. Beyond its intricately carved volcanic rock façade, its decorative interior bedazzles in a swirl of Spanish, Moorish and Inca architectural styles.   La Compania Church gilded glory. Photo / Mike Yardley From tip to toe, the church is bathed in gold leaf and enormous oil paintings graphically depicting heaven and hell to the Inca converts. Given their reverence for the Sun as a God, you’ll notice how the Sun crowns the crucifix in the church, adapting Christian iconography to resonate with the locals. Rodney pointed out the side altar wall was destroyed in a devastating fire during conversation work in 1996. An eight year restoration project painstakingly reconstructed it. They did a great job, although the newer gold leaf certainly looks brighter than the original work.   Rodney led me through the colourful mercantile sprawl of Mercado Central, for an authentic slice of local life and the abundance of fresh produce. The swirling array of exotic tropical fruits is astonishing – everything grows in Ecuador. I’ve never sampled so many different varieties of bananas! Freshly picked cocoa leaves are available here, to ward off altitude sickness. And the food stalls will initiate you with some much-loved local dishes. Tuck into green plantain soup, encebollado (fish stew), fritada (fried chunks of pork, served with hominy), and I also loved locro de papas (potato soup with avocado and cheese.)   For breakfast on the go, the locals binge on bolón, fried balls of unripe green plantain, that are mashed with cheese and some pork. Delish! For a cracking sweet street eat, you’ll notice women touting espumilla (meringue cones). This feverishly popular street food dessert is a light and fluffy meringue cream, with a wide flavour range, like guava and blackberry - and served in cones. I became quite partial to them, regularly buying them from cafés, because the street vendor hygiene standards looked highly dubious! Surprisingly, they’re not as cloyingly sweet as our meringues. The name "espumilla" translates to "foam" in Spanish, aptly describing its texture.  At the mercado, I also sampled chicha de jora, a traditional Andean fermented alcoholic drink made from germinated corn, that can be traced far back to pre-Hispanic times. It was mildly pleasant. Traditionally, women would chew the corn to kick-start the fermentation process. Thankfully, my brew was germinated mechanically – or at least, I hope it was!  Trying chicha at Mercado Central. Photo / Mike Yardley Throughout the historical quarter, I admired a trove of merchants and craftspeople plying their trades and selling their wares, just have they have done for generations. I called into a religious statue repair merchant, who painstakingly restores broken or cracked ceramic sculptures, religious statues and dolls. The family enterprise has been running for over a century, but the current owner is anxious his adult children don’t want the business passed down to them.   Rodney led me to a local shaman, Emma Lagla who operates El Secreto De Las Plantas. For many generations her family has specialised in healing with medicinal plants. Inside her shop, the expansive plant cabinet was loaded with all manner of plant leaves that Emma deploys to cure and ease a catalogue of ailments. She will also happily give you a quick cleansing to rid you of negative energy.   Ancient Andean plant healer. Photo / Mike Yardley Another great stop is Sombreros Lopez, an old-school shop that has been handcrafting hats for over a century, using materials such as toquilla straw and wool felt, for durability and elegance. I was intrigued to learn that the Panama Hat is in fact Ecuadorian in origin. They misleadingly earned the name because the hats were first sent to Panama for onward shipping around the world, in the 19th century. Ecuadorians call Panama Hats by their original name, Montecristi hats. The best quality hats are called Montecristi superfinos.  Something else to buy for loved ones back home? Chocolate! Ecuador’s cacao production has been enjoying a renaissance, and its single-origin chocolate is a must buy. Traditionally it was mostly exported, but Quito is now bestowed with some very fine local chocolate producers, underpinned by sustainable, local practices from bean to bar. There’s a variety of top-quality artisanal chocolate shops to nibble your way through, like Pacari, which incorporates plenty of local Andean ingredients into its finished product. I also jaunted to Chocolateria Chez Tiff, where handcrafted artisan chocolates will thrill your taste buds.  I sampled chocolates that ranged from 60% to 90% cacao, elevated by the inclusion of macadamia, passion fruit and coffee. Don’t miss indulging in a hand massage with cacao butter moisturising cream.  Yes, please!  Viva Expeditions know Ecuador inside-out. You’ll enjoy premium, meaningful travel experiences, with a down-to-earth approach. You’ll meet local people, experience authentic food and culture and stay in distinctive accommodation. Viva’s 24/7 on-the-ground local support and expertise ensures you’ll be safe and secure. Explore Ecuador and beyond with New Zealand’s proven experts in travel to South America. vivaexpeditions.com   Jet your way to Ecuador with LATAM. Latin America’s leading airline group connects Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru with the world, including direct flights from Auckland to Santiago, with onward connections to Quito. latam.com   Explore the world with the trusted name in travel insurance, Cover-More Travel Insurance, which has you covered with added safeguards, over and above the typical travel cover, for the likes of medical treatment. In addition to single-trip cover, multi-trip annual cover is another great option, wherever you want to go. Check out the full range of protections and tailor the level of cover to your requirements. Cover-More’s 24 hour global assistance centre is just a phone call away. covermore.co.nz   Mike Yardley is 九一星空无限talk ZB’s resident traveller and can be heard every week at 11.20am on Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame.  Sat, 28 Jun 2025 01:02:56 Z /lifestyle/travel/air-new-zealand-braces-for-busy-july-school-holidays-travel-period/ /lifestyle/travel/air-new-zealand-braces-for-busy-july-school-holidays-travel-period/ Air New Zealand is preparing for one of its busiest travel periods of the year.  More than 745,000 travellers are due to fly with the national carrier as people get away for the July school holidays.  The airline expects 465,000 domestic and 280,000 international travellers onboard their fleet of aircraft between June 27 and July 13 as families across Aotearoa jet off on winter adventures in Aotearoa and abroad.  Air New Zealand airports general manager Kate Boyer said the airline’s teams around the country were ready to support the surge in passengers.  “We’ll see the school holiday rush begin this Friday, with 48,000 customers travelling across our network. The following two Fridays are shaping up to be even busier, with 49,000 customers expected each day.”  More than 8000 people are expected to travel to and from Dunedin on the weekend of July 5 when the All Blacks take on France.  To meet the demand across the holiday period, Air New Zealand has increased passenger capacity by adding around 18,000 extra seats across more than 200 additional domestic flights.  Outside New Zealand’s main centres, Queenstown tops the list of domestic destinations.  Additionally, more than 8000 people are expected to travel to and from Dunedin on the weekend of July 5 when the All Blacks take on France at Forsyth Barr Stadium.  With airports expected to be busier than usual, Air New Zealand is encouraging travellers to plan ahead.  “We know winter weather can sometimes cause disruptions, so we recommend downloading the Air NZ app to stay informed about your flight,” Boyer said. “Travel insurance is also a smart way to cover the unexpected.  “But above all, our teams are looking forward to welcoming everyone and helping everything run smoothly.”  This week Air New Zealand also announced an intention to add 155,000 seats on flights to Australia, Rarotonga, Fiji and Tahiti this summer with two new Airbus A321neo aircraft and increased customer demand for destinations including Adelaide cited as motivating the expansion.  Air New Zealand’s advice for travelling these holidays  Download and use the Air NZ app to check in, receive updates and manage your trip.  Update your contact details in your booking and Airpoints account so you can be kept informed and up-to-date.  Prepay for extra baggage online if you’ve packed more than planned – it saves time and money at the airport.  If you need to make a last-minute booking for an unexpected medical emergency or bereavement, you may be eligible for compassionate fares.  