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Storming out of their hometown of Auckland, The Rabble are exploding out of New Zealand and into the hearts of punks worldwide. Harnessing the advantages of both experience and youth, this powerful and passionate band have been a band for over seven years but they’re still only just out of their teenage years and are truly unstoppable. One listen to the gravelly vocals and infectious soulful punk anthems on their 16-track second album ‘The Battle’s Almost Over’ and you’ll be hooked.
Formed in 2001 by brothers Chazz and Rupe at the young ages of 14 and 15 respectively, the first six years saw them honing their gritty yet catchy sound and seeing several bassists come and go, before settling on recent addition Jamie Douglass. Their DIY ethos has seen them independently release debut album ‘No Clue, No Future’, the ‘This Is Our Lives’ EP and the mighty sophomore full-length ‘The Battle’s Almost Over’. Relentlessly touring all over New Zealand, the UK and Europe over the last few years alongside Agnostic Front, The Unseen and The Living End, to name just a few, they’re also no strangers to festival stages, playing to over 1500 people at Auckland’s Big Day Out and, more recently, to a crowd of over 2000 on the main stage at the Blackpool Rebellion Festival. Having given away a compilation of their best songs, titled ‘New Generation’, with issue 102 of Big Cheese Magazine, their huge accompanying UK headline tour of the same name has recently won them many more fans up and down the country and spread the fire of The Rabble burning bright into the Northern hemisphere. So what inspired their several month-long mission to the other side of the globe at this time?
“We decided we were strong enough to take our music to the world now after all these years, starting with the UK and Europe. We have a new generation of punk rock music at hand. The UK deserves another round of real, honest and soulful music and we want to kick off that march!” vocalist/drummer Rupe confidently declares.
It’s surely fate that The Rabble charge into England, as they meld the sounds of ’77 legends The Clash with more recent American heroes Rancid, while adding inspired flavours of hardcore (‘This World Is Dead’), rock n’ roll (‘Seeking’), rockabilly (‘Devil’s Highway’), Celtic sounds (‘The Battle’) and an irrepressible spirit all of their own. The album has spawned three hit singles in New Zealand to date, with the fourth single ‘The Battle’ set to hit radio and TV in time for the re-release of ‘The Battle’s Almost Over’, and, having conquered their homeland, they’ve now set their sights on the rest of the world. ‘The Battle’s Almost Over’ was again recorded by vocalist/guitarist Chazz in his own Number 8 Wire Recording Studio and mixed by Jim Siegel (Dropkick Murphys) in Boston, their latest record was a suitably international affair. The ambitious rabble-rousers even secured guest vocals by their new friend Mark Unseen, frontman of Boston hardcore-infused punks The Unseen (who they have shared stages with), on the raging ‘This World Is Dead’!
“Chazz and I have been big fans for a lot of years,” Rupe explains. “We really got on with Mark and kept in touch over the internet and eventually thought why not ask him to sing guest vocals on a track we had coming up that was fast and hardcore?” Laying down his part in the US, Mark was flown over by The Rabble to appear in the video for the song too. “The whole experience was mind-blowing and we’ve made a lifelong friend!”
On ‘The Battle’s Almost Over’ the three-piece have a clear message. “The theme for the record is generally that freedom’s battle is almost over, but the war is just beginning,” declares Rupe. The album is full of songs stressing positivity through perserverance and hope through struggle. “We have a soulful message that doesn’t only concentrate on hatred. I think the world needs that. We don’t ignore the negative, we embrace it and turn it around! We wanted to make an album that makes people take notice of their surroundings and help The Rabble put punk rock back on the map!”
The Rabble are doing just that, stamping their mark from country to country. With a deep belief in their songs and a dedication and determination to relentlessly tour and spread their music and message, it’s no wonder that Rupe confirms, “the sky’s the fuckin’ limit!”
“The Rabble is my life, The Rabble is my hope, mine and my brother’s creation that is as beautiful as a red rose and as stand out as a black sheep in a field of white.”
Battling on and winning fans and friends worldwide, the war may be just beginning but The Rabble’s awesome arsenal will see their punk rock army grow and grow. Raise your voice and rise up.
