Trevor Bryant of AlphaBees and a well-known organiser of tours to New
Zealand has asked me to post the following for him. You can
get this and more information from
http://www.beekeeping.co.nz/2000tour.htm and
http://www.beekeeping.co.nz/2000.htm
You can write to Trevor at [log in to unmask]
Year 2000 Tour to New Zealand
-----------------------------
Come to New Zealand, January - February 2000 and let me
enjoy the honour of showing you around my place.
Hello everyone,
It is 6 weeks since I left the US of A and Canada, Hand it
is raining, so I have taken the opportunity to put together
an update of the tour and to tell you something about the
sights, sounds and scents you will experience in the two
weeks you are on tour. First, though, I will try to explain
why I visited North America and what was accomplished.
The most important thing was to meet as many people as
possible, so that past, present and future participants in
tours to NZ and Australia could put a face and personality
to the name on the promotional material, to meet, greet,
talk to the many friends made on previous tours, revisit old
times, discuss new opportunities and where possible, visit
their place, to 'promote' the current tour, get additional
ideas to add to the itinerary from an attempt to ascertain
your requirements and interests.
There were two disappointments:
One, lack of time meant many opportunities could not be
taken advantage of as time simply did not allow
discretionary social discourse (wow, how is that for modern
marketing jargon), and secondly, it was unfortunate that a
misunderstanding meant that I was unable to have more time
on the programme at the ABF meeting in Nashville and that
because the US has a different video system to NZ, there was
insufficient time to re-record the videos (2) on NZ
beekeeping I had with me (that plus cost, locating suitable
monitors, space, etc).
However I did meet lots and lots of very interesting people,
many of whom expressed considerable interest in the tour.
Indeed the USA/Canadian visits were from a marketing
perspective, highly successful.
The success of previous tours and an even better product on
offer for 2000 assured us that we had indeed put together
the tour of the Millennium and depending on which side you
stand, it could be the Tour of the 20th or the 21st Century
(I happen to think it is the tour of the 20th century, as
the new millennium starts 2001).
The one negative that arose was that the pamphlets did not
make it clear that the tour cost was all inclusive with the
exception of the lunches on the 2 free days in Queenstown.
All coach, entrance fees, meals including lunches,
accommodation, airfares from LA and Vancouver are included
in the TOTAL PACKAGE.
The exceptions are departure and airport taxes,
communication and bar charges, etc - all those personal
costs you may incur during your stay and in particular
'prezzies' you acquire throughout the trip. There are no
changes to the current route, but there are additional
visits enroute.
To mention a few:
"The Buzzybee" Factory. Buzzybee is a registered NZ icon, so
parents and grandparents, here is an opportunity to acquire
a fabulous toy for the kids (young and old alike).
The Honey Shop.
When in the Bay of Plenty, we will visit the oldest
production kiwifruit orchard, vines in excess of 60 years of
age and your hosts will be Trevor Bryant, Judith Ingram
(yes, our home) and I must not forget Molly the very brash
Bishon Frise.
I have also a couple of surprises and I plan to drive our
route this winter to look for those special places for
picnic lunches, 'leg stretch' breaks and other nooks and
crannies to delight the eye, tickle taste buds and other
sensory organs.
A few things you should know:
Do not
Bring any bees, honey or bee related equipment with you as
it will not be allowed across our border. NZ is free of all
major bee 'diseases' with the exception of Nosema and AFB
and is free of mites and many other pests of bees. The
industry has endorsed a 'drug free policy' to enhance the
premium standing of NZ's apiary products on world markets.
I'll tell you more during the trip.
Bring any food or agricultural products
Do
Bring a light crushable veil (laundered or new)
Bring a large brim hat. No exceptions. NZ has a very high UV
light and you will burn exceptionally quickly. Here in the
Bay of Plenty, for instance, an average sunburn time is 11
to 13 minutes for locals.
Bring sunblock.
Bring light summer clothing, light weight rain coat (just in
case). Note: average temperatures January and February are:
North Island evening 15 degrees C, daytime 22-24 degrees C.
South Island evening 12 degrees C, daytime 24 degrees C. The
North does have a higher summer rainfall than the South but
trends with La Nina and El Nino have become more erratic.
Bring swimmers (or swimming trunks) as most hotels have a
pool and there will be opportunities to surf - just what is
needed to exercise after a long satisfying day.
General
Currency: NZ $1.00 = 53.54 cents US. So you will have a
favourable exchange rate (I predict by 2000, NZ $1.00 = 58
cents US). Hotel accommodation is comparable to USA. I would
suggest our motels are superior, usually being fully
equipped with kitchen, living and separate bedrooms. Roads
are similar to USA country roads, our national roadways
beyond the cities are not as good but with the exception of
the Northern leg, roads will be a lot less crowded. NZ
drivers are notorious for their selfishness. Our car fleet
is dominated by small - medium Japanese marques. Trucks tend
to be Japanese, with large tractor units predominantly US
marques (Kenworth, Mack, International, etc).
Shops are friendly places and I will steer clear of the more
expensive "tourist traps". All major credit cards are
accepted, travellers cheques are easy to cash and electronic
banking, EFTPOS (electronic cash transfer by card) is in
most shops.
Fresh fruit and vegetables are readily available and in most
towns, tap water is safe to drink. NZ wine is world famous
and there are some exceptional meads to be found. NZ has a
great range of beers and non-alcoholic beverages to cater
for all needs plus we may find time to stop at McDonalds,
KFC, etc, occasionally, but only if you are suffering
extreme withdrawal symptoms.
Throughout the trip, I will introduce you to local cuisine,
and I hope you will explore these delights with NZers you
meet as fine food and conversation cements friendships
across all cultural borders.
Last but not least, there comes a time when commitments must
be made, forward bookings confirmed and optional extras
arranged. We would therefore request that you complete the
enclosed questionnaire and if you are able to commit, send a
deposit to me ASAP. Refunds will be undertaken less expenses
incurred for financial exchange charge but these will become
more difficult by departure date. A deposit of US$500 per
person is required preferably before 30 September 1999. We
will attempt at all times to cater for late inclusions and
all optional extras. Communication is a vital ingredient to
success. Be specific if you can and we will endeavour to
meet your requests. If it is not possible, local knowledge
will be useful in communication options or alternatives. It
is our job to make your tour an unforgettable pleasurable
experience (some tours are unforgettable for the wrong
reasons) with fax machines, telephones and the 'net'. The
word is communicate and we, Jo Page and myself, with the
Handy tips and essentials
You will need adapters for any electric's you bring. NZ has
a 240 volt, 3 pin system.
Check with your phone company re: international transfers
for mobiles, redirecting and roaming (remember your
adapters).
You will need Health Insurance. NZ has an excellent public
and private health system, but it is not free to
international travellers.
There will be a mobile phone in the coach at all times plus
a tandem pocket phone. The number is 64-25-937 153 (the
first digits are country code, second digits mobile carrier,
six digit number is the actual phone number).
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