http://www.anzcrospecials.com/blog eng http://www.anzcrospecials.com/blog/post/didgeridoos-and-didgeridonts News, Events, & Notes from Down Under - In this issue: DO...visit a crocodile farm --- DON'T...attempt to ride on the back of a crocodile at said farm. http://www.anzcrospecials.com/blog/post/9 http://www.anzcrospecials.com/blog/post/qantas-now-flying-from-dallas New direct air services by Qantas are now giving American travellers greater access to Australia, the new Qantas services, operating four times per week between Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Sydney via Brisbane, and return direct from Sydney to Dallas/Fort Worth, will enable business and leisure travellers to fly direct to Australia from one of the largest airports in the US. http://www.anzcrospecials.com/blog/post/8 http://www.anzcrospecials.com/blog/post/te-graeco Spring is a popular season for many people, a great time for a holiday break, and for the flora enthusiasts, the perfect period to experience and enjoy the wild flower season throughout Australia. It is not just the wetter regions of Australia that have beautiful floral display, contrary to some beliefs, the arid heart of Central Australia can also put on a beautiful spring wildflower show. For those in the know, the word is out that the 'Red Centre' is one of the most perfect places to visit this spring, with local talk being that this years spring wildflower season will be spectacular. The unusual amount of rainfall from the beginning of the year is the trigger for an event that happens once every 15 years, and already wildflowers are evident throughout the region. For those driving to or through Central Australia, the landscape on either side of the highways and outback roads provide a glimpse of the beauty of the local landscape, with flowering shrubs and trees, and swathes of plants in flower. Under the right conditions, visitors are greeted with the vistas of yellows, purples, blues, and much more. If you are visiting Alice Springs you can get a close up view of the wonderful plant life, together with plant name tags at either the Olive Pink Botanic Garden or the Alice Springs Desert Park. http://www.anzcrospecials.com/blog/post/6 http://www.anzcrospecials.com/blog/post/dont-ban-the-uluru-climb New Zealand has stepped back into the role of Middle-earth and the realm of mythical creatures as filming finally gets underway on The Hobbit - one of the biggest Kiwi movies ever to be made. Cameras began rolling at Sir Peter Jackson's Stone Street Studios in Wellington today (21.3.11) and in other secret locations around the country, after what has been a challenging path for the famous director and his next epic movie venture. Finally the famous actors who'll play hobbits, elves, dwarfs, dragons and wizards are back on set for the first of the two Hobbit movies, which are expected to pump about NZ$1.5 billion into the New Zealand economy. Star spotting For months, Tolkien fans have been excitedly spotting stars like Sir Ian "Gandalf" McKellen, Martin Freeman (Bilbo Baggins) and James Nesbitt around Wellington. Freeman has reportedly been seen taking time away from the office for a spot of bowling at local alley, The Lanes, while Sir Ian McKellen has been spotted supporting local thespians at Downstage Theatre. James Nesbitt has confirmed he dressed as a chicken for last month's NZI Sevens rugby tournament in Wellington, and all three supported the recent 'Fill the Basin' charity cricket match to raise money for the Christchurch earthquake fund. The focus is currently on Stone Street Studios and the Oscar-winning companies of the Weta Group - all based in Miramar, an inner city suburb close to Wellington Airport. Strictly secret There is strict secrecy surrounding filming of The Hobbit and it is unknown which scenes will be shot first and which cast members will be involved - but a spokeswoman for the production unit said everyone was "very excited" to get started. On day one of filming Sir Peter Jackson revealed a sneak peek inside the new Bag End, the home of hobbit lead, Bilbo Baggins. A photo of the award-winning director stepping through the front door of Baggins' fictional home in The Shire was the only photograph issued by Warner Brothers in the filming announcement. Bag End The location of Bag End was not revealed, but it is understood to be not part of the original 'Hobbiton' near Matamata, created for The Lord of the Rings movies. Hobbiton Movie Set & Farm Tours, which continues to bring thousands of fans to the Matatmata farming district in the Waikato region, has said it remains open due to a change in filming dates - an indication that production crews are not at the Waikato shire as yet. Hobbit casting There have been several casting announcements since Martin Freeman was confirmed as the lead in October last year. Most recent news from Warner Bros name Kiwi actors Jeffrey Thomas (of Hercules:The Legendary Journeys and television series like Shortland Street) and Mike Mizrahi (of Inside Out productions designers of Tourism New Zealand's giant rugby ball) for the roles of dwarf kings Thror and Thrain. Andy Serkis, Cate Blanchett and Orlando Bloom have all been confirmed to reprise their Lord of the Rings roles as Gollum, Galadriel and Legolas. Elijah Wood, who played Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings, has been confirmed to play a part in The Hobbit, despite his character not appearing in JRR Tolkien's book, which is set 60 years before the Rings trilogy. Tale of the treasure The Hobbit tells the tale of Bilbo's quest to snatch the