Wed, 25 Jun 2025 22:46:00 Z /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-walking-with-the-giants-on-santa-cruz-island-galapagos/ /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-walking-with-the-giants-on-santa-cruz-island-galapagos/ After revelling in my 4-night cruise in the Galapagos Islands with Viva Expeditions, my dreamscape experience aboard La Pinta concluded with one final port call at Puerto Ayora, on Santa Cruz Island. Viva Expeditions highly recommends you combine a dreamy cruise with a land-based stay and Santa Cruz Island is the incomparable choice. There are 19 large islands in the archipelago and just four are inhabited, with a total population of just 30,000 residents (as is the case with the tourism industry, population numbers remain carefully controlled by the Ecuadorian government).  Santa Cruz’s bustling and cheerfully coloured port town of Puerto Ayora is tailormade for wide-eyed visitors, well-endowed with local tour operators, superb gift stores and galleries, perky bars, restaurants and accommodation to suit all budgets. Given 97% of the Galapagos Islands has national park protection, it virtually felt like a novelty to experience such a different slice of the Galapagos, abuzz with people, traffic and urban vibes. But the eye-catching town is compact enough to explore on foot, strung around the shoreline promenade (malecón), aptly called Avenue Charles Darwin.  Colourful bars of Puerto Ayora. Photo / Mike Yardley For all the allure of contemporary creature comforts and tourist trappings, nature still holds court. I loved watching the sea lions hauling their bulging bodies out of the harbour to stretch out on the beach, let alone commandeering the park benches and picnic tables, for a spot of sun-bathing and a snooze. They clearly have right of way – and the locals love it that way. Another great calling card in this wildlife wonderland is the constant spectacle of marine iguanas, who have a propensity to pile on top of each other, particularly along boardwalks and paved areas, with their eyes typically closed in Zen-like in the sunshine.  They’re easier to spot on public spaces, rather than on the jet-black lava rocks, where their charcoal-grey hue seamlessly blends in with the natural terrain, along with flecks of volcanic red. I became besotted by marine iguanas, particularly their penchant for sneezing out salt. They have a supersized gland that acts like a kidney, allowing them to extract excess salt from their blood flow. They’re also a poster child for Darwinism, because these guys were initially terrestrial iguanas, evolving into their marine status and spreading across the archipelago.  Marine Iguana in Santa Cruz. Photo / Supplied I spent two glorious nights at Finch Bay Hotel, just a short shuttle panga boat ride from the harbourfront. The convivial hotel manager, Alfonso remarked to me that the birdlife still consider the property as their playground. Several years ago, a pond was replaced with the hotel’s gleaming new pool – yet to this day, particularly at dawn and dusk, various birds will cruise in for a quick dip and wash in the pool. It keeps the maintenance staff on their toes, but it once again reinforced to me that nature still rules supreme in these parts. As it should be.  Enjoying a privileged location as the only beachfront hotel in Santa Cruz, Finch Bay Hotel is a stylish roost to base yourself for some island downtime. The perfect complement to a Galapagos cruise, feel the island’s essence with some leisurely terrestrial luxury at this swish Santa Cruz eco-resort. There’s a variety of accommodation options including suites with direct ocean views. Finch Bay is a fresh, relaxing retreat, where crisp bed linens, stylish interiors and balconies with space to sling a hammock are standard.   Finch Bay Hotel accomodation. Photo / Supplied I savoured the very best in Galapagos dining at the on-site restaurant, anchored by fresh, local ingredients (many from their own vegetable garden), executed with flair, and accompanied by authentic, sparkling service. The ocean’s bounty held sway with my preferences – don’t go past the slipper lobster and the restaurant’s magnificent seafood pasta. Sustainability is steeped in their DNA, from collecting rainwater and energy-saving measures to recycling and daily beach-cleaning. It’s a superlative boutique hotel with the most jovial, endearing staff who will deepen your love-affair with Santa Cruz.  From Puerto Ayora, I enjoyed a first-hand primer on the theory of evolution with a guided visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station. This living laboratory is the biggest biological research station on the Galapagos, over 65 years old and staffed by over 200 scientists and volunteers. It plays a critical role in the conservation of the archipelago’s ecosystem, including monitoring invasive species like the ghastly vampire fly. I was also struck by the similarities to New Zealand’s predator-control endeavours, because the colonisation of the Galapagos also saw the introduction of animals that went feral like goats, pigs, dogs, and cats. Feral cats prey on tortoise eggs and babies whose shells haven’t hardened. The starring attraction at the station is their captive breeding programme for 11 sub-species of tortoise. It was the first of two intimate encounters I had with the Galapagos giant tortoise on Santa Cruz Island.   Giant tortoises at Charles Darwin Research Station. Photo / Mike Yardley With Darwin’s finches flitting about overhead, paths lead through arid-zone vegetation taking you past enormous tortoise enclosures, where you can gaze in awe at these Galápagos giants, of all shapes and sizes. There's even a baby-tortoise house with incubators, that specialises in rebuilding the subspecies tortoise population on their respective islands. The shape of tortoise shells varies from island to island. These tortoises are generally repatriated to their home islands, once they turn four years.   Their breeding programme is highly acclaimed as one of the most successful conservation programmes on the planet. To date, over 7,000 tortoises have been released from the Charles Darwin Research Station and are now living successfully in the wild. But it’s a long game being played, because these tortoises don’t reach sexual maturity until they are in their 20s and can live in captivity for about 150 years. One of their most famous breeding tortoises was Diego, who since 1976 sired 900 offspring, earning him the nickname, Super Diego. Now a centenarian, he was retired to Espanola to live out his golden years five years ago.  Baby tortoises at Charles Darwin Research Station. Photo / Mike Yardley  My guide Alexis remarked that across the archipelago, there are approximately 25,000 giant tortoises. Saved from near extinction, their population was previously estimated at 250,000 prior to the arrival of pirates and buccaneers in the 17th and 18th century. Volcanic activity was traditionally the way nature controlled the population. Up to 200,000 tortoises were exterminated within a couple of centuries, hunted almost to extinction. These slow-moving creatures were an ideal protein source for mariners spending months at sea. Alexis described how it would have typically taken six men to carry a giant tortoise onto a ship, tied up with rope and attached to poles.   Most historical accounts of Darwin’s voyage to the Galapagos on HMS Beagle claim that he and his crew ate 30 giant tortoises.  Darwin noted their flesh had a particularly delicious buttery taste and texture. However, it’s also believed several juvenile tortoises were taken home alive to England, according to Captain FitzRoy’s account of the voyage. (FitzRoy later became the second Governor of New Zealand.)  Most historians conclude that one of the tortoises ended up in Brisbane in 142, transported down under by John Wickham who was the Beagle’s first lieutenant. Named Harriet, she initially resided in the Brisbane Botanical Gardens and spent the last two decades of her life under the care of the Irwin family at Australia Zoo. She died in 2006 at the estimated age of 175.     After taking in the rich history at the research station, an even more transfixing tortoise encounter awaited me in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island. An unmissable highlight of my Viva Expeditions tour was visiting Rancho Primicias – the ultimate destination to admire these gentle, majestic giants. 700 metres above the sea level on Santa Cruz Island, the lush, jungle-like vegetation is tortoise nirvana and this is the oldest privately-owned nature sanctuary adjoining the national park. I felt like I had entered Jurassic Park. It’s home to dozens of supersized, fully-grown giant tortoises, who from a distance could be mistaken for gigantic boulders, with their dark domes scattered amid the undulating meadow.    