Adventure 232

adventure

where actions speak louder than words

ISSUE 232

JUN/JUL 2022

NZ $10.90 incl. GST

winter

issue

Available Available from from leading leading retailers: retailers:

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The media sucks!

I clearly remember as a young teenager playing rugby league and

I knew that we had two boys in the team that were over age and

should not be playing. Every win was tainted. What was harder

than knowing that you were not really winning fairly was knowing

that your team, the guys you played for, were not someone you

could be proud of and not a team I wanted to belong too.

I feel the same way now about the media.

The media has always been a bit like that. Historically whatever

sold newspapers, was pushed to the front; not just current news

but outrageous news, twisted headlines, the girl in a bikini on

page three, that sort of approach. Then came along the women's

weekly’s, showing images of movie stars on their day off to get

beer-belly shots, or the no-makeup shots. Those tabloids that

chased Princess Diana, hunting for a gossip shot, (that's a whole

other editorial!).

Move to the last few years, the news media has moved more

and more online. As we all have struggled with covid, the media

has not done its reputation any good. Whenever there is an

opportunity to over sensationalise a covid issue they have

leveraged people’s fear and worry to gain clicks – clicks, not to a

news feature based on fact or even entertainment but feeding on

fear and uncertainty just to get clicks.

As we go to print Ruapehu has been making a few rumbling

noises and the media has come out with 'Likelihood of eruption

has certainly increased', ‘Mt Ruapehu tremors highest in nine

years’ or ‘Mt Ruapehu has the strongest tremor in 20 years’

all with underlying rhetoric of the White Island tradegy. One

website, with a misleading heading, pushed doom and disaster

for the winter ski season. Then used a video of a professional

volcanologist discussing the recent activity. If you listen to the

expert, he says there is nothing to worry about, it is a usual cycle

for this time of year, be aware but carry on as normal.

As Adventure Magazine we wrote to the mainstream media and

asked them to stop ramping up a story that had no base in truth

because of the impact it would have on the livelihood of those

who need the mountain to be fully open this year.

Ruapehu has now started to fall out of the media clickbait limelight

(the clicks must have started to fall off) and covid seems to be

less of an issue. So the media has now started to hypothesise

that there will be a massive spike in Covid numbers this winter

and on top of that, we are about to be flooded with the Monkey

Pox. All this just to set off our Covid alarm bell and get us clicking

again.

Scaremongering to create clickbait, to create revenue, is

embarrassing for any of us in the media. It has become its own

nasty pandemic. A pandemic to which there is no vaccine, so I

guess the only cure is awareness. Don’t follow the negative hype;

focus on the fun, the good, the right and the true. Winter is coming

and rather than face it with Covid and Monkey Pox concerns we

should be planning for an amazing winter season. This issue of

Adventure will be low on the effects of Monkey Pox and high on

how much fun winter can be.

Let your concerns be about how often you can get to the

mountain and not led by some clickbait incentive pulling at your

fear strings.

From the staff at Adventure enjoy winter

Steve Dickinson - Editor

your Adventure starts with Us

23 Locations Nationwide | www.radcarhire.co.nz | 0800 73 68 23 | [email protected]

page 10

Image by Alpine Guides Image by Eric Skilling

Image by Zhi Yuen

page 22

page 46

#232

10//A Winter's Dream

Hiking Ruapehu

20//Nim Purja

Breaking records

contents

22//Nelson Lakes

Lake Angelus, Sabine and Speargrass Huts

28//Georgia

A little known treasure

34//Suffrage and Growth

An accidental romance

42//Winter Fishing

They still have to eat

48//Winter Mackenzie

Standout moments

55//Mindfulness

The art of paying attention

76//Adventure Travel

Fiji | Niue | Tahiti | Rarotonga | Vanuatu

plus

62. gear guides

94. active adventure

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BEHIND THE COVER

Nirmal “Nims” Purja is seen on top of Mount Everest in Nepal on

May 15, 2022. Nirmal 'Nims' Purja MBE haș claimed two more

incredible world records after the intrepid mountaineer became

the first person to summit three higher 8,000m peaks – Everest,

Kanchenjunga, and Lhotse - in just under nine days and do the

Everest to Lhotse traverse in 26 hours - both without oxygen. For

the full story see page 20.

Photographer by: Pemba Sherpa / Red Bull Content Pool

SEXY AF

A tasting team member dropped off a selection of Sexy AF alcohol

free spirit products for a cocktail order. An intriguing product made

from vegetable glycerin (perhaps another name for sugar), some

have been awarded double gold at the World Spirit Competition.

A striking label coupled with catchy names, the Friski whiski,

AperTease, and Amar-oh combo really did taste like a cocktail with

a reasonable mouthfeel for a non alcoholic drink. Promoting sober

curious and mindful drinkers this product has certainly caught

our attention. Mixed with some citrus, this easy going serve was

smooth and delicious.

For an equal parts serve

1 jigger (22.5mls) AperTease @sexyafspirits

1 jigger Friski Whiski

1 jigger Amar-oh

1 jigger freshly squeezed mandarin juice

Juice of half a lime

Shake with ice, double sieve, and garnish with mandarin

segments.

Follow @cocktailontherock | www.cocktailontherock.co.nz

Find your AF products at www.clearheaddrinks.co.nz/

EDITOR & ADVERTISING MANAGER

Steve Dickinson

Mob: 027 577 5014

[email protected]

ART DIRECTOR

Lynne Dickinson

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08//WHERE ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS/#232

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CENTRAL

PLATEAU

*

A WINTER’S DREAM:

COOL HIKES IN

RUAPEHU

Words by Adrift.co.nz Images by Zhi Yuen

Just because its winter doesn’t mean

you can’t go out and play. Hiking boots

on and all rugged up in cosy woollen

layers, there’s nothing like a winter’s

day out exploring the great outdoors.

With Tongariro National Park at your

doorstep and the iconic triple peaks

of Mt Ruapehu, Mt Tongariro and Mt

Ngāuruhoe as your backdrop, head

to Ruapehu to discover a network of

world-class walking and hiking tracks

made for intrepid explorers.



"With Tongariro National Park

at your doorstep and the iconic

triple peaks of Mt Ruapehu, Mt

Tongariro and Mt Ngāuruhoe as

your backdrop, head to Ruapehu to

discover a network of world-class

walking and hiking tracks made for

intrepid explorers."

Tongariro Alpine Crossing

When winter arrives, the otherworldly landscapes of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing

are transformed to something beyond your wildest dreams. Renowned as one of the

best one day hikes in the world, taking on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing during winter

is a unique wilderness adventure best experienced with a guide. The elements are

in full force with ice, snow, and alpine conditions to reckon with, so it is essential to

go a professional guide. Additional preparation, equipment, specialised navigation,

and high-level backcountry skills are essential to enjoy this winter expedition safely.

Even if you’ve already done the Tongariro Alpine Crossing during the summer months,

it’s another level of adventure during winter so book with a local guide to be able to

rediscover this iconic hike to the fullest.

Waitonga Falls

A favourite with locals, Waitonga Falls is Tongariro National Park’s highest waterfalls

at 39 metres high. With access from Ohakune Mountain Road, this 4 km easy and

well-formed return track offers incredible views of Mt Ruapehu with majestic panorama

from the Rotokawa pools alpine wetland area. The perfect spot to pause, reflect and

take in natural wonders of this UNESCO Dual World Heritage site of geological and

cultural significance.

Tawhai Falls

Short, sweet and a must-do for Lord of the Rings fans, the beautiful cascades of

Tawhai Falls is an easy, 20-minute short walk easily accessible from roadside along

State Highway 48 nearby National Park Village. This family friendly walk delivers

gorgeous views from the top of the falls along with an easy to follow track to the

bottom of the falls.

Mounds Walk

Come sundown, the quick and easy Mounds Walk is a great way to watch the sun go

down as golden hues sweep over this unique landscape. Just a few minutes’ drive

from National Park Village off of State Highway 48, the formed mounds is a stark

reminder of the unique natural environment and geological wonders of NZ’s oldest

National Park.

Taranaki Falls

Situated in the heart of Tongariro National Park, the Taranaki Falls Track is a 6 km

loop, well-formed track that’s regarded as one of best short walks in the area - even

during the winter months. Traverse dramatic volcanic terrain to the stunning Taranaki

Falls as its alpine waters cascade 20 metres down to picturesque pools. On a clear

day take in the spectacular views of Mt Ngāuruhoe and Mt Tongariro as you journey

through alpine shrublands, mountain beech forest and volcanic soils.

ADVENTUREMAGAZINE.CO.NZ//13


Tama Lakes

Popular year-round, the stunning Tama Lakes walk is a

great alternative to the Tongariro Alpine Crossing that is

phenomenal to experience during the winter season. This

17.6 km track is an extension of the popular Taranaki

Falls Track full of diverse terrain ranging from undulating

tussock country, alpine lakes, and ancient lava flows.

Regarded as an advanced tramping track, going guided

is definitely the way to go for an unforgettable winter

expedition to the Tama Lakes.

Discover four seasons of incredible hikes and walks at

www.visitruapehu.com

Terrace Restaurant & Bar Open daily

5 minutes from Whakapapa Ski field

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On-Site Ski & Snowboard gear hire

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RIDE IN

RUAPEHU

Ride to your own rhythm to take in the scale and serenity of Ruapehu’s Greater

Outdoors.

Magnificent mountain peaks, ancient rainforests, and forgotten worlds await,

with spectacular suspension bridges and viaducts, historic relics and secret

waterfalls to discover.

Home to two Great Rides and options for all abilities, there’s plenty of

two-wheeled adventure to be had in Ruapehu.

VISITRUAPEHU.COM

RIDING RUAPEHU

ADVENTURE THROUGH TIME AND SPECTACULAR SCENERY ON RUAPEHU’S GREAT RIDES

From the UNESCO Dual World Heritage site of

Tongariro National Park to the waterways and byways of

Whanganui National Park, wind your way through alpine

villages, mountain towns and historic relics to discover

the best of Ruapehu by bike.

Home to the Timber Trail and Mountains to Sea - Ngā

AraTūhono, two of New Zealand’s Great Rides. Ruapehu

offers over 400 km of epic trails of local gems and worldclass

rides to discover.

The Timber Trail

Distance: 85km

Grade: 2-3

The Timber Trail follows the path of old logging roads,

and the historic bush tramlines through Pureora Forest

Park. A testament to forward thinking environmentalists

who protested against native logging in 1978, this area

is one of the last remaining intact podocarp forests in

New Zealand. Highlights of the trail include spectacular

suspension bridges, giant ancient trees and fascinating

relics from the area’s timber milling history. There’s also

the Ongarue Spiral, an engineering marvel and great

fun to ride over and then down through a tunnel under

the track. The trail is normally ridden over two days with

memorable accommodation available at Piropiro, the

midway point. There are two lodges, a campsite, and

fully serviced glamping here, nestled into a remote bush

setting. Tour operators offer packages with shuttles and

accommodation to make the planning easy.

Ohakune Old Coach Road

Distance: 15km

Grade: 3

The Ohakune Old Coach Road follows the route of the

old dray road between Ohakune and Horopito. This day

ride is full of surprises and incredibly beautiful, taking in

some magnificent railway heritage including two striking

viaducts and a spooky old tunnel. It offers some fantastic

views over the volcanic plateau of Tongariro National

Park, and some spectacular sections regenerating native


Main image: Spectacular scenery on the Timber Trail

Above top to bottom: Mountain Biking The Marton Sash and Door Trail / Ohakune Old Coach Road

bush. You can ride the trail in both directions as an out

and back, or take a shuttle to ride the trail in a mostly

downhill direction from Horopito back to Ohakune, where

you’ll find plenty of options to enjoy some mountain village

hospitality after your ride.

Mangapurua Track (Bridge to Nowhere)

Distance: 36km

Grade: 3*

The Mangapurua Track is a classic back country ride, with

a spectacular finale. The trail starts deep in Ruatiti Valley

with a steady climb over a saddle and into the remote

Mangapurua Valley, a long-abandoned farming settlement

surrounded by bush-clad hills and dramatic bluffs.

The ride and the riveting story that goes along with it end

at the Bridge to Nowhere, a graceful concrete monument

to the settlers’ broken dreams.

Then on down to the Whanganui River. When the ride

is over, your next adventure begins! Load your bikes

onto the back of a jet boat for an invigorating ride out to

Pipiriki. You’ll need to book your transport in advance, and

local tour operators offer packages with shuttles and jet

boat ride.*In or after significant rain, may ride as a grade

4. Check track status on the Official Mountains To Sea

website before riding.

Mountains to Sea - Ngā Ara Tūhono

Ohakune Old Coach Road and the Mangapurua are part

of the Mountains to Sea Ngā Ara Tūhono Great Ride. If

you’re looking for a varied multi-day ride from the top of

Turoa ski field right to the Tasman Sea at Whanganui,

there are a couple of options to choose from, the Classic

Experience, or the Adventure Route, or sections of the

track make great day rides. Have a look at Fishers Track,

Kaiwhakauka and Marton Sah and Door.

For more info to plan your trip visit:

www.visitruapehu.com. You can also download

ride maps from the official websites, Timber Trail and

Mountains to Sea.


NIM PURJA:

BREAKING RECORDS

NIMS SUMMITS EVEREST, LHOTSE AND KANCHENJUNGA IN JUST UNDER NINE DAYS.

