Ski bunny finds roads funny
Amy Chavez of Japan visited the NZ recently to ski. She found some of the mountain roads a little too close to the edge for comfort.
(24 September 2000)

Biking across the world
Kiwis turn up in the most extreme places. The Copper Canyon region of Mexico is hardcore: the roads are rocks-strewn, pot-holed and dusty. Typical terrain includes dizzying curves, steep switchbacks and narrow passageways. Intrepid mountain-biking Kiwi Blair Windley guides Tribune reporter Kevin Davis through the terrors and pleasure of riding in the Canyon.
(10 September 2000)

Ten million leap over the edge
Bungee jumping, inspired by a South Pacific rite, was commercialised world-wide by New Zealander A.J. Hackett, who established the Kawarau river bridge site near Queenstown in 1988. This year the 10 millionth person across the world took the sporting leap of faith.
(15 May 2000) 

Backcountry best 
"New Zealand offers some of the best, and most extreme, heli-skiing on the planet", according to The Sydney Morning Herald's Craig Tansley who surveys New Zealand's world-class fields. "There are over 400 runs to choose from over 200 peaks on seven separate mountain ranges covering over 3000km² of New Zealand's Southern Alps — where over 22 peaks jut out over 3000m. You'll ski or board deep snow-filled basins, bowls and 50 degree chutes. Located two hours west of Christchurch, these four ski fields — Broken River, Craigieburn, Mt Olympus and Temple Basin — offer the most challenging terrain in the whole country — and some of the most challenging backcountry runs in the world. Craigieburn in particular is not for the faint of heart — it devotes zero per cent of its mountain to beginners, while 45 per cent is for experts only." 
(12 April 2010)

Thinking outside the ball 
"As I tumbled down the mountainside in a gigantic beach ball filled with water, feeling somewhat like I was in a washing machine, it occurred to me that there had to be a better way to experience New Zealand," writes the Houston Chronicle's Kathy Matheson. "Actually, that didn't occur to me until after the Zorb stopped rolling and my screams had subsided into laughter. But I have since concluded that while New Zealand may be best known for adventure tourism — including sky diving, bungee jumping and Zorbing — perhaps the most enriching part of my trip was the cultural tourism that taught me about the Maori. At Te Puia, a Maori heritage centre in Rotorua, Matheson sampled hangi cuisine and "happy hip-swaying dances by Maori women in grass skirts", and also took the tram to the Pohutu geyser, one of Rotorua's many natural wonders, which include geothermal pools and bubbling mud. 
(25 February 2010)

With a hiss and a roar 
When visiting Rotorua, "think Yellowstone or Lassen, but with some key differences," describes The Sacramento Bee's Mike Melnicoe. "For one, the mud pots, hissing vents and hot springs do not, for the most part, erupt as geysers. But they make up in sheer size and diversity what they lack in spectacle. You want big? Here you will find the world's largest hot springs. For another, you're in New Zealand, so you have a rich array of fun and fascinating attractions nearby. Once you've had your fill of inner Earth's relentless capacity to amaze, you can go bungee-jumping, zorbing (rolling down a hill inside a huge ball), riding a land luge, jet-boating, caving or partaking in the area's myriad other adventures." 
(31 October 2009)

At Nature's mercy 
"If the volcano erupts, don't try to outrun the lava," a guide casually instructs Toronto Star freelancer Teresa Pitman who is on a tour of White Island. "Your best bet is to find something big to hide behind." Pitman furtively scans the other members of the group (like her, wearing the hard hats and gas masks they were handed on their arrival) to see who she might duck behind should the worst happen. The landscape is an eerie reminder of how thin the Earth's crust is here. The sides of the volcano are pimpled with domes the size of small cars. The guide calls these pressure mounds, created by the force of the hot gases barely beneath the surface. Seismographic recordings show that there are earthquakes and tremors on the island every day, and often more than once a day. White Island, the only live volcano in New Zealand, is a two-hour boat-ride from Whakatane. 
(23 May 2009)

