May the Wind be Always at your Back - Cycling the Otago Rail Trail

Kapiti Island Nature Reserve - a visit to a unique part of NZ

Step into our World - exploring the magic Hokianga in Northland

A short Trip to Rotorua and Whakatane by Rosemary Neave

The Perfect Day

- Snorkelling in the Poor Knights Wonderland of the Northland Coast by Rosemary Neave

Comments from women who have used this website to plan their trips

In search of a cassowary... Two women escape to tropical north Queensland  by Rosemary Neave

Pathway to the Sunrise: Te Ara ki te Rawhiti

Tanya Cumberland and Charmaine Pountney take a Pacific holiday with a difference

Four US Gals Go Wild in New Zealand

A Wicked Trip with Potiki Tours of Auckland

South Sea Mermaids South Island Trip March 2005..

Take a dramatic drive with me up the Awhitu Peninsula.
Tanya Cumberland

Travel the Silk Road with Pat@silkroad

ONE ... TWO ... THREE ...

My seventeen day tour of Myanmar with Silk Road by  Penny Somervaille

Going the Distance: Women Outdoors in New Zealand
- a new book by Tess Redgrave and Becky Nunes giving wonderful details of outdoors adventures in NZ

Women off the Edge - facing the fear and abseilling - a story by Rosemary Neave

Riding New Zealand, the most beautiful end of the world
TOWANDA Woman Tina Hartung reports from one of their magic Motorcycle Tours

A horseback ride the length of New Zealand: Jacqui's Journey - one country, one woman, one year

Links to stories other places:

Heather Hapeta is KiwiTravelWriter - read some of her stories on this website - NZ travel stories and overseas too!

Her book Naked in Budapest: travels with a passionate nomad is available from the site.

Comments from women who have used this website..

Have just found your website after living over here since Feb and we loved it! It's easy on the eye and has some great info - I was wondering if there was a site like this somewhere and was just beginning to think there wasn't and there it was!

Our time in NZ has been wonderful and filled us with joy. I was checking out your site today and wanted to let you know that it looks great! We have been passing the address of it around as we have traveled...lots of great people out there

Womentravel is looking flash! Great work. I esp. liked Hildegards Highlights! It is exciting to see all the opportunities there are in NZ that are oriented towards women. We especially enjoyed our stay at Waihoihoi Lodge in Waipu - a lodge especially for women - WOW!

I think you have a great site. Way to go! Really helpful for women outside NZ that are coming to NZ in order to find information on women and women's events. It sounds like there is a great women's network in NZ. That's terrific.

I have been looking through your site several times now and have found it an excellent source for finding accommodation etc. that is for women and run by women. I am very impressed. Congratulations on this terrific site and for the inspiration that created it. I know it is a lot of work and I also know it is greatly appreciated. I trust you are finding great rewards for this service you are providing for women. I wonder if there is anything like this in Canada. It would be a great idea to have such a site for every country. Great work my friends! May you continue to enjoy doing this work and may you know that many women are greatful to have it.

Kapiti Island Nature Reserve  By Tanya Cumberland & Charmaine Pountney

Are you drawn to watching quirky native birds at close quarters?

And are you going to be anywhere near Wellington in the near future?
If so, a visit to Kapiti Island Nature Reserve is a must.

You can take a day trip, or stay overnight with a mana whenua family, the Barretts, at their lodge.

In April, from our rustic cabin on the island, we watched the antics of takahe, kereru, kaka and weka; and along the walking tracks we also saw tui, saddlebacks, stitchbirds, robins and bellbirds, plus of course the wetland and coastal birds. And at night, a guided walk by torchlight revealed the little silky-grey spotted kiwi scuttling along in the undergrowth.

This strategically placed reserve - only 5km off the Kapiti Coast - has been regerating for 110 years in the south and 40 years in north. It's had no possums, and has been rat-free for around 20 years now, so the bush is lush and the bird-life prolific.

It's accessible by boat from Paraparaumu (www.kapitimarinecharter.co.nz) , and any visit requires a DOC permit. Enjoy! And think what our bush could be like in twenty years if we keep up the good pest control and restoration work!

"Step into our world…’’

By Tanya Cumberland and Charmaine Pountney

And we did, indeed – six of us, one evening in February 2007, on a journey called Footprints, Waipoua.   

Our Ngapuhi guides, Gray and Bim, opened the way with a karakia (prayer), and as we took our first steps into the Waipoua Kauri Forest at dusk, a handsome pupurangi (giant kauri snail) emerged from the foliage beside the track to greet us.

We wandered through the forest, at a leisurely pace, listening to stories and songs – myth and history, spirituality and ecology, botany and survival sustenance – of this ancient environment and its earliest inhabitants.