Images and text by Red Bull

Nirmal 'Nims' Purja MBE haș claimed two more

incredible world records after the intrepid mountaineer

became the first person to summit three peaks higher

than 8,000m – Everest, Kanchenjunga, and Lhotse -

in just under nine days and do the Everest to Lhotse

traverse in 26 hours - both without supplementary

oxygen.

The Nepal-born naturalised British climber is well

known for summitting all 14 of the world's 8,000m

peaks in seven months and he also made history on

January 16, 2021, when the former Gurkha and British

Special Forces operative and his team became the first

mountaineers to summit K2 in winter.

After receiving worldwide acclaim for those feats, Purja

embarked on a new adventure in early May with his

Elite Exped team as they tackled the Himalayan peaks

of Everest, Lhotse and Kanchenjunga.

Purja and his team went from Base Camp to Camp

2 on May 5, and then on May 6 started the push -

with a few hours break at Camp 3 - to the 8,586m

Kanchenjunga peak which they summited at 10.50am

on May 7.

They switched over to the Everest Base Camp on May

10 and departed at 3am on May 11 for Camp 2 where

they acclimatised for two days before heading up to

Camp 3 on May 13 ahead of the final push.

They left the South Col at 11pm on May 14 and, in a

very quick time of just nine hours, they summitted the

world's most famous peak of 8,849m at 8am on May

15 to complete the second leg of the feat.

Lhotse was the final peak and on May 16, the team left

the South Col around 3.30am and reached the 8,516m

summit around 10am with Purja the first to summit

three peaks higher than 8,000m – Everest, Lhotse and

Kanchenjunga - without oxygen in an incredible time of

just eight days, 23 hours and 10 minutes - a new world

record.

The 38-year-old, who took full advantage of this

season's good Everest summit window, revealed: "As I

was focused on guiding and helping our team achieve

their new possible, it was all in a chilled manner. My

mission has always been to inspire people and to

show what human beings are capable of, that's what

gives me the energy and excitement – showing people

that nothing is impossible. I'm trailblazing and I want

to inspire everyone to know they can achieve their

dreams too."

He also did the Everest to Lhotse traverse without

supplementary oxygen in 26 hours to claim another

world record despite getting Khumbu cough before

Kanchenjunga due to low humidity and high-altitude

temperatures.

He added: "I was leading and guiding without oxygen

– I was checking in and making sure everyone was

ok, fed and rested and strong. And for me when I do a

summit push it is from Base Camp to the summit and

then from the summit back to Base Camp. It has to be

authentic – no helicopter lifts back to Base Camp –

unless the summit is void or there's an emergency or

rescue."



NELSON

LAKES

*

FOUR DAYS IN

NELSON LAKES

LAKE ANGELUS, SABINE AND SPEARGRASS HUTS

By Eric Skilling

“Lake Angelus is my favourite place in the world” he

said as we discussed the trip ahead. Okay, he was born

in the area so maybe I could excuse a bit of bias, but

that was a bold claim from someone who has visited

some amazing places all over the globe. Judging by the

number of photos I brought back, maybe he was right.

My biggest encouragement was when he also said he

wasn’t feeling that fit. Time to kick some butt, or so I

thought. Alas, a lot can happen in four days, and nature

would find a way of bringing me humbly back to earth by

doing what nature does.

DAY 1: Lake Angelus. 12km in 6 hours. As so often

happens in NZ, you step out of the car park and head

straight up a hill. In this case a 650metre climb for the

first hour-and-a-half. The upside is there are plenty of

switchbacks, views of Lake Rotoiti, and the forest is full

of the welcoming calls of bellbirds. It wasn’t long before

I was back in the groove and feeling grateful to be out

tramping in such epic country.

The landscape changed abruptly as we left the bush line

and started the poled route along Roberts Ridge. The

track wound its way ahead through alpine scrub before

disappearing into swirling mist. This was late February,

and we were still warm after the climb, so we by-passed

the shelter and kept going until we came across Martin.


On top of the ridge overlooking Lake Angelus valley.

Martin is probably not his real name, but the

name seems to suit him. Martin is the name

we gave to the larger-than-life-sized wooden

model that looms out of the mist with hand

raised. He warned us that the track ahead

was “difficult, rocky and exposed” and “it

was still a long way to the hut!”. He urged

us to TURN BACK! If we were tired or cold.

Dramatic stuff. I gave Martin a cuddle and we

continued onward.

We met a couple returning from Lake Angelus

who told us the sky would clear once we

reached Flagtop at 1650m, and we would get

great views of Julius Summit (1794m). Well,

it didn’t, and we didn’t. But a few hours later

we did emerge out of the cloud and got to

see the full jagged ridge of the Julius Peak,

its multicoloured slopes falling steeply into

the Speargrass River valley. To the northwest

we could just make out what could have been

the Hope Range and Mt Owen.

A few hours later and we were standing on

top of the ridge overlooking Lake Angelus

valley. This is one of those moments that

is hard to describe. The scene is unique.

Several hundred metres below the two lakes

stand out starkly, their colours ranging from

a deep blue to almost black, edged with

Saying G'day to Martin


Sunrise at Lake Angeles, photographs don’t capture the feeling of remoteness, the cold mist, the smell of the alpine vegetation,

and the sound of the Hukere stream making its way from the lake.

turquoise and greens. Above them the valley

is ringed by a serrated line of weathered peaks,

with multiple scree slopes reaching down to the

encroaching alpine tussock that surrounds the

lakes.

Angelus hut itself, stands nicely placed on the edge

of the lake looking very fragile and out of place in

this wild landscape.

Once at the hut there was plenty of time for a swim,

a cup of hot sweet coffee and to share stories and

banter with others in the hut. Lake Angelus seems

to be a mecca for couples. Andrea and Patrick from

Nelson, Beth and Mulock from Dunedin, Gabriela

and Leandro from South America. I had to settle for

my mate Don.

Next day I was up in time to catch the sunrise, but

photographs don’t allow you to share the feeling

of remoteness, the cold mist, the smell of the

alpine vegetation, and the sound of the Hukere

stream making its way from the lake. When the

sun eventually reached over the peaks to the east,

light spread over the glacial valley, still filled with a

lumpy blanket of swirling cloud. Special. Then the

breeze dropped and the surface of Lake Angelus

became a mirror, creating almost perfect reflections

of the scree slopes and skyline above it.

Day 2: Sabine hut, Lake Rotoroa. 6.8km in 6

hours. Note the warning – expect an average

pace of 1.1km an hour. DOC describes the track as

“steep” in that charming, understated kiwi way.

A perfect day for tramping. We scrambled and

boulder hopped along the ridgeline, with expansive

views from Mt Angelus, the Muntz and Braeburn

ranges, and up Sabine River valley to Mt Franklin

(2340 metres). Our lunch stop was just above

the bushline, overlooking the full length of Lake

Rotoroa and the promise of a refreshing swim.

It was a welcome relief to walk into the cool cover

of the beech trees after spending most of the tramp

walking on rock and gravel with plenty of boulder

hopping. Don’t get me wrong, the panoramas from

the exposed tops are awe-inspiring, but it was bliss

to step onto the bush track, cushioned by layers of

fine beech tree leaves. Piwakaka skipped around

us, and bellbirds greeted us with their inimitable

song. Three hours to go.

An hour later the path had become quite steep. A

couple of wasps had miraculously snuck into my

boots, settled on each of my big toes, and would

occasionally give me a sting if I made any decent

sized downward step.

Then we reached “The Sign”. These large signs

with their contour profiles and “You are Here”

points are rare but usually very welcome. They

impart guidance, direction, hope and anticipation.

Sometimes they lie. This specific one was

colourfully decorated with a profile telling us that we

had an hour to go. That is a lie. Clearly whomever

put up the sign did a “she’ll be right” and put it up at

the wrong end of the trail. Soon afterward the steep

track became even steeper. Handholds became

commonplace.

An hour later the lake looked no closer. By now

another 10 wasps had made their way into my

boots and settled onto a toe each. Almost every

foot-plant was announced with a stab of pain to

each toe. I was doing mini traverses wherever

possible. Don meanwhile, seemed to be enjoying

himself as he waited every 100m or so for me to

catch up. I might be better at going uphill, but his

forte was the downhills.

Top: Andrea and Patrick nearing the last ridge

Above: 12 Heading along Cedric Ridge with

Mt Franklin in the distance

We stopped and I took of my boots and socks and rearranged

everything. I enjoyed about 100 metres of relative comfort before the

wasps repositioned themselves on my toes.

Another hour later I was considering taking my boots off and walking

bare foot when I heard voices echoing off the lake. We must be

close. Going bootless on this terrain was a dumb idea so I turned and

scrambled down backwards. The humiliation was complete.

Ten minutes later I hobbled up to the hut and took off my boots, amazed

that they had not melted by the flames from my blazing toes. A painful

lesson in cutting toenails just before leaving on these adventures.


Heading to Speargrass hut

Day 3 and 4: Speargrass Hut and Mt Robert car park.

18Km 9 hours. Don and I had set aside two days to

complete the round trip from Sabine to the car park. It

turned out to be a brilliant ideas for so many reasons.

Not least were the weather gods continuing to smile down

on us. It also turned a single tough day into one moderate

and then another easy day to finish the trip.

2 km

Leaflet (https://leafletjs.com) | NZ Topo Map (/) images sourced from LINZ (https://www.linz.govt.nz/) - Crown Copyright Reserved

Top to bottom: Speargrass hut

The route we took

Can't go past Backcountry Cuisine and Jetboil

+

−

50

250

Starting alongside the lake the track veers into the lush

beech forest which is traversed by small streams and a

couple of bridged rivers. The forest floor around us was

covered in thick layers of lichen, ferns and bright green

mosses. The clear streams made it mostly a waste of time

carrying water.

We also attracted the attention of some of the most

confident piwakawaka and robins you will meet. During

a stop a robin brazenly hopped down onto our packs,

skipped down to our boots and then hopped onto our legs

and picked seeds off our gaiters and socks. Priceless.

Speargrass Hut is another of the many stunningly-well

placed wilderness huts we have the freedom to visit.

Nestled in a couple of hectares of sweeping speargrass

and tussock, shielded on three sides by massive ridges

including Julius Peak, and facing down the heavily

forested river valley. Relatively new, the hut is also double

glazed and more importantly, empty of people.

The perfect place to reflect and enjoy a final night away

from civilisation.

Midday next day, after a cleansing dip into Lake Rotoiti,

and an equally cleansing ale at St Arnaud, we found

ourselves planning a return trip up Sabine Valley to the

Blue Lake.

Thanks to Don for a choosing a stunning itinerary. And to

the folk managing those predator traps.

I chose to use Backcountry Cuisine, Jetboil, Keen and

Macpac products.


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GEORGIA

*

GEORGIA:

A LITTLE KNOWN TREASURE

Words and images by Pol Tarrés Martrat

When this story landed on our desk, I had to admit

that I had no idea where Georgia (the country) was

located, so I did a wee Google search. Turns out

that Georgia is at intersection between Eastern

Europe and Western Asia, bound on the west by

the Black Sea and to the north and east by Russia

and on its southern border lies Turkey, Armenia and

Azerbaijan.

Georgia small and mountainous, covering an area

of only 67.900 km2. The Likhi Range divides the

country into eastern and western halves whereas

the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range forms the

northern border and the Lesser Caucasus Mountains

run along the southern reaches, so you can see it

would be a great place for some snow sports.

Pol Tarrés Martrat shares his experiences visiting

this little known treasure that is Georgia from his

home base in Spain.


The remote untouched beauty that is Georgia


Top: Playing around on the catski

Left to right: Goderdzi resort / Cat team / Lone lines amongst the pines

Destination Goderdzi: Southern Georgia

Goderdzi Ski Resort is situated at an

elevation of 1,724m rising to 2,364m, there

are over 8km of slopes available and you

can find endless freeride lines outside of

the slopes. It had been snowing all night

and found plenty of pow, the snow didn’t

disappoint. We did a few runs, taking

pictures and videos and enjoying the

unbelieveable views of Goderdzi Valley.

After sunset we skied to the front door of

the hotel and headed into the spa for a bit of

relaxation.

We spent the next two days playing around on the catski. The

terrain, although not very steep, was really fun as the catski could

take you almost anywhere and we spent the day doing runs in

the middle of the small houses and forest and some open areas

where you can play around doing fast, long turns.

Tuesday was a bluebird day with no wind and you could see for

miles. The snow conditions were great and you could choose so

many different lines. The conditions mean there is almost no risk

of avalanche so it was like one big playground. We only had a

meeting point with the catski at the end of the slope and the rest

you were free to chose your line. We enjoyed every second of it.

The following day the fog and snow arrived so we chose the forest

to ski as it provided more visibility. After a quick lunch we went

back to the top for a “sunset mission.” It’s amazing how the views

can change with a colourful sunset. In this area there are a lot

of small wood cabins that farmers use during the summer which

makes for breathtaking scenery with all the small huts covered in

untouched snow.



The gondola dwarfed by its surroundings... Goderdzi Ski Resort

Top: All alone in Mestia / Far right: Even the overcast days are great

Left to right: Time to relax / The views are incredible / Solitude and snow

Destination Mestia: Northern Georgia - Greater Caucasus

Our destination was Tetnuldi Ski Resort and things here were

really different. The resort was much bigger, the runs steeper

and mountains higher. With that came more people, however

we still felt like we had the mountain to ourselves. The first

day we woke to a cloudy sky so caught the lift to the top of

the resort, above the cloud layer. Magnificent views of Mount

Tetnuldi (4,858m) and Mount Ushba (4,737m) greeted us, it

was spectacular.

