37 - Sunday, November 20, 1988 - North Shore News TRAVEL WINTER TRAVEL New free video explores marveis of New Zealand WHEN YOU’RE a little country like New Zealand, with a tiny population outnumbered by sheep, you’ve got to be enterprising. There’s been much evidence of that in recent years, what with a Labor government that believes in free trade and hardy sailors who have been challenging Yankee mega-buck yachting. The Kiwis show just as much initiative when it comes to tourism. For example, the government tourist office has just released a free video movie made by Warren Miller called New Zealand On My Mind. Miller, best known for his skiing movies, has packed a lot of New Zealand in 23 minutes — sailing, surfing, fishing, skiing, plus fiords, snowcapped mountains and sunny beaches. What is appealing about Miller’s movie is that it is believable, and he achieves this by introducing the . viewer to New Zealanders; this is not the typical cruise ship video where everything is perfect but a little plastic. A 13-year-old schoolboy in a striped blazer talks about his studies, which include Latin and Greek. What does your 13 year old learn at school? asks Miller. The movie makes the point that the New Zealanders are easy peo- ple to meet, and probably happy to share the vagaries of another per- son’s lot. It so happens that New Zealand has a highly-developed bed and breakfast network, offering _ tourists a selection of city or farm Customs busier From page 36 people to staff the primary area — where the passports are checked. Each day, customs is issued a list of flights and the times they are due to arrive. But if a plane is delayed, customs is often the last to know and their people are obliged to sit and wait. They can’t be pulled from primary to work in secondary for the simple reason that some sec- ondary checks can last a-long time — as that couple I mentioned earlier discovered. It would certainly benefit the rest of the honest travellers if ‘Mr. and DMirs. Jewelry Smuggler’’ would clean up their act. One of the most important safe- guards for Canada also occurs at Canada Customs — but nut by the customs officers. It’s vital to protect our en- vironment from pests and diseases carried by foreign plants and animals. This is the role of Agriculture Canada, working in partnership with customs. It’s a fascinating place to visit — more about that next week — and some of the weird and wonderful items that people try to import. I wouldn’t have enjoyed being the officer who opened the suitcase when the live snake jumped out! homes. That way you can spend a day sailing or pottering about a farm, and then have dinner with a family. You'll like New Zealand wine and somebody might even suggest popping down to the local for a pint. The movie is available free at more than 4,000 video stores across Canada {as well as through travel agents). The Australians, no slouches either when it comes to pulling in travel talk David Wishart tourists, are attempting to divert arrivals from the cities to the Out- back. The Northern Territory has just opened an office in Vancouver (685-2280), where manager Janet Rogers has information on Darwin and thereabouts, including a new motel at Jabiru that is shaped like a crocodile. Fishing is a major lure with packages from Darwin to a lodge on Bathurst Island where catch is barramundi, barracuda, sand bass, salmon, bream, trevally, jewfish, wolf herring, tuna and tiger shark. Recently a visitor caught a 150 Ib. grouper from the beach. This is very much croc country and no- body is allowed on the beach alone at night, that is unless Paul Hogan has invited you to lock at the moon. Meanwhile, the 97-ft. research vessel Flamingo Bay is offering 10-day tours of coastline between Darwin and Gove where there are aboriginal cave paintings and ruins of an early European settlement. The vessel carries a 2! ft. jet boat for shore excursions and croc spot- ting. Only problem is that flights to Australia are heavily booked and fares are up around the $2,000 mark for winter (their summer) travel. One way to ease the pain of the fares, not to mention the jetlag, is to stop off on the way. With Air New Zealand, Canadian Airlines International or Qantas you can stop at Hawaii on the way down, while Canadian enables you to break your journey at Fiji on the return. (Southbound flights get in- to Fiji in the middle of the night). Fiji, as everybody knows, has been having a little political bother but according to Manasa Baravilala, North American direc- tor of the Fiji Visitors Bureau, everything is back to normal. Baravilala, who was in Van- couver recently with a tourism presentation co-sponsored by Ca- nadian, said because Fiji traffic was down 30 per cent, hotel prices were very reasonabie. Not only that, Fiji has spurned highrise towers for hotels with a South Pacific feeling. Not one is taller than a palm tree. And that, 1 say, is enterprising. FRANCISCO \ \ le . $994, 00 retum pp 2 NIGHT HOLIDAYS WITH CHOICE OF 2 DAYS CAR RENTAL OR 2 NIGHTS HOTEL CCOMMODATION. 320-1425 MARINE DRIVE 926-4304 NORTH VANCOUVER #221-1433 LONSDALE 980-8004 “TRAVEL 7} EXPERTS GIVE YOURSELF A DUTCH TREAT BY FLYING KLM. ROYAL DUTCH AIRLINES With every purchase of a round trip ticket on KLM, we offer you DFL 25.00 (Cdn. approx. $15.00) per person towards a tax free purchase at the world’s best duty free airport — AMSTERDAM. Non-stop service to Amsterdam every Saturday on KLM's famous 747 service. Reeztrictions do apply, call us tor details. Call us for the lowest fares to London and Europes. 283-17ih STREET, WEST VANCOUVER invite you to their 2nd GALA CRUISE NIGHT featuring 2 enchanting MEDITERRANEAN CRUISES aboard the spectacular new “Crown Odyssey” sailings May 16 & September ll. Join us at 730 PM. Tuesday, Jan. 17 at Canyon Gardens 3381 Capilano Rd. North Vancouver Door Prizes, Wine & Cheese, Refreshments! Admission $3.00 RS.VP. Valerie 926-4344 LOBSTER | MONTH All thru the Month of November Monday to La Belle Sole RESTAURANT 235 - 15th Street, West Van Lunch Monday-Friday f 11:00-3pm 926-8511 926-6861 | Dinner Monday-Saturday § enna