We looked in awe at the old, old kauri trees: my favourite ‘’the four sisters’’, a close cluster of four tall trees, branches entwined, and also Te Ngahere Matua – 4000 years old.  And finally, after bowing our heads in the darkness, with the song of a koauau (flute) filtering through the foliage, we looked up to the forest giant, Tane Mahuta, 51 metres tall – and beyond to the heavens where the clouds had parted to revealing the sparkling stars of the Milky Way – a magical moment.

On our way out of the forest we glimpsed a giant weta in a hole at the base of a tree, heard the haunting call of the ruru (morepork), tasted the flesh of a fallen taraire berry, and were warmed by a mug of hot chocolate.

After a final karakia and a feedback session we were delivered back to Omapere Copthorne on the shores of the Hokianga.

We stepped into the intimate, informative, magical world of Footprints, Waipoua; we recommend that you do too.

Crossings, Hokianga took us next day on a second tour run by the same Maori company: a boat trip exploring the Hokianga Harbour.  Out to the mouth of the harbour, first entered by Kupe more than a thousand years ago, and a climb up one of the golden sand dunes on the north head.  Across the harbour to the ancient pa Whiria, home of Rahiri, ancestor of Ngapuhi, and past an old pakeha mission station, before crossing to Kohukohu and docking beside the café for a drink.  Our final stop Mangungu, where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed by a large group of chiefs on 12 February 1840, and where we were welcomed by a kuia, the kaitiaki of the historic Methodist Church and Mission House there.

Another informative and entertaining journey, with our guides telling stories of both Maori and Pakeha history around this beautiful harbour as well as pointing out interesting geological and botanic features.

Our two-night stay at the Omapere Copthorne was all one could hope for: a spacious and comfortable unit on the water’s edge looking across the harbour to the golden sand and the silver spray, delicious meals with distinctive local produce (fresh seafood, native herbs and spices), and helpful staff. 

As well as the two exciting new Maori tours, Footprints and Crossings, there’s much to explore in the area.  Rawene and Kohukohu, the two characterful villages on opposite sides of the harbour, are joined by a regular ferry service (which takes cars as well as people) and both have excellent cafes and art galleries.  There’s a mangrove board walk near Rawene, a clifftop walk on the south head of the harbour, and, for the fit and adventurous, a stunning three-day coastal walk from  Omapere south to the Kai Iwi Lakes.

So next time you’re looking for a destination warm with people, rich in Maori and Pakeha history, and blessed with diverse stunning bush, land and seascapes, head to the Hokianga… ‘’the spring in the land of light”.

www.footprintswaipoua.com

www.crossingshokianga.com

A short trip to Rotorua and Whakatane

by  Rosemary Neave

I decided to go and visit Kate and Lyn from Driftwood Dreamers who live at Opotiki.  On the way I picked up a friend Linda in Rotorua where I have not been for years.  The one thing I had always wanted to do in Rotorua was to go on the Luge, and on the spur of the moment decided I had to do it.

I tentatively bought a five ride ticket (an absolute minimum I decided by the time I finished) and donned a helmet (did I really need this??).  One of the assistants Huriana, spotted me as a novice and gave me a few pointers and suggested the Scenic Route.  I was off - this was amazing. Next time it had to be the Intermediate route, and second time down this route I was really going for it and not using the brake much at all. Each time a chair lift returned us to the top to start again.

I was ready for the Advanced ride - wow, I was airborne - flying down the track - of course had to do it again, this is a great ride. Sadly we had to head off, but next time - perhaps 10 rides....

Whakatane next stop - firstly a story about how the town was named.

When the Mataatua canoe landed near the site of present-day Whakat?ne, the men went ashore. While they were gone, the canoe began to drift out to sea. Ng?ti Awa tradition says that Wairaka, daughter of the captain Toroa, seized a paddle and cried, ‘Me whakat?ne au i ahau nei!’ (I must act like a man!). She and the other women saved the canoe.

Wairaka is now commemorated by a statue on a rock at Whakat?ne at the entrance to the harbour.

We took this photo of Wairaka on our way out to White Island, one of New Zealand's active (and I mean ACTIVE!) volcanoes.  We went out with Pee Jay's tours, motoring out past Whale Island the haze burnt off and blue sky appeared. White Island appeared with steam billowing out - its 27 kms from the mainland.

We signed all sorts of disclosures, and were given gas masks and hard hats and told to hit the deck behind any shelter we could if the Volcano blew.  White Island is a private scenic reserve owned by the Buttle Family Trust.  For many years men mined sulphur here, and many never went home - it was hard and dangerous work. ( It appeared no one ever made much money from it)

We were only minutes onto the Island at our first stop before I started coughing and spluttering - most of us quickly donned our gas masks - Rotorua has nothing on this smell - it is evil and noxious.  All around us were mounds of yellow and white and we were warned to keep to the tracks as these were just a thin crust over boiling thermal waters.  The guide gave us lots of great information at we were led eventually by an easy walk, right up to the rim of the crater.  Afterwards back on the boat we were served lunch and offered a swim before heading off for a cruise around the Island.  There were thousands of young gannets sitting on the cliff flapping their wings practising for their first flight -- to Australia!  We were on dolphin watch and were not disappointed as two 'common' dolphins appeared.  After that we felt we could relax and most did - there was barely anyone awake for the quiet ride home.