We went with some guides from Vagabond Adventures, they

knew the terrain as this is their home resort, and with a higher

risk of avalanche off-piste and a much larger area to ski it

enabled us to ski freely without fear of getting lost. We spent

the day skiing and enjoying the Georgian pow.

The next day we went to Hatsvali Ski Resort where we did

a few runs through the slopes with astonishing views of the

Ushba Mountains before putting on skins and doing some ski

touring. As time was limited, it was a short one but enough to

know the area has a lot of potential and thousands of places to

explore amongst the big mountains.

Easy, cheap and fun.

After a week in Georgia, we can say that the

country exceeded our expectations, not only snow

wise. We loved the food, we tried all types of

khachapouris (a traditional Georgian dish of filled

bread with cheese, meat or beans.) We also took

part in a Khinkali masterclass and loved it, making

and eating the traditional dumplings.

The people were super charming, and we were

invited to try their homemade wine and even the

local vodka. Even though they didn’t speak a lot of

Engilsh (or Spanish in our case), we were always

received with a big smile.

In conclusion it was an amazing trip to a country

that is a hidden gem, and we know for sure we

will be back again next year. It has so much to

offer; tons of snow, delicious food, lovely people,

astonishing landscapes, adventurous terrain and a

charming culture.



Tips (and 2 feet) dipped well-into the deep end above Parque Nacional Lanin, Patagonia.

photo: P.M.Fadden

SUFFRAGE AND GROWTH

AN ACCIDENTAL ROMANCE

By Paul Fadden

I learned to ski because I needed the

money.

A weird tour through the warped brothels of

Italian immigration had just stripped me of

a life’s savings, direction, and most worldly

possessions. So when I answered a call

promising winter employment high atop

the Chilean Andes, I asked no questions. I

simply said, “Si.”

Raise the stakes; raise the allure, and so it

goes until somebody’s ‘bust’. In my case,

to ‘bust’ meant a fate worse than drowning

by dirty toilet bowl. And I was tip-toeing

the porcelain edge, I knew it. Lumped atop

a kitchen table was a cluster of rumpled

notes, random coins, a wrinkled bank slip

and pocket lint, enough--to the Peso—for

one last roll of the dice.

What followed was a sixty-hour odyssey

aboard two turbulent airplanes and two

asthmatic buses, ending in regurgitation at

the wheel wells of a rusty flatbed driven

by one, Señor Nelson Rubilar Flores—

‘Nelson’ for short.

My broad-faced Chilean patron smiled

widely beneath dancing eyes. He spoke

not a lick of English save a single,

intensely stressed declaration: ‘Eetz-Eem-

Por-Tant.’ Ah Nelson, how right you are.


He gripped me in brotherhood and chucked my

pack over the tailgate. I climbed in and raised a

thumb. Nelson punched it for Maipo.

San Jose de Maipo in Provincia de Cordillera

is Cabernet country, where the “roads” twist

like vines and “driving” is aerobic. For sixty-six

invigorating kilometers, Nelson roared ahead

with reckless abandon. On the sixty-seventh,

he crushed the brake like beer can and I laid

eyes on my fate, the grand-daddy of Chilean ski

culture and industry; Lagunillas.

Centro de Esqui Lagunillas is the country’s

pioneer ski area. Its low altitude and roots

attitude paradoxically pin it down and prop it

up. Big June snow meant an early start to the

season and a dire need for staff. In me, Nelson

saw cheap labor plus nothing to lose, and he

was right.

Promise of income accompanied by

accommodation had already edged-out concern

for creature comforts or inalienable human

rights. But where, I could not help but wonder,

was that accommodation? Save for a series of

60 yr-old wooden platter lifts and a few sagging

shanties, the base appeared to be featureless.

I would have asked, but Nelson had the answer

in the form of a shovel planted at my feet.

“La Francesca,” he said, directing a reverent

gaze uphill.

A building nested a few hundred meters higher

on the southern face. I hadn’t noticed because

only its roof peeked above the snowpack.

Nelson was carving a trail towards it and

indicating, irritably, that I lend a hand. Cold

but sweating, we excavated around clapboard

walls, Plexiglas windows and doors too small

for their frame. Inside, abandoned armies of

crumpled wrappers, unwashed dishes and

rotting food covered every surface. A mouse

dropping carpet sullied an otherwise bare

concrete floor. Heat was by wood fire, water

needed boiling, and electricity ran only when

lifts did. La Francesca, my fortress of solitude.

Back at the carpark I learned there was a

ski school and equipment rental among the

sagging shacks. It was by working there that

I would earn my luxurious accommodation.

Approaching the shop required awkward hops

through high, white dunes, and once there

Nelson forced its door with his shoulder. Inside,

and strewn everywhere, laid a disarray of

skis. In mismatched pairs old or new, large or

small, the floor was a felled forest of yellowed

planks. This plus the La Francesca had to be

rock bottom, surely, but the boot room proved

otherwise.


A dynamic demonstration of the benefits to be found beyond 'the known'. photo: P.M.Fadden

The author; finding footing atop the Catalunya Pyrenees and (inset) reveling in ducky-pow

among the Japan Alps." photo: P.M.Fadden

A mule, happily chewing hay, reined

over a bale someone—maybe Nelson—

had thoughtfully placed in a corner. (The

room was a heated shelter after all, and

much snow had fallen.) The contented

beast cast me an eye that implied I was

the actual ass. And I sighed to sense the

legitimacy of the point.

Meanwhile, Nelson scooped a pair of

158 Vokl Supersports from the melee (I

am 191cm) hoisting the skis, he purred

“Classes, Plata,” and “Eetz-Eem-Por-

Tant.”

‘Plata’ signifies money, like ‘bucks’

denotes cash, and my employer knew

full-well my need. Beaming, Nelson

dodged the mule to retrieve a pair of

shit-kicker Langes. And that rounded-out

my kit.

The assignment: resuscitate the shop

then work as its instructor, with no ski

experience whatsoever.

The following months are etched in

my bones as much as memory. Boil

water, chop wood, ski-train with Nelson,

shovel; feed the mule, sort gear, and

share the romance of sliding downhill

with the citizens of Santiago. Nelson’s

bread and butter were those city folk.

A foreigner-lead class was incentive to

buy. That I was a learner myself seemed

beside the point.

At first, the incessant pace of each day

slowed my recognition of the seed which

was growing. By the time I did, it was

there to stay. A surprise longing to ski

had overgrown the shock of being made

to. A dormant thing awoke and it defied


equip

yourself!

all physical laws save gravity. Whether

blistering sun or bitter cold, I skied. I

hiked last lines while sun set. The ‘Plata’

no longer mattered.

Then a big daddy storm came to call.

Vicious wind coupled by low visibility

closed Lagunillas for three days, sending

Nelson (and the mule) scurrying to the

valley below. I was forgotten, lightless

and isolated within La Francesca. But

rather than shiver, I made a date with

said storm. Battening all hatches, and

touching wood for an absent beacon,

I set a boot pack into void. It was a

scenario I’d never imagined for myself

yet somehow felt drawn to all the same;

navigating by inner compass, seeking to

carve my own line leading home.

Years have passed, yet skiing remains

the source. For it I’ve risked frostbite,

suffered crooks, lied to bosses, bailed

on girlfriends, crashed in bathtubs, and

accepted without reservation that this,

to me, is a lifelong romance, simply

because Eetz-Eem-Por-Tant. Sometimes

that’s all there is to say.

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YOUR SNOW HELMET CAN BE YOUR ON-MOUNTAIN DISCO TOO

The year is 2022, and by now most people have heeded the “gospel”

of wearing a great helmet. We know quality helmets, with the latest

safety technology (like MIPS), produced by a trusted helmet brand are

keeping people safe and stylish all over the mountain. Their value isn’t

news, but what may be surprising is finding out that most adult helmets

have spaces to install audio drop-ins, and installation is easy!

Over 20 helmet brands offer audio-ready compatibility allowing skiers

and snowboarders to easily add a wireless system. These systems all

provide Bluetooth audio and phone call capability with glove friendly

controls. Phone calls on the mountain? Yes! The ear pad itself works as

a wind noise dampener (or “DeadCat” in microphone parlance) so calls

can be made on the blusteriest day.

Installation is simple… just open each ear pad up and remove the

pre-cut foam inserts. Not every helmet has clearly marked access so

play around until you get it open. Smith provides a nice convenient

zipper to access the internals. Some models, like the Oakley Mod 5,

need extra foam removed so don’t be afraid to rip (or cut) out more to

accommodate your audio system. Drop your audio kit in and enjoy the

day with music in your lid!

Search audio ready helmet

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WINTER FISHING

THEY STILL HAVE TO EAT

By Steve Dickinson

Despite our best intentions, when

the air gets chilly, we tend to back

off. Fish are a cold-blooded creature,

they appreciate temperature, but

they do not react to it as extremely

as we do, however, like many

people, fish tend to be less active

in the cold. As cold-blooded

creatures, their metabolism dips

when temperatures take a dive. But

they still have to eat, maybe a little

less but if they eat, then they can be

caught – simple.

We spoke to a range of cold weather

experts; fishermen, search and

rescue, alpine guides, and ski patrol

and this is their input. The simple key

to enjoying the cold is staying warm.

That is it, simple.

If it gets cold and you want to stay

warm the first rule, is you need to

stay dry. Fishing and keeping dry

may not be as easy as it sounds.

The simplest solution is to keep a

dry towel to dry your hands with after

catching a fish or drying your legs

with when launching a boat. The

smallest hole in your waders will let

in icy water and once your clothes

are wet, especially if they are not

wool, you are going to get cold quick,

so no leaks. In winter on our boat I

keep a dry towel in a dry bag just for

towelling off, a second towel to keep

drying your hands after catching fish.

Second must do; is keeping your

head warm. We lose 80% of our

body heat via your head. You need a

woollen beanie, balaclava, or buff. Of

late I have been using a buff in that

they are versatile, if you get too hot

you can pull it down to your neck, if it

gets real cold, you can use it pulling

up over your ears and head, they

just give you more options. But buy

a good one there are loads of cheap

synthetic ones on the market that

are next too useless. A beanie and

a buff can also be a good combo if

it is really chilly. Word of advice, if

you pull the buff up over your neck

then over your mouth, your breath

will cause condensation, which make

the buff wet, remember keeping dry

is the key.

After making sure your head is

warm next you need to look after

your other extremities. Starting from

the ground up, in waders make

sure you have woollen socks, once

again do not buy cheap. Even if

the product says merino, not all

merino is made equal. You tend to

get what you pay for. Merion is light

weight, breathable, merino manages

moisture by a process called wicking

– in that it will pull moisture away

from your body which if chilled with

make you cold. Merino is also antibacterial

and odour resistance.

Never use synthetic or worse cotton,

as it is quick to suck up water, slow

to dry and should never be worn

next to your skin. If like me you find

wool itchy, there are now a range of

synthetic /wool blends and silk/wool

blends which are easy to wear. Wool

dries quickly and will retain some

heat if it gets wet and has great

thermal qualities – just ask sheep.

Your other extremities are your

hands, ears, and nose. There are

a range of fingerless gloves on the

market which are great for fishing. A

well-known guide showed me a trick

once where he had an additional pair

of extra-large woollen gloves that he

wore over his fingerless gloves for

travelling. For ears and nose they

can be looked after by your buff.

There are a range of commercial



hand warmers, they come in an array

of sizes, and some are reusable. You

either snap or mix them which causes a

chemical reaction, and they warm up. Do

not put them in your gloves – rather put

them in a pocket so that if your gloves do

get wet you can warm your hands up. I

have heard of people putting them in their

socks in their waders but really if it is that

cold maybe stay home. To locate these if

you cannot find in your local fishing store

look to any ski outlet. Reusable ones

are more expensive but with repeat use

become a far better deal.

The art of layering. There is an art to

layering. Key rule, no cotton, only wool,

some fleece, and microfleece. Over

the last ten years there has been an

explosion of quality layering products.

What used to be just an itchy thermal

layer and a woolly jumper that has all

changed. There are now a full range of

base layers, mid layers, and top layers. It

is simple- when it is cold put more on.

Fishing, unlike say tramping where you

are constantly moving you need to be

warm from the get-go. This includes

fleece-based legging or pants. I have

two different thickness fleeces legging

I wear under my waders depending on

how cold it is going to be. Top, I wear

a RAB micro fleece, super lightweight,

short sleeved, this is my go too product

winter and summer. Mid layer long sleeve

merino and if it is going to be cold, I add

another layer on top, but making sure

there is heaps of movement (not too tight

for the last layer) – then jacket on top of

that. An obvious observation is that you

can always remove a layer, you cannot

always add one. You do not want to be

too hot so that you sweat, as sweat can

chill off and make you colder. You want

to be comfortably warm, and layering is a

way to maintain that temperature control.

When its cold drink plenty of water. Hot

tea and coffee might seem a good idea,

but you will need to pee, which mean

exposure to the cold! A good option is hot

water, or hot chocolate. What is a real

‘no no’ is alcohol in any form as it lowers

your core body temperature (even if it

feels warm to begin with) – save that wee

dram till you get back home and make it

part of the boasting process, my winter

suggestion is Fireballs.