Where there is snow 
Mt Hutt has acquired three state-of-the-art snow-making snow groomers and new snowmaking compressors to help produce more snow and improve trails for the 2009 season, scheduled to open June 14. Ski area manager Dave Wilson says the new groomers are New Zealand's most modern and extensive grooming fleet. "This investment gives us the capability to significantly improve skiing and riding conditions for visitors to Mt Hutt," Wilson says. The high country resort has also invested in a cutting edge ski rental system designed by Head, which will deliver better skis faster for those renting equipment. "The new system will improve the flow through our rental services allowing for a quick and personalised set up — customers won't even have to take their boots off to get their skis fitted." Mt Hutt is 2086m above sea level at the foot of the Southern Alps. 
(17 March 2009)

Southern adventures
Queenstown is a land made for thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies, with canyon swings, bungee jumping from bridges, G-force acrobatic flights, and paragliding, just for starters. Say you're an average mountain biker and you'll find yourself pointed towards promontories so steep you wouldn't ski down them. Even the hiking is dangerous - its so beautiful it takes your breath away. But with a 12-hour flight from Los Angeles debunking all the talk of New Zealand being 20 hours away, all the fun seems closer than ever. Comfortable, beautiful lodging, hip bars, cozy restaurants, and some of the best wine in the world, offer up a number of ways to sooth a traveler's nerves after a day spent jumping, falling, gliding, and riding.
(29 January 2009)

Top spot for tahrs 
New Zealand is one of the world's top hunting destinations according to Men's Vogue, with New Zealand Wildlife Safaris the magazine's featured tour company. Terry and Glad Pierson have operated Wildlife Safaris since 1978 and their company makes the list alongside others in New Mexico, Oregon, Argentina and Botswana. According to the Wildlife Safaris site: "Most trophies taken score high in the Safari Club International Record Book." Potential trophies include: tahr, chamois, wapiti, fallow buck and red stag.
(November 2008)

Big Red excitement 
Queenstown's Shotover Jet is described by Washington Post reporter Barbara Bradlyn Morris, as one of a number of thrilling tourism activities available for kicks in the "Home of Extreme Sports and Hearty Sun-Bronzed Young People in Denim Cutoffs." "The adventurous atmosphere was infectious. It dared us to abandon our café-sitting ways," Morris writes. "The first minute of the 25-minute ride was truly terrifying ... Then something extraordinary happened. Suddenly I was hit by the natural high described in the Shotover Jet brochure: 'a sense of euphoria as your brain takes in a cocktail of oxygen, sugar, adrenaline, cortisol and endorphins.' The 25 minutes flew by. We left the river feeling as vigorous as Kiwis and, like a thrill-crazed kid. I wanted to do it again." 
(5 October 2008)

Cross country by bike 
Cycling New Zealand, a Lonely Planet guidebook written by Scott Kennedy, is reviewed in the Ottawa Citizen. Kennedy divides New Zealand into eight bicycling zones, from Auckland on the North Island to Otago on the South Island, with each ride graded for difficulty. He describes the country's best mountain, rural (watch out for the sheep and kiwi crossing signs) and city biking, and dispenses advice on cycling on deserted roads. It covers the best areas for cycle touring, selected because they are scenic, pass through interesting towns by historic sights, and are easy to reach by public transport. For those who prefer to ride the entire length of New Zealand ("a worthy goal, and one that is easily achievable — if only on paper," says Kennedy), numerous routes are available. 
(13 March 2010)

Futuristic foot power 
New Zealand-invented pedal powered monorail shweeb opened in 2007 at Rotorua's Agroventures Adventure Park as a "direct response to the transportation needs of today and the future." Each capsule holds a single rider. Each capsule hangs suspended from a rail, allowing a fun scenic route as well as a worry free ride (no hands needed, no accidents). The seat adjusts to people's individual height and the seating is compared to as comfortable as sitting on a hammock. The Shweeb Research and Development team, headed by Geoffrey Barnett has spent six years designing this system. Shweeb.com says: "Our proposal to get you safely and quickly from one point in the city to another would be to elevate you onto a network of interconnected monorails where you never have to stop at traffic lights." 
(1 August 2009)