PS Driftwood Dreamers include a trip to White Island on many of their tours

The Perfect Day

- Snorkelling in the Poor Knights Wonderland of the Northland Coast

by Rosemary Neave

I live less than an hour and a half from Tutukaka, and had heard that the Poor Knights Islands were one of the best dive spots in the world.  I had been in meetings with Jeroen Jongejans of Dive Tutukaka as he shared his passion for the area.  But I had never got around to going out there - it was one of those "one day I would love to...." places.

I emailed them about a trip, and discovered they had just started this trip called The Perfect Day - I had no trouble in rounding up 10 friends who wanted to go on January 1st - a great way to start the new year.  We decided to go to the Schnapper Rock Café for breakfast before hand - Dive Tutukaka's office is just out the back.

Eleven am - such a civilised time to start a trip - lots of time to get there and have an espresso before climbing aboard.  The Dive Tutukaka team were fantastic.  We were welcomed, given snorkels and flippers and later fitted out with wetsuits during the 35-40 minute trip to the Islands. Miraculously they found a wetsuit to fit all of us - from the skinny 12 year old to the not so skinny 55 year olds.

The snorkeling at the Knights marine reserve is simply fantastic and don’t feel like you will see less than the divers because the sea life in the top 5 metres is probably the most prolific, and the light makes it the most colourful area. I could not believe how plentiful the fish were - thousands of them hugging the cliff.  The highlight for me was snorkelling into caves and then turning around and seeing all the fish reflected in the light coming into the cave entrance.  One circuit and it was out for a scrummy lunch - even before we were on the boat we were offered hot drinks to warm us up.  A live camera feed showed us the sea life under the boat, so we were soon tempted back in for another dive and later a kayak around the cliffs.

Pulling up the anchor, we went for a trip around the Islands - there is a tragic Maori history that unfolds around you, the dramatic cliffs and breathtaking scenery lend itself to the tale.  Many of the plants and animals on this special sanctuary are unique to the Island - the Poor Knights Lily, Tuatara, giant weta - all temptingly close, but protected as you are not allowed to land on the Island. I am told they often see dolphins - but we saw the most amazing school of trevally feeding on the surface.

Dive Tutukaka has tours for serious divers, but this was just what we wanted - a trip to the Islands for snorkelling and kayaking and sightseeing. 

A perfect day with perfect hosts starting at a respectable hour, what more could a girl want.

The price includes your mask, fins, snorkel, and kayak hire; and a fabulous buffet lunch - I am going to make it an annual event.And I am definately going to recommend it to guests staying at Waihoihoi Lodge as the perfect day out.   More about The Perfect Day

Post Script: 2008 is a year of firsts for me and in this year's Perfect Day Trip, I did the introduction to Scuba Diving - it was AMAZING and terrifying all at once - the message was KEEP BREATHING which I endeavoured to do as we knelt on the bottom beside a magnificent large stingray and scopion fish - it was all I ever dreamed it would be - actually being down there with the fish - I am definately going to do it again!

In search of a cassowary...
Two women escape to tropical north Queensland

by Rosemary Neave

Getting there...

It had been a mild New Zealand winter, we had had a stream of wonderful guests to stay at Waihoihoi Women's Lodge at Waipu in sub tropical Northland, New Zealand. Despite the fact that we already lived in paradise, it felt time for a holiday - a chance to recharge the batteries before the summer.

I had added the Pink Flamingo at Port Douglas to our Womentravel NZ links page, and North Queensland felt like an ideal place to escape to in a New Zealand winter - 27 degrees, beaches, the Great Barrier Reef - all very tempting. A search for airline seats and an email or two later we were booked.

It was fabulous - the snorkelling, the swimming, the rainforest and its people and yes the cassowary...  More

Pathway to the Sunrise: Te Ara ki te Rawhiti

Tanya Cumberland and Charmaine Pountney take a Pacific holiday with a difference

Yearning for a Pacific holiday?  Why not explore our own Pacific coast

– Highway 35 around the East Cape of the North Island?

This is a stunning 330km journey from Opotiki to Gisborne.  Allow at least a week.

The scenery includes sweeping silvery beaches strewn with driftwood, bouldery bays, rocky headlands, towering bush-clad hills rising inland, and a narrow coastal plain dotted with small busy marae, each with an intricately carved meeting house, surrounded by maize crops, grazing cattle and horses, and the occasional subtropical orchard!