New Zealand is renowned for having

four seasons in one day so be prepared

– check the forecast but do not 100%

believe it if it says all is good, be prepared

for the worst.

In winter it pays to fish with a friend

should you take a tumble into the water

someone is there to help out and in the

worst-case scenario, go for help or at

least be able to see the first signs of

hypothermia.

When we think of hypothermia, we

think about people trapped on mountain

side in a storm. That is not the case.

Hypothermia can easily occur when you

are exposed to cold air, water, wind, or

rain. Your body temperature can drop to

a dangerously low level at temperatures

of only 10° or higher in wet and windy

weather, or if you are in 16° to 21° of

water you are at risk of hypothermia.

It can happen easily, I once got

hypothermia waiting for a bus in winter.

Symptoms and signs

•person feels cold to touch and may be

shivering violently.

•tiredness – person may fall behind when

walking.

•clumsy, uncoordinated, may fall over and

appear drunk.

•changes in mood with irritability, irrational

behaviour

•person may resist help.

•slow to respond to questions.

•shivering may decrease and stop – this

is a critical sign.

•loss of consciousness

•pale or blueish skin colour

What to do?

The best treatment for hypothermia

is prevention. But if you suspect

hypothermia, the aim of helping the

person is to stop further heat loss and

warm the patient slowly.

•Provide immediate shelter out of the

wind and dry clothing.

•If fully conscious, give warm drinks,

lollies, chocolate, etc.

•If isolated, body contact to reduce heat

loss and slowly warm – e.g. huddle

around the patient in a sleeping bag.

•Get help.

Winter fishing is all about comfort and

safety. The two should go hand in hand.

In most cases there should be little risk

as long as people are sensible and

aware. In winter it pays not to go as far

from your safety access – your vehicle,

accommodation etc. However if you are

going further you need to make sure

you are prepared. Prepare for the cold,

prepare for the worst and you will be

comfortable, safe, and prepared for winter

fun.


xposure

Photographer: Andrew Chad,

Athlete: Corey Seemann,

Location: Jackson, WY, United States

About the shot: If you ever want to frustrate

yourself, try shooting skiing at night with a

flash. We had an idea of what may happen if

everything went in our favour, but that's the

beauty of photography, it usually doesn't. So,

when this image showed up on the back of the

camera at the end of a week-long ski trip, we

called it a night. Because sometimes a little bit

of dumb luck is all you need. The image is fairly

simple when it's broken down. A dark room,

single flash and a white bounce sheet are the

basic concepts here. Tracking the subject though

the dark was a little tricky, but thank god for

modeling lights. But what makes it special to me

is the fact that Corey was wearing his daylight

lenses in the middle of the night. The coloured

lenses and the reflection of the snow in them is

the real treat of the image.

Photographer Credit: Red Bull Illume 2021

WINTER

MACKENZIE

There are moments in a Mackenzie

winter that stand out and define

the season: breathing in crisp

alpine air, the contrast of snowy

white mountains against bright blue

skies, local eateries with roaring

fires and hearty tucker – the perfect

way to warm up with good cheer

after a day exploring an alpine

wonderland. The comfort of steam

rising from hot pools while you

admire the starry skies followed by

a perfect sleep in blissful silence

after a busy day.

So head outdoors and come play

in our expansive mountain-ringed

plateau – the legendary Mackenzie!


MACKENZIE

REGION

*

Heliskiing ADVENTUREMAGAZINE.CO.NZ//49

- image by Mount Cook Heliski.

Mt Dobson - Image by Jeremy Lyttle

THREE SKI FIELDS

The Mackenzie Region has three ski fields, all situated within an

easy drive of each other. These family-owned fields offer laid back

uncrowded skiing and boarding with outstanding views of the

lakes and mountains.

Mount Dobson

‘Dobbo’ as it’s known to locals, is located between Fairlie and

Lake Tekapo. Famous for all-day sun, large learners area and

regular snowfalls on the peaks. Go up past the groomed trails

to try some off-piste on the smooth powder with views of lakes

Tekapo & Pūkaki. Warming up at the historic Silverstream Hotel

Pub afterwards is a must. A long standing establishment since

1877, the pub offers craft beer, delicious meals, and live bands.

Celebrate your day on the slopes in true rural style with a visit to

this treasure!

Roundhill Ski Area

Close to Lake Tekapo, Roundhill is one of the country’s largest ski

resorts at a whopping 500 hectares. The access road is one of

the safest (no scary drop offs), and the carpark is adjacent to the

learners area where you’ll often find adults cooking on the BBQ

while the kids learn the basics. The more adventurous skier will

love Australasia’s biggest vertical drop (783m). Located at the top

of the T-bar is the precious von Brown Hut, a licensed café with

some of the best views in the world. Try their speciality drinks 'The

Jumping Goat' and the 'B&B Coffee'.

Roundhill Ski Area - Image by Blackbird Media

Ōhau Snow Fields

Not far from Twizel is Ōhau Snow Fields. This is classic Kiwi

skiing with the lodge offering old school charm with roaring

log fire, group-style dining, and a cosy bar. All ski abilities are

catered for, and there is some adventurous terrain near the top.

Stay the night at the lodge, or simply drive over from your Twizel

accommodation for a day on the slopes. The views of Lake Ōhau

have to be seen to believed!

Ōhau Snow Field - Image supplied


Snow shoeing with Alpine Recreation

SKI THE TASMAN GLACIER

The Haupapa/Tasman Glacier is New Zealand’s largest

glacier, and you can ski on top of it! And best of all, you

needn’t be a hardcore professional, this is for intermediate

level skiers. The runs are blue/green and range from 8-10km.

After getting dropped off by helicopter or skiplane you

find yourself on top of the glacier with mountains in every

direction, including the mighty Aoraki/Mount Cook. The

stillness up there is profound, no rustling leaves or singing

birds – just silence and the occasional avalanche far away

(don’t worry, it’s safe on the glacier). Explore ice caves and

incredible ice formations at a relaxed pace with your guide.

This is one bucket-list item that’s truly achievable by almost

any skier.

HELI-SKI

After some adventure? You must be, you’re currently reading

Adventure Magazine! Look no further than heli-ski, this is truly

the stuff that puts you ‘above and beyond’. Charter a flight for

a multi-day skiing adventure. Soar above the vibrant turquoise

lakes, glaciers, and icebergs to spend your day amongst

lofty mountain peaks, skiing virgin snow and revelling in the

grandeur of it all.

ALPINE RECREATION

With the arrival of the winter snows the Southern Alps are

transformed from tussock lands into an extensive playground

for snowshoeing. Alpine Recreation offer 2-5 day trips from

their Rex Simpson Hut at Lake Tekapo. Situated in the Kahui

Kaupeka Conservation Park, part of the Two Thumb Range,

you can enjoy views of Aoraki/Mount Cook and the Main

Divide. It’s wonderful to be exploring the snowy valleys, icecovered

streams, and relax in the evening at the hut nicely

warmed by a logburner. Three days is the recommended trip

length, but even if you just have a weekend to spare you’ll still

get a refreshing break from the normal in a winter wonderland.

Mueller Hut - Image by Siller Francisco

WALKING TRAILS IN WINTER

A winter walk is a great way to boost energy and wake up your

immune system to stave off any winter colds! The fresh air and

incredible snowy mountain views are sure to feed your soul while

you get some exercise.

To get right amongst the mountains you can’t beat hiking up to

Mueller Hut in the Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park. Dubbed the

stairway to heaven, the Sealy Tarns Track in the Aoraki/Mount

Cook National Park is a must for the fit adventurer. 2,200 steps

take you straight up the freshwater lakes of Sealy Tarns providing

spectacular views of the Hooker Valley and the National Park.

The track branches off from the Kea Point track in the village

and is steep with a total height gain of 600m. Those wanting an

overnight adventure continue can continue on the alpine route

for a couple of hours to Mueller Hut. This 28-bunk hut has gas

cookers and solar lighting. During winter it’s strongly advised to

bring an ice axe, walking poles and crampons. Pay the hut fee at

the Department of Conservation visitor centre in the Aoraki/Mount

Cook village, register your intentions, and check the avalanche

advisory report as there is some avalanche risk along the route.


Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail

CYCLING THE ALPS 2 OCEAN CYCLE TRAIL

Aoraki/Mount Cook & Lake Tekapo are the two starting

points for the world-famous 315km Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail.

This nine-section trail stretches from the Southern Alps to

the Pacific Ocean. If riding the full trail doesn’t fit with your

schedule, try one of the day rides. Some of the most scenic

sections are near the town of Twizel.

There are many recognised benefits of winter cycling. You’ll

burn more calories due your body working harder to stay

warm. Studies have shown that your resting metabolic rate

increases when you’re exposed to cold. It all adds up to a fitter

body while your lazy mates are busy with Netflix and chill.

Some tips for staying safe while winter cycling include lowering

your saddle to lower centre of gravity and decrease wobble

on ice, letting some air out of the tyres to increase traction,

layering appropriately, and wearing gloves.

Adventure South have a winter Alps 2 Ocean packaged

tour that includes mulled wine, hot water bottles, warm fires,

soaking in hot pools, and much more to ensure total comfort

for the six-day tour.

STARGAZING

Winter is the best time to experience the protected ‘park in the

sky’, the 4,367sq km Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky

Reserve. It gets darker sooner, and the centre of the Milky Way

is right above you. The spacious landscape coupled with strict

lighting controls ensures you’ll get a stellar view of the night

sky in the Mackenzie. There’s a wide range of paid tours to

choose from: a working observatory, floating in hammocks in

hot pools, a wine cellar, farm tours, and even small group tours

that deliver a bespoke experience at your accommodation.

You can also try your hand at astrophotography with one of the

region’s talented guide/photographers.

View from Mt John – Dark Sky Project

Another option is to bring plenty some cosy blankets and

folding chairs (don’t forget a thermos of hot chocolate!)

and find your own special place to ponder the universe

beneath the stars. There are plenty of good locations on

the canal roads, and seeing the stars reflected in the water

is truly a special sight.

HOT POOLS

Everything you need for the ultimate day out is at Tekapo

Springs. Try a thrilling snow tube ride, ice skate on the

outdoor rink, then warm up in the hot pools. The onsite

café is fully licensed with a wide range of food and drink

for everyone. Treat yourself to a massage or beauty

treatment at the day spa, or stargaze from a hot pool with

their Tekapo Star Gazing tours at night.


"

mindfulness = attention+intention

We have all done it.

Rocked up to the boat, the ski

field, the rugby game, or the hike,

not feeling 100%. Sure, it was

great meeting up with friends the

night before but then adding too

much merriment to the evening

basically ruins the following day,

possibly the week. You might not

even be hung-over or sick, but

the remnant of alcohol removes

your edge, or, to use a term that

has been used a lot recently, the

alcohol impacts or removes your

‘intention’.

Intention; is defined as a noun

as something that you want and

plan to do:

Stress, health, circumstance,

weather can all get in the way of

our intention.

But alcohol is a substance that

we ‘choose’ to add that often

gets in the way of our core

intentions.

Your intention was to go fishing,

skiing, biking, or tramping. Not to

feel like ‘ah shit’ for the morning

waiting for the alcohol fog to lift.

With “Dry July” looming and with

the event becoming more and

more popular, it is a good time

to look at our drinking culture.

This is not a goodie-two-shoes,

finger-pointing, evangelical

crusade against alcohol. This is

a look at being mindful, (which is

very WOKE at present) paying

attention and maintaining the

right intention.

What is mindful drinking?

Mindfulness = attention +

intention

Mindfulness is about paying

attention. So many of us go

through life never really noticing

or even considering how we feel,

what’s going on in our heads,

or how we respond to the world

around us.

An addictive world can creep

up on us slowly, it is not always

alcohol or drugs but can be

anything, anything that we feel

we must do ‘or feel compelled to

do’, from that 5k run every day

to simply checking your phone

messages as soon as you wake

up. Unaware repetition is the

subliminal cancer that can rob us

of our intention.

If someone asked you the night

before, ‘do you want to just

have an average day skiing

and feel sick or do you want

this third glass of wine’ – it’s an

easy answer. But only if you

are attentive, if someone else is

pouring your wine or you are not

aware of time and numbers –

you are not mindfully drinking.

Mindfulness is also about living

with intention. Sometimes it

feels like life is happening to

us, it is the way we have been

"

programmed. But

as we notice what’s

going on inside us and

how we react to other

people, we can begin

to take control.

We start to live

deliberately. Making

things happen for us

instead of to us.

Mindfulness is also about

living with intention.

Living with intention

Your intention can revolve around an

experience or it can revolve around your

whole life. Some are happy and don’t

need to make any changes, others want

change but are not sure how to bring it

about and some simply have not noticed.

Our reasons for wanting to change are as

diverse as we are.

So much of our culture revolves around

alcohol and it is not until you stop that

you realise how often that connection is

there. If for no other reason do Dry July

so that you can see for yourself how

often and how basic that connection is,

once you have identified it, it makes your

intention so much easy to fulfil.

Mindful drinking really is as simple as

paying attention and living with intention.

Drinking is not about getting drunk,

it’s just a by-product. But the social

aspect, not even pressure just location

and process, can make not drinking

uncomfortable, difficult. As awareness

of the impact of drinking has grown, we

have seen a growth of non-alcohol and

low alcohol beverages bloom. I recall

vividly receiving a pallet of non-alcoholic

Heineken as a promotion and didn’t really

know what to do with it. We all agreed

it would never take off. We were wrong,

now, supermarkets have whole sections

dedicated to non-alcoholic drinks. I am

a fussy beer drinker, I prefer a strong

flavoured IPA, and now, sure enough,

there are several on the market that is

alcohol free.

