Blog4NZ: A Local Tells You Why You Should Visit New Zealand

Julie Crisford is a native New Zealander and a good friend of mine. I asked her to help me write a blog for Blog4NZ, a worldwide blogging event to help raise awareness and promote tourism to New Zealand despite the devastating earthquake in Christchurch. 

Here is why Julie thinks you should come visit New Zealand!

First thing: Do come visit us. We love visitors. And we need them. New Zealand's economy is small with a population of only 4 million people and tourism is a major part of New Zealand's economy. With the earthquake in Christchurch and a tsunami in Japan – where a lot of our tourists come from – New Zealand needs people to come visit and help spur the economy. 99% of the country is still open for business and we’d love to see you!

Now, I’ve traveled the world, but I’m always drawn to my home in New Zealand. There’s so many things I could tell you about New Zealand. About how we’re bigger than the UK, but have 15 times less people, so we have SPACE. About our mountains, our glaciers, the volcanos you can ski on, our beaches. But, instead, I thought I’d just show you some of my favorite photos from places I have traveled in the last three years since I’ve been home in New Zealand.

Fifteen minutes driving from the South Coast of Wellington, where I live, you can walk around the rocks to a place where seals come to play in the winter. Wellington weather is quite mild, and on a sunny day in winter it can get up about 12-15°C (54-60°F). Don’t get me wrong, in winter it can be horrible even without snow, but when it’s nice, it’s nice.

Summer in the top of the South Island near Abel Tasman National Park is just about perfect. My good friend from high school got married and the day after his wedding, a group of us went to the beach. A beautiful summer day to chill out after a gorgeous wedding.

 
New Zealand is, along with Ireland, one of the two places in the world that doesn’t have snakes. We also don’t have any native mammals, so our birds have evolved mostly without predators until people started showing up 500 years ago. Settlers bought predators which eat bird eggs, thus endangering New Zealand's native aviary population. Pukaha, Mt Bruce, 2 hours from South Wellingon, is a wildlife sanctuary where they have many programs to protect New Zealand’s endangered birds.

A view of my hometown, Wellington, from near my mum’s house. You can see the harbour, the wooden houses nestled in the hills and how we’re surrounded by trees. In the bottom right hand corner is the business district, but it spreads right along the waterfront.

So there you have it, my thoughts and photos of New Zealand. I’m pretty bad at taking photos actually, so if you want to know more about New Zealand visit Tourism New Zealand.

If you do come visit New Zealand, and are a friend of Connie’s, please do come say hi!

Finally, if you want to help, but can’t quite plan your vacation yet; please give to the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal.

Thanks Julie, you know I'm planning on going to New Zealand as soon as I can. READERS, has Julie persuaded YOU to visit New Zealand?

© Connie Hum 2011

#TTOT Round-Up: Non-Tourist Travel

Every Tuesday it's Travel Talk on Twitter! Follow the #TTOT tag to see what all the commotion and Tweets are about! There are two sessions to join, one at 9:30am GMT and the other at 9:30pm GMT.

Here's the round-up of this week's #TTOT: 

Q1: What defines non-tourist travel? (submitted by OysterWorldwide)

• MalloryOnTravel: The tourist seeks souvenirs, whilst the traveller seeks experiences
• AlexPlim: Non-tourist travel is heading wherever the wind takes you, which takes guts when you've only got a finite amount of time
• belleandi: Going with the flow and see what and where seems a good idea on the spur of the moment. No: packages, resort hotels, plans
• AnthonyOFlynn: Traveling instinctively and putting down the guide books- make your own plans and immerse yourself in culture
• travel_thoughts: Non-tourist travel is when don't have a predetermined agenda. Doing something you didn't hear or know about before arriving.  
  

Going off the beaten track in India

Q2: Describe your most shameless (or embarrassing) touristy moment. (submitted by athomeaway)

• markosul: Switching "bottoms" with my wife so I could swim in a speedo-only pool in Brazil 
• MyPostcardFrom: Buying plastic clip on Koalas from Sydney. We gave them away to family on our return. Too embarrassing to have around the house.
• 25travels: Eating at McDonald 
• WFTristan: Having to wear a cotton wool nappy after taking most of the skin off my backside whilst in France 
• WomanSeeksWorld: A 17-night, 12 country Contiki tour when I was 20...I hang my head in shame thinking about it now

Buying "tacky" souvenirs at The Grand Bazaar, Istanbul

Q3: At what point in your travels do you start feeling more like a local than a tourist? (submitted by conniehum)