Mike and Mr Tortoise. Photo / Mike Yardley They are the greatest gardeners of the Galapagos, pruning trees, spreading seeds and bolstering the eco-system. I was amused by a Floridian tourist who was aghast to discover a grove of apple trees close to the path, called poisonous apple trees. Even their foliage is poisonous to humans. She loudly demanded to know why the trees hadn’t been chopped down to protect tourists. Giant tortoises love these trees and the apples – causing them no harm.   My guide advised me to approach the tortoises from behind, when getting right up-close to them, so as not to stress them.  I intimately admired the leathery scales on their legs and the claws on their feet. I watched them wallow with great pleasure in mud ponds, which protects them from parasites and helps regulate body temperature. Weighing in at over 250kg, they have very limited agility and every movement seems exhaustingly slow and deliberate. If a tick is making a giant tortoise itchy behind his ear, he cannot scratch it. Instead, he invites mockingbirds and finches to pick off the ticks by stretching up from the ground and lifting his head. The birds get a free meal and the tortoise is happy. One of the tortoises stretched out his wizened old face right in front of me. They bear a striking resemblance to Stephen Spielberg's ET. But the biggest fun fact I gleaned about the world’s largest living species of tortoise is the fact that they can survive for up to a year without food or water. Remarkable.  While you’re in the highlands, more enticements await, with Rancho Primicias just a stone’s throw from some staggering feats of nature. First up, Los Gemelos. These twin volcanic craters were formed by the collapse of empty magma chambers after a volcanic uprising. A lovely walking trail leads up to and around the rim of both craters. The hike takes you through the soothing Scalesia Forest, brimming with bird life, including Galápagos doves and Darwin's finches.   I then jaunted through a 1km-long lava tube. This impressive underground tunnel, by the village of Santa Rosa, was formed when the outside skin of a molten-lava flow solidified. When the lava flow ceased, the molten lava inside the flow kept going, emptying out of the solidified skin and thus leaving the serpentine tunnel. It was a thrill to walk through - which has pleasingly been illuminated. On the 30-minute drive back down to Puerto Ayora, I noticed some roadside tortoise crossing signs. Sure enough, I saw some grazing in the fields and even a couple of ancient, reptilian big boys enjoying a siesta on the road! Only in the Galapagos.  The lava tunnels on Santa Cruz. Photo / Supplied I travelled to the Galapagos with Viva Expeditions who know Ecuador inside-out. Their ground partners, Metropolitan Touring, boast an incomparable portfolio of luxury Ecuadoran travel products including La Pinta cruises in the Galapagos and the Finch Bay Hotel. With Viva Expeditions, you’ll enjoy premium, meaningful travel experiences, with a down-to-earth approach. You’ll meet local people, experience authentic food and culture and stay in distinctive accommodation. Viva’s 24/7 on-the-ground local support and expertise ensures you’ll be safe and secure. Explore Ecuador and beyond with New Zealand’s proven experts in travel to South America. vivaexpeditions.com  Jet your way to Ecuador with LATAM. Latin America’s leading airline group connects Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru with the world, including direct flights from Auckland to Santiago, with onward connections to Quito. latam.com   Explore the world with the trusted name in travel insurance, Cover-More Travel Insurance, which has you covered with added safeguards, over and above the typical travel cover, for the likes of medical treatment. In addition to single-trip cover, multi-trip annual cover is another great option, wherever you want to go. Check out the full range of protections and tailor the level of cover to your requirements. Cover-More’s 24 hour global assistance centre is just a phone call away. covermore.co.nz   Mike Yardley is 九一星空无限talk ZB’s resident traveller and can be heard every week at 11.20am on Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame.   Sat, 21 Jun 2025 00:28:27 Z /lifestyle/travel/bay-of-islands-cruise-visits-plummet-amid-tough-rules-rising-costs/ /lifestyle/travel/bay-of-islands-cruise-visits-plummet-amid-tough-rules-rising-costs/ The Bay of Islands’ $23.34 million cruise ship industry will be hit hard next season with the number of visiting ships set to plummet. Bookings for the tourist destination’s 2025/26 cruise season have almost halved from their peak two years ago. A cruise ship representative blamed the decline on a number of factors affecting New Zealand’s cruise industry, including tougher biofouling rules and compounding cost increases from central government, ports and regional authorities. However, a Ministry for Primary Industries spokesman said the main drivers of the downturn appeared to be rising operational costs and global economic factors, rather than biofouling regulations. There are 47 cruise ships scheduled to visit the Bay of Islands for the coming season. This compares with 92 cruise ships booked for the peak 2023/24 season. The coming season’s numbers continue an annual decline in bookings for the Bay of Islands since their peak. Bookings for the 2024/25 season were almost 20% down on 2023/24 as 74 ships were booked. New Zealand Cruise Association chairwoman Tansy Tompkins said the drop in numbers had many in the industry concerned about the future. “New Zealand’s booking momentum has slowed significantly, and while final itineraries are still being confirmed, current projections indicate a major downturn,” Tompkins said. The decline from the peak was “sobering” and she said the forecast for the coming season put New Zealand back to 2017/18 season levels. Tompkins said the risk of cruise ships being refused entry into New Zealand because of dirty hulls was one of several key reasons for the decline. The risk threatened the New Zealand cruise ship destination brand. Tougher biofouling rules were introduced for New Zealand in October 2023, just as the 2023/24 season began. Eighty-seven cruise ships arrived in Bay of Islands’ 2023/2024 season, meaning five scheduled vessels did not turn up. Four cruise ships did not turn up in the 2024/2025 season – including the last two for the season due on May 30 – because of weather, according to Far North Holdings chief operating officer Robert Binney. All cruise ships entering New Zealand must have no more than a thin layer of slime and goose barnacles on their hulls when they arrive. Biofouling can introduce foreign marine species, which can threaten the environment, economy and cultural values. It happens when too much sea life – including foreign algae, barnacles and other marine growth, such as shrimps and crabs – builds up on ship hulls. Tompkins said unpredictability around the introduction of new regulations also contributed to the decline. Cruise companies had to deal with the outcome of this when passengers booked up to two years in advance. In addition, New Zealand was now the world’s most expensive place for cruise ships to visit, with significant compounding cost increases including from central government, ports and regional authorities. This was putting New Zealand at a competitive disadvantage. She said senior cruise line executives had a perception New Zealand was difficult to operate in and an unwelcoming destination. Paul Hallett, Biosecurity NZ’s implementation and approvals manager, said biofouling requirements are in place to protect the environment and economy. No cruise ships were stopped from entering New Zealand waters during the 2024/25 summer season and the vast majority of vessels were highly compliant, Hallett said. The 2025/26 cruise season is forecast to feature 40 vessels – a small drop from the previous season, he said. “Our figures are based on the currently planned number of cruise vessels visiting New Zealand for the coming season. “Those cruise vessels may have multiple port visits and may visit a port more than once in each trip.” Biofouling regulations were developed in consultation with industry. The revised standard was designed to provide greater clarity for all vessels, including cruise ships – not to introduce new barriers, he said. “Our key biofouling requirements have now been in place for several years. “Rather than biofouling regulations, the main drivers of the [cruise ship] downturn appear to be rising operational costs – including port fees and fuel – and global economic factors such as inflation and exchange rates.” Biosecurity New Zealand remains committed to safeguarding the marine environment while supporting a thriving cruise sector, he said. ■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air. Thu, 19 Jun 2025 01:12:54 Z /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-flying-cathay-pacific-to-europe/ /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-flying-cathay-pacific-to-europe/ If you’re planning a grand European holiday, Cathay Pacific has been busy spreading its wings across the continent this year. I’ve long been a fan of the award-winning Hong Kong-based carrier, who have just added Munich and Brussels to their extensive European network. Alongside these recent additions, the airline flies direct from Hong Kong to London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Manchester, Milan, Paris, Zurich, Madrid and Barcelona, with well-timed connections for New Zealand services.  