‘The Battle’s Almost Over’ is available now on Crusade Records.
www.therabble.net
www.crusade.com.au
If you are an eager, fairly adventurous traveler then Australia and New Zealand are probably destinations that have been swimming in some subdirectory of your travel ambitions.Down under has lots of appeal. It’s English speaking, exotic, remote, filled with crazy looking plants and animals. Many Australians combine the best character qualities from around the globe: hardiness, humor and cordiality. Aussies are justifiably famous for outgoing character, and New Zealanders follow suit in their slightly more reserved manner. The Australians are masters of a vast, isolated, largely desert continent and their outlook shows independence of spirit and loads of aptitude. When the vast interior of your country is an inhospitable outback, then your ring of vibrant coastal cities are treated like causes for celebration, and for visitors this feeling is infectious.Like America, the Australian national history is short (and rowdy). Perhaps for this reason the Australians, like many Americans, are a people ready to welcome strangers with an open hand and broad smile, no questions asked. They like to play around with their own lively disposition and vernacular (Australian slang dictionary). One afternoon down under amongst friendly, helpful, vigorous Australians is usually enough to charm any visitor.The Kiwis (New Zealanders) typically have a slightly more gentrified, English disposition than the maverick Australians. The New Zealand outlook perhaps reflects that they are the smaller cousin in the Australian-New Zealand sphere of influence, and that they have more to show and more to lose than the desert-baked, walkabout Australians. Unlike the arid vastness of Australia, the Kiwis enjoy two main islands of incredible lushness that combine much of the topographical grandeur of Europe with the stunning, tropical features of the south Pacific islands.The natural abundance of New Zealand can stop you cold: tropical beaches, rain forests, boiling hot springs, towering Alps and blocked, English-like farmland. From half a world away it is easy to generalize the differences between New Zealand and Australia, but they are essentially different transplanted peoples making their home in similar geographic area. Australia is the land of the kangaroo, a hardy, indigenous animal that can survive traveling over deserts using the most energy conservative locomotive method known to any species on earth. By contrast, New Zealand is the land of the sheep, reliant on lots of water and grass, and transplanted wholly from the mother country (in New Zealand sheep outnumber people). Australia seems resolved with itself and its indigenous aboriginal peoples, where New Zealand seems to be looking over its shoulder back at England (and modern New Zealand has a somewhat awkward relationship with its native Maori peoples).What finally made me visit Australia and New Zealand was the record summer heat in Europe during 2003. I had two precious weeks to use in August, but where would I go? Based on the news of heat-related deaths in Europe the southern hemisphere looked like a great solution (it is winter there when it is summer in the northern hemisphere).European ski enthusiasts have long known the trick of turning summer into winter by training in the ski slopes of Queenstown, New Zealand. Reversing the seasons is not a motive calculated into many recreational travel plans, but it should be. What you are looking for, after all, is the chance to get away, change the scenery, to see something new. There can be no more profound change than traveling to the other side of the earth while reversing your seasons. On top of this, you find a new world of plants and animals. School kids know about wallabies and echidnas, but those animals are just the headliners. Imagine a world where green and red parrots fly around in pairs and land in a tree above you. Imagine being awakened in the morning by a bird that sounds like a bell, or another that makes a complicated, resonant call like a concerto played on a whistle flute (birds down under page).In short, it’s completely different, yet comfortably similar to visit Australia and New Zealand.The people are different (but familiar).The food is different (but familiar). Local chefs train in Europe but insist on returning to open their own restaurants in their own home towns.A burgeoning wine industry provides a glorious, sassy collection for you to sample at a fraction of the price of these same labels offered by New York?s biggest liquor importers.
Flights :
There are many agents online you can choose from to get cheap flights to sydney
Australian travel choices:
What to see in Australia? This is a tough call because you might have a secret hankering to visit the outback or the more remote regions, whereas my focus was to skip through for a sense of Australia and then spend serious time in New Zealand.Sydney is pretty much a requirement on any list of Australia destinations. Many guide books will favor a list of Australian destinations including: Newcastle, Byron Bay, Fraser Island, world-class diving round the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns, Darwin, Alice Springs, Marlborough and Hobart (in Tasmania). But this list is a ridiculous simplification. You have an entire continent to consider, a task only made slightly easier by the fact that most of the good stuff is clustered at the edges. A bonobo with a handful of darts and a map will have as good a chance as you of picking great stops in Australia unless you task yourself to read up. In the absence of a Michelin Green Guide, I find that a good overview resource is to read some of the “been there” reviews posted on epinions. Granted, this is not the most refined resource, because anybody can post just about anything, but most of the readers are conscientious and after reading a few you will see the same names start to pop up and soon you will see a pattern emerge. With the pattern established, take a look at some of the “best of” lists published by the commercial guides (Frommers has “best of” lists in a load of different catagories, hotels, restaurants, museums, beaches – here’s best Australian experiences with links to other lists at the left margin.)