treasure guarded by Smaug the dragon and reclaim the dwarven kingdom of Erebor. The screenplays for the two films have been written by Jackson, partner Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Guillermo del Toro, who pulled out of directing the movies last year. Titles for the two films are thought to be 'An Unexpected Journey' and 'There and Back Again'. The films will be shot consecutively in digital 3D using the latest camera and stereo technology. Ken Stott, who will play Balin in The Hobbit, has described the credentials of the Wellington film-makers involved in films as "second to none" and says the facilities in New Zealand's capital are the "envy of the rest of the world". The two films are planned for release in late 2012 and 2013 respectively. http://www.anzcrospecials.com/blog/post/1 http://www.anzcrospecials.com/blog/post/ridens-ultimate-australian-adventure Fijian food has a wonderful mix of the spicy curries that are influenced by the Indian people and the coconut, fish, sweet potato, cassava and other vegetables that the Fijians bring to the culture. Over time this food has developed and evolved to the current mix of flavours we experience now. The people are extremely talented and are able to cater for their large families with very basic equipment and supplies. They often just have a gas hob, a large basic pot with no handle, spoon, bowl and a cast-iron Roti pan, something that all households seem to have. The country is also very traditional in the way they believe it is a women's role to do the cooking. This often includes wadding out into the sea to catch a fresh fish for the meal. These ladies are amazing to watch, making delicious meals without measuring the ingredients, it is all done by taste and years of practice of cooking their Fijian food. Fresh vegetables and herbs which come straight from the local farmer is a wonderful part of the culture, the food and dishes they prepare. Fiji has low wages meaning that the people generally can't afford to eat fresh meat regularly therefore taking advantage of the wonderful produce. If you ever have the experience to go to the local market it is an opportunity not to be missed. It is a place mixed full of beautiful colour of the vegetables, smells and uniqueness of being able to buy a neatly stacked pile of tomatoes, eggplant, cucumber or just about anything for $1 or $2. Fijian Market For special occasions including weddings and funerals the Fijian's perform a Lovo. It is a feast for the whole family of traditional Fijian food which is cooked in the ground. In ancient cooking they also used handmade clay pots to cook their food in. Unfortunately some of the Fijian people lack basic education regarding different foods, obesity and heart disease. They love starchy foods, often having rice, roti (you may know this as naan bread, widely enjoyed with Indian cuisine) and root vegetables all in one meal. My mother has been asked to help some local people teaching them how they can lose weight. She gives them three things to reduce or cut out of their diet - starch, coconut and sugar (they love sugar often having 4 desert spoons in a cup of tea). The people have been amazed at their results, asking her to go and speak at the villages to help others. In the villages, especially ones that are very remote, tend to be very self-sufficient. Growing their own fruit - bananas, pawpaw, passionfruit and oranges to name a few. They cook Fijian food using fresh vegetables like eggplant, sweet potato, cassava, bok choy and beans of all varieties and herbs & spices - curry leaves, chillies, basil and coriander which grow extremely well in their climate. These people are living off the land, all helping each other and providing for the whole village and community. For religious reasons the Indians who follow the Hindu religion don't eat Beef and the Muslims don't eat Pork. It is not only absent from their diets but if dining at local restaurants which they own those foods will generally be omitted from the menu. This also has an influence on the meat imports and the type of food sold in their supermarkets. One of the country's cultural differences that I used to find uneasy to deal with was the eating habits of the local people. I have been lucky enough to have been invited into locals homes for a meal. You soon realize that we all do things differently. It is part of the Indian culture, that you eat your meal in your fingers. This was really hard at first but now I am used to their culture it doesn't bother me, as the saying goes "when in Rome do what the Romans do". When travelling to Fiji you will experience the unique flavours of both the Indian and Fijian cultures which the Fijian food has been developed around. http://www.anzcrospecials.com/blog/post/4 http://www.anzcrospecials.com/blog/post/oprahs-ultimate-australian-adventure Put at least 300 shrimp on the barbie, because Oprah Winfrey is taking her audience to Australia. On the premiere of the 25th -- and final -- season of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" that aired Monday, Winfrey surprised the 300 people in her studio audience that she was taking them all on a trip to Australia. The audience shrieked when Winfrey made the announcement, and actor John Travolta stepped out of a mock-up of a Qantas Airways jet that rolled onto the stage. "I started to think about where would I most want to go. Maybe I should take all of you with me to the other side of the world," she said. "We're going to Australia! We are going to Australia! You and you and you and you, are going to Australia!" The