Our luck was in from 7 to 14 May 2005 – we had clear blue days and turquoise sea, soft orange and lavender sunrises and night skies rich with stars on black velvet.   We chose to stay two nights in each of three places.

Our first two nights were at Tirohanga in Jane and Vaughan Payne’s little self-contained cottage nestled in the sand dunes. We walked, swam and read, explored Opotiki township just to the west, and linked up with Lyn and Kate from Driftwood Dreamers (an outdoor adventure company catering especially for women).

On Day 3 we explored Torere (which has a Ngai Tai church exquisite with kowhaiwhai rafters, tukutuku wall panels and stained glass windows), Maraenui across the mighty Motu River (renowned for white water rafting and canoeing),  and Te Kaha.  Soon after, we happened upon the Pacific Coast Macadamia Farm and Café at Whanarua, where we sampled macadamia and manuka honey icecream and came away laden with chocolate-coated nuts, fudge and other delicacies. 

Then we headed to our next base, Mel’s Place at Onepoto Beach, next to Hicks Bay, where we settled into a caravan beside a rocky cove.

Mel and her partner Jo have restored their ancestral headland pa between two beautiful sweeping sandy beaches.  They’ve planted pohutukawa and gardens,  shaped tent sites and a bunk house, to share with whanau, independent travellers and fishing groups.  Bush walks, kayaking, fishing trips and Mel’s warm hospitality, as well as sunrise over the ocean, make this a special place.

The next stage of our journey involved heading south to discover the East Cape Manuka Factory and Café at Te Araroa – a joint Maori-Pakeha venture selling wonderful healing manuka products.  In Ruatoria we noticed the lively health centre, Ngaati Porou Radio Station, and modern Kohanga Reo and Kura – but we didn’t linger because we were keen to get to Tokomaru Bay for lunch.

A number of surprises awaited us there.  At the Surf Café – an internet café run by a community trust - we bumped into an Auckland dyke friend.  At The Ruins where Marlene Kipa and her partner have created cosy cabins for guest accommodation, a sculpture garden and a circular organic vegie garden on the killing floor of the long-defunct meatworks, we were given two live crayfish for our dinner!  And we discovered the Roimata Arts and Crafts Gallery run by a local whanau, and the Tokomaru Bay Four Square store – the first (and probably only) bilingual supermarket in Aotearoa!

So with our local produce we set off for our final accommodation – Judy Newell’s Rangimarie Beachstay at Anaura Bay, with panoramic views of the stunning golden beach and headlands.  The highlights here were a walk through the Anaura Bay Scenic Reserve – coastal forest resounding with tui and korimako – and visiting the 1880s Waipare Homestead and orchard where Scrubbs and Louia live with their family. The old coach house next door, right beside the beach, is available to rent.

The final stretch of coast road to Gisborne runs alongside more beautiful beaches – Pouawa, Tolaga Bay, Whangara, Tatapouri and Wainui.

Gisborne looked bright and thriving, but it was time for home through the lovely Waioeka Gorge.

If you’re heading round this coast, two must-reads:

The booklet, A Traveller’s Guide to the Pacific Coast Highway, available from the i-sites in Whakatane, Opotiki and Gisborne, and (from your library) Highway 35: Travels around East Cape by John Woods and Peter Quinn – a photographic essay and anecdotes about east coast characters, published in 1998.

For friendly people, stunning landscapes, fresh fish, rural life isolated from city issues

– and the first and best sunrises in the world – go east!

“So, how was your adventure trip in New Zealand, Cori?” I asked our friend after our usual warm greetings. We couldn’t quite believe the superlatives that were streaming out of her mouth about the place. Finally she said, “You’ve just GOT to go there”. And so, 15 months later three sporty firefighters and a precious nurse (me) from Los Angeles, headed over to Auckland.

After LAX, Auckland Airport seemed minute. Auckland holds a quarter of the whole population of NZ – that’s 1 million people! Do the math. In an area the size of Californ-eye-aye there are only 4 million bods. This means there’s a heck a lot of wilderness out there to be explored! Customs was a breeze and we got the first taste of Kiwi hospitality almost immediately. International airports are characterless places at the best of times, but at Auckland we found the staff to be genuinely friendly and happy to go out of their way, beyond the call of duty – and this became typical of our impression of New Zealand service in all aspects of our trip.