New Zealand travel choices:
Good destinations in New Zealand can be a harder call than Australia because the good stuff isn’t as neatly collected at the coasts or near the cities.True, New Zealand cities have a remarkable spectrum of different personalities.Auckland has the feel of a clean, modern international shipping hub with bridges and waterways and ocean liners always in view.Wellington also has a maritime flavor, but it is terraced and secluded with a protected, regional feel.Christchurch is like a prim, flat, English shire town with a lazy, two-foot-deep river meandering through the center.Dunedin has a dyed-in the-wool Scottish influence while Queenstown is an extreme sport, party town full of action and youth.To approach a trip to New Zealand you first need to assimilate the different offerings of the north and south islands. In my view most guidebooks do a poor job of helping the traveler evaluate the relative travel value of the two islands. It’s as if there is such a surfeit of great things to do that the books are doing their best to pack it all in and lose their power to discriminate between choices.You can visit both islands, but plan on air transport if your trip is any shorter than three weeks, because the distances are considerable. It’s hard to counsel in favor of visiting just one island. The north island has plenty to see, and it has Auckland, the international departure point, but the southern island has the most vibrant scenic beauty (the Lord of the Rings movies were filmed on the southern island of New Zealand). If you want to visit the southern island alone you have to figure out your return flights to Newzealand, which almost certainly will require a change in Auckland, or a return to Australia before you can connect to a US flight.The north island is warmer throughout the year and is influenced more by beaches of all kinds rocky shores, black sand, white sand as well as geothermal hot springs.The south island is considerably cooler in temperature year round (Christchurch is sufficiently southern that it is where the US Antarctica programs stage their supply and transport connections with the rest of the world). The north and east coasts of the southern island of New Zealand also boast beautiful beaches, but the prominent geographic feature is the Alps that run in a spine up the mountains. (Queenstown, the sports capital of the southern island, is pictured at right.) Unlike the northern island, the southern island has glaciers and alpine vistas and numerous ski resorts. At the far, southwestern reaches of the northern island you have Fiordland, with Norwegian-class peaks rising like a wall out of the water to heights as much as a mile.
New Zealand wines have gained increasing popularity over the last ten to twelve years. Its pure landscape and well-developed agricultural economy have facilitated grape-growers and wine-makers to protect the quality of their wine production and produce some of the best wines globally.
New Zealand has eight main growing regions, namely Auckland, Canterbury, Central Otago, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Marlborough, Nelson, and Wairarapa, each demonstrating a great diversity in climate and terrain. This special mix of soil, climate and water, but also the commitment to quality can deliver to your table one of the most intense wine-drinking experiences.
New Zealand wines have gained international acclaim. New Zealand Cabernet Sauvignon and New Zealand Merlot are two varieties that contribute to the further positioning of New Zealand as a global player of world-class wines on the international wine map. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is globally acclaimed as the definitive benchmark style for this variety. New Zealand Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling are globally acknowledged for their excellent varieties.
> New Zealand Cabernet Sauvignon
New Zealand Cabernet Sauvignon is a top-notch quality wine, particularly in the warmer Northern wine regions. Hawkes Bay and Auckland with their warm gravel soils produce one of the best Cabernet Sauvignon qualities globally. Deeply flavored, powerfully structured and long aged, New Zealand Cabernet Sauvignon is an elegant, richly mellow wine for drinking at three to five years.
> New Zealand Merlot
New Zealand has an enormous potential for Merlot. During the lengthy ripening season in the cool climate, Merlot develops its flavors and concentrates its aromas. In the past, Merlot was produced as a blending variety with Cabernet Sauvignon because it has the ability to soften the hard tannins of Cabernet. Over time, Merlot has developed into a premium variety of enticing richness, producing soft, velvety wines with plum flavors. In majority, New Zealand Merlot is grown in Hawkes Bay, Gisborne and Marlborough.
> New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc introduced New Zealand as a global player on the international wine map. Being globally acclaimed as the definitive benchmark style for this variety, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is full of delicate passion fruit aromas, seductive gooseberries aromas, surprising lime scents or crispy green asparagus spears. Mostly grown in Marlborough region, New Zealand Sauvignons display an entirely new wine style evoking the spicy flavors of New Zealand style.
