Travel Bookshelf: “Kiwis Might Fly”
This item appears on page 72 of the October 2008 issue.
“Kiwis Might Fly” by Polly Evans (2007, Bantam Dell. ISBN 13978038533994 0 — 309 pp., $13).
In her second book, following her witty and engaging tale of cycling through Spain, “It’s Not About the Tapas,” Evans takes on New Zealand, this time from the back of a 650cc motorcycle.
The best travel books take you where you want to go and help you “see” the experience more fully, and this book does that well. From sheepshearing to geyser gazing or from jetboating up the Waiatoto River to collapsing into a puddle of pleasure in a Rotorua spa, Evans enjoys herself thoroughly, and we enjoy tagging along.
On occasion, the facetious tone attending the book’s premise — the search for the “traditional New Zealand male” — gets a tad condescending, for my taste. Evans more than makes up for this with her exquisite descriptions of the country’s natural wonders and her pithy, well-told dips into its history. A fun read! — Jane Albusche, ITN