Connecting Kiwis to Hong Kong and beyond for over 40 years, Cathay Pacific’s extensive year-round Auckland services will be complemented with the resumption of seasonal summer services between Christchurch and Hong Kong, from December. Blending the best of cutting-edge entertainment technology and cabin design, I’m a big fan of the Airbus A350-900 and A350-1000.   Cathay Pacific was the first carrier to bring these aircraft models to New Zealand, who proudly operate one of the youngest fleets in the world. Technologically advanced, the A350 aircraft feature a range of comfort-focused innovations which reduce noise levels and lower the effective cruising cabin altitude, which is a big boost to well-being, helping to mitigate passenger fatigue.   Cathay Pacific A350 above Hong Kong. Supplied They’re remarkably fuel-efficient too, treading softer on the environment. But it’s the whisper-quiet ambience and LED mood lighting that is particularly impressive, delivering such a calm cabin experience. Wi-Fi is available on board across all classes, so you can surf the internet, sort your emails, and stay connected on social media. The next-generation HD personal entertainment system, boasting Asia-Pacific’s most extensive entertainment library in the air, from the latest Hollywood releases and HBO Max to live satellite TV news channels including CNN and the BBC.  Premium Economy continues to prove to exceptionally popular with Kiwis flying long-haul. Cathay’s offering is an excellent mid-range option, where you’ll enjoy a generous seat recline, expanded legroom and a supported head rest. Full-length calf rests and leather-padded footrests accentuate the comfort. An award-winning selection of wines and beverages are on-hand to complement your meal.  Accompaniments include larger pillows, softer blankets, a Bamford amenity kit, welcome drinks, complimentary water bottle and an enticing array of entrees and snacks. In Premium Economy, enjoy double the checked baggage allowance – 2 pieces of up to 23kg per bag.  Cathay Pacific Premium Economy. Supplied If you’re up at the pointy end, the A350’s Business Class offering includes enhanced frills such as fully-flat beds which are three inches longer than their predecessors, plus extra stowage space within easy reach. I enjoyed ample sleep time, thanks to the indulgent comfort lying fully flat, nestled in luxurious 400-thread-count Bamford bedlinen.   My ‘bedtime pack’ featured a padded seat mattress, Bamford duvet, super plump pillow and slippers. The shell design of the Business seats accentuates the sense of space, privacy and peace.  Bamford goodies also filled the amenity bags, including face mist, eye shades, hand moisturiser, lip balm, toothbrush, paste and mouthwash.  Progressively being rolled-out on long-haul services, the new Aria Suites business class product is a major advance for Cathay. I was lucky enough to experience the new product on my return flight from London on a Boeing 777. Artfully designed, privacy is to the fore with a sleek wrap-around seat design, suite door and sliding partition. The spacious life-flat beds feature premium leather headrests and ethically sourced wool.   Aria Suite on Cathay Pacific. Credit Mike Yardley I slept like a lamb. If you’d rather stay awake, movie night in the skies is immersive, with a 24-inch 4K personal screen, with Bluetooth audio streaming. Everything is at your fingertips with enhanced touchscreen sensitivity for fast, precise navigation. You can even check which lavatories are free onscreen before leaving your seat! There’s so many thoughtful touches like wireless charging and intuitively designed storage spaces.  Cathay’s contemporary Business menu showcases bold international flavours, classic Hong Kong favourites and light, healthy options, complemented with fine wines, champagnes, premium spirits and their handcrafted pale ale, Betsy beer. I generally avoid alcohol on flights, so I’d definitely recommend their Cathay Delight mocktail - a deliciously reviving blend of kiwi fruit, coconut milk and fresh mint.  From refreshing breakfasts and sophisticated dinners to cheeky midnight snacks, you can expect around-the-clock, high-end restaurant standard dining. Cathay Pacific is currently collaborating with two Michelin-starred restaurants. Louise excels in refined and reimagined French cuisine, while Duddell’s is a renowned Michelin-rated Hong Kong venue showcasing curated homestyle dishes for flights out of Hong Kong.   Burger in the sky. Credit Mike Yardley For dinner, I feasted on the most succulent sweet and sour braised pork ribs with hawthorn sauce and green apples. Sometimes, you just need a burger! In the middle of the night, somewhere over Kazakhstan, I was feeling peckish so ordered up their classic beef burger. It was the first time I have ever tried a burger at 35,000 feet – and it was remarkably tasty. Book-ended in a brioche bun, the combination of bacon, tomato, pickled onions, cheese and zucchini, hit the spot with precision. Another highlight was the lavish full English breakfast – the best I’ve experienced in-flight.  Full English breakfast on cathay. Credit Mike Yardley With three Business Class lounges on offer at Hong Kong Airport, The Pier is Cathay Pacific’s largest airport lounge, inspired by Hong Kong’s indelible experiences. Feast on the city’s flavours and expansive home comforts at your leisure, from the delightfully elegant Teahouse to the wildly popular Noodle Bar. I also loved the deli-style Food Hall, brimming with quick bites like tapas, cheese boards, salads and fish platters. For best fares and seats to suit, head to www.cathaypacific.com/nz  Mike Yardley is 九一星空无限talk ZB’s resident traveller and can be heard every week at  11.20am on Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame.           Mon, 16 Jun 2025 02:31:46 Z /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-afloat-with-the-wonders-of-the-galapagos/ /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-afloat-with-the-wonders-of-the-galapagos/ Do the Galapagos sea lions know how good they have got it? Sprawled across the pristine beaches, they wallow, snooze, and frolic across the powder-white stretches of sand, blissfully unconcerned by curious passers-by entering their slice of paradise on a goggle-eyed shore excursion. In fact, some of the sea lions waddled up to greet us into their realm of unrivalled wonder. The Galapagos grips you good, and doesn’t let go. I’m fresh back from my maiden visit to this extraordinary group of islands with Viva Expeditions, enjoying a four-night cruise aboard the magnificent La Pinta.  Recently refreshed from tip to toe, this elegant small ship is perfectly proportioned for Galapagos cruising, with a capacity for just 48 guests and over 30 crew, delivering an ultra-attentive, personable experience. My generously sized cabin had a fresh, soothing design palette, complete with floor-to-ceiling window and superb ensuite. The daily towel art was extra-imaginative. Despite being an expedition ship, La Pinta certainly doesn’t skimp on luxury comforts, adorned with sophisticated yet relaxed decks and lounges.   Accommodation on La Pinta. Photo / Supplied The canopied sun deck fast became a favourite spot to survey the scenery over a few cocktails, complete with alfresco dining area, bar and hot tub. Watching a fireball sunset torch the skyline with a brushstroke of ethereal colours, over pre-dinner drinks, became an essential twilight spectacle. The main restaurant presented exquisitely divine dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I feasted on so many memorable dishes, carefully curated by a Le Cordon Bleu gastronomic director. But it was the ocean-fresh seafood that constantly shone, binging on Neptune’s bounty. The supersized shrimps were commonly mistaken for prawns because they were so ginormous and bursting with flavour.  