Travel Wires
On a more sombre note You’ve been there, Travel Wires has been there, and if you haven’t, it’s likely on your bucket list. For many Kiwis, it’s in the DNA: gawping at the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey. Some of the things we had jotted down in our notebook to make fun of in this week’s column — like, five ways to pass the time on a 19-hour flight without digital devices — seem irrelevant. We will come back to those another time. GPS data backs up Everest claims Some climbers attempting to conquer Mt Everest in the next couple of months will be fitted with a GPS to find them in case of trouble — and to prevent false claims of reaching the summit. Data from the $400 devices will be checked after climbers descend to determine whether they reached the top and should be issued a certificate. Last year an Indian couple claimed they scaled the peak and received a certificate but it was later determined they’d altered their photo. Thought: if Hillary and Tenzing had a GPS, we’d know the answer. Cuba . . . feels just like home Cuba’s tourist bubble threatened to deflate after several US airlines reduced or suspended flights to the island, but the cruise industry is blowing in some much-needed oxygen. Cruise routes from the US were suspended in 1961 but were refloated last May. The tourism boom over the past two years has highlighted a lack of hotel rooms, mediocre service and ballooning prices, particularly in restaurants. A cruise guarantees a comfortable room, catered meals and amenities such as a swimming pool and Wi-Fi. Yep, that’s really seeing the country and meeting the locals. Kiwis love a little bit of Paris on our doorstep Enfin, Mesdames et Messieurs, a good news story. New Caledonia Tourism tells us that Kiwis are flocking to the little ile de Paris in the South Pacific. Seems 7.2 per cent more New Zealanders chose to holiday there in 2016, following a staggering 25.8 per cent rise in 2015. The tourist authority’s local rep, Sally Pepermans, suggests it’s because New Caledonia is one of our closest Pacific Island destinations, with the world’s largest lagoon, incredible gastronomy, diverse landscapes and activities, none of which Travel Wires could disagree with. Though we suspect coverage in Travel also played a part. A new ad campaign will showcase the island’s unique and extraordinary culinary flavours and the diversity of the rural “cowboy country”, the Gallic hub of Noumea and traditional Kanak culture.
— travel@nzherald.co.nz