We were met by guide, Lyn Riesterer, of Driftwood Dreamers Women’s Tours, and she gave us all a welcoming embrace. Being a bit of a princess I’d emailed questions about the weather, what to bring, the activities we’d be doing etc. so we knew each other well before we actually met. Her responses had been so informal and open, but then it seems that’s standard for New Zealanders – laid back and forthright (ie no bullshit) as they are.  MORE of this story and more photos

Potiki Tours

- Maori themed adventure day tours in Auckland Maorin Auckland

Dear Bianca and Melissa,

Thanks for the opportunity to do a Potiki Urban Tour with you both. I loved your women's energy, Maori pride and passion for Papatuanuku. I also especially liked the combination of

• The buzzing multicultural Otara market (and your personal introduction to talented Maori and Pacific Island craftspeople selling genuine, beautiful taonga at reasonable prices)
• The ancient pa of Maungakiekie (including the computerised reconstruction of the original fortified pa in the Information Centre, and also the intimate politics of the mountain today)
• The journey through the forested Waitakere Ranges (including lunch and flax weaving beside the Karamatura Stream and the walk on the sparkling blue-black sand of the wild west coast beach at Whatipu).
• Your weaving of Maori stories into the journey, and your karakia at significant moments, added a deep and unique dimension to the experience.
• Bianca's driving of the red Potiki minibus on windy Waitakere roads was staunch. And your gift of a beautiful silver and paua pendant at the end of the tour was a lovely and moving touch.

Thanks for a refreshing look at my old home town - Tamaki Makaurau, land of a hundred lovers through the eyes of your ancient traditions, and with your youthful energy.

'A wicked trip' as the young ones say!! Arohanui, Tanya Cumberland for more on this trip, click here

Potiki Adventures - www.potikiadventures.com

South Sea Mermaids South Island Trip March 2005..

Led by South Sea Mermaids Adventures

If you want a snapshot of the South Island, do not miss this trip!  The sheer scale of the island is difficult to appreciate until you have travelled in the comfy Mermaid van for several hours and only gone an inch on your map!  And you have only passed two or three cars in the last hour because only 1 million people live here and they are mostly urban dwellers.  So coming from England, where there are 50 people to every single south islander, the feeling of space is almost overwhelming.

Under the expert guidance of our laid-back Lizzie, the treats that New Zealand has for you just pan out one by one…

• Mount Cook (3755M) – first climbed in 1884 by European men but first climbed by a woman in 1913, Australian Freda du Faur (in corset and high heels no doubt).

• Doubtful Sound overnight cruise. Forget Milford Sound and the throngs of tourist buses…this is the real McCoy. Experience the magic of fiordland on a 70 passenger boat, with a wonderful young crew…’if you fall off the boat, wave your credit card and we’ll come and rescue you!’  We kayaked around one of the fiord’s inlets, saw fur seals basking on rocks, dolphins came to visit us and some of us mermaids flung ourselves off the side of the boat for a chilly dip (13 ° C)!  But perhaps the highlight was when the ship’s engines were turned off and we were just surrounded by the most awesome ‘silence’ of distance birdsong and waterfalls.

• Tasters of the celebrated long walks eg. Routeburn, Queen Charlotte, to whet your appetite to come back for more.

• Queenstown to indulge your adrenalin addictions… How about bungee jumping from a parachute over the lake?!

• Glaciers Fox and Franz Josef in all their grandeur, uncannily close to the sea.  Take your pick of activities here: heli-hiking, glacier walking or tramping up to fabulous viewpoints overlooking the huge white giants.

• And then there’s the amazing West Coast – full of contrasts, from driftwood piled up on sandy beaches-to-die-for, alongside rainforests boasting fossils of native trees millions of years old, bursting with endless tree ferns and manuka and kanuka trees, to the melodious tune of the bell bird…

• And on the West Coast, Hokitika, a hippy one-horse town, isolated by the Southern Alps.  The scale of what the settlers went through, with pure grit and determination, is evident from the small settlements along this most rugged and beautiful coastline.

• Not forgetting the Pancake rocks at Punakaiki, a stunning geological natural wonder of the world.

• And then just when you think the excitement is over, you are thrown into the midst of a pod of 2-300 dusky dolphins! Do not miss this!  A unique opportunity to experience their playfulness and agility.

• If all this sounds exhausting, Lizzie knew exactly where to take us to fuel up!  For example, the Bay House Café is an award winning restaurant at Cape Foulwind (!) with the fanciest cuisine you could expect to find in a major metropolitan city.  Just ask the staff if they remember the mermaids in glitter wigs and specs!

And there’s loads more, but I would much rather you experience it yourself!   You won’t regret it…honest.