> New Zealand Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is the next big New Zealand wine style to gain popularity on the international stage because of its excellent quality. Mostly grown in Wairarapa, Central Otago and Canterbury, Pinot Noir yields a deep-colored variety with a velvety soft, yet strong taste. The fruity flavors of Pinot Noir evoke the aromas of cherries, sweet strawberries, raspberries, or plums.
> New Zealand Chardonnay
New Zealand Chardonnay is a highly diversified wine comprising countless of varieties, capable of appealing to a wide range of tastes. Its complex, fruit-laden nature has driven it into a premium variety that distinctively performs on the worldwide stage. Fully bodied and fruity flavored, New Zealand Chardonnays may evoke the aromas of crispy apples and lemons or the flavors of peaches and apricots of very ripe grapes. Grown in the warmer regions of Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Nelson and Marlborough, New Zealand Chardonnays are easy to drink, although quite acidy.
> New Zealand Aromatic Grape Varieties
New Zealand has an ideal climate for the making of aromatic wines. New Zealand Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris are unique examples of world-class aromatic varieties that become increasingly popular worldwide.
New Zealand Rieslings are produced in a wide variety of styles, from bone dry, to late harvest style sweet wines, covering all tastes. They have a citrus flavor, rather acidy, but they naturally evoke the smell of honeysuckle when mature.
New Zealand Gewürztraminer has an exciting, intense character evoking the aromas of cinnamon, cloves and ginger, leaving a spicy taste in the mouth. Gewürztraminer is mostly grown in Gisborne.
New Zealand Pinot Gris is actually an exceptional Chardonnay substitute. Offering the earthy flavors of apple and pear, Pinot Gris can be a great alternative to the premium profile dry whites. Grown mostly in Hawkes Bay, Marlborough and Central Otago, Pinot Gris is expected to be one of the next big shots of New Zealand’s wine makers.
New Zealand is an island country located in the Pacific Ocean in the Southern Hemisphere consisting of the main islands The North Island and The South Island in addition to a group of smaller islands including the Chatham Islands and the Stewart Island or Rakiura Island. Cook Islands and Niue are island nations in free association with New Zealand. They have complete autonomy being independent nations even though they aren’t viewed by the United Nations as separate from New Zealand. The residents of these islands are considered citizens of the state of New Zealand. New Zealand also governs the territory of Tokelau. The Ross Dependency is New Zealand’s territorial claim on the frozen continent of Antarctica. Wellington is the capital of the country while Auckland is the largest and most populated metropolis.
New Zealand is a democracy and constitutional monarchy under the symbolic leadership of the British monarch Queen Elizabeth the Second. The parliamentary leader, the Prime Minister, holds the actual power of government who is appointed by the nominal Head of State, the Governor General and who acts as the categorical Head of State. The government is a democracy and thus the Parliament is democratically elected. The country is a member of the British Commonwealth, which is an association of fifty three nations that were previously British colonies many of which still recognize the British monarch as their own as a result of which they accept ‘God Save The Queen’ as their national anthem. New Zealand also accepts ‘God Defend New Zealand’ as a national anthem effectively giving it two national anthems.
The people of New Zealand are of European and Asian ancestry with percentages of the population belonging to the indigenous Polynesian or Maori people as well as people of Polynesian descent who are not of the Maori culture.
The culture of New Zealand is a fairly recently developed one as New Zealand was on of the last regions of the world that human civilization touched. It is a fascinating blend of contributing threads from its population of people of varying ancestries. It is a melange of American, British, Australian; European as well as liberal splashes of Polynesian (chiefly Maori) and Asian influences. Festivals celebrated here are as far ranging and varied as Diwali, Christmas, the Chinese New Year and a grand Polynesian festival the Pasifika. A nation that considers religion a private matter it is exceeding peaceful and accepting of different ways of life. The Maori ways, which had been fading due to the introduction then spread of Christianity in the early half of the nineteenth century, have seen a rise in the last few decades.
As showcased in the Lord of the Rings movies New Zealand is lush with greenery and has snow capped mountains that dip down to the ocean. The flora and fauna of the land are almost exclusively unique to it and cannot be found in any other part of the globe. A richly bio diverse region consisting of a large percentage of endemic flora and fauna such as forests, home to rare birds like the kiwi, kakapo, kaka, kea parrot and takah? and a multiplicity of endemic insects. The nation is highly sensitive to ecological issues and spearheads projects to save its precious variety of endangered species.
