A volcano is a mountain or hill with a crater or vent, which spews out lava, gas and rock fragments from the earth’s crust. Volcanoes can be extinct (will never erupt again), dormant (might erupt again) or active (busy erupting). New Zealand has many volcanoes. In...
Utu is a Maori word. If asked, I would have defined utu as revenge for wrong doings. I’m sort of right, but when I double-checked the definition, I discovered it means much more. According the the NZ History site, utu is maintaining the balance and harmony within...
I was brought up hearing tales from Maori mythology. Everyone in New Zealand knows of Maui who fished our country from the sea. One particular beast from the legends has always fascinated me, and that’s the taniwha. The taniwha (pronounced tan-e-fa) is a Maori...
Sky Tower is an Auckland icon, and the tower can be seen from all over the city. Here are a few facts: 1. The tower is a telecommunications and observation tower. 2. At 1076 feet (328 meters) it’s the tallest free-standing building in the Southern Hemisphere. 3. There...
Rugby season is in full swing in New Zealand, and I couldn’t be happier. Some call it our national sport. I call it inspiration since big, burly rugby players make great romance heroes. Our All Blacks are the current world champions. Women play rugby these days, and...
Queenstown is a tourist destination in the South Island of New Zealand. It’s the place where adventure awaits, and from here you can go jet boating on the Shotover River, skiing during the winter, fishing, do helicopter rides, go bungy jumping, ride on the Skyline...
Here is a recipe for a very traditional New Zealand dessert. Pavlova is especially popular at Christmas time and our family celebrations always include a pavlova for dessert. Picture a huge meringue that has a soft marshmallow like texture in the center and a crisp...
Titles are hard things to pin down—at least I find them difficult, and I can ponder and panic about finding the perfect title for a book for weeks. Titles also don’t begin with an O, but bear with me. Cinderella is my favorite fairy tale. I guess it’s the romantic in...
Although I enjoy traveling and exploring the world, New Zealand is my home country. Here are some facts about New Zealand: 1. We are an island country – North Island, South Island and Stewart Island – in the south western Pacific Ocean. 2. Our capital is Wellington....
