Featured Country: New Zealand Home to 40 million sheep and 4 million people, New Zealand has long been overshadowed by its larger and more powerful neighbor, Australia. However, with the release of the Lord of the Rings movies, the country has enjoyed renewed popularity. All sheep jokes aside, New Zealand is home to amazing, awe-inspiring beauty, especially on the remote South Island. No longer a mere stopover for those on the their way to and from Australia, New Zealand is attracting visitors in its own right: ten percent of all jobs are within the tourism industry. New Zealand is fraught with distinctions: it was the first country to allow women to vote, Wellington is the southernmost capital in the world, and New Zealand is the first nation to see each new day. The native people are the Maori, and comprise about 9% of the population. The Kiwi bird (not to be confused with the fruit) is a national symbol, as is the silver fern donned on the jersey of the popular rugby team, the All Blacks. Earth's oldest exposed surface is the South Island. The common greeting is "Hello". The New Zealand dollar is the currency. Well, those are a few nuts and bolts. Keep reading for more info on New Zealand, as well as other travelers' experiences in the country. What's in this issue? Featured Content What our Insiders Say Airfare Deals Accommodation Info From the Bookshelf Links & Resources Write an Article and Tell a Friend NEW ZEALAND'S TOP ATTRACTIONS What makes the New Zealand interesting? Why do thousands of travelers head to the New Zealand every year? Check out our list of the top three "must do" attractions! Queenstown Bring out the thrill seeker in you. Renowned equally for its breathtaking mountain views and extreme sports scene, backpackers with a bit of cash (and even those without) splurge on bungee jumps, sky dives, rafting and all forms of knucklehead sports. At night, travelers brag about their death-defying leaps over a few beers, or try for liquid courage. A warning for those with the need for speed: breathalizer tests are administered by many sky diving/bungee jumping companies, so no drinking close to take off time. Milford Sound The LOTR fans flock here, and why shouldn't they? A popular sight in the movies, and one of the most attractive areas in all of New Zealand, numerous ferry cruises depart every day. Unfortunately, they are also often cancelled due to fog and inclement weather. If you only have one day to check out this beautiful area, cross your fingers and hope for the best. Wellington Those who are drawn to the beauty of the South Island, but wish to experience some of the North Island as well can find a happy medium in Wellington. Wellington is home to numerous fantastic museums, lots of wind, and is located just a short ferry ride away from the fantastic vineyards of the South Island. Back to top FEATURED CONTENT The Northwest Mud Circuit - Hiking Stewart Island off the coast of New Zealand, Kelsey Timmerman learns that mud is a state of mind. Taking a Bite Down Under - Wasps. Waving arms. Falling apples. Swearing. Pat-Ann Durcan found that there are highs and many lows to apple picking. Some Minutes Mean More Than Others - Ben Morris hated every minute of his three-day trek in Abel Tasman National Park - well, almost. If you would like to submit an article on your travel experiences, check out our Writer's Guidelines, then send it along. Back to top WHAT OUR INSIDERS SAY Check out our Australasia Forum for inside tips on the New Zealand and to post your own questions. Back to top AIRFARE DEALS If you are looking for single destination tickets, head to the International Airfare Center. You can search via destination or departure city. Here are some examples of what we found: $1074 US Seattle - Auckland $1252 US Boston - Auckland Now, log on to the TripPlanner or International Airfares and put together an itinerary! When searching for multi-destination air tickets, the BootsnAll TripPlanner is tops. After using the TripPlanner to get an idea of the itinerary you want, be sure to submit it to us and talk to our counselors about fine-tuning your trip. We found some good R-T-W deals that stopped in New Zealand: $1999 US Los Angeles - Sydney - Melbourne - Auckland - Fiji (Nadi) - Cook Islands (Raratonga) - Tahiti (Papeete) - Los Angeles $3112 US Houston - Los Angeles - Tahiti (Papeete) - Cook Is. (Rarotonga) - Nadi (Fiji Is.) - Auckland - Brisbane - Bali (Denpasar) - Jakarta - Singapore - Overland To Bangkok - Hong Kong - San Francisco - Houston Back to top NEW ZEALAND HOSTELS Hostels are a great way to stay when you're traveling in New Zealand. Staying in hostels when you travel not only helps your budget, it is a unique way to enhance your trip. Meet new people, have new experiences; with our Hostels section you can learn about hostels and book your bed online. New Zealand Hostels Auckland Hostels Wellington Hostels Visit the Hostel Section Back to top FROM THE BOOKSHELF | New Zealand Read up before you go! Here is a list of the most popular guidebooks and literature/non-traditional guidebooks. For your convenience, these books are available at the BootsnAll Travel Bookstore. Traditional Guidebooks: Lonely Planet: New Zealand, by Paul Harding, Carolyn Bain and Neal Bedford Moon Handbooks New Zealand, by Jane King and Andrew Hempstead New Zealand (Eyewitness Travel Guides), by DK Publishing Travel Literature/Non-Traditional Guidebooks: Signpost Guide New Zealand, Second Edition: Your Guide to Great Drives, by Gareth Powell Lonely Planet Tramping in New Zealand, by Jim Dufresne Adventuring in New Zealand, Second Edition, by Margaret Jefferies Back to top LINKS & RESOURCES Use the following sites to learn more about New Zealand, what it offers to travelers, and how to plan your trip. New Zealand Take a virtual tour, brush up on your history and learn about various aspects of life in New Zealand. Site has received a number of awards and mentions for design and content. New Zealand Tourism Board The tourism board gets their say. Standard tourism site, but with more breath-taking pictures. Maori Link happy site: a database of Maori sites on the 'net. Kiwi News Expat info and 'the latest Kiwi news feeds from around the world.' Access New Zealand New Zealand's Web Directory. Scope out Kiwi sites and learn more before you go. Back to top WRITE AN ARTICLE If you have a story of your own that you would like to submit on the New Zealand, have a look at BootsnAll's Writer's Guidelines: http://writers.BootsnAll.com And then send it along. We're always looking for new content and new perspectives, and we hope to get yours soon. TELL A FRIEND If you feel that BootsnAll.com is a valuable resource, or that others might think so, please tell your friends about us. As many of you know, we respond personally to every email we receive in an ongoing effort to build a true traveller's community. Many have responded positively. If you have comments both positive and constructive, we would love to hear them. Tell us what we have done well and how we can improve. We would appreciate it greatly. Back to top