Railroads, skyscrapers and similar other numerous landmarks; sometimes compel us to think how it could be embodied so accurately. The answer came from land surveying firms. They strongly state that we perform the mix of science and artistic work in mapping and measuring land. Land surveying firm enables us to put fence around the specific yard and prevents unintended intruding act in other’s land. Hence, you will often find a land surveying firm as an integral part of civil engineering consultancy.
Prudent consultants survey group New Zealand suggests us few valuable tips. Let’s have a glimpse upon them.
• It is very important to know whether land survey is being done for the purpose of locating boundary lines for an erected building or only putting the fence.
• One should always the consultants’ survey group on the basis of the requirement. Try to search experts in local region as they will understand the location in better ways.
• If it could be possible then provide old surveys’ documents and other relevant documents to the land surveyors. Such documents will certainly help them and you will get the best outcome.
• A prior estimation in terms of monetary requirement and delivery date will help you in fixing budget for the whole land survey work.
• In certain specific places, weather may be a concern. So, do mention weather condition in company terms.
Now, if it has been clear that land surveyors have very significant role in effective functioning of land surveying. We all need land surveyors before the inception of the construction. Many amongst us may be interested in land surveying business. They should work with the assumption that the business is of course commenced for you but it will last long if you keep your business updated with the latest land surveying technology and the mechanization.
Since, you have established the land surveying firm so you are owner of the firm but sometime extra large size of land may require the help of other professionals. So, here you have to play the role of smart entrepreneur. Just hire the best professional and get the best work.
What makes a rubble of rocks become a wonder of the world, or some chunks of metal become the most romantic place to propose marriage? After making the effort to go somewhere for sightseeing, how do you get the most out of the experience, to suit your budget, time and personality? From guidebooks to bus tours, there is a range of options to ensure that places come to life. These tips are based on experiences in Europe.
For example, there you are in Paris, at the Louvre, underneath IM Pei’s glass pyramid. Looking around the lobby, the escalators lead up towards multiple entrances to the wings of the old palace, so crammed with riches beyond compare. Where to begin?
Tour types
***No tour:
You stand in front of the Mona Lisa and say ‘eh’ before moving on to the next Da Vinci ‘eh’ then a Michelangelo ‘looks like the other dude’. I did this the first time I went to the Louvre and followed the ‘quantity not quality’ method. While I did have the time to find the little figurines in the Egyptian area, did I truly appreciate them?
Advantages: takes less time, go where you want, when you want.
Disadvantages: how would you find out how Da Vinci got the lines so fine on such a small painting (Mona Lisa) or that some guy hacked at David’s left toe with a hammer in 1991 (Accademia, Florence)? The story behind the artwork and artist is often the entertainment more than the mere physical presence.
Suited to: people on a budget, people who don’t like other people, lack of time, lone travellers
Price: nothing
***Guidebook:
Walking around with the gallery’s guide or your own book that explains who-what-when-why-how about an exhibit/place.
Advantages: pick out the bits that interest you before you see them. Find out a bit more. Comes from a sole source, approved by relevant people.
Disadvantages: May not discover other things. For instance, if you had never tried smoked herring for breakfast, you wouldn’t know whether you liked it or not. Or you might walk right past some Goya, when he’s the kind of artist that would really appeal to horror movie fans.
Suited to: people who like to study, those who have a specific interest, lone travellers
Price: varies depending on country, usually around AUD10.
***Audio guide:
hire a device to listen to tracks for selected pieces of a gallery or museum. Follow the map/guide and play the track when you get to the piece. For example to look at the Winged Victory of Samothrace at the Louvre and clog up the stairwell with other agog tourists.
Advantages: can skip bits that don’t interest you. Provides the highlights. Saves time.
Disadvantages: might miss out on pieces not included in the audio guide because you walk right past it. May be bored by the voice. Last guide I had sounding like he was sucking on a prune without about as much verbal outcome…
Suited to: Studious types who’d rather spend more time looking than reading, independent type or couple (shared earphones).
Price: varies depending on country and level of content, usually around AUD10.
***Small group (1-5 people):
Your guide knows you by name, tailors the tour to suit your timings and interests, information is more two-way rather than purely transmit. For example, I went to Auckland in July 2006 and booked in for a day of mountain biking. Yep, it was cold, windy, rainy. I was the only person, but the tour went ahead anyway. I had Bee-Bee all to myself and while we waited for the rain to ease, she did a palm reading and predicted my future as a great writer. Lucky she was also a good guide, as the palm-reading bit is yet to reveal itself!
