ISSUE 38 OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2015
ISSUE 38 OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2015
Let’s Travel THE MAGAZINE FOR CORPORATE AND LEISURE TRAVELLERS
NORFOLK ISLAND Revisited
THE MAGAZINE FOR CORPORATE AND LEISURE TRAVELLERS
Bonjour AKAROA TAIWAN Treasures Gold Country CALIFORNIA
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771176
461001
$9.95 inc GST
contents 20
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NEW ZEALAND
19 AUSTRALIA 33 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 49 PACIFIC ISLANDS 73 ASIA 89 BEYOND
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2 www.letstravelmag.com Contents
109 BUSINESS SECTION
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from the editor I may be a bit biased here, but once you’ve read this latest issue I think you’ll have to agree that the layout and design changes we have implemented make it our best issue of Let’s Travel Magazine ever! Hands down. That, in no small part, can be attributed to our magnificent design team. We are also introducing a Business Section from this issue. The focus here will be on hotels, airlines, news and anything else that helps assist the busy 21st Century business traveller as they catapult around the globe. But, of course, there is also a plethora of amazing travel articles from near and far…NZ, Australia, Asia, The Pacific and Beyond. Tim Roxoborogh revisits the city he grew up in…Kuala Lumpur. Shane Boocock espouses the virtues of all things USA, Rob McFarland discovers the back streets of old London Town and Richard Moore dives in to The Solomon Islands with great gusto. ISSUE 38 OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2015
ISSUE 38 OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2015
Enjoy…live long and prosper!!!
Let’s Travel THE MAGAZINE FOR CORPORATE AND LEISURE TRAVELLERS
NORFOLK ISLAND Revisited
THE MAGAZINE FOR CORPORATE AND LEISURE TRAVELLERS
Bonjour AKAROA
Gold Country CALIFORNIA
461001
$9.95 inc GST
9
771176
Gary Dickson EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
TAIWAN Treasures
Cover Image: The Warwick Resort, Fiji
“Once the travel bug bites there is no known antidote, and I know that I shall be happily infected until the end of my life.” (Michael Palin (1943 - )
Effortlessly travel between unforgettable destinations with our collection of Great Train Journeys of the World.
Great Train Journeys Of The WOrld 2015
09 377 5420
www.railplus.co.nz
EUROPE | ASIA | NORTH & SOUTH AMERICA | AFRICA | INDIA | RUSSIA | AUSTRALIA
4 www.letstravelmag.com From the Editor
LetsT
New Zealand Akaroa 8 Art Deco Tour 12 Otahuna Lodge 16
Airline, Cathay Pacific www.letstravelmag.com 7 Southern Alps
Australia Spicers Retreats 20 Melbourne 26 Frasers Hospitality 30
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Australia, Hamilton Island www.letstravelmag.com 19 Sydney Harbour
United States of America New York 34 California Gold Country 38 National Parks 42 North Carolina 46
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Australia, Hamilton Island www.letstravelmag.com 33 New York
Pacific Islands Solomon Islands 50 Vanuatu 54 Fiji 56 Norfolk Island 59 Samoa 70
Australia, Hamilton Island www.letstravelmag.com 49 New York
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Asia Taiwan 74 Malaysia 78 Hong Kong 82 Malaysia - Medical 86
Australia, Hamilton Island www.letstravelmag.com 73
Beyond Liverpool 90 Africa 94 London 98 7 Wonders of the Modern World 102
Fotolia.com
Australia, Hamilton Island www.letstravelmag.com 89 London
Business Section Vehicle Focus – Volvo XC90 110 Business Class Flying 112 Hotels – Ascend Collection 128 Airline Focus – British Airways 132 Must Have Travel Accessories 134
Australia, Hamilton Island www.letstravelmag.com 109
I-Heart-NYC Words and images by Gayle Dickson
New York is a city filled with so much to see and do that it’s hard to decide what’s more important when you only have a limited time in which to fit it all in. To make your planning easier, I’ve shortlisted my favourites. Given correct planning and about three days, you should be able to squeeze it all in…and perhaps a little more!
