PAMPLONA: New Zealanders tempted to join the Spanish tradition of running with the bulls should reconsider, the New Zealand Embassy in Spain says. Their warning comes as a 23-year-old New Zealander was one of 13 people injured while running with the bulls on the first day of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona in northeastern Spain yesterday. A young Irish tourist also died when he fell off an ancient city wall, the Times Online reported. The injuries were mostly bruises, cuts and possible... more>

Tuhua, or Mayor Island as it is also known, is a wildlife refuge with a chequered history of violent volcanic eruptions. Sitting 26km off the Bay of Plenty coast, the island is prized by Maori as a source of black obsidian – the natural glass formed by the rapid cooling of silica-rich lava – which was used to make cutting and scraping tools. The volcano has been dormant for 6000 years, but has housed frequent eruptions over the last 120,000. These gave rise to the breathtaking range of... more>

Tramping your way around New Zealand is a great way to see some of its most breathtaking, tucked-away sites. However it is vitally important to be prepared when venturing out into the elements. Being an island nation, New Zealand is particularly susceptible to changing weather patterns and one wrong turn can lead to unnecessary despair. The Department of Conservation works hard to preserve the country’s natural beauty and provide great facilities for those who choose to explore it, so... more>

New Zealanders are world-renowned for their love of the great outdoors, so it follows that we are a nation of trampers. Rachel Tiffen takes a peek at what all the fuss is about. Pack on back, boots on feet, not a care in the world. One day you might be navigating the wind-whipped shoreline of Rakiura (Stewart) Island. The next, the lush, green bush of Fiordland. A couple of weeks down the track you’re teetering on the edge of a mighty Tongariro crater. New Zealand is packed full of... more>

In our very first issue we looked into the different airlines offering flights to New Zealand. Just as all of them have different names, they all fly via different places, which in turn offer their own delights. This series explores your options one by one, starting with Thailand. Jack Johnson’s crooning melody blankets the grounds of a tiny school, bouncing with four-dozen sweet-faced Thai kids. Bare feet slap the unforgiving clay football arena in Thailand’s "Rose of the North"... more>

Perched above the Cook Strait on a precious little piece of land in the Wairarapa, Martinborough wineries are producing world-class, award-winning drops. Rachel Tiffen talks to local growers and those in the know about the region’s rapid rise to success. Most of us harp on about the weather and curse when we trek mud into the house. But in Martinborough these classic gripes are treasured. In this small but successful Wairarapa settlement – nestled among bush-clad hills on the boot of the... more>

Surrounded by ocean and dotted with ports, New Zealand is the perfect cruise ship destination. Rachel Tiffen sets sail on her own voyage of discovery into the latest tourism trend. CRUISING: Close your eyes and point at a map of New Zealand. It doesn’t matter where that determined digit lands. On any given spot – be that paddock, hilltop, lakefront or rugby sideline – the ocean lies in wait. Each of the nation’s main cities has the seaside at its doorstep, or encircling its... more>

It’s the place where tricolore meets tapa, ocean meets volcanic rock and La Rue Jolie meets Beach Road. Rachel Tiffen revisits Banks Peninsula with a rucksack of childhood memories in tow, and is pleased to find not much has changed. BANKS PENINSULA, SOUTH ISLAND: Leaping off the tired old Takamatua jetty into the froth-capped, salty swell. Grass-stained knees tucked up against the chest, biddy-bid-ravaged hair pulled back off the face, jandals jammed on in fear of hidden rocks.... more>

FLYING TO NZ: For most people the prospect of a 12-hour flight is not one they relish, however anyone who has flown to New Zealand knows the reality of a long flight. Air travel may be the fastest way to get to the other side of the world, but nobody said it was without hassle. In today’s highly competitive travel industry, airlines are doing everything possible to make their long haul service the best. On these pages we analyse the offers of the airlines that fly to New Zealand so you... more>

"Just pay the taxes!" the advertisment read. "1p flights!" Sold – to the drooling Kiwis as they pored over the options to escape another British winter. Ryanair flies to more than 25 destinations so the process of elimination was cut short by measuring the distance from the equator, which pointed to Spain. After consulting the atlas, we compared the destinations on offer in relation to where our favourite cheap hotels were situated. A friendly, French finger pointed us to Formula One... more>