Advantages: Get a more personal service; guide may suggest something relevant to you specially, eg for tea lovers going through caffeine withdrawal in Paris ‘you simply must go to the Mariage Frères teashop then!’ or they may suggest a restaurant near your hotel and places to avoid.
Disadvantages: usually the most pricy kind of tour and a tip is also expected. If there’s a personality clash then the day could be a drag. Also, they may be in cahoots with other businesses to try and rope you into going to restaurants, for which they receive a commission.
Advice:
—-Basically, take anything they suggest with a skeptical mind, but still be polite. The nicer you are, then the nicer they are.
—-Make sure you go with an agency, rather than some guy off the street who offers to take you around. They may be genuine, but even so, there is no administrative control/insurance etc.
Suited to: Those who are after the genuine experience, ie the custom-made Spanish omelette rather than a McDonalds siesta burger; those who have a bit more money
Price: Depends on the country. In Western Europe = around $AUD90 per person (then a tip)
***Big group:
Usually about 10-20 people wearing earphones to pick up on the guide’s voice as they lead you around, stopping you at exhibits/interests to give their spiel eg ‘ This 18th century china bowl has the utmost significance, for it was used to….’
Advantages: Makes what would be boring in a book, come to life— assuming you get a good guide. In Florence, we had Christina, an art student who truly enjoyed what she did and made sense of the iron rings hanging off centuries-old walls so forever after, I know what they mean.
If you enjoy people, sometimes the tour groups have lunch together so you can meet fellow travelers and exchange stories about dodgy restaurants.
Disadvantages:
—-inconsistent information. For example in Florence, Mum and I had three tours with the same company and three different sets of information as to a what happened to the head of Primavera, a statue on the Ponte Santa Trinita. While it’s not so important to know the facts (you can get that from books) it does detract from the experience, no matter how entertaining the description of how Giuliano Medici was dramatically assassinated during High Mass in the Duomo Cathedral in the middle of a service. And the gore that followed as his brother Lorenzo tracked down the assassins and conspirators.
—-The Chic or Geek factor. For the style conscious and teenagers, you may cringe at looking like a dick walking around with stickers and earplugs. Unless you’re one of the retired Americans with Hawaiian shirts who don’t seem to care.
—-Hearing Voices. Having to hear more than one language rattled off by bi-lingual tour: by the end of a day trip to Versailles, I felt I knew Spanish. Well, I knew enough that it would be hard to understand. So fast!!!
Suited to: Safe-seekers (ie non-adventurous), medium to high budget, couples and families
Price: Depends on the country. In Western Europe = around $AUD90 per person for a half-day tour. More money if lunch and transport are required.
Basically,
if you’re on a budget…use your own guide book or share an audio guide
if you like people….go the small group or big group option
if you’re time poor: no guidebook. Just wander around. At least though try to read up beforehand to see which bits you need to visit.
Flights to New Zealand usually land in Auckland, the nation’s largest metropolis that is located on the North Island of the country. Auckland International Airport is quite arguably the country’s busiest airport. There are flights to New Zealand from most major airports all over Europe and the rest of the world. A flight from the United Kingdom can take from twenty two to twenty four hours to reach the Auckland International Airport in New Zealand.
A concrete plan of what you are going to do is of utmost importance. Once you’ve selected your purpose of visit you must apply for the appropriate visa. You need a working holiday visa if you are visiting for temporary business related purposes, a residency permit if you plan on settling there, a work permit if you intend to do visit and do business there on a relatively permanent basis, a visitor visa if you’re just passing through and so on.
Your visa must be valid for at least six months longer than you plan to stay to be on the safe side of the law.
People with visitors’ visas to New Zealand must have a return ticket, an onward flight or proof of funds to prove they can buy the same on reaching New Zealand. People with work permits and working holiday visas will be allowed entry on a one way flight only if they have proof of funds that will allow them to support themselves during the stay as well as buy an outward ticket. The outward ticket in addition must be to a country they are allowed entry into.
People from Visa Waiver countries (such as Argentina, Brazil, Austria, Belgium, France etc) may only enter the country when they have outward flight tickets or official confirmation that one is booked and paid for in their name.
Citizens and permanent residents of Australia and New Zealand can enter the country with a one-way ticket only if have a valid passport or returning resident’s visa on their foreign passport for Australia or New Zealand. Entry into the country will be restricted if one does not comply with these rules.