My fellow table guests featured a French male model and Hollywood actor, along with a Dutch psychiatrist. Yes, it sounds like the opening line to a joke! Swiftly bonding, we got on like a house on fire. Nature’s pulling power is magnetic with young professionals. There were so many perky thirty-somethings aboard the cruise, I felt decidedly aged! Our charismatic waiter Wilson attended to our table for every meal service, underscoring La Pinta’s winning brand of personal guest service. The sparkling Ecuadorian crew were understandably fuelled with pride in sharing their rarefied pocket of the world with us. And they were unfailingly outgoing, effervescent and hospitable.  Cruising the Galapagos on La Pinta. Photo / Mike Yardley My four-night cruise began after the 90-minute flight from the Ecuadorian mainland, touching down on Baltra Island, a flat slab of rock thrust out of the ocean by geological uplift. The airport was established by the United States Air Force during WWII. The short bus ride shuttled us to the dock where we boarded one of La Pinta’s zodiacs (which are called panga in Ecuador), zipping us over to the ship. The panga rides became a fond feature of our cruise experience, because all the islands we visited entailed tendering ashore in these whip-smart zodiacs. Accentuating the experience, every shore excursion was escorted by one La Pinta’s naturalist guides, with a very small-group of guests – no bigger than 10. Sharing the experience with such a small, intimate group of fellow travellers heightened every natural encounter, immeasurably. My main guide was Alexis, who was like a male Alexa. You could ask him anything about the Galapagos and he’d deliver a commanding, enlightening answer.  My four-night cruise threaded together the eastern islands of the Galapagos archipelago, marvelling over the diverse landscapes, iridescent waters and abundant wildlife. The eastern group are the oldest islands, with the newer islands rising from the west, principally shaped by eruptions. Our first stop was South Plaza Island where the turquoise waters of the channel pop in the sunlight, contrasting dramatically with the fiery hues of the volcanic terrain. Unfurling like a magic carpet, scarlet sesuvium succulents sprawled across the lower slopes, studded with a grove of luminescent green prickly-pear cactus. It was here that I enjoyed my first rendezvous with a yellow-grey land iguana, one of the “Big 15” wildlife heroes of the Galapagos.   Their yellow colour is a result of eating so many cacti. You might even spot them rolling these prickly plants in the sand to blunt the spikes. Another South Plaza highlight was standing above the cliffs and watching the sea birds riding the thermals. Frigatebirds are a highlight here – scanning the sea for fish, swooping down to catch it in flight. The males have the most fascinating bright red throat skin sacks which inflate to form heart-shaped balloons, when courting the females.     Santa Fe Island is fawned over for its picture-perfect sandy-white beaches, heavily populated by hordes of nonchalant, cavorting sea lions. We admired the Santa Fe land iguana, another endemic species only found on this island. Fully kitted out with snorkelling equipment and wet suits by La Pinta, the sublime clarity of the water off Santa Fe was begging to be explored. The watery world revealed more majesty, with sea lions, sea turtles and dolphins frolicking amongst our group, while a vast school of tropical fish flitted about in a carnival of colour.   Blissed out seal lions. Photo / Mike Yardley  Parrot fish are prolific in these parts, and I was intrigued to learn that they are responsible for creating many of the world’s white coral sand beaches. Those powder-white sands are the result of parrot fish poop, after they have tucked into the algae or polyps that form over coral. The average parrot fish poops out 450kg of sand a year! They are the great sand-makers of the Galapagos – and elsewhere.   San Cristobal Island delivered more indelible memories, disembarking at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the island’s bustling, colourful capital. If Galapagos is a byword for tortoises for you, you’ll enjoy several intimate encounters with these graceful giants. My first such experience was at the Cerro Colorado Tortoise Habitat, a magnificent breeding centre for these endangered species. Their lush, deciduous forest is home to dozens of bird species including another island endemic, the San Cristobal mockingbird. A personal highlight here was ogling the marine iguana, unique to the Galapagos, and a poster child for Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution.   These lizards began life as landlubbers before spreading throughout the archipelago, with marine adaptations, grazing on submersed algae at low tide. Their striking charcoal-colouring blends in perfectly with the lava rock of the islands. Speaking of Darwin, San Cristobal Island is also home to the most astonishing white coral beach, Cerro Brujo. Darwin walked these sands back in 1835, agog by the enormous colony of sea lions and birdlife. Trying to pick your favourite island in the Galapagos is like being asked to pick your favourite child. But Española Island is a perennial heart-stealer because it throngs with so much wildlife and striking scenery.   The star of the show is the Galapagos Albatross that heavily populates this blessed island. It is the only species of albatross that lives in the tropics and not only is this bird endemic to the Galapagos, but it has the dual distinction of exclusively being found on this island. I gazed in awe watching these enormous birds take flight, walking to the edge of the cliff face and stoically hurling themselves at the sea below, in order to gain speed for flight. Once again, you can get right up close with these magnificent residents, who have no fear of people.  Albatross awaiting take-off on Española Island. Photo / Mike Yardley  Backdropped by a gushing lava blowhole, another thrill at Española Island was to see so many blue-footed boobies. These clownish birds, with their electric blue feet, are comical to watch on land, because their ungainly walking style is highly reminiscent of circus clowns. But in flight, they transform into precision-hunting machines, with spectacular plunge-style dives underwater, to snare a fish. We also witnessed a mating dance, whereby the male exuberantly shows off his feet to his prospective girlfriend. Apparently, the females prefer a turquoise shade of blue to a deeper blue, and the shade of blue indicates how proficient the male is at catching fish and feeding himself.  On my last night aboard La Pinta, before disembarking for more natural glories at Santa Cruz Island, I was enjoying some night-caps in the inky darkness with some new-found British friends out on the sun deck. As we gazed down at the stern of the ship, over 30 sharks were on the prowl, circling directly beneath us, as flying fish did kamikaze acrobatic manoeuvres, playfully dicing with death. They were too quick for Jaws, but this mass-presence of sharks resolutely underscored what a wild, unplugged playground for nature the Galapagos is.   There are few places left on Earth where the wildlife shows no fear of humans, allowing you to observe it from just a couple of metres away. While on board the HMS Beagle, Darwin witnessed the Galapagos in complete isolation. La Pinta artfully keeps the faith with that supreme sense of solitude. When we stepped ashore, our small group felt like we had each island only to ourselves. It was a priceless experience with the Galapagos National Park – a living laboratory of evolution and scientific discovery, where the wildlife runs free. Swarming with sharks, crawling with critters, aflutter with remarkable birdlife, surrender to the primal pull of this striking archipelago. A Galapagos cruise is not just enticing, or addictive, but transformative.  Albattross encounters on Española Island. Photo / Mike Yardley I travelled to the Galapagos with Viva Expeditions who know Ecuador and South America inside-out. Their ground partners, Metropolitan Touring, boast an incomparable portfolio of luxury Ecuadoran travel products and experiences, including La Pinta cruises in the Galapagos. With Viva Expeditions, you’ll enjoy premium, meaningful travel experiences, with a down-to-earth approach. You’ll meet local people, experience authentic food and culture and stay in distinctive accommodation. Viva’s 24/7 on-the-ground local support and expertise ensures you’ll be safe and secure. Explore Ecuador and beyond with New Zealand’s proven experts in travel to South America. vivaexpeditions.com  Jet your way to Ecuador with LATAM. Latin America’s leading airline group connects Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru with the world, including direct flights from Auckland to Santiago, with onward connections to Quito. latam.com  Explore the world with the trusted name in travel insurance, Cover-More Travel Insurance, which has you covered with added safeguards, over and above the typical travel cover, for the likes of medical treatment. In addition to single-trip cover, multi-trip annual cover is another great option, wherever you want to go. Check out the full range of protections and tailor the level of cover to your requirements. Cover-More’s 24 hour global assistance centre is just a phone call away. covermore.co.nz   Mike Yardley is 九一星空无限talk ZB’s resident traveller and can be heard every week at 11.20am on Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame.  