lucky audience members and show staff will fly to Sydney in December. The famous Sydney Opera House will host the "Oprah" tapings. Monday's show included a few surprise visitors, including actor Don Johnson and singer Paul Simon, who sang a song he wrote for the talk show host. For cable viewers, there's more Winfrey to come. She's set to launch her Oprah Winfrey Network, or OWN, on cable Jan. 1. The end of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" will be featured on that network with "Behind the Scenes: Oprah's 25th Season." http://www.anzcrospecials.com/blog/post/2 http://www.anzcrospecials.com/blog/post/eam-euismod-referrentur In Hollywood, the name New Zealand now shares star billing with the likes of Sir Anthony Hopkins, Naomi Watts, Kiefer Sutherland, Tom Cruise and Sir Ian McKellen. Over the past decade, the country's reputation has developed as the perfect backdrop for some of Hollywood's finest movies. Films like The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, River Queen, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Whale Rider, and The Last Samurai are casting the spotlight on New Zealand's breathtaking scenery. Director Andrew Adamson chose his home country to film key parts of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. "The South Island in New Zealand in particular is a very grand landscape, and there's a lot of unspoilt wilderness. There's very few places left in the world where you can point the camera and not see houses or hotels for 270 degrees in the frame," said Adamson. Natural, untouched wilderness While filming The Lord of the Rings trilogy in New Zealand, esteemed actor Sir Ian McKellen poured praise on the country. "In New Zealand there really is a natural untouched wilderness and it is overwhelmingly spectacular and moving," he said. "I can't help thinking once the world has fallen in love with the landscapes captured, they'll want to come see them for themselves." While compliments paid by the likes of Sir Ian and Tom Cruise (who filmed The Last Samurai in Taranaki) are priceless to the New Zealand tourism industry, the landscape caught on celluloid does its own talking. LOTR impact The impact of The Lord of the Rings trilogy has been immense. 'The Lord of the Rings Location Guidebook' is New Zealand's fastest-selling book, and international visitors flock to spots around the country that were magically transformed into Middle Earth, visiting set locations by jetboat, kayak, four-wheel drive and helicopter. Movies are bringing the world to the most remote corners of New Zealand - like the Whanganui River, New Zealand's longest navigable waterway, and the backdrop for Kiwi director Vincent Ward's River Queen; and Whangara, the tiny village on the North Island's east coast (the first place in the world to see the sunrise each day) where Whale Rider was filmed. River Queen and Whale Rider not only open a door to a lesser-known part of New Zealand, but both movies dive deep into Maori culture. Maori are increasingly using tourism to uphold and preserve their culture, and Hollywood is doing its bit to help. http://www.anzcrospecials.com/blog/post/3 http://www.anzcrospecials.com/blog/post/travel-award What is a One Week Walkabout? Sometimes you have to lose yourself to find yourself. In Australia we call this going walkabout. Have you always wanted to go to Australia, but didn't think you had the time? An Australian Walkabout doesn't have to take weeks why not take a One Week Walkabout. A One Week Walkabout is a short trip to Australia. Australia provides the ideal option for a no-hassle, action-packed getaway. Let's dispel some of the myths... What is a One Week Walkabout? You can fly to Australia in about the time it takes to get to Europe. The flight from the West Coast of the United States is the same as the flight to Rome (approx 14 hours). You can experience a lot in a week. You can visit world class cities teeming with activities and natural beauty. You get more for your money in Australia than many other destinations in Europe. Get more for your money in Australia and focus on your week of adventure rather than your weak exchange rate. Perhaps you'll be off to Sydney, voted one of the world's best cities for its first-class restaurants, wine valleys, beaches and outdoor adventures. Maybe you'll venture to stylish Melbourne, a city of Victorian architecture, trams, fashion, food, theatres, art galleries and leafy gardens. Or maybe Brisbane and its access to the Great Barrier Reef, wildlife, beautiful beaches and tropical adventure will be the lucky spot? http://www.anzcrospecials.com/blog/post/7 http://www.anzcrospecials.com/blog/post/altera-euismod-luptatum Least explored of the Society Islands, Huahine is a happy, peaceful place, where the traditional Polynesian way of life continues in spectacular scenery that rivals any on Moorea or Bora Bora, Huahine is actually two islands basking in one lagoon, encircled by a coral necklace. On its shores, coconut palms sprout in untamed profusion, separated from the sea by a narrow band of powdery white sand. Considered to be the cradle of ancient Polynesian culture, Huahine is also home to many of Polynesia's most important archaeological sites. If you are looking for a destination that is off the beaten track and away from maddening crowds, a place where you can slip into a different world, a different culture, then we encourage you to give the island of Huahine a look! For a 7 Night package deal to Tahiti, Moorea, and Huahine please click here for more information. http://www.anzcrospecials.com/blog/post/5