In the US there are now full blow AF

(alcohol-free) bars. In New Zealand,

we have seen the alcohol-free range

increase, particularly online. Leading

the way in selection is Clear Head

Drinks an online company based here

in New Zealand dedicated to alcoholfree

beverages. We caught up with

Donna and Rick and asked them how

the company came about.

How did clear head drinks come about?

Clear Head Drinks was born out of

the need from the co-founder of the

company, Ricky Bartlett who decided

to stop drinking alcohol 8 years ago

but who wanted to still be able to drink

alcoholic drinks but without the effects

of alcohol. Looking around there was a

very limited supply of drinks and those

drinks that were available tended to be

spread out amongst different shops,

supermarkets, and online stores. The

initial idea had been to gather all the

drinks that were on the market and

have them under one roof so that Kiwis

had one place that they could come

to buy NA/Alcohol-free drinks knowing

that they were looking at the complete

collection. The problem was that not

all those drinks tasted any good and

so we decided to look overseas where

the markets were more established

to find a wider variety. At that time,

even though New Zealand was a

craft beer nation, there were no NA or

alcohol-free craft beers available that

were brewed in NZ and so we went

out to the USA, Europe, Canada, and

Australia to find a range that would

satisfy thirsty Kiwis. This is how the

current set-up came into being and

Clear Head Drinks now has a large

range of beverage options from NZ

and from overseas with many of those

drinks being world leaders in their field.

What was the biggest challenge you

had in establishing the company?

Clear Head Drinks was the first,

dedicated NA/Alcohol Free online

store in the country and so being the

first brought with it some challenges

because this path had not been walked

before. Connecting with suppliers from

overseas, arranging freight at a time

when the supply chain was starting

to be affected by Covid and coming

up with the funds to be able to buy

large amounts of stock to bring into

the country were all big challenges. A

large stumbling block was our website.

We had a launch date in mind, but the

development of the website did not go

according to plan and so everything

was delayed as we found a new

website developer, and this turned

out to be an expensive and timeconsuming

exercise.

"

Clear Head Drinks was born out of the need from the co-founder of

the company, Ricky Bartlett who decided to stop drinking alcohol 8

years ago but who wanted to still be able to drink alcoholic drinks but

without the effects of alcohol.


" We will continue

to do our part

by bringing an

extensive range of

quality, healthy

and tasty nonalcoholic

drinks

to the NZ market.

As with the emergence of low alcohol beer

did you originally feel any resistance to the

concept?

The idea for Clear Head Drinks came about

8 years ago but it wasn't until the first full

lock down that we acted and began building

the company. If we had started the company

when we had the idea, it could have been

a different story as the non-alcoholic

movement hadn't really taken off at that time

and there was resistance to the concept.

Fast forward 7 years and the overall move to

a more "wellness" focused society in general

and NA/Alcohol-free drinking had become

more and more accepted worldwide and that

acceptance was certainly growing here in

NZ. When we asked people about our idea

we were constantly greeted with positive

feedback and people saying how there was a

market for drinks like this and how more and

more adults wanted to move away from the

harmful effects of alcohol. You always had

the odd person who would say "what's the

point" but generally people understood and

were hugely supportive and there is no doubt

that Kiwis have really welcomed the idea

with open arms.

On a day-to-day level – week by week, have

you been affected by distribution issues?

The distribution issues have been twofold

for us with delays and cost increases

when bringing the stock in from overseas

as well as delivery issues here at home.

The importing of goods has become harder

thanks to container shortages and the effect

of covid on the distribution network (as well

as boats getting stuck in Canals!) and so this

has not only increased the time to get stock

from abroad, but the costs have gone up. At

home, the problems have been, again, due

to the covid issue which has taken courier

drivers off the road, and slowed the ability

for our warehouse to pick, pack and dispatch

orders and this has led to delays.

I am aware that beer has a used by

date – how do you factor that in with

such and extensive range?

There is a lot of juggling that needs to

be done to have products in the store

that have a significant shelf life so

that customers have the certainty that

when the drinks arrive, they are going

to be as good as they can be. When

purchasing from Europe for instance, it

can take up to 3 months for the ship to

arrive and if the product has, like with

Beer, a 12-month shelf life then it is

imperative that what is sent to us is as

fresh as possible to make sure that we

have plenty of time to be able to sell

the goods and that when they arrive

at your door they taste as good as

they should. Keeping a close eye on

when the "best before" dates run out

enables us to order in the appropriate

time frames so that we always have

the best stock on hand.

Do you see a trend in what is popular

– what sells best?

There is no question that New Zealand

is more of a beer nation than anything

else and so we probably sell more

craft beer than any other drink. We

do also sell a great deal of sparkling

wine and one of our exclusive brands,

Thomson & Scott, is our biggest

selling individual product. We are

finding that buyers are willing to try

new things and that is why we look to

increase our range on a regular basis

to give more choice and variety.

There is a worldwide trend to AF bars

– do you think that will start to happen

in New Zealand?

The trend towards non-alcoholic

bars is one that we feel is inevitable

here in New Zealand. There was an

attempt in 2015 with a bar called "Tap

Bar" in Auckland but it didn't work as

the market wasn't ready for it and the

concept of the bar, opening at midnight

to gather those spilling out of other

bars, just didn't fly.

Fast forward to 2022 and Unleaded

Alcohol-Free opened in the Wairarapa,

initially as part of the Greytown

truckstop venue. Unleaded has been

well received with even sceptical

patrons becoming happy customers.

With NA/Alcohol-free drinks becoming

more mainstream, we do see AF bars

having their place in NZ and it is only

a matter of time before this happens

across the country, initially with "popup"

bars and then with permanent

venues.

What does the future look like for clear

head drinks?

The NA/AF drinks market is only just

beginning here in NZ. There is a great

deal of interest in the category, but bars

and restaurants are still very slow in

adopting the idea of alcoholic drinks

and where they have jumped on board,

the options are limited. There is no

question that when NA/AF drinks are

available they sell and so it's a case of

educating more hospitality premises so

that they understand that they can sell

this style of drinks, keep more of their

customers happy and make margin at

the same time. We will continue to do

our part by bringing an extensive range

of quality, healthy and tasty drinks

to the NZ market and continuing to

push the message that you can drink

authentic, great-tasting adult drinks,

and continue to enjoy the ritual of

drinking but not suffer the harm that

comes with alcohol.


New Zealand’s first online store

solely dedicated to Non Alcoholic

adult drinks.

Perfect after a days adventuring - satisfy

the taste without the after effects. Adult

drinks that make you feel part of the

socialising yet let you wake up the next

day with a clear head ready for your

next adventure.

.

No matter your reason.......we’ve got you covered

Beers - Wines - Spirits - RTD’s - Ciders - All delivered to your door

www.clearheaddrinks.co.nz

Got the pip

In the mix

O%

www.clearheaddrinks.co.nz

www.lyres.com

www.stateofgracedrinks.co.nz

www.mondaydistillery.com

www.hancocks.co.nz

In the spirit

On the hop


Unlike anywhere else?

Yip. Here’s why...

For starters, it’s not crowded.

And the snow is incredible, because of, well,

British Columbia winters.

It could be just like anywhere else, but it ain’t.

Come on over.

There’s plenty of room.

And the runs are endless, which means

tired legs will be stoked to sink into the

country’s largest slope-side outdoor

hot pools. Let that soak in!

The accommodation is right beside the lifts,

our team is super-friendly, and well,

it’s Canada, eh? The only thing stuck up here is

the top of the mountain. It’s all pretty chill.

(Except for the hot pools. Those are warm.)

Save up to

50% OFF

LODGING & LIFT TICKETS

See PanoramaResort.com/NZ for details.

1.800.663.2929 / PanoramaResort.com

THE CARDRONA

EXPERIENCE

Established in 2013 The Cardrona experience is situated at

the base of Cardrona Alpine Resort, just 45 minutes from

Queenstown and 20 minutes from Wanaka town centre. It was

started by Kel who had a passion for the region and a deep

love of horses, which she combined to create an unforgettable

kiwi experience for everyone.

Simply The Cardrona activity centre offers first-class, familyfriendly

guided horse treks and quad biking adventures in the

stunning Cardrona Valley. You can explore The Cardrona’s

unique slice of high-country heaven by horseback and quad

bikes, summer or winter, all year-round.

The handpicked trekking horses, with their kind and gentle

temperament, take you on an unforgettable journey in the

mountains. With a range of ages, heights and ‘horsanalities’

across the herd, The Cardrona can cater to different weights

and experience levels.

By horseback or quad you can experience the rugged highcountry

scenery, see its changing moods and picturesque

seasons which Cardrona Valley is renowned for. Learn about

the regions gold-mining history, you check out the working

farm and grab a beer at the iconic Cardrona Hotel. The

possibilities are endless.

Group sizes are small & book out quickly so be sure to lock in

your saddles early to avoid missing out!

Beginners’ options – to advance All levels catered for

• Cost $199 - $349

• How to book www.thecardrona.co.nz

The most special and exciting way to create your lasting Wanaka memories is from

horseback or quad bike high up in the stunning mountains of The Cardrona.

Ride out with THE CARDRONA today to discover the secrets of our unique alpine paradise!

WWW.THECARDRONA.CO.NZWW.THECARDRONA.CO.NZ

Reviews from

millions of Tripadvisor

travellers place this

attraction in the top

10% worldwide.

Come cycling in stunning

Central Otago and let the

experts look after all your needs

> Lake Dunstan Trail

> Otago Central Rail Trail

> Roxbourgh Gorge Trail

and more...

Roxburgh Gorge trail view

Call the experts at Bike It Now!: 0800 245 366

Clyde Bike Shop and Tour office open 7 Days

Cromwell Bike Shop open 7 days

www.bikeitnow.co.nz

Tripadvisor

Travellers’

Choice

Bike It Now!

⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤

INSULATED JACKETS

ONE FOR EVERY OCCASSION

By Lynne Dickinson

If you take a moment to do a little bit of people watching, you

will notice that nearly every second person will be wearing what

we used to call a “puffer jacket”. These days they are not just for

the avid adventurer, insulated jackets have become a staple in

everyone’s wardrobe and there is such a variety of them that it is

easy to get overwhelmed by the choice.

There are now quite a wide range of fills available, and each

comes with its pros and cons, so it’s about deciding which one

best suits your needs.

Synthetic: These used to be the underdogs of the

insulated jackets, but as technology has improved

so has the ability to imitate what nature provides.

Synthetic fill jackets now are able to imitate the

properties of down and yet remain water resistant

enabling you to use your jacket in wet conditions.

The downside in the past has been the warmth-toweight

ratio, however, new synthetic insulation, seen

in some of the high-end technical jackets have been

engineered to resemble to warmth-to-weight ratios of

down, and others have developed synthetic fill that is

able to breathe in high-output activities.


ab Xenon 2.0 Jacket $279.95

An all-mountain lightweight, synthetic insulated

jacket using 100% post-consumer recycled

PrimaLoft® Silver insulation and a weather

resistant recycled Pertex® Quantam outer.

WWW.OUTFITTERS.NET.NZ

patagonia Micro Puff® Jacket $399.99

The best warmth for weight of any jacket Patagonia has ever

built, the Micro Puff® Jacket delivers ultralightweight, waterresistant,

down-like warmth with PlumaFill synthetic insulation

– a revolutionary material that replicates the structure of down,

offering the same warmth and packability but with the warmwhen-wet

performance of synthetic insulation. This jacket is

also Fair Trade Certified sewn, which means the people

who made it earned a premium for their labour. It's available in

men's and women's cuts, and a range of colours.

WWW.PATAGONIA.CO.NZ

Marmot Men’s Solus Jacket $299.95

3M Thinsulate Recycled Featherless Jacket.

Made with 75% recycled loose-fill fibres. As warm as

700 fill power down, and maintains performance in

wet conditions.

WWW.MARMOTNZ.CO.NZ

Wool/synthetic:

Wool has always been considered one of the best

forms of insulation and this is now being used in

insulated jackets. With a high warmth-to-weight ratio

and its ability to performs well when wet, it’s being

used in a variety of insulated jackets. The downside

to wool is simply that it doesn’t reduce in size when

packed.

icebreaker Women's MerinoLoft Helix Jacket $399.99

A technical lofted jacket made with sustainable

merino wool and recycled materials, the Helix Jacket

is a warm winter outer layer for everyday versatility.

WWW.ICEBREAKER.COM


Down: Down jackets were always

considered the penultimate in

insulation. The down (usually geese

or duck) has an incredibly high

warmth-to-weight ratio and is the

best insulator (pound-for-pound) in

the world. It’s lightweight and packs

down incredibly small.

The main downside of the downfilled

jackets is that they lose their

heat retaining ability if they get wet.

This has been counteracted with

the development of water-resistant

down. This is simply down treated

with a water-resistant coating at

a molecular level. Because the

coating is applied at a micro scale

it adds little weight and does not

affect the loft.

What is fill power? When looking

at down jackets you want to take

note of their “fill power”. This shows

the quality of the down; the higher

the number, the more volume the

down will occupy. A 500-600 range

fill will require more down (making it

feel heavier and bulkier) to achieve

the same warmth as a 800-900 fill.

Baffles:

These help maintain an even

distribution of your fill and prevent

the material from gathering at the

bottom of your jacket.