Fri, 13 Jun 2025 21:35:54 Z /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-forest-magic-at-mashpi-lodge-ecuador/ /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-forest-magic-at-mashpi-lodge-ecuador/ Nestled on the western flank of the Andes, three hours northwest of Quito, I was swathed in the finery of the Chocó rainforest. Mashpi Lodge is an eco-tourism jewel, a five-star oasis within the wider Mashpi Reserve that serves up a resplendent rainforest encounter with the mighty Chocó. Truth be told, because the reserve traverses a wide altitude range, from 550 metres to 1400m, there’s the rainforest and the cloud forest. There’s a high level of endemism here, by the separation through the Andes. The forests on the western side of the Andes evolved entirely differently to the Amazon rainforest on the eastern side. To really make my head spin, geological history testifies that prior to the seismic uplift of the Andes, this was all one sprawling forest.  All senses engaged and stimulated, it’s the liberating and blissed-out sense of isolation that encircles you on arrival at Mashpi. And you’ll be warmly swept up by the sparkling hospitality laid on by the highly personable, outgoing and convivial lodge staff, throughout your stay. Gazing dreamily into the thickly textured forest greens, I felt a world away from civilisation. I was visiting this superlative eco-lodge and reserve as part of a fortnight-long foray to Ecuador with New Zealand’s trusty South American specialists, Viva Expeditions. And Mashpi Lodge is a showstopper. First up: location, location, location. Beyond the long, sinuous sprawl of Quito, the mountains rise up to meet you, as you pass through a swag of colourful hillside towns and sleepy villages on winding, undulating roads, pressing deeper into the forest’s embrace.   Running along the entire Colombian Pacific coast, from southwest Panama to northwest Ecuador, the Chocó rainforest region is characterised by extremely high precipitation and extraordinary species diversity. It’s like a tropical Fiordland, where the rainfall is measured in metres. Three metres is the average annual count. In a region wracked by deforestation, this pocket of the Ecuadorian Chocó is a rebounding treasure; former Quito Mayor Roque Sevilla purchased this 1200-hectare tract nearly 25 years ago to safeguard it in perpetuity. More than 90% of West Ecuador’s forests were deforested between 1938 and 1988 Today, Mashpi Reserve spans 3,000 hectares, with plenty of community buy-in that continues to expand its borders.  900 metres high, cocooned in the cloud forest, the head-turning, modernist lodge with supersized, panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows was built on the site of a former sawmill. And not a single tree was felled to construct this 23-room masterpiece.  Much of it was pre-assembled in Quito, to minimise the environmental impact of construction. Awakening to an unobstructed forest vista, in my spacious, stylish suite, veils of mist ethereally danced through the canopy at daybreak, as unfamiliar birdsong pierced the silence. The lavish use of glass ingeniously ensures the lodge is not in competition with nature’s finery – it provides a window on the wonders of such lush foliage.   Mashpi Lodge in the forest. Photo / Mashpi Lodge It soon becomes vividly self-explanatory why Mashpi is such a mecca for twitchers, because it’s ranked as one of the world’s top 10 bio-diversity hotspots by WWF. A quarter of all of Ecuador’s avian species are found here. 400 species have been documented at Mashpi, including 35 species endemic to the Chocó region. So many birds, so little time. So what are some of the big hitters? I was all aflutter with the hummingbirds, because Mashpi boasts a staggering 32 species of these remarkable little birds that seemingly hover like levitating monks.   A runaway highlight was visiting the hummingbird garden with my expedition guide Paolo, where within minutes of refilling the feeders, the air was ablaze with these feathered friends. I marvelled over so many species Purple Coronet, Empress Brilliant, Purple-throated Woodstar and the Booted Racket-Tail. As its name suggests, this bird’s tail resembles two squash rackets. Hummingbirds are engrossing to watch up-close, seemingly unperturbed by your presence as they do their mesmerising dance, while filling up from the feeders. Their wings do emit a humming noise, as if they are motorised – and they’re the only bird that can fly backwards.   The booted racket-tail hummingbird. Photo / Supplied String birds and South America into the same sentence and it’s the Toucan that springs to mind for me. I adore them – and Mashpi heaves with these cartoonish looking birds with those enormous cylindrical beaks, including the Chocó Toucan (all yellow and black) and the Pale Mandibled Aracari Toucan. Another thrill was to intimately observe the Collared Trogon, with its fire-engine red belly and vivid green upper body. The Squirrel Cuckoo and the Woodpeckers are equally delightful birds to add to your bingo card. Yes, twitching can become effortlessly addictive, before you even know it!   Paolo and the expedition team led me and a lovely couple from Geelong to Mashpi’s Life Center, which is an abundant breeding centre for butterfly species – to enhance scientific research. It also serves as a stirring butterfly farm for close communion with these critters. Butterflies serve as a great barometer on the state of the forest and whether it’s a healthy ecosystem. Mashpi is home to almost 800 species, including the truly remarkable Giant Owl-eye butterflies. When two of these darlings perch together, their wings form the face of an owl, duly scaring off predators. It’s like nature’s trusty version of the Evil Eye!  Two giant owl-eye butterflies. Photo / Mike Yardley For a complete change of scenery, take a night walk with the expedition team to sample nocturnal life in the forest. We spotted vine snakes slithering in the trees – from a safe distance. One of the most wondrous spectacles was the fox fire, an Avatar-like luminous fungus. James Cameron couldn’t improve on that. By day, you’ll swoon over the plethora of orchids and bromeliads, as you stroll the forest trails. Given the propensity for rain, the lodge will happily kit you out in wet weather gear – and gumboots, if and when required.   Mashpi Lodge offers a myriad array of expeditions and activities from full-day guided hikes and waterfall swims, to their Dragonfly open-air gondola and positively riveting Sky Bike. The latter is similar to a zip line strung across the forest canopy, but the novel point of difference is you pedal your way across the skyline, with a gorge 200-feet below you, with a river flowing between the rocks and dense forest. This ingenious activity is designed for two people to use at once, with the back-seat rider doing the pedalling. It’s a 200 metre-long traverse on that high-wire cable and my legs certainly got a solid workout, steaking across the cloud forest. Thankfully, there were no close encounters with vine snakes. The views are celestial.  Mashpi Lodge Sky Bike. Photo / Mashpi Lodge Every evening, Mashpi’s naturalist guides and resident biologists conduct group talks, sharing even more wonders about this rarefied pocket of the world. You’ll learn about ongoing research projects, conservation initiatives and the natural history of the region. Their passion and dedication is palpable and infectious. You certainly won’t skimp on indulgences at the lodge, with a comprehensive wellness centre, should you wish to treat yourself to some serious spa pampering.   The bar and restaurant is another radiant feature, with exemplary mixology and top-notch cuisine, served within the two-storey dining room, slathered in glass. Exemplifying the personable nature of Mashpi, whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner, you’ll be attended to by the same waiter for every dining occasion. My charismatic waiter, Jorje, was a delight to get to know over the most divinely executed Ecuadorian dishes, that spanned delectable Ceviche, Mountain Stew with those gorgeous miniature Andrean potatoes, Chicken Tamales and Chia Spaghetti. Lodge menus celebrate the best of both worlds —surf and turf— wedged between the coast and the towering Andes.  