New Zealand has this hero plus many others. It is also one of the most beautiful countries in the world - the land of ripe kiwis, the friendly Maoris, amazing volcanos, a wondrous coastline and simply the most friendly people on earth. But we rarely hear of the country in the news.



For people living in Hong Kong, and a flight to New Zealand, back in the 80's was uncomplicated and not expensive to do. I hold happy memories of those days.

I remember the golden 80s and 90s when we could afford to follow the Rugby Sevens tour. Money was scarce, but we could always manage at least 2 stops on the Rugby tour. And our choices were always the same ? Dubai and New Zealand.

Dubai was always a pleasure, and still is today. It is amazing how fast it has developed, and it is still a pleasure to return. Explore Dubai, in the UAE In the wake of a remarkable economic boom, Dubai's landscape has changed immeasurably over the past decade. These days Dubai ranks among the top tourist destinations in the Middle East and makes a great stopover for anyone traveling from Europe to the Far East or Australasia.

For travelers, Dubai has a rich cultural scene with art museums, film festivals (Dubai film festival) and performing arts centers, in addition to being a shopper's delight, hosting the annually held Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF). Dubai is a city of excitement waiting to be explored holding the potential for one of the most significant international cities of the 21st century.

From Hong Kong, I remember we would quickly jump on a flight on Friday night and return on the last flight back on Sunday night. It was only two hours from Hong Kong to the Kiwi capital, and an additional 1 to 2 hours, depending on the destination we chose.

Even Auckland was fun. The excitement of the lively city and its lovely nightlife and folk made such a difference from polluted Hong Kong.

Life was simple then. Even as young teens still in school, we managed to raise enough money for the very cheap fares to beautiful New Zealand. We joined a group of mates together and sprinted away to New Zealand for the weekend.

20 years ago, the majority of Europe and America had a harder time to travel to the Pacific. Non-stop flights from there were then not offered.

Therefore, we had wonders of New Zealand by ourselves. Resting on the calm, smooth snow of the ski slopes, our weekend in heavenly New Zealand were wasted achieving little more than snoozing and a few attempts down the icy but riveting ski slopes, or, lazy strolls along the quaint villages dotting the outskirts of the capital. And the white water rafting was the amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience.

My friend was in the islands in 1999 when crisis thumped the Ruapehu Volcano. My friend recollects mere details of the frightening event. But my friend does recall how the Kiwi people did everything to help everyone they could. The people of New Zealand and stunned sightseers stood side by side watching the show as the Ruapehu Volcano gave birth to an actively convecting lake at 58 degrees C with sulfur slicks. Steam plumes were evident and thought to be due to cool weather being felt and a hot lake emitting steam. Between 21-26 August, elevated tremor lead to a series of volcanic earthquakes on 26 August. No eruptions occurred, but it was a delight to watch. On 13 September, increased tremor levels resumed and are continuing to present time.

It says the whole lot about the people. This says everything about the country. Still magnificent on earth, regardless of the unavoidable crisis towering over the islands of New Zealand.