Wide baffles provide the warmest

option, although they can

sometimes feel bulky, whereas

narrow baffles tend to compress

the jacket more and therefore work

well underneath a waterproof outer

layer and are easy to pack up.

The baffles have been designed

to create real style and shape but

if you are looking for warmth then

you may want to consider the box

wall stitched baffles as opposed

to the stitch-through style. Stitchthrough

keeps the insulation evenly

spread, however the fact that it

is stitched through the jacket can

cause heat to be lost where the

stitching is made, whereas the box

wall stitching allows maximum loft

and designed to prevent heat loss.

Shell materials:

The outer material will also depend

on the use of your jacket. Some

are completely waterproof, some

water resistant and others not really

designed for wet conditions.

I have three insulated jackets in

my wardrobe: One a classic down

fill vest with durable waterproof

resistant coating from Huffer with

wide stitch-through baffles that I

wear almost daily in the winter with

jeans.

One down-filled water-resistant

jacket from RAB, super lightweight

but super warm is my go-to when I

am anywhere near the snow. I also

take it hiking and it creates a great

pillow when in its stuff sack.

My other go-to is a featherless

Insulation jacket from Marmot,

which has a super stylish cut

and cool baffle design. It’s warm

enough to wear during the height of

winter but stylish and compactable

enough fit in any bag and not take

up too much room.

Marmot Women’s Highlander Hoody $449.95

Pertex Quantum® fabric offers wind

protection while also maximising the

efficiency and warmth of 700-fillpower-down

insulation. Lightweight

and compressible.

WWW.MARMOTNZ.CO.NZ

rab Cubit Stretch Down Vest $349.95

Lightweight, packable and perfect

for everyday wear, the Cubit Vest

is cosy, stylish, stretchy, highly

functional and gives new life to

quality down.


outdoor research Helium Down Hoody $449.99

Durable, abrasion-resistant Pertex® Quantum, 800+ fill

goose down. A waterproof version of Pertex® Shield with

Diamond Fuse fabric adds weather protection to the hood and

shoulders. Available in men's and women's specific versions.

WWW.BIVOUAC.CO.NZ


INSULATED....

rab Cubit Stretch Down Hoody $499.95

A functional, everyday wind-resistant

and lightweight stretch down jacket

filled with 700FP P.U.R.E recycled

down and Pertex® 3D Weave outer.


Marmot Men’s Hype Down Hoody $649.95

800-fill-power down provides exceptional

warmth, loft, and compactibility. Pertex

Quantum® fabric protects from wind and

improves the efficiency of insulation.

WWW.MARMOTNZ.CO.NZ

rab Microlight Alpine Jacket $399.95

Rab’s classic lightweight highly packable,

multi-purpose down jacket is an everyday

jacket and mountain layer featuring a fully

recycled shell, insulation and lining.


rab Valiance Jacket $699.95

The ultimate warm and waterproof down

jacket made from durable, waterproof

Pertex® outer and filled with the highest

quality 800 fill hydrophobic down, keeping

you warm throughout the winter.


outdoor research Coldfront Down Jacket $349.99

700+ fill power of responsibly-sourced-down insulation,

85%-recycled VerticalX ECO insulation on the top of the

shoulders and in the cuffs for increased weather resistance and

a 53%-recycled ripstop exterior to block wind and resist rain and

snow. Features include internal wrist gaiters with thumb loops.

Available in men's and women's specific versions.

WWW.BIVOUAC.CO.NZ

Marmot Women’s Featherless Jacket $399.95

Lightweight 3M Thinsulate Recycled

Featherless Jacket. Made with 75% recycled

loose-fill fibres. As warm as 700 fill power down,

and maintains performance in wet conditions.

WWW.MARMOTNZ.CO.NZ

MID & SHELLS....

Black Diamond Dawn Patrol Hybrid Shell $549.99

A high-output piece designed to move and breathe

with you, the Dawn Patrol Shell is the embodiment

of durability. Designed with four-way stretch and

double weave fabric, quick movements, banger uphill

laps and light weather are all covered. Men’s and

Women’s available.

WWW.SOUTHERNAPPROACH.CO.NZ

Black Diamond Alpenglow Pro Hoody $179.99

The Black Diamond Alpenglow Pro Hoody offers

ultimate sun coverage as well as water resistance for

mountain missions with unpredictable weather.

Men’s and Women’s available.


rab Xenair Alpine Jacket $399.95

An adaptable synthetic highly

breathable, weather resistant

insulated hoody perfect for

alpine adventures. Made with

Pertex® Quantum Air outer

and insulated with PrimaLoft®

Gold insulation.


outdoor research snowcrew Jacket $399.99

Designed for skiers and snowboarders, delivering

performance, warmth and style with a 56%-recycled

shell fabric and 85%-recycled insulation. Features

an adjustable hood with a wire brim that fits most

snowsports helmets, pit zips for ventilation, a

powder skirt, fore-arm ski pass pocket and a doubleseparating

front zip.

WWW.BIVOUAC.CO.NZ

outdoor research Archangel GORE-TEX Bibs $999.99

3-layer GORE-TEX® Pro and full mobility with 3-layer

GORE-TEX® Pro Stretch panels where you need

them - on the knees, lower back and crotch gusset.

Features include top to bottom zips, adjustable

venting and cuff size adjustments to fit climbing or ski

touring boots.

WWW.BIVOUAC.CO.NZ


Black Diamond Dawn Patrol Hybrid pants $479.99

Designed with a single-minded focus on

highly efficient mountain travel, the Dawn

Patrol Pants are the quintessential highoutput

touring pants. Men’s and Women’s

available.


icebreaker ZoneKnit Merino Long Sleeve

Half ZipT-Shirt $449.99

A versatile, body-mapped zipneck

top that’s ideal for highoutput

mountain adventures,

the ZoneKnitLong Sleeve

Half Zip features 100% merino

wool for all-natural warmth and

temperature regulation.

WWW.ICEBREAKER.CO.NZ

Icebreaker ZoneKnit Merino Insulated Vest $399.99

A body-mapped performance vest that’s ideal for

high-output mountain adventures, the ZoneKnit

Insulated Vest features 100% merino wool for allnatural

warmth and temperature regulation.


icebreaker ZoneKnit Merino Short Sleeve T-Shirt $119.99

Our most breathable and lightweight tee for highexertion

activities, the ZoneKnit Short Sleeve Tee

features a clean design with mesh panels to help

regulate your body temperature.


GEAR FOR EVERY ADVENTURER

www.marmotnz.co.nz

MACPAC'S PERRENIAL FAVOURITES...

UBER LIGHT RANGE – THE JUST IN CASE LAYER

Range includes – Jackets, vests and

women’s coats. Kids’ jackets available

too.

True to its name, the Uber Light Range

provides lightweight warmth without

the bulk. It's designed to be a versatile

mid or outer layer — depending on the

weather — and it's filled with 650 loft

RDS duck down for cosy warmth. The

lightweight nylon outer features a water

repellent finish to help protect against

moisture, while the elastic bound hem

and cuffs help to trap heat inside the

jacket to keep you warmer. The Uber is

perfect for layering up this season.

The Responsible Down Standard (RDS)

is an independent, voluntary global

standard in the ethical sourcing of down

and feathers. All Macpac down is 100%

RDS certified.

Features:

• 650 loft Responsible Down

Standard duck down

• Lightweight nylon shell with water

repellent treatment

• Elastic bound hem and cuffs

• Zipped hand pockets

• Packs into tiny stuff sack (included)

PRICING FROM $159.99 - $289.99

WWW.MACPAC.CO.NZ

HALO DOWN RANGE – A REMASTERED CLASSIC

Range includes – Jackets and vests

The Halo range balances warmth and

versatility. This jacket is a great option

for wearing around town, around the

hills, and around the campsite.

Its combination of 100% recycled

fabrics and 600 loft RDS duck down

provides plenty of feel good warmth.

An adjustable hood, hem and cuffs help

trap heat in, and a PFC-free WR finish

encourages water to bead and roll off

the fabric's surface.

They have also updated a few features

to modernise the style, as well as

increasing the size of the internal

pocket. This removes the need for a

separate stuff sack because now you

can pack the jacket in there instead.

Features:

• Internal draft tubes

• Zipped hand pockets

• Tricot lining on collar and hand

pockets

• Adjustable cuffs, hood and hems

• Packs into internal pocket

• Regular fit

PRICING FROM $229.99 - $299.99

WWW.MACPAC.CO.NZ


GLERUPS BLACK RUBBER BOOT CHARCOAL $199.00

Want to discover the comfiness and softness of 100%

felted wool? Try glerups. Over time glerups will mould

to your feet for all-day comfort. Available in slipper,

shoe and boot with a leather or rubber sole.

glerups is your best adventure accessory.

WWW.GLERUPS.CO.NZ

SALEWA WILDFIRE LEATHER $299.90

The Wildfire Leather is ideal for everyday use, yet provides

the support and stability required for hiking to light climbing.

The high-quality, 1.4mm suede upper is supported by a

protective rubber rand. Underfoot, the POMOCA® Speed

MTN Path outsole has been developed to ensure versatile

grip and sure-footed contact.

WWW.BOBO.CO.NZ/SALEWA

SALEWA ALP TRAINER 2 $299.90

The Alp Trainer 2 is a low-cut alpine hiking and trekking

shoe built for enhanced performance and control in a wide

spectrum of mountain terrain. Its high-quality, thick suede

leather upper ensures good comfort and protection and

is further reinforced with a full 360° rubber rand to see off

rock and scree.


SALEWA ALP TRAINER 2 GTX $349.90

The Alp Trainer 2 GTX has a suede leather and stretch fabric upper

with a protective rubber rand for protection against rock, scree and

debris. Featuring a GORE-TEX® Extended Comfort lining for optimal

waterproofing and breathability. The EVA midsole provides superior

cushioning and excellent comfort for a technical shoe.


SALEWA ALP TRAINER 2 MID GTX $399.90

The Alp Trainer 2 Mid GTX has a suede leather and stretch fabric

upper with a protective rubber rand. Featuring a GORE-TEX®

Extended Comfort lining for optimal waterproofing and breathability.

The customizable Multi Fit Footbed (MFF) with interchangeable layers

allows you to adapt it to the unique shape of your foot.


SALEWA MOUNTAIN TRAINER LITE MID GORE-TEX® $399.90

Made for alpine hiking and long backpacking routes – our

lightweight, comfortable and supportive mid-cut boot performs well

on rock and technical terrain. The waterproof, breathable GORE-

TEX® lining makes it ideal for 3-season use, from higher activity

levels in summer, to rain, mud or lingering snow.



gasmate Alpine Butane Stove $79.99

With a vaporisation tube for consistent

performance at altitude, the Alpine stove is

ideal for extended backcountry and alpine

use. Lightweight at 450g with 11,850 BTUs of

cooking power.

WWW.KIWICAMPING.CO.NZ

Gasmate Turbo Butane Stove & Pot Set

$149.00

For quick boiling when you need it! A

super lightweight aluminium stove with

quick boil technology, piezo ignition

and accessories all packaged in a

handy mesh carry bag.


Kiwi Camping Mamaku Pro -5°C Sleeping Bag

$129.00

The Mamaku Pro -5°C sleeping bag provides

exceptional warmth on cold adventures. The

semi-tapered design features a drawstringadjustable

contoured hood that packs down

into the handy compression bag for easy pack

and carry.


Kiwi camping Mamaku Trek 0°C Sleeping Bag

$119.00

The Mamaku Trek 0°C is perfect for lightweight

hiking with a semi-tapered design and drawstring

adjustable hood. Complete with thermal lining and

YKK zippers.


Rumpl Original Puffy Blanket - Geo $179.99

The Original Puffy Blanket combines

the same technical materials found in

premium sleeping bags and insulated

jackets to keep you cosy indoors and out.

WWW.RUMPL.CO.NZ

local dehy kumera chickpea curry

$16.50

Mildly spiced Indian curry with

spinach & brown rice. Refuel after

a day's adventure! Dehydrated.

Vegan. Home compostable

packaging.

WWW.LOCALDEHY.CO.NZ

local dehy hummus $7.00

Roasted Red Pepper & Sundried

Tomato, also available in Beetroot

and Zesty Lemon. Perfect for lunches

on the trail. Dehydrated. Vegan.

Home compostable packaging.

WWW.LOCALDEHY.CO.NZ

kiwi camping Boost LED Light with

Power Bank $89.99

Bright LED light with power bank to

illuminate your tent and charge devices

on the go. Features 11 light modes

including SOS signal, built-in magnets

and hanging hook.


Mr Heater Portable Buddy $339.00

Portable Buddy is a propane gas heater that

is both lightweight and robust heating up to

18m². Featuring a low oxygen and accidental

tip-over safety shut-off.



sunsaver classic 16,000 mah solar power

bank $119.00

Built tough for the outdoors and with a

massive battery capacity you can keep all

your devices charged no matter where your

adventure takes you.

WWW.SUNSAVER.CO.NZ

TIRED

LEGS?

TRY OUR NEW

APPLE & BERRY

CRUMBLE

DESSERT.

deepcreek local ipa $3.79

With only 93 calories per can,

this mid-strength, refreshing, low

calorie IPA is the perfect beer for

the active lifestyle!

WWW.DCBREWING.CO.NZ

KEA KIT: Outdoor Survival System

Be fully prepared for your next adventure

with KEA KIT. The compact, modular and

durable survival kit that includes everything

you need & nothing you don’t.