Only after these conditions are verified is it safe to look at flight companies, peruse schedules and buy plane tickets. Unscrupulous travel agents may cunningly sell you a one-way ticket while knowing that you might not be allowed entry into the country on reaching the border. Be on the alert for any foul play while making all transactions. In case you do have a twelve-month working permit and intend to be in the country the entire duration flight schedules will not be available so much in advance and you will have to make careful and cautious arrangements.
The safest thing to do is do your own research regarding regulations (you can visit New Zealand’s immigration website), visit various travel agents, get quotations and compare them to find the perfect price for your budget. You can also visit online websites to search for the appropriate flight, book it and then pay for it with a credit card. A well-worded google search will aid your work to such an end.
Traveling to New Zealand without an onward ticket can be an expensive mistake, as you will not be allowed on the flight.
New Zealand is considered to be one of the youngest countries in the world, as it was the last major land mass to be discovered by Europeans. For a young country, New Zealand boasts many fascinating and important historical sites, a legacy of its original inhabitants, the Maori and also its years as a British colony.
The most important historical site in the country is at Waitangi on North Island, where a treaty was signed in 1840 between the Maori and the British, the site is considered to be the birthplace of New Zealand as a nation. The grounds cover 1000 acres and were a gift to the people of New Zealand by the governor at the time, Lord Bledisloe.
There are several highlights of any visit to Waitangi. Not to be missed are the Treaty House, the country’s oldest home, and built for New Zealand’s first resident. Te Whare Runanga is an elaborately carved Maori meeting house; and you can also marvel at one of the world’s largest ceremonial war canoes. Many visitors simply enjoy strolling around the beautiful grounds. If that inspires you, you can even get married at Waitangi.
Two of the oldest towns in New Zealand are situated in the area of the country known as the Bay of Islands, Russell and Kerikeri. Russell boasts an excellent small museum offering an overview of contact between the Maori and Europeans; as well as Christ Church, the oldest wooden church in New Zealand. Russell is also the site of one of the most infamous incidents in the country’s history, the chopping down of the ceremonial British flagpole by the Maori chief Hone Heke.
Kerikeri has the distinction of being the oldest European settlement in New Zealand. A stroll through the quaint streets of the town will show you both the oldest wooden building and the oldest stone building in the country. A couple of nearby historical sites give an insight into New Zealand’s history. Kororipo Pa is a well-preserved Maori fort; Rewa Village is a full scale reconstruction of a Maori fishing village.
Throughout New Zealand, there are many other reminders of the Maori, such as burial grounds, sacred sites and tribal meeting places. The area around Taranaki on the North Island is a particularly good place to visit if you want to learn about the Maori culture, the small settlement at Parihaka was the largest Maori village in the region during the 19th century. There is also a monument to the Maori leader Maui Pomare, as well as the remains of several Maori forts, known as pa.
Wellington has been New Zealand’s capital since 1865 and boasts several historic buildings and sites, many dating from its days as an early European settlement. You can take one of several walking tours of Wellington which take in such historic sites as the birthplace of Katherine Mansfield, the country’s most famous author; and the Dominion Observatory, which once kept the time for the entire country.
Much of the country’s more recent history has been shaped at the Parliament buildings complex. Not to be missed if you are in Wellington are the Old Government building, the second largest wooden building in the world, and the National Library of New Zealand, with its books, maps and other documents. Also, not too far away, you can see one of the country’s most important and famous documents, the actual Treaty of Waitangi, on display at the National Archives building.
Nearly all visitors traveling to New Zealand by air arrive in Auckland, the country’s largest city. Although Auckland is a vibrant and cosmopolitan city, it is worth taking the time to seek out some of the area’s historic sites. One of Auckland’s most beautiful buildings is Alberton, an ornate Victorian mansion dating from 1863, which offers a glimpse into how the wealthy lived 150 years ago.
Another historic home in the Auckland area is Highwic; a wooden house built in the Gothic style and filled with antiques. In order to gain some insight into the important role the sea has played in the lives of New Zealanders, visit the National Maritime Museum. Not only can you look at exhibits spanning 1,000 years, you can sail on them. The historic ship Ted Ashby offers rides several times a week.
Admittedly, many people visit New Zealand for the spectacular and dramatic scenery, and the chance to experience the great outdoors at its very best. However, if you are lucky enough to visit New Zealand, do not overlook the country’s proud and fascinating history.
