New Zealand consists (mainly) of two islands. The smaller North Island has most of the country’s four-million-plus inhabitants and is generally warmer than the South Island. My wife, Betty, and I spent three weeks in New Zealand in January ’12. You need three weeks.
Can a giant Liberace be far behind?
May's photo depicts the Paracas Candelabra, a 595-foot-long geoglyph cut into the soil of the Paracas Peninsula at Pisco Bay, Peru. It’s believed to have been made by the Paracas people in about 200 BC. Although the Spanish explorers who "discovered" it called it a candelabra, it is more likely meant to be a trident or lightning rod wielded by the god Viracocha — but no one knows for sure. The giant glyph is visible to ships as far as 12 miles out to sea.
by Margo Wilson Scottsdale, AZ
It’s hard to imagine a place with more tropical and exotic charms to offer than Sri Lanka, which my husband, Thom, and I visited in February ’12.
I was planning a trip to Easter Island (Rapa Nui) on my own and did some research on various websites. I finally decided to use the reviews on Hotels.com to choose a place to stay and settled on the Inaki Uhi (Atamu Tekena St., Hanga Roa, Rapa Nui; phone +56 32 2551160 or 2100231). I stayed there July 18-25, 2012, having booked my reservation about two months earlier.
In the Krabi province of southwestern Thailand, signs posted on popular beaches warning visitors of aggressive monkeys have had a positive effect. The signs were placed at Long Beach, Monkey Bay and Phi Phi Island, where bites and attacks have been fairly common.
In 2012 more than 600 people were treated at Phi Phi Island Hospital for monkey attacks, and 75% of the cases were tourists. Since the posting of the signs, the incidents have decreased, with only 50 cases in the first three months of 2013.
The subject was “Greece is great,” a number of essays were submitted by subscribers, and the judging has been completed. Two essays stood out above the rest this time, and they were written by LORNA TJADEN of New Hope, Minnesota, and LAURIE FRIEDMAN of Davis, California. Each will receive a 50-dollar gift certificate from Magellan’s Travel Supplies (800/962-4943). Their essays are printed below.
An 8.0-magnitude earthquake west of the Solomon Islands on Feb. 6 caused a tsunami that flattened several villages on the Santa Cruz Islands and killed at least 13 people. More than 115 aftershocks, some measuring as great as 7.1, caused further heavy damage in Lata, the capital of Temotu Province on Santa Cruz, and on Ndende island.
Thousands of people had to move to shelters, roads were cracked and the airport runway was damaged. Monsoon rains have added to the problems.
by Jo Ann Mayer; Miami, FL
As travelers flock to China, both Starbucks and KFC are appearing on every corner in the large cities and it is becoming more challenging to discover a China not overrun by tourists. If you want to experience China, and not a touristy Chinatown, explore Fujian.
by Wendy Schatz — Bellevue, WA
Growing up in Australia, I paid no more attention than any other child to the local birds. But a 2012 return visit with some American bird-watching friends let me see what was once common through their fresh eyes, and I liked what I saw.
(Second of two parts)