It's all about balls !

Kia Ora and welcome. As World cup fever winds down and Wimbledon recovers from the shock of warm weather for an entire week it's all about balls here! Whilst New Zealand has yet to reach the pinnacles of World spot using traditional shaped balls there's been no shortage of celebrations and costumes as World Cup fever gripped the Kiwis!

The World Cup was certainly overflowing with controversy but we felt this story just had to be shard with you extreme enthusiasts: "German police are hunting a 'prankster' who has been filling footballs with concrete. The footballs have been left around Berlin with signs saying: "Can you kick it?" Six of the concrete stuffed footballs have been found so far, all chained to fences. A spokesman for the Berlin police said: "So far two young men, a 21-year-old and a 23-year-old, have been treated for injuries to their feet after kicking the footballs. "We think they could have been left by someone who is sick of the World Cup and are investigating the matter as the balls seem to be deliberately designed to injure."

On a lighter note, this months newsletter has one of our best specials yet and an excellent incentive to book early. We also check out the Pacific islands and why not try some heading practice with Zidane in our classic game!

In this Issue

Adventures in - Tonga
New Zealand's great for - Hiking on a Glacier
Save almost $900 on your Flying Kiwi Trip
Hot Links - learn to head like Zidane

 

 

 

Many of our travellers enjoy Pacific stop overs at exciting destinations such as Fiji, Raratonga and Hawaii but few get the chance to experience Tonga. Maybe that's what makes this stunning collection of over 171 islands (fewer than 40 of them inhabited) everything you could want from a South Pacific Paradise. The country consists of four main island groups, each with its own character and offering a different kind of holiday depending on your budget/interests. Tongatapu is the main island and sees most tourist traffic, the Ha'apai group 100km north offers stunning beaches, the Niuas are so remote its hard to reach but the Vava'u group is accessible and inspiring.

Tonga is not your traditional pacific island holiday and the relaxed nature of Tongans will fit well with most travellers but may be frustrating for those expecting resort style service. Vava'u is particularly unique for its Whale Watching and swimming. It is one of only two places in the World (the other being in Costa Rica) where you can snorkel with Humpback Whales. The opportunity to get up close and personal with these fantastic animals is a once in a lifetime and sometimes life changing experience. A number of operators offer trips and you can find some details here.

The islands are a water lovers delight and particularly popular with the Yachting communities. With visibility reaching up to 70 metres and a range of uncrowded World class dive sites its the perfect spot for diving, learning to dive or snorkeling. In addition to the whales you will find hard and soft corals, dolphins, turtles, manta rays and heaps more in this natural aquarium. Other activities include kayaking, caving, deep sea fishing, cycling and bird watching.

Here are some sites of interest:

Online community for Tonga

Vava'u directory

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One of the most stunning natural wanders of New Zealand has to be the Glaciers. There are two main ones to choose from - Fox or Franz. In this article we concentrate on the one that successfully has a mint named after it.

At 13kms, Fox Glacier is the longest of the awe inspiring NZ West Coast glaciers, and it's 36 square km neve is bigger than the size of Christchurch city! At its head soaring peaks of over 3 000m (10 000ft) dominate the vista. These include Aoraki (Mt Cook) and Mt Tasman, which weather permitting, can be viewed when reaching the upper parts of the Glacier on the one of the Heli hiking experiences.

NZ's west coast glaciers are unique and are probably the most accessible glaciers in the world, as they terminate amongst temperate rainforest just 250 metres above sea level. Nowhere else does this happen! Glaciers constantly advance and retreat, held in the delicate balance by the accumulation of snow gained in the upper glacier and ice melting in the lower part. An increase in snowfall at the neve will result in the glacier advancing. Correspondingly, a faster melt will result in the glacier retreating. Overall Fox Glacier has been advancing since 1985.

There are a number of operators offering trips on the Glacier and all ensure you are well equipped with crampons, sturdy boats and for the more adventurous a snow axe! You can try a basic hike, a heli hike (getting you further up the mountain) or even try your hand at ice climbing! Its an outstanding experience and as the conditions constantly change no two trips are the same. We recommend using Fox Guides when planning your trip on the ice.

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This month we have put together a fantastic offer for early birds. If you travel with a friend on our fantastic Ultimate Explorer trip then we will give the second person their trip fee at half price - that's a serious saving of nearly $900 and a lot of extra spending money!

Check out the site for more details.

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• Head like Zidane! Zizou is arguably one of the greatest footballers of our generation. His ball skills are comparable to Pele and his heading ability is matched by few bare knuckle boxers. To develop your skills have a crack at this game. Play here.

• For web marketing and design check out About Web Site Marketing

That's it for this month. We are just preparing for the buses hitting the road in a couple of months and researching the latest trips, sights and thrills - its a hard life for some! Hope you can join us on some of them!

Safe Travels,

The Flying Kiwi Team

Flying Kiwi Adventure Tours

( +64 3 547 0171 (International)

( 0800 693 296 (NZ Free Phone)

( 1800 143 515 (AUS Free Phone)

PO Box 680. Nelson, New Zealand

info@flyingkiwi.com

www.flyingkiwi.com