New Zealand is a very big country and consists of two main islands (the North Island and the South Island) as well as free associations (the residents of which are citizens of New Zealand) and various smaller islands. Finding hotel accommodation is therefore very much dependant on where you wish to stay and how much you are willing to part with for accommodation. Auckland is the country’s largest and most populated city located on the North Island. It is a popular tourist hot spot in addition to which houses the busiest air port in the country. Most flights landing in New Zealand do so at the Auckland International Airport. There are a great number of tourist attractions in the city from amphitheatres, stadiums, the Auckland Town Hall, The Auckland War Memorial Museum, Kelly Tarlton’s Underwater World and bridges as well as numerous natural volcanic cones. Auckland is the country’s commercial hub and is one of the most expensive places to stay at. Hotel rates are high and this is especially true during summer which is the peak season.
Summertime is the most pleasant time to visit the cool region of New Zealand. This is what most visitors to New Zealand do and this is when the hotel rates skyrocket. Advisable to visit the country during the off season as hotels will be reasonably cheaper.
Hotels are possibly the most expensive living arrangement that you could choose. But they also offer much more privacy, comfort, luxuries such as cable television, Internet access, telephone lines, gyms, pools etc and a variety of services from catering all meals (an especially good way to experience the local cuisine) to room service, laundry services etc. A very comfortable option for business people who are in the country on work and do not have to time to do all this on their own.
Many hotels across New Zealand offer you up to twelve months advance bookings. This is convenient for those people with a fixed purpose and agenda. It is also a good way to book your living arrangements before the rates begin to sky rocket.
In case you don’t trust your travel agent to make the right decisions for you are absolutely free to peruse the World Wide Web at your leisure to locate the best deal for yourself. Hotels are found aplenty all across the country even in the smallest towns so you will not be hard pressed to find something that suits your tastes and budget. Since there are so many hotels across the country they are always competing with each other which are beneficial to the customers. They normally offer several discount rates and schemes by which you can arrange for rooms at reduced prices. or example students can almost always get reductions on producing an I card for proof.
The rates also depend on the kind of room and number of rooms that you wish to rent. A modest room with minimum luxuries and a single bed will definitely cost less than a suite with kitchenette, en suite bathroom, television and the like.
Almost all hotels rooms can now be booked as well as paid for online. It is also possible to book a room online at the very last minute though at an extra fee.
The National Maritime Museum New Zealand is aptly located at the waterfront, near the Viaduct Harbor. It’s a tribute to all sailors through time who set foot in New Zealand, from the very first Polynesian traders to the sailors of today. Maori sailors, vessels and methods of navigation are given their due importance, as one of the most important exhibitions at the National Maritime Museum of New Zealand. There was a time when the seas were uncharted and adventures were found everywhere. The exploits of European sailors and adventurers who sailed these seas are honored here.
Trading, settlement, immigration and commercial shipping of all kinds, through the ages, map the progress of a land in many ways. The history of the land can be traced through these exhibits. Even actions that we might not wish had been done differently are part of our history. We cannot change them, only learn from them and accept them as part of what has made the world what it is today. Whaling and sealing are things that come under the scanner from people all over the world, but it is a part of history and so merits a place at the museum.
On a lighter side, recreation, arts and crafts and sports – pertaining to maritime activities, of course – make very interesting and diverting displays. After all, the science and precision of navigation, the training and responsibilities of lifeguards and their equipment – they are all important parts of the museum, but fun and frolic is a part of it, too.
A museum doesn’t just honor tradition and what was and what is through exhibits, especially a maritime museum. There will be documents, as well. This interesting collection of documents include the New Zealand Maritime Index, the New Zealand Maritime Record, Bill Laxon Maritime Library and New Zealand Maritime Firsts, among others.
The museum is also home to the Edmiston and Fraser Collections of maritime paintings, an alluring and enchanting set.
The last, and maybe best, part of the museum are the actual ships that the museum owns, usually tied outside the museum itself. The museum is true to its Maori name, ‘Te Huiteanaui-A-Tangaroa’ – it holds the treasures of the Sea God, Tangaroa.
While the museum reveals treasures from the vast sea, it’s not all Auckland has to offer a visitor. If you stay at the Langham Hotel Auckland, one of the best Auckland luxury hotels, you can get a comprehensive itinerary and even assistance with your transport from the hotel to visit all there is to see in Auckland.
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