Holiday with gradient 
At 2797m, Mt Ruapehu is the North Island's highest peak with the largest area of patrolled skifield in the country on the Whakapapa side, and on the Turoa, Australasia's longest vertical rise of 722m. Australian ski fields tend to be wider and have large, sweeping areas ideal for beginners but Ruapehu's variety and number of blue, black and black-diamond runs makes it more attractive for advanced skiers. Another point of difference is the lack of any on-mountain ski-in ski-out accommodation, unlike the Australian resorts. Skiing is an expensive exercise wherever you go but Australian dollars stretch further in New Zealand. Some excellent deals are available, particularly in the spring and they include air fares, accommodation, ski-hire and lift tickets. Throw in a bit of duty-free shopping and a New Zealand skiing holiday stacks up well. 
(24 June 2009)

Leap of faith 
Paragliding in Queenstown is, for Victoria Advocate reporter Aprill Brandon, "like jumping out of a plane with only a fourth of your parachute … and in New Zealand where there are no such silly things as waivers and legal documents when you make the snap decision to do something potentially deadly." "You simply just walk up to someone wearing khaki shorts and say 'Hey, I want to jump off a mountain with a tarp and some strings stuck to my back.' It's amazing how when your mind shuts down due to sheer stupidity, your body will take over. When I heard the word 'run,' my body just took off, so much so that my guide had to tell me I could stop kicking my legs considering we were already airborne. And that's when I realised the fear was worth it. As we glided around and down the mountain, it was the most breathtaking experience I have ever had." 
(5 May 2009)

High on the piste 
Jane Peak is on a remote station in the Southern Alps accessible only by helicopter and "just begging for a beating" in the ski season when the slopes are "covered in fresh, untracked powder", writes novice heli-skier Rachael Oakes-Ash, reporter at The Age. "First-time heli-skiing is a moment never to be forgotten; first-time private charter heli-skiing goes one better. Southern Lakes Heli-Skiing in Queenstown and Wanaka offer the standard heli-days with hundreds of thousands of acres of terrain but they also offer the private charter with personal access to private farmland. It means we're out here alone, really alone. A 10-minute chopper ride across Lake Wakatipu and through a narrow valley with Alps thrusting from the floor reveals mountain after mountain of snow. Australians wanting a heli-fix can now get it across the ditch." Jane Peak is 2022m and forms part of the Eyre Mountains in the Taka Rā Haka Conservation Park. 
(15 March 2009)

Celebrating two decades 
For over 20 years, since A.J Hackett and Henry Van Asch's first tandem leap of faith in 1988, bungee jumping has poured more than $1 billion into the New Zealand economy. On November 12, 28 thrill-seekers queued up to pay $75 for the chance to jump off the Kawarau 140ft bridge with only a rubber cord tied around their ankles. Despite scepticism that bungee jumping would ever catch on with the wider public, those customers were the first of several million ordinary people who would perform the modern version of an ancient Vanuatuan manhood ritual. Now a global leisure phenomenon, Hackett has opened sites in Europe, Australia and Malaysia, recently targeting Chinese adrenalin junkies by opening the world's highest bungee jump, the 760ft drop from the Macau Tower. Van Asch recalls the first jump: "We didn't have too much time to think about it, to realise what we might have started. Some thought we were mad and that we'd never last, but with the response we started to get an idea we were onto a great thing." 
(12 November 2008)

Unforgettable
Skiing the South Island of New Zealand is an "unforgettable" experience - a "a must see for every true adventurer".
(30 January 2001)

Wild scent
Three New Zealand men kayaking across Antarctica have been chased by a leopard seal, run into a humpback whale and they're starting to smell like penguins.
(9 February 2001)
   

Travel edge
"Bungee jumping got its start here, and if dangling off a bridge by your ankles isn't your idea of fun, there's hiking - or "tramping" as the locals, known as Kiwis, call it - along with skiing, rafting and horseback riding. Heck, it's exhausting just thinking about it."
(22 November 2000)

Taking you to the edge ... and jumping off 
"Not so long ago, New Zealand was finding it hard to shake off its "beautiful but boring" tag. It may have been renowned for its spectacular scenery - dramatic mountains and sweeping coast lines - as well as for its excellent wineries, but it did not exactly have a reputation as a destination for thrill seekers. But since the late Eighties, a revolution led by the exploits of bungee jumping pioneer AJ Hackett, has changed all this. New Zealand is at the forefront of the adrenalin sport revolution."
(29 July 2000)