Mashpi Lodge restaurant. Photo / Mashpi Lodge Mashpi Lodge is the complete package, encompassing luxurious accommodations, splendid dining, and tailored nature experiences to suit your preferences. But beyond being enrobed by the unplugged glories of nature, what really shines through is the exceptional level of warm and gracious hospitality that soon makes you feel at home and part of the family in this extraordinary natural sanctuary. Within minutes of arriving, one of the chirpy staff members Alexin shot a drone video of me, gazing out across the vast cloud forest from the observation deck.   He swiftly sent it to me, so I could impress my family on the grandeur, serenity and sheer scale of Mashpi Reserve. He does that for every guest and it’s those sorts of thoughtful, innovative touches that makes such a deep impression. Nature is the greatest balm to sooth your soul and exalt your spirits. Mashpi Lodge swirls with enchantment. It’s an irresistible Ecuadorian experience to thread into your adventures when visiting this most seductive of destinations.  Mike surveys the setting at Mashpi Lodge. Photo / Mike Yardley Viva Expeditions knows South America inside-out. They offer premium, meaningful travel experiences, with a down-to-earth approach. You’ll meet local people, experience authentic food and culture and stay in local, boutique accommodation. Viva’s 24/7 on-the-ground local support and expertise ensures you’ll be safe and secure. Explore Ecuador and beyond with New Zealand’s proven experts in travel to South America. www.vivaexpeditions.com   Jet your way to Ecuador with LATAM. Latin America’s leading airline group connects Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru with the world, including direct flights from Auckland to Santiago, with onward connections to Quito. www.latam.com  Mike Yardley is 九一星空无限talk ZB’s resident traveller and can be heard every week at 11.20am on Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame. Sat, 07 Jun 2025 01:10:56 Z /lifestyle/travel/kiwi-mum-s-warning-after-son-s-finger-sliced-on-flight-from-auckland-to-singapore/ /lifestyle/travel/kiwi-mum-s-warning-after-son-s-finger-sliced-on-flight-from-auckland-to-singapore/ WARNING: This story contains graphic images A Kiwi mum is warning parents to stay vigilant when flying after her son’s index finger was severely cut during a flight from Auckland to Singapore. The Auckland-based family were two hours into a 10-hour Singapore Airlines flight from Auckland to Singapore’s Changi Airport on May 1, when they heard their 18-month-old son scream in pain. “I turned around and was like, ‘What’s happening? I don’t even know what’s going on’,” the mum, who asked not to be named, told the Herald. The family were seated in a bassinet row where tray tables are located in the armrest and fold out. Unbeknownst to the mother of two, her 5-year-old son had accidentally shut his infant brother’s index finger in the pop-up tray table mechanism. “My oldest was getting his tray table out, and my youngest was walking around and stuck his finger in the hole where the tray table comes out,” the mother explained. “I couldn’t get his finger out. And then finally realised that I had to lift up the flat part to get it back into the hole and got it.” Once she released the finger, she saw it had not only been crushed, but there was “a massive cut through the tip of his finger”. The finger when cleaned at the doctor's. Their son immediately began to scream and flight attendants came to assist, however, the mother claims one of the flight attendants poured a packet of sugar on the injury to “stop the bleeding”. She claims another flight attendant then bandaged up her son’s entire hand, and eventually they were able to settle him for a short sleep before he woke, bleeding and distressed, and another passenger offered help. “I think the adrenaline wore off – he just woke up, and he’s screaming because he was in pain. Then we realised there’s a man behind us who was travelling with his daughter, and he gave us some Pamol and then he calmed down a bit.” A bandage was placed on the toddler's hand by airline staff. The family claim the airline eventually also offered pain relief and suggested they could page a doctor if the bleeding went through the bandage. The mother says the family were not only trying to make their son feel better, but also were conscious of the experience for other passengers and felt “embarrassed”. “I’m wanting my son to be okay and comfortable and not in pain. But ... also, you’re super conscious that you’re keeping up the entire flight.” When their flight landed in Singapore, the boys’ mum claims the crew promised an airport buggy would be waiting to transport them to the medical clinic, after they were held back to fill out some paperwork on the plane. But she says when they finally got off, there was no buggy or staff, despite repeated promises. “No one knew what we were talking about. There was no one there for us,” the mother tells the Herald. She says eventually they found a member of ground staff who helped them find a medical clinic so their son could be seen. “We had to rush through the airport, basically because we’d wasted more time, and we had to get our next flight and back from the clinic.” The family were on the first leg of their journey from Auckland to London, where they were travelling for a family wedding. They were seen by a doctor who glued and bandaged the finger, at a cost of $400, before racing to their flight. The family were eventually seen by a doctor, who glued and bandaged the 1-year-old's finger. Back home a month later, the mother says her son is still recovering from the injury, but is doing well. “He’ll have a scar on the tip of the finger, his nail has come off, but that will grow back, I think. I don’t know if he will have feeling in that fingertip – I don’t know if it’s nerve damage.” Having also had time to process what occurred on the flight, the mother says she is speaking out to serve as a warning, hoping to prevent it happening to another family. “My main message is just if you’re in the situation, make sure you watch your kids when they’re putting out the tray tables, make sure there’s no little hands around.” She also believes airlines have their part to play in keeping tamariki safe too. “Urge parents to keep their kids’ fingers and toes away. They need to do that before the flight takes off, or even just have a sticker or a sign in that area to watch out,” she added. On the family’s flight home with Air New Zealand, she says crew gave a PA announcement before meal services about keeping children’s fingers clear of tray tables She claims she did not hear a warning on the Singapore Airlines flight. Singapore Airlines does not have specific warnings on board around tray tables. In response to the Herald’s inquiries about the incident and the mother’s claims, Singapore Airlines said it “sincerely apologises” to the family. “Our cabin crew immediately administered first aid to the passenger after they were alerted to the incident, and checked on him and his family regularly during the flight. “We are in contact with the family to provide the necessary assistance, and wish the affected passenger a speedy recovery.” The airline added that “the safety and well-being of our customers and crew is our utmost priority.” Jenni Mortimer is the NZ Herald‘s chief lifestyle and entertainment reporter. Jenni started at the Herald in 2017 and has previously worked as lifestyle, entertainment and travel editor. Wed, 04 Jun 2025 03:51:31 Z /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-nature-s-embrace-in-arrowtown-gibbston/ /lifestyle/travel/mike-yardley-nature-s-embrace-in-arrowtown-gibbston/ As Arrowtown glowed in its golden, fiery blaze of autumnal hues, it was a thrill to be back in this treasure-chest township, cradled by nature’s splendour. It’s one of my all-time favourite holiday playgrounds and I was eager for a fresh dip from its glorious offerings. My first stop was The Dishery for a spot of lunch. Expect bistro dining at its best, where locally sourced ethical fresh food underpins its alluring menu. Ever since the goldrush era of the 19th century, the Dudley’s Cottage Precinct where The Dishery is located, has been a social hub. Adjoining the historic Chinese Settlement, this where goldminers would converge to exchange their gold for basic human comforts. The Dishery takes its name from those heady days. Back then, the pan you worked the goldfields with was also the dish you ate your food from. I adored their linguine with confit Remarkable mushrooms, chilli, and parmesan.   Delightful dishes at The Dishery. Photo / QueenstownNZ Suitably fuelled, I headed next door to the rental-cycle powerhouse of Better by Bike. Mat Hirst has been at the handlebars of this family business since the Queenstown Trails Trust was established 23 years ago. This charitable organisation has helped transform the region’s outdoorsy pursuits, guiding the development of over 200km of recreational trails throughout the Whakatipu Basin. At last count, over 300,000 users hit these trails every year. Whether you’re a seasoned pro on two wheels, or just an occasional recreational enthusiast like myself, the blaze of trails is ever-expanding. Last year, the Wharehuanui Trail was opened (close to Arrowtown), while just a few weeks ago, the stunning Shotover Gorge Trail joined the mix, lacing up the northern edge of the Whakatipu basin with the wider network.  