Take a dramatic drive with me up the Awhitu Peninsula.
Tanya Cumberland

We begin in Waiuku, 40 minutes south-west of Auckland. A sculpture of Tamakae, a Ngaati Te Ata ancestor, welcomes us. Across the road, the information centre for brochures, and a cool drink at the old Kentish pub.
Then a journey north, through gentle dairy country. Suddenly, at Kohekohe, a tiny solitary church perches high above a dune lake, and beyond, we catch a glimpse of the Tasman Sea through a gap in startling hills.
The road follows the ancient walking path along the ridge of the peninsula, each bend revealing a new vista of Manukau Harbour or Tasman Sea or one of many fortified pa. At Pollok, rich in Maori and Scottish history, we stop at Awhitu Arts, displaying work from talented local artists.
Just north, we take the West Coast Road to Waimatuku - a lonely black sand beach with towering cliffs sculpted by the wild wind. Back to the main road, and on to Matakawau, with its friendly orange stock-everything store, school, and a hall which hosts the busy monthly Awhitu Country Market.
Next stop must be Awhitu Regional Park - sheltered white sandy beaches, wetlands, regenerating native bush, exhilarating walks, bike and horse tracks, secluded camping ground, farm and golf course.
Finally, a dramatic drive along the Manukau Heads road to the signal station, where we walk to a clifftop platform with amazing views over the dangerous Manukau Bar, the forested Waitakere Ranges , and, to the east, Skytower and the sprawling city of Auckland. There's much more, of course - organic farms, vineyards, beaches, and a variety of places to eat and stay www.awhitu.com.
But however long you linger, you will know why the peninsula is called "Awhitu" - longing to return.

This story won a prize and was published in the NZ Herald. Tanya lives on an organic farm at Awhitu and is part of the womentravel network

Burma is a country with two names and a controversial history. Anglophiles mostly use the old colonial name Burma but in 1992 the government re-established the traditional name Myanmar which is phonetically correct Burmese pronunciation in pre-colonial times. Which name to use is not my greatest concern as I wait at the Ruili-Muse border between China?s Yunnan province and Myanmar?s Northern Shan State where a recent and conditional agreement between the two countries that allows properly authorised western travellers to cross this border is about to be tested.

The point where the famous Burma Road crosses from China to Myanmar is marked by an arch in typical Chinese monumental style and a group of inscrutable Chinese border police. Up to this moment every travel guide I have read suggests that this could be the end of journey that has brought me overland down the Burma Road through Yunnan. Accounts of other travellers tell me that the English vocabulary of the Chinese gentleman now approaching me amounts to just five words, ?sorry border closed to foreigners?. Not today though, our Chinese and Myanmar agents have done the paperwork, our documents are in order.

It takes just a few steps to get to the Myanmar immigration post where our colleague from Yangon is waiting. Those few steps have landed us in a time warp, about 30 years removed but only one hundred meters distant from the steel and glass tower blocks on the Chinese side of the border. It?s a rare experience to find somewhere in Southeast Asia that hasn?t succumbed to the onslaught of the west and we are relieved to leave the incessant bleating of mobile phones behind on the Chinese side of the border.    For more of this story

ONE ... TWO ... THREE ...

My seventeen day tour of Myanmar with Silk Road     by  Penny Somervaille

One ... two ... three... four ... five ... six ... seven ... eight ... nine ... ten ... pause

  Why on earth did I think I could do this?  I have to be mad.  Here I am climbing this hill, this mountain – Mt. Victoria in the Chin State of Myanmar at 3050m – and  I don’t think I can do it   

one ... two ...three...

   We were up at dawn in order to make an early start, after two nights in our Mt. Oasis Resort, an eco-complex with charming self contained chalets with cold running water, hot water delivered in buckets by the boys and all  set in beautiful gardens, both vegetable and flower. I had been cold then, now I am hot, my jacket stuffed into my day pack.

one ... two ... three...

   There’s Pat – our Silk Road Adventures tour leader – up ahead of me, and she seems to think I can do it. But then perhaps she’s mad too.     Oh God!  Look at those rhododendrons, only one or two flower heads because it’s not quite the right season, but the shape of those old, old trees and the bright red blooms – stop, take a photo and breathe deeply.  Read More

Going The Distance
Women outdoors in New Zealand
by Becky Nunes & Tess Redgrave

NZ$34.95 ISBN: 1 877298 01 8 published 2002
160 pages paperback published by Tandem Press

Sea-kayaking in the Hauraki Gulf, mountain-biking in the Maniototo, horse-trekking in the Urewera, canoeing on the Whanganui River, camping and tramping are some of the activities in this book encouraging women to venture into the outdoors. Travel journalist Tess Redgrave and award-winning photographer Becky Nunes left their comfortable, Auckland urban lives to make the ten journeys described in their inspirational book.

Including trips in from Stewart Island at the foot of New Zealand to Cape Reinga in the Far North All the practical information required to embark on each of these journeys - maps, gear lists, contact details of operators - is included at the end of each chapter together with a list of futher reading, both historical and contemporary. Although women have always Œgone outdoors¹ in New Zealand, in the last 10 to 15 years they have started to go out in droves and there are now operators offering opportunities both for those who want to be challenged to their physical limits and for those seeking a more gentle meander through the land.