WWW.KEAOUTDOORS.COM

hydro flask 12L Carry Out Soft

Cooler 249.99

Colder. Longer. Lighter. The

perfect compact size to bring a

little or a lot along for the day.

Keeps items fresh for up to 24

hours.

WWW.HYDROFLASK.CO.NZ

backcountrycuisine.co.nz

Shackleton Blended Malt Scotch

Born from Adventure: Shackleton Blended

Malt Scotch is based on the spirit supplied to

the 1907 British Antarctic Expedition, expertly

crafted using a selection of the finest Highland

Single Malt Scotch Whiskies. Available at

various Liquor Retailers .

WWW.GLENGARRYWINES.CO.NZ

JÄGERMEISTER COLD BREW COFFEE

Inspired by the innovative,

everchanging drinks scene,

we instinctively knew how a

drop of Jägermeister and a

backbeat of cold brew coffee

could transform any night. The

enviable result? A brand-new

mix. JÄGERMEISTER COLD

BREW COFFEE. A unique

fusion of JÄGERMEISTER’s

56 botanicals and intense cold

brew coffee.

WWW.LIQUORLAND.CO.NZ

BACK COUNTRY CUISINE:

The first thing you’ll notice is that the front label on their pouches have changed for the better

by adding Health Star Ratings and energy, protein, fat and carbs per pouch. They have also

improved the readability of our back labels.Back Country Cuisine is available at leading retailers.

For more information or to find your nearest stockist visit: www.backcountrycuisine.co.nz

Quest bike trailers $1495 inc GST

Designed and engineered

in the Southern Alps of New

Zealand, it will take you on

and off the road carrying all

the necessities to have a great

time exploring our beautiful

cycle trails or on that epic

overseas adventure.

WWW.QUESTBIKETRAILERS.COM

aleck 006

Universal Wireless Helmet Audio

& Communication Aleck 006 is the

bluetooth drop-in system that puts

your soundtrack into your snow helmet

and keeps you connected to friends

and family with easy, push-to-talk

communication.

WWW.ALECK.IO

tasty chicken mash $9.49 - $13.99

With smoky flavoured freeze dried chicken,

cheese and vegetables.

3.5 Health Stars - Gluten Free

Available small serve (90g) or regular (175g)

WWW.BACKCOUNTRYCUISINE.CO.NZ

Apple & Berry Crumble $13.19

A sweet mix of freeze dried apples and

berries topped with a delicious gluten free

cookie crumb.

3 Health Stars - Gluten Free


INSTANT PASTA $4.89

Just add boiling water for perfectly cooked

pasta.

3.5 Health Stars

Sizes – Family 120g


FEED YOUR ADDICTION

Like a ‘perfect storm’, we have seen a dramatic growth and

development in online stores over the past 5 years. Now as we are

made to keep our ‘distance’, online, ecommerce takes on a whole

new meaning and value. We are dedicating these pages to our client’s

online stores; some you will be able to buy from, some you will be able

drool over. Buy, compare, research and prepare, these online stores are

a great way to feed your adventure addiction while you are still at home.

Never have a dead phone

again! Because now you can

charge straight from the Sun

with SunSaver. Perfect for

that week-long hike, day at

the beach, or back-up for any

emergency. Check us out at:

www.sunsaver.co.nz

Experts at adventure travel since 2000

We live what we sell!

www.madabouttravel.co.nz

www.adventuresouth.co.nz

Whether you enjoy

cycle trails, road

cycling, mountain

biking or walking,

Adventure South NZ

can help you to explore

New Zealand at

your own pace.

Our motto is “Going the

distance” and we pride

ourselves on providing top

quality outdoor and travel

equipment and service

that will go the distance

with you, wherever that

may be.

www.trekntravel.co.nz

Gear up in a wide selection of durable, multifunctional

outdoor clothing & gear. Free Returns. Free Shipping.

www.patagonia.co.nz

Stocking an extensive range

of global outdoor adventure

brands for your next big

adventure. See them for travel,

tramping, trekking, alpine and

lifestyle clothing and gear.

www.outfittersstore.nz

Specialists in the sale of Outdoor Camping Equipment, RV,

Tramping & Travel Gear. Camping Tents, Adventure Tents,

Packs, Sleeping Bags and more.

www.equipoutdoors.co.nz

Our Mission

To bring like-minded adventurers together for epic journey’s

fuelled by top-notch coffee. All while supporting the things

we care about and restoring nature.

www.epiccoffee.co.nz

Our very own online store where

you will find hard goods to keep you

equipped for any adventure.

www.pacificmedia-shop.co.nz

Ultra lightweight running shoes, made by runners. No

matter where the trail takes you, Hoka One One will

have you covered.

www.hokaoneone.co.nz

PACKRAFT NZ

Unlock your adventure horizon with Packraft New Zealand.

Online supplier of Kokopelli packrafts, accessories and

adventure inspiration. Shop online or contact us for expert

advice for everything packrafting; hike-raft, bike-raft, hunt-raft,

whitewater, fishing, canyoneering, urban and travel.

www.packraftnewzealand.co.nz

Bivouac Outdoor stock the latest in quality outdoor

clothing, footwear and equipment from the best

brands across New Zealand & the globe.

www.bivouac.co.nz

Shop for the widest range of Merrell footwear, apparel

& accessories across hiking, trail running, sandals &

casual styles. Free shipping for a limited time.

www.merrell.co.nz

Whether you’re climbing mountains, hiking in the hills

or travelling the globe, Macpac gear is made to last

and engineered to perform — proudly designed and

tested in New Zealand since 1973.

www.macpac.co.nz

Living Simply is an outdoor clothing and equipment

specialty store in Newmarket, Auckland. Your go-to place

for quality footwear, packs, sleeping bags, tents, outdoor

clothing and more.

www.livingsimply.co.nz

Offering the widest variety,

best tasting, and most

nutrient rich hydration,

energy, and recovery

products on the market.

www.guenergy.co.nz

Fast nourishing freeze dried food for adventurers.

www.backcountrycuisine.co.nz

Jetboil builds super-dependable

backpacking stoves and camping

systems that pack light,

set up quick, and achieve

rapid boils in minutes.

www.jetboilnz.co.nz

Supplying tents and

camping gear to Kiwis

for over 30 years, Kiwi

Camping are proud to

be recognised as one of

the most trusted outdoor

brands in New Zealand.

www.kiwicamping.co.nz

With stores in Clyde and

Cromwell, Bike it Now! is

your access point to the

Central Otago Bike trials: T

> Lake Dunstan Trail

> Otago Central Rail Trail

> Roxbourgh Gorge

and more...

www.bikeitnow.co.nz

Excellent quality Outdoor

Gear at prices that can't

be beaten. End of lines.

Ex Demos. Samples. Last

season. Bearpaw. Garneau.

Ahnu. Superfeet.

www.adventureoutlet.co.nz

t r a v e l

FIJI

DESTINATION ADVENTURE

Fiji has for centuries been the

quintessential South Pacific tourist

destination for beaches and cocktails

by the pool. Sure, Fiji has all that, but

there is so much more; with such a

unique position in the South Pacific

and an array of beaches, crystal

shallow water, vast oceans, rivers and

mountains. Fiji has everything to offer

those looking for an island adventure.


Exploring an isolated cave, Fiji

Clockwise from top left: Surfing Cloudbreak, one of the many spots to surf in Fiji / Mount Tomaniivi Summit (aka Mt. Victoria) - Fiji's highest

mountain - on the Cross-Island hike with Talanoa Treks. / Sigatoka Sand Dunes Sunset

Fishing

With Fiji having some of the most

incredible marine life globally, Fishing

is slowly becoming a popular sport in

the island nation. With such a dense

underwater eco-system, the oceans

of Fiji offer everything from Tuna and

Marlin to Wahoo, Walu and Mahi Mahi,

there’s plenty to catch that will challenge

even the most seasoned fisherman.

Although Fiji’s tropical waters house

fish throughout the year, some types

are more plentiful at certain times than

others. If you’re looking to catch Mahi

Mahi, you can do so year-round, but

you’ll find them in abundance from

December through to February and

again July through to August. Giant

Trevally flock Fiji’s waters around

February through to April, Wahoo from

July through to August, Blue Marlin

February through to March and Yellowfin

Tuna making a popular appearance from

March to April

On Namotu, Big Game Fishing is

something not to miss. While people

generally come for the surf, they can’t

help but take some time out to try their

hand at fishing and have a freshly

caught fish for dinner when they return.

Half Cast Charters, operated through

Volivoli Beach Resort offers some of

Fiji’s best Big Game Fishing on The

Bligh waters. The waters between the

islands of Viti Levu where the resort

is located, and Vanua Levu combined

with depth and reef structure allows for

amazing sports and game fishing. It’s

hard to resist the chance to relax on the

open waters with a cold one as you wait

for a bite.

Dive into happiness

Dive into some of the world’s most

beautiful and colourful network of 10359

square kilometres of coral reef, including

the world-famous Great Astrolabe Reef.

With more than 1000 species of fish

and several hundred sorts of coral and

sponges, Fiji offers an abundance of

unique diving snorkelling experiences.

You can even get up close and personal

with some of the oceans friendly giants

if you go at the right time of year – you

can swim with Manta Rays or Hawksbill

Turtles.

Located between the second and third

largest islands of Fiji, Vanua Levi and

Taveuni, Rainbow Reef offers a display

of vibrant colours under the water,

provided by the hard and soft corals and

marine life that call the area home.

There are around 230 hard and soft

corals creating a feast for the eyes. With

the fantastical beauty, it’s no wonder that

this is one of the top diving destinations

in the world. Plunging your face beneath

the surface of these warm waters, you’re

bound to forget the world above sea

level for a few breathless moments.

Discover Fiji by foot (or dune buggie)

Fiji isn’t just white sand beaches,

although there are plenty of those


Clockwise from top left: Beautiful beaches await / Aerial of the Wainibau waterfall at the end of the Lavena Coastal Walk. Bouma National

Heritage Park, Taveuni / Underwater image of lady freediving and spearfishing near Savasi

too! From stunning waterfalls, lush

tropical rain forests, rugged coastline

and dramatic mountain tops, there’s

so much to explore by foot. There is a

reason why Taveuni is referred to as the

‘Garden Island’ of Fiji—80% of the island

is covered by tropical rainforests, along

with natural rockslides and ancient lava

flow. Then there’s the Sigatoka Sand

Dunes, whose rolling sand dunes are

something straight out of Arabian nights!

Challenge yourself and climb the

highest mountain in Fiji, Mt Tomaniivi

(Mt Victoria). The best way to tackle

the mountain is with Talanoa Treks on

their overnight excursion. Walk through

some magnificent cloud forest to reach

the summit at 1,323m. On a clear day,

you will have some amazing views

across Viti Levu. Be rewarded at the end

with afternoon tea and a dip in the river

before heading back to the coast.

Get yourself on Fiji’s only self-drive

dune buggies on a guided tour with

Terratrek. Discover Fiji’s most beautiful

waterfalls and rainforests or head up into

the mountains for panoramic views with

outlooks on the Pacific Ocean.

Explore the secret spots of Fiji

Ditch the pool side lounge chair and sign

up for an adventure you’ll never forget!

Whether it’s kayaking or rafting on the

Navua River, jet boating up the Sigatoka

River or zip-lining through tropical

rainforests, there are adventures for

everyone of any age.

Described as an ‘underwater cathedral’,

the Sawa-I-Lau Caves in the northern

Yasawa Islands are a must-do when

visiting Fiji. Sculpted by centuries of

wave erosion eating away at limestone,

you’ll be absolutely blown away by the

spectacular natural architecture right in

front of you. Sunlight streams down into

the Pantheon-esque cave – the roof of

the cave soars over 15 metres above

the water. Guides from the local village

are available to take you through an

underwater passage to reach a secret

adjoining chamber – all you’ll need is the

right gear, and a reasonable helping of

courage.

Hang loose on the waves

Whether you’re a newbie or a pro, there

are plenty of waves to catch in Fiji. For

those after leisurely longboard breaks,

head to Natadola Beach on the Coral

Coast. But for those wanting to put their

skills to the test, have a go at what the

locals call ‘Thunder Reef’, Kelly Slater’s

favourite, Cloudbreak the Mamanuca

Islands. If you want to watch the drama

from afar, there are many boats that take

you out to watch the action on the waves

with a cold one in hand. For those

wanting an all-inclusive surf holiday, stay

at Namotu Island Surf Resort , which is

located near many famous breaks and

offer yoga and massages to help you

recover after a big day on the waves.

To find out more visit www.fiji.travel


t r a v e l

NIUE

LIKE NOWHERE ELSE

The South Pacific island of Niue is one of

the smallest countries in the world, on one

of the largest raised coral atolls on earth

and it prides itself on being ‘special’.

Niue and its people have won numerous

awards for environmental programmes and

sustainability, and it’s uniquely not just for

the tourists. The whole community is on

board and involved with looking after and

maintaining Niue’s unique aspects both

above and below the water.

The absence of surface running water such

as streams and creeks contributes to the

island’s pristine crystal-clear surrounding

ocean, the clarity of which is unforgettable.

With no lagoon or fringing reef, the steep

drop-off is just meters from the land, pelagic

migratory fish such as yellow-fin tuna and

wahoo, which are normally deep-sea fish

are caught no more than two hundred

metres from shore and are in abundance.