One of the starring attractions of the Shotover Gorge Trail is the 108 metre-long Hugo Tunnel, named in honour of the Hugo Charitable Trust that funded its restoration. Over a century ago, this tunnel was constructed to divert the river for gold mining. Sixty years ago, the historic tunnel at Big Beach was abandoned as unfit for purpose. But now it’s been repurposed as quite the frisson for walkers and cyclists, as is the construction of the iconic Kimi-ākau Bridge, strung across the Shotover Gorge as jet boats thunder beneath you.   Shotover Gorge Trail. Photo / Arrowtown Meanwhile, a mega-project that is on track to be completed by summer is the 32km Kawarau Gorge Trail, which will link the Gibbston Valley with Bannockburn, connecting up with the Lake Dunstan Trail. Mark that in your diary! From Arrowtown, some cracking rides include the Gibbston River Trail. Following on from the Arrow River Bridges Trail, this beautifully scenic trail passes by the historic Kawarau Suspension Bridge and AJ Hackett Kawarau Bungy Centre, leading into the vine-wreathed slopes of Gibbston’s wine country. Kitted out by Better by Bike with a trusty e-bike, helmet and water bottle, I hit the pedals on the Ayrburn Loop Trail, tootling through Millbrook before joining the Lakes Hayes trail.   A vision of gold in autumn, the 8km loop trail around Lake Hayes offers soulful mountain and lake vistas, historic cottages (look out for the schist cottage featured in the Mainland cheese ad) and intimate snatches of some of the swanky new builds. The trail is narrow in sections with steep drop offs down to the lake, but the e-bike handled it beautifully. Over the past five years, a mammoth community-led project has been steadily revitalising the health of Lake Hayes. Restoration work has included creating a 2.8ha wetland at the northern end, riparian planting and predator control.  Glorious Lake Hayes. Photo / Supplied  On the return run to Arrowtown, I popped into the region’s hottest new playground for foodies. Ayrburn is the Chris Meehan-developed family-friendly precinct that opened 18 months ago and has cultivated a red-hot following for its glittering array of wining and dining venues, all set within a reimagined historic farm estate. It’s like a wow-factor rustic resort for epicureans. For 160 years, this was a working sheep, wheat and dairy farm, but the estate has been radiantly and thoughtfully transformed into a multi-venue culinary and events destination, while honouring its past. Enjoy a wine tasting in the Manure Room where prohibition saw tipplers evade authorities and marvel over the shining bronze statues of Ayrburn’s founding owner, William Paterson’s prized Clydesdale and ram.   The manicured landscapes and trove of repurposed heritage buildings instantly stir the senses. Bring the kids, there’s plenty of room to play – and the playground installations are superb, including a giant trout and duck you can wiggle through and slide down. There’s an unmistakeable old-world charm to Ayrburn and every meticulously restored venue exudes its own distinctive vibe. The showpiece venue would have to be the Woolshed, where the heritage elements from the original shearing shed structure have been fused with contemporary art, stone finishes and a spell-binding alfresco dining setting. I loved the Manure Room which serves as a discerning cellar door for Ayrburn Wines.   The Manure Room at Ayrburn. Photo / QueenstownNZ Ayrburn’s winemakers source grapes from every pocket of Central Otago —Bendigo, Gibbston, Bannockburn— in order to craft a truly exceptional drop, and Manure Room is the only place you can find them. Ayrburn’s central social lawn and stage, The Dell, is another superb space, which is increasingly turning heads with its outdoor concerts and events. Eight venues are now open, including the insatiably popular Bakehouse and Dairy, with more alluring venues in the works.   Back in Arrowtown, as the setting sun slumped behind the mountains, I took a leisurely stroll along the beating heart of Buckingham St. One of the great goldrush legacies is Arrowtown’s expansive collection of colonial stone and timber cottages, fairytale churches and tree-lined avenues. History hounds? Stop by the Lakes District Museum which presents some fascinating displays on Arrowtown’s rich, pioneering history. The museum’s cluster of gorgeous old properties now includes the original BNZ building, which has been lustily restored to its former glory.  Right across the road, I pulled up a seat at The Postmasters Kitchen + Bar. Sam Layock and his family have operated this sublime restaurant for 12 years and it’s an evocative spot for dinner. The all-embracing menu will satisfy all tastes, but after much dithering over the temptations, I settled on the Gnocchi with Napoli sauce, semi-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, parsley and ricotta. Magnifico. Stretch out some stomach space for a sweet ending. The rich and moist Sticky Date pudding with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream is irresistible.   If you’re a Pinot Noir devotee like me, Gibbston Valley has a siren-like pull. Home to some of the most awarded Pinot Noir winemakers and wineries on the planet, this small but bountiful valley punches well above its weight on the global scale. Accentuate the seduction by booking a luxury stay at Mt. Rosa Lodge. Introducing Michelle and Stuart, who are the most exceptional, convivial and welcoming hosts. They will treat you royally in their celestial pocket of Gibbston wonder, perched on the higher slopes of the valley.   Mt Rosa Lodge in the Gibbston Valley. Photo / Supplied Welcome to viewissimo! Mt Rosa Lodge is set on their private vineyard, with just three luxuriously appointed suites, each with its own distinct personality and colour palette. They’re loaded with creature comforts – the underfloor heating is a godsend on a crisp and crackling morning! The generously sized suites, feature private en-suites, private terraces, top-quality linens and premium bathroom amenities for added indulgence. Inspired by the character of top-end chalets and guesthouses, the accommodation experience extends to the gorgeous, art-filled guest lounge area, where Michelle and Stuart will treat you to their wines and a lavish breakfast (Michelle’s sour dough is exceptional).  Be sure to partake in a vineyard stroll with Stuart. Their wine, La Bella Rosa, is crafted exclusively from the Pinot Noir grapes cultivated at the Mt Rosa Lodge vineyard, making its debut in 2008. specifically clone 777. La Bella Rosa is meticulously produced on a small scale, yielding just 4-5 barrels annually, with the founder of Gibbston Valley Wines, Alan Brady overseeing the creation of their wine, while Brian Shaw is their esteemed winemaker.   For more discerning sampling and swilling, book an appointment with the neighbouring Coxs’ Vineyard, which is a second generation, family-run vineyard in Gibbston, established by Doug Cox. His son Simon is now at the helm, producing single vineyard wines and his elegant Pinot Noir has perfumed aromas and subtle spice. This bespoke and tranquil lodge experience is wreathed in the authentic warmth of homely hospitality, where you soon feel like a treasured house guest, rather than a passing visitor. You’d struggle to find a better boutique retreat experience, in such a remarkable setting – the Valley of the Vines.   Nestled at an elevation of 482 metres, you will never tire of the sense of space, the sweeping bucolic vistas across the undulations of the valley and gazing at the high peaks of the surrounding ranges. Then there are the starry starry nights. Gibbston Valley is part of the Kawarau Gibbston Dark Sky Park. Its remote location and minimal light pollution are pitch-perfect for gazing at the constellations. Mt Rosa Lodge offers exceptional astronomy packages led by local astronomer, Professor Brian Boyle. With a distinguished career spanning over 35 years, Brian directed Australia's two largest professional observatories and was a key member of the team responsible for the groundbreaking discovery of Dark Energy. Taking a journey through the cosmos above Gibbston with Brian is just another drawcard to Mt Rosa Lodge. www.mtrosalodge.co.nz The night sky over Mt Rosa Lodge. Photo / Supplied Mike Yardley is 九一星空无限talk ZB’s resident traveller and can be heard every week at 11.20am on Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame.  Sat, 31 May 2025 01:47:06 Z