The journeys in Going the Distance are medium adrenalin and should be accessible to women of all ages and reasonable fitness. Another dimension is added to several stories where the modern day journey is layered over the top of an early colonial woman¹s experience. For example the seven-day sea voyage from Doubtful Sound to Preservation Inlet was inspired by the 1898 trip of 2 Victorian travellers. The account of their journey makes an interesting contrast as does Katherine Mansfield¹s The Urewera Notebook which accompanies Tess and Becky on their horse-trek into the same country. These personal stories capture the essence of the journeys - the human side of the experience and the women¹s response to the environment. From venturing into the sub-Antarctic ocean to kayak in Stewart Island to tramping in the far-north they are challenged by the elements, however their adventures illustrate the joy and satisfaction to be gained by going outside one¹s comfort zone and heading into the outdoors.

There are 130 fantastic colour photographs which illustrate the stories and entice the reader to explore further. "These stories are about 'journeying distances' in the widest sense ­ through a physical landscape, following the paths of those who¹ve gone before. But they are also about distances travelled with other people and with oneself. As can often be true of the outdoor experience: sometimes the more difficult the journey, the greater the distance travelled." Tess Redgrave

"If women have one book to take home from NZ, this would be it in my opinion - a wonderful record of the scenary, the travel, and insights into the journeys of other wonderful NZ women. This is a classic!" Rosemary Neave

More information on publisher's website: Tandem Press
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Women off the Edge
by Rosemary Neave

She edges over the cliff and makes her descent, trusting the rope will hold her and that those angels watching over her know what they are doing. Letting go and taking risks have not been the habits of her life until now. She has been the one that held on, held the family together and kept them safe over the turbulence of change that had marked their lives. When the kids had got settled in school she had returned to work, as much for the feeling of not being 'mum' there, as for the income it helped to bring in. But that had added more pressure to the day - more things to fit in, more demands when she was home.

Despite the job, she had felt her world shrink and focus around the needs of the family. Not that she minded. Mostly. John was a good friend who helped more than most around the house, and the kids, well they lit up her life in ways it was hard to describe to her childless friends who just saw the noise and the mess. She was usually too tired to go out at night, but managed a monthly dinner out with 'the girls'. They had known each other since SCM days at university and had formed a bond some found it hard to understand. She was always exhausted after the night out, but did not mind. Last week they had laughed till they cried over some story told, not for the first time.

Slowly she let herself down the rock wall, it seemed to go on forever. She pushed herself out from the wall and looked up from where she had come, and down to where she was going and for the first time realised that she felt no fear. She felt.... alone, exultant, powerful, able to leap tall buildings at a single... well not quite, but she felt a stirring within, and it was good. She continued her descent, gaining confidence all the time and relishing the wind in her face and the sun at her back. She was slightly disappointed when she touched the ground, but she was soon overcome by the exuberance of the other women who had already completed their descent, and by the cries of 'well done' from the women who were leading this expedition. You did it! We did it! was the cry that echoed around the vertical cliffs.

She chose to walk by herself back to the waiting cars, carrying the ropes which had held her secure on that descent. She knew something inside her had shifted, some new possibilities had opened up. She determined as she walked that she was going to make some different choices, take some risks, explore her own yearnings for a change. Maybe she would do that kayaking trip in a few months. She turned for one more look at where they had been, 'thank you', she whispered to the rock face, and in the wind she thought she heard a reply 'go for it'.

Riding New Zealand, the most beautiful end of the world TOWANDA Woman Tina Hartung reports

On an immaculate day in paradise we pick up the hired motorcycles in Christchurch, the Garden City. Six women from all over the world cruise out of town along the windy Peninsula road. The sea sparkles in vibrant colours on the left and the rim of an extinct vulcanoe creates the skyline on our right. I smile in anticipation. I like the first day on tour: to see on the faces of the others how this little country at the end of the world with its fairy-tale like scenery just blows them away. We always take it easy on this first day.

In Akaroa, the little township on the peninsula, we watch the water bubbling with dozens of dolphins jumping out of the water and diving under again. They are just one arm length away from us and we can see them eye to eye in the clear water. The next day we reach the Southern Alps, New Zealand¹s 'backbone'. The vivid turquoise of the glacier lakes, due to the natural levels of phosphate in the water, look surreal amidst the surrounding tussock land and snow covered mountains. This evening we experience a spectacular sunset in the colours purple, pink and orange before we fall into a dreamless sleep.

An early start the next morning reassures us that we will reach the old University town of Dunedin for our date with penguins, sealions, seals, albatrosses and other rare New Zealand wildlife on the Otago peninsula. Lurking in the dusk we hold our breath waiting for the first penguin to appear. A wave travels ashore and like Phoenix a little penguin materialises, stands up and walks towards us over the sand. Petra pinches my arm to make sure she is not dreaming.