I personally have fished all over the South

Pacific and there is nowhere like Niue!

When Captain Cook first visited Niue

he tried to land three times but gave up

because he thought that the natives who

came to greet them were painted in blood.

(The locals in fact had eaten a native red

banana, called the hula-hula.)

Niue island is pristinely clean and those that

do live there take great pride in their island,

and unlike what Captain Cook thought they

could not be more welcoming to visitors.

For such a small atoll there is plenty to do:

When you go to Niue you can swim with

spinner dolphins and see whales close up in

season. It must be the only island that has

an honesty bar. You can visit the smallest

yacht club in the world, catch an Uga

[coconut crab], or snorkel in warm, safe rock

pools teeming with colourful fish.

E


What is unique about Niue as an island

is its isolation and its coral origins that

create a unique coastline. The whole

island is dotted with a myriad of caves,

sheltered rocky coves, chasms and secret

beaches. The Huval Rainforest is home

to stunning indigenous trees and these

have been designated as a Conservation

Area to protect and conserve the island’s

primary rainforest.

One of the most famous chasms, is

the Matapa Chasm, in the village of

Hikutavake. An amazing and safe place

to swim and snorkel, encased by steep

cliffs overhanging a deep long cool pool

and as always full of fish. It is next to the

open ocean but isolated from its currents

by large boulders on the seaward side

creating a natural swimming pool.

Another well-photographed feature of

the island is Talava Arches. A massive

rock archway noted by Captain Cook

in the late 1700’s, it is surrounded by a

network of complex caves. As with most

of Niue, there is good tourist access, but

it is natural, you need to wear good shoes

and stick to the created paths.

Apart from simply exploring Niue, you can

also go kayaking, biking, fishing, diving

(Niue Blue dive company offers PADI

certified dives). Niue is distinct from all

the other South Pacific islands because

there are no beaches as such. But there

are kilometres of coastline to explore.

There is locally available a map that not

only tells you how to get to a range of

amazing caves and chasms but also tells

you what tides are best for exploring each

of them (by my own experience it pays to

do your homework).

Niue is walking the talk on environmental

protection with the creation of the ‘Niue

Nukutuluea Multi-Use Marine Park’. The

Niue Oceanwide project (NOW) has been

a significant part of Niue’s sustainable

development over the last decade. Based

on scientific assessment and thousands

of years of traditional knowledge, Niue

has established 40% of its region as a

‘no-take’ Large Scale Marine Protected

Area (Niue Mona Mahu) which is

significant for a Pacific Island that relies

on fish. More details here about Niue

Marine Park can be found here:

www.niueoceanwide.com

Something new, (but has always been

there) is star gazing, and once again

there is nowhere like Niue. Niue was the

world’s first whole country to become

a ‘Dark Sky Place’, receiving formal

accreditation from the International Dark-

Sky Association (IDA) as an ‘International

Dark Sky Sanctuary’ and ‘International

Dark Sky Community’, covering the whole

of Niue with Dark Sky protection and

deeming it a ‘dark sky nation’.

Niuean’s have a long history of star

navigation and visitors to Niue can view

the spectacle of an unspoilt night sky.

Guided Astro-tours are led by trained

Niuean community members. Niue’s

viewing sites currently used for whalewatching,

are also ideal spots for Dark

Sky viewing. More details here:

www.niueisland.com/darkskynation

The list of what Niue has on offer to

experience and to do is long!

BORDER OPENING / WEEKLY

FLIGHTS FROM NZ:

Niue's border with NZ reopens, and

weekly flights from Auckland commence

from Tuesday 28 June 2022.

JUST 3 ½ HOURS AWAY: Although

Niue is a world apart, the island is just

a 3 ½ hour flight on Air New Zealand

departing each Tuesday morning (but

check online as the day of week could

change).

AVOID THE CROWDS: With a land

area of 260sq. kms there is space for

you here. When out exploring you often

feel like you are the first one to discover

the many secluded coves, caves and

pools.

Niue even uses NZ dollars – and

English is spoken universally.

To find out more visit:

www.niueisland.com


Real explorers,

Real Niue.

Niue’s borders reopen 28 June 2022.

Your average traveller won’t be able to tell you where Niue is on a map – which is

why you won’t find the average traveller in Niue. What you will find is the world’s

largest raised coral atoll; unspoilt, majestic and waiting for you to explore.

Start exploring Niue today, www.niueisland.com

t r a v e l

THE ISLANDS OF TAHITI

A WAVE RICH PARADISE

Images by Steve Dickinson

As with most iconic surf destinations, it is only the

perfect days or the outrageous days that find their

way into the media.

French Polynesia is an amazing surf destination

for everyone, even on the not so perfect days.

It is about halfway between South America

and Australia, this wave rich part of French

Polynesia’s most notorious islands chain it known

for its crystal-clear water, crisp clean barrels

and the notorious wave of death, Teahupoo

(actually surprisingly only one person has died

here and that was in 2000). Personally, I have

seen Teahupoo at is worst (best) during Code

Red in 2011, when the waves were so huge and

ferocious that the ocean was closed by the local

council to all water activities (known as Code

Red). However, this was ignored by the big wave

surfers of the region, and I was lucky enough to

be there. In a lifetime of photographing surfing,

I have never seen anything even come close to

the magnitude and power of the waves on that

day. But that was a once in a lifetime event, most

days surfing in Tahiti can simply described as

‘mellow fun’.

Previous Page: Teahupoo at its best

Above: A boat is the best way to reach the breaks in Tahiti

Top Right: They start them young in this neck of the woods

Bottom Right: Tikanui Smith at Ta'apuna

Unlike a lot of surf destinations around

the world French Polynesia's locals are

welcoming and friendly. They love the

fact that you have come to share in their

wave abundance and if treated with the

respect you will make local friends in no

time!

French Polynesia is not one island but

actually 118 islands spread across five

archipelagos. Every island has some

sort of wave at some time of the year.

Access to most of the reef passes

require a boat, however, there are

numerous water taxis that will take you

and even homestays (pensions) where

trips out to the local breaks and a surf

guide are all part of the package.

There are a few breaks around the main

city and as you would expect these do

get more crowded, one great break is

Taa’puna; seeing it close enough to

paddle out too and fairly consistent not

to mention only the five minutes from

Papeete, it gets busy.

Further up the coast there is the black

sand beach break of Papara, which is

good for kids and families.

Continue on that same road (there

is only one) and you will arrive at

Teahupoo, which is a very long paddle

but do-able and can get crazy but

normally only when it gets really big.

If it is big and you really just want to

just look, you can pick up a water taxi

from the Teahupoo marina for an hour

viewing.

Unlike beach breaks, which most of us

are used to riding, most of the waves in

French Polynesia are reef based, which

often means they are shallow and if you

fall you don’t bounce off the sand but

get scratched up by the coral. It worth

spending some time watching the locals

to see how to avoid this.

Another issue not often discussed is

water flow. A lot of the reef-based waves

are in a pass. Where water travels from

in the lagoon out to open water and it

can be a lot more like a river than a rip,

once again keep an eye on the locals to

know where to go and where to sit.

Best Surf Seasons in French

Polynesia

March - June: From March to June,

the southern hemisphere comes alive,

putting up consistent south swells that

create some great surf options.

During winter: Once again there is

consistent swell throughout the whole of

winter right up until October.

Spring: As summer arrives things

start to quieten down a little especially

towards the end of October this is also

the rainy season but it’s still warm and if

you want to hunt around there is always

swell somewhere.

Summer: November to March is

basically their summer and surf is

smaller and less consistent.

The bottom line for surf travel is don’t

always make it about the waves. If

you just focus on just the surf, you will

fail to see what an amazing place any

surf destination can be. The trick is to

love where you are and then add great

surf as the cherry on the cake. French

Polynesia has a huge amount to offer

and great waves for everyone are just a

part of the full experience.

To see what is available visit www.tahititourisme.nz/en-nz/



Cook Islands.

Lonely Planet’s top place to visit in 2022

Float above the world’s bluest blue

OVERWATER HEAVEN

t r a v e l

VANUATU

THE PLACE FOR YOU!

Life is about Moments! There are

moments that makes use laugh, cry or

change our perspective and open our

eyes and hearts.

The moments we remember are those if

consequence and significance – the ones

we file away in the scrapbooks of our

lives. That’s especially true when it comes

to holidays and probably even more so

now.

A visit to Vanuatu holds the promise

of incredible moments to be made,

remembered and shared. It is these

moments that define our experience and

call us back for another stay.

Vanuatu is not a about a simple list of

things to see and do, but more about

how it makes you feel. Its about moments

that connect us to people, places, and

emotions. When you Answer the Call

of Vanuatu, you’ll be swept away in any

number of incredible moments that will

make you feel good.

After all a holiday isn’t meant to be

taken to seriously: its about letting go

and getting ready to leap into your next

adventure.

We know people are still keen to get out

and experience the world in full colour.

Making connections, experiencing

different, treading lightly, but mostly

jumping into another place entirely both

physically and mentally. It is also clear

that smaller is better when it comes to

fellow travellers.

To be honest this is pretty much the

holiday experience in Vanuatu pre all the

challenges of the past few years, so I

guess we are good are it.

Vanuatu is slowing starting the re-opening

process and over 2022 will gradually

reduce the restrictions and requirements

of entry. This will be a gradual process

linked to vaccination targets.

So, what is it about Vanuatu that will

make it a strong contender for your

holiday shopping list as travel gets freer?


Above: Matava River, Santo - Image by Joel Johnsson

1. Get Back to Your Passions: Whether it

be walking, diving, canyoning, or exploring

volcanos now will be the time to get back

to your passions. I am sure you have a

full bucket list of sites to dive or walks to

traverse can we suggest you make sure

that Vanuatu on your list.

There will be some you know about such

as the President Coolidge wreck dive in

Espiritu Santo, but we offer much more

than that without having your fellow diver

right next to you. The coral reefs and

fish life off Tanna are yet to really be

discovered and Hideaway and Tranquillity

Islands are eagerly waiting to do what they

do best.

The remote Island of Gaua offers a 4-day

hike with local guides to the highest

waterfall in Vanuatu, Siri Falls, after

canoeing across Lake Letus. Oh, and did

we mention that you also stride up Mount

Garet the highest peak on the island and

an active volcano.

2. Off the Grid: Do you feel the need to

lose yourself in an environment where few

people venture? Or to hangout in a no fuss

bungalow on the beach or by the side of

a volcano enjoy the hospitality of a local

family who have looked after the land for

forever?

There is no shortage of off the grid

locations and experiences across Vanuatu.

These special locations offer some of the

most relaxing and freeing experiences

as you simply can’t bring your everyday

habits with you.

Imagine: -

• Spending 4 days at Lonnoc Eco Beach

Above: Gaua - Mbe Solomul River

Insert: Tanna Kastom celebrations

Bungalows set in tropical gardens amidst

blue holes, Champagne Beach, and

Lonnoc Beach right in front of you for

swimming and snorkelling.

• Pele Island and its neighbour Nguna

are in MPA Nguna-Pele Marine Protected

Area. The island are a short boat trip

from mainland Efate which transport you

into the truly beautiful location. There

are plenty of island bungalows to choose

from and your daily activities can be

hiking, hammocking, banana boat safaris,

snorkelling or fishing.

• Perched up in a treehouse amongst

the canopy of a banyan tree surround by

birdsong and looking out to the rumblings

of Mount Yasur, one of the worlds most

accessible volcanos, on Tanna Island is

about as off the grid as you can get. Set in

the middle of a local village experiencing

real island life is part of the journey.

Jungle Oasis Bungalows, Banyan Castle

Bungalows or Tanna Yasur Homestay

Bungalows love sharing their connection to

the land and life living next to a volcano.

3. Connection and Kastom: Kastom

is what holds community, family, and

connection together in Vanuatu. It is

unwritten and unspoken but demonstrated

everyday in how things get done. Kastom

respects the land, the people, and the

community.

How can you experience Kastom as a

visitor? Spend some time in the markets,

attend an event such as the Naghol (land

diving) in Pentecost, talk to the Mama’s

with their skilfully made handicrafts or

watch the kids play fearlessly in the water,

lagoons, and Blue Holes. It is part of life in

Vanuatu so really you don’t need to look it

will be part of what makes you let of your

comfort zone but still feel safe.

4. Adventure: Adventure, the dictionary

definition is and exciting or remarkable

experience. For some it will be the local

market and the new foods, sounds and

laughter or other pushing themselves

on the hike into the Millennium Cave, or

choosing the option to channel your inner

explorer and walk for 3 days to the volcano

rather than 4WD. Adventure has never

been so much fun as it is Vanuatu.

5. Road Not Travelled: If being the only

visitor at a particular time is your idea of

how a trip of discovery should be, staying

with a family in their bungalow, after

catching a light aircraft over the islands,

Vanuatu could keep you travelling for

quite some time. Below are a couple of

suggestions but there really is no shortage

of opportunities.

•Epi Island

•Maskalyne Islands

•Rah and the Rock of Rah

•Moon Cave and Maewo

•Hiking up the little explored volcanos of

Ambrym

For more information check-out www.vanuatu.travel

1.30pm Siri Falls, Gaua

Hiking Diving Culture

Volcanos

Go explore at vanuatu.travel

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Sleeping Bags

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vegan, bursting with flavour and come in

lightweight home-compostable packaging.

Order online today and enjoy memorable

plant-based meals on your next adventure.

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