34 www.letstravelmag.com U.S.A, New York
T
he great thing about New York City is that, armed with a Metro card and a good pair of walking shoes, it’s easy to get around, so you can often accomplish more than you think if you plan your day carefully. But, if you’re anything like me…one short visit will never be enough. I truly left thinking I-Heart-NYC! Day One:
Everyone wants to visit the Statue of Liberty. If you have more time, you could include a stop at Ellis Island to see the Immigration Museum, and perhaps even take a ferry across to Staten Island. The ferry from South Street Seaport to Liberty Island is a short ride and, unless you’re determined to make the trip to the top, you can walk the island, go snap happy, shop for souvenirs and catch the ferry back within an hour. If you do stop at Ellis Island and you’re interested in history, the ship manifests might interest you.
While you’re in Lower Manhattan, investigate Battery Park, then walk up to Wall Street and grab a bite in Stone Street before making your way to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. If you tend to spend hours in museums, allow yourself a good few hours here – apart from the massive reflecting pools there are thousands of artifacts, photographs and personal accounts. Make your way to Times Square on the Metro towards evening. Gape in awe at the masses of billboards and flashing neons, pose on the red-carpeted stairs and see if you can spot characters like a walking Statue of Liberty. Grab a hotdog (with everything!!!) from a nearby street vendor before making your way to Broadway to take in a show. If you haven’t pre-booked tickets, you can try the TKTS booth at Times Square. But, to be honest, the best shows sell out fairly quickly and it’s often cheaper to buy direct (and you’ll get better seats).
U.S.A, New York www.letstravelmag.com 35
facts: Gayle flew to New York with Hawaiian Airlines on their one-stop Auckland-Honolulu-New York flights, www.hawaiianairlines.co.nz
Most sights were accessed using a New York CityPass that offers entry to the best of New York’s attractions, and saves you money! www.citypass.com 9/11 Memorial & Museum, www.911memorial.org Bronx Zoo, wwwbronxzoo.com Central Park Zoo, www.centralparkzoo.com Empire State Building, www.esbnyc.com
If you’re still wide awake, head up the Empire State Building for a real showstopper of a view from the open-air observatory. If you head up during the day, grab the interactive audio tour that offers detailed narration of the view in every direction. Day Two:
High Line, www.thehighline.org
Statue Cruises, www.statuecruises.com Top of the Rock, www.topoftherocknyc.com Yankee Stadium, www.newyork.yankees.mlb.com www.nycgo.com www.iloveny.com
ONLY
Ages 6-17
114 89
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$
Start your day by heading to the Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Plaza, home to NBC Studios. Either of the three observation decks provides awe-inspiring daytime views of the NYC skyline. Depending on when you visit, make sure you check out the skating rink and famed Christmas tree! Take a walk north along 5th Avenue towards Central Park. With over 800 acres of greenery, you’ll need more than a day to check it out on foot. Hire a bicycle, take a horse and carriage ride or limit yourself to a few key areas. Personal winter highlights included the Trump Rink, Strawberry Fields (the memorial to John Lennon), Bethesda Terrace and the many arches. I’d love to go
42% 6 famous attractions
Avenue is home to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Guggenheim Museum, The Museum of New York City and many others – it’s the world’s densest concentration of culture in just over a mile!
• Empire State Building Experience • American Museum of Natural History • The Metropolitan Museum of Art • Your choice of Top of the Rock® OR Guggenheim Museum • Your choice of Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island OR Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise • Your choice of 9/11 Memorial & Museum OR Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum Buy at these attractions Connect with CityPASS
- Good for 9 days - Skip most ticket lines
+1 (208) 787-4300 or citypass.com
Prices and programs subject to change.
36 www.letstravelmag.com U.S.A, New York
back to ride the Friedsam Memorial Carousel, watch the action at Rumsey Playfield, hire a boat from the Loeb Boathouse or just kick back with a picnic on the Great Lawn. Make your way from Columbus Circle to the Upper West, home to icons like the Lincoln Centre, New York State Theatre, Museum of Natural History and the world’ largest Gothic cathedral, the Cathedral Church of St John The Divine. With many restored townhouses and the high prices of the co-op apartments, star spotting is often a breeze in this neighbourhood. Dine at Tavern on the Green for some five star cuisine in a sublime location! Over on the Upper East, you’ll discover luxurious boutique shopping and Museum Mile. This stretch of 5th