After a coffee-stop in one of the many nice Cafes of Dunedin we are off to world renown Milford Sound. Milford Sound is a world heritage area like the Grand Canyon and other places of internationally acknowledged significance. It stands apart as a region of distinct character formed by glaciers over the last 2 million years. The road to Milford through dense native bush and rugged mountains with many spectacular twists and views, is one of the best rides Downunder.

Next day we take a steamboat over to 'thrill zone' Queenstown. The TSS Earnslaw,, 90-year old Lady of the Lake is a breathtaking picture, is one of the last steamboats of her age in service. When we reach Queenstown on the other side of the lake we are overwhelmed by the stunning view of 'The Remarkables' the steep, rugged backdrop looming above the mirror-like surface of the lake. Life in Queenstown is all 'go' with choices of a thrilling offroad tour with two and four wheelers, the "world¹s most thrilling jet boat ride" , or the challenge of a spectacular bungy jump.

From Queenstown we go on to the magnificent West Coast. This area holds world records in rain fall and is often affectionately referred to as the 'Wet Coast'! We are more than lucky to catch one of the rare sunny days here. We now experience the Southern Alps from the other side. Two glaciers, Franz Josef and Fox glacier, ooze down towards sea level and can be seen not far from the main road. They are the fastest moving glaciers in the world. We learn about the culturally treasured pounamu or jade that is only found in certain rivers of the West Coast and then we reach the Pancake Rocks of Punakaiki, one of the seven wonders Downunder. With every high tide the water level dramatically rises several metres. The next day we ride through the Buller Gorge, New Zealand¹s ³little Grand Canyon², on our way to the exotic Abel Tasman National Park.

The beauty of this park is best seen by quietly paddling our hired sea kayaks off golden beaches, through warm clear blue-green water in absolute tranquility. Our two days at the lodge are just too short but everybody is happy to be back on the pegs as we head through the picturesque Marlborough Sounds towards the ferry harbour to the North Island. The ride called "Queen Charlotte Drive" offers one twist after another and awesome views over tranquil bays and is a good way to say 'good-bye' to the South Island. Sunbathing on the deck of the ferry, the others laugh at me when I point at dolphins playing in the water. Soon everybody on the vessel is on their feet watching them whirling around the boat.

Wellington is only a short stop-over where Francesca welcomes us in her unique art-deco women's guesthouse. From there we ride north along terrific coastline and then inland towards the high plateau of the vulcanoes. Tonight we are invited to stay on a marae, the traditional meeting house of the Maori community. Maori are New Zealand's first settlers, arriving from Polynesia over one thousand years ago. They represent the rich culture of the South Pacific in New Zealand. We are greeted by warm dark-brown eyes and as we walk onto the marae, another woman performs the karanga, the welcoming song. It's so beautiful it makes the hairs on my neck stand up. Inside a koumatua, or elder, tells us the story of their whakapapa, their families, their area and their ancestors with pride and dignity ­ and in Maori, of course. Then they sing their song of heaven and earth and everything in between.

Now comes our moment. They don¹t know we have practiced this, our hosts listen benevolently. We have proven that we are not completely ignorant and as soon as the official part is over we are made very welcome. The night remains special just as it began with a hangi, a meal cooked in an earth oven and traditional songs. The next morning it is hard to say good-bye to our newly found friends. They made us welcome and we feel as if we have spiritually arrived at this place they call Aotearoa ­ The Land of the Long White Cloud.

Off to the thermally active area of Rotorua for more adventures, boiling mud and geysers, and then on to Mt. Maunganui for some relaxation, lovely sea views and inviting beach promenade. We enjoy a warm spell as we ride north of Auckland to the beautiful Bay of Islands, where the European settlement of New Zealand began with the landing of James Cook in 1769. All too soon we reach Auckland and with it the end of our tour. For 22 days we have shared the highlights of New Zealand and all the emotions that are part of this experience. The riders have become ³Towanda Women family² and as they leave they take a piece of us TOWANDA Women and Aotearoa with them.

Jacqui's Journey
- one country, one woman, one year
A horseback ride the length of New Zealand
Jacqui Knight

In March 1996, I sold my home to fulfil a dream I'd had since my childhood. At age 46, I'd always wondered if one day I might realise my ambition to ride horseback the length of the beautiful country in which I live - New Zealand. So I did it. It took almost a year but my trip was complete, and this is the story of my journey. It's not just my story, though. The journey was more than a physical one - it became a mental, emotional and spiritual journey as well. And not only for me, it affected (I hope all positively!) the lives of so many other people. I hope you enjoy my story as much as I enjoyed living it!

Susan suggested we include this story "I have been planning to take a biking tour and found this amazing website about a woman who has ridden horseback the length of NZ! She has given me lots of ideas. Your country looks wonderful."

Read excerpts from her diary at or order the book at www.bitbybit.co.nz

Email: rosemary@womentravel.co.nz