• beforeiam35: When I don't get stared at anymore!
• TotalTravelBug: When you stop paying tourist rates for everything!
• corduroy08: When the dogs stop biting me and start licking me
• insidetravellab: When I can use the underground/metro/subway without looking at a map!
• AtHomeAway: I feel like a local when I begin unconsciously swearing in a foreign language. "Merde!" Excuse my French
  

Navigating NYC's subway system like a local

Q4: Best experience with locals? (submitted by trekkingnut)

• chippy2u: A homestay in a small village with locals in Yap, Micronesia. Ate betel nut, husked coconuts, home cooked island food each day
• carlitarocks: A samba contest in the countryside of Salto, Brazil
• nishim3: Being taken for a tour of the Amsterdam red light area by a former prostitute
• QunoSpotter: Kissing the boys and making them cry in Le Marche, Italy
• jetsetgisele: I lived in Mombasa for two months and everyday I would get a "Jambo" and a hug from the local fruit lady 

Eating with local Bedouins in Petra

Q5: When have you felt most at home when traveling? (submitted by OysterWorldwide)

• NickAtFeynan: Sitting in a Bedouin friend's tent near Feynan, listening to his family's stories and sipping sweet tea by a fire
• RickGriffin: Always feel at home where ever there's Charmin in the restroom 
• monaibra: When staying with a Persian friend's family in Montreal and eating authentic Persian food in my PJs! 
• KirkShack: Finding Vegemite in a shop in Vietnam
• verty: Of course Stockholm is my holm away from holm
• travel_thoughts: Any time I have the time to unpack the ENTIRE contents of my bag
• InAForeignLand: Home is where my backpack is when traveling 

Feeling at home with my backpack

And there you have it, "Non-Tourist Travel!"

Next weeks #TTOT topic is: "Adventure Travel" submitted by traveldudes. Submit your questions here! And don't forget to tune follow the #TTOT every Tuesday at 9:30am and 9:30pm GMT!

As always, a HUGE travel community thank you to our #TTOT hosts and organizers: traveldudes, roniweiss, toddwassel, traveldesigned, insidetravellab, WildJunket, tbloggersunite and mobilelawyer!

Have you got anything to add? 

© Connie Hum 2011

Grand Opening Ceremony: Hong Kong International Film Festival

Sunday, March 20th marked the Grand Opening of the 35th annual Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF). The star-studded Grand Opening Ceremony took place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center to much excitement and fanfare.

Fans eagerly await the arrival of Hong Kong's brightest stars

With my press pass I was able to get behind the scenes of the Grand Opening Ceremony and up close to the stars of the 35th HKIFF opening films,"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" and "Quattro Hong Kong 2"! It was all very exciting. The press and crowded fans went wild each time someone arrived. Here are just some of the stars who arrived at the 35th Hong Kong International Film Festival's Grand Opening Ceremony:

After everyone who's anyone arrived on the red carpet and went in for the Grand Opening Ceremony, the press scrambled to grab their equipment and ran in to grab a good spot. I didn't get into the room in time to snag a spot on the press stage so I stayed among the crowd to get the feel of the growing excitement as the Grand Opening Ceremony progressed.

The Grand Opening Ceremony ended with a champagne toast, a shower of gold confetti and wishes for a successful festival.

With over 335 films from 56 countries, the HKIFF has already sold over 63,000 tickets. Several additional screenings of sold out films have been added due to popular demand. It would appear as though the 35th Hong Kong International Film Festival is well on its way to being a huge success! 

The 35th HKIFF is currently underway and runs through April 5th at various theaters in Hong Kong. For more information on films, locations and show times, please visit to the official Hong Kong International Film Festival website.

Do YOU love film festivals as much as I do? Have YOU ever attended an international film festival?

© Connie Hum 2011

Montage Monday: Lijiang, China

A photo montage highlighting my favorite memories from past travels!

Lijiang is quite a photogenic city! From the moment that I arrived, I was swept in time back to historic China. Sure, many will argue that Lijiang is just another tourist trap, another Disneyland for adults, but I beg to differ. Lijiang retains an old-world charm that can never be replicated.

The crowds lining up at the Food Market in Lijiang are an eager bunch. There's a bit of pushing, there's a bit of shouting, but it's all worth it in the end. With so many different Chinese delicacies on offer, the Food Market is the prefect place to sample new (and delicious) foods! My personal favorite was the gigantic meat balls served piping hot in a flavorful broth.

Perhaps my favorite part of Lijiang was the signs posted all over the town in some confusing English. I was never quite sure what the signs were supposed to mean. In any case, the signs in "Chinglish" provided humorous moments of exploring Lijiang.

Have YOU ever been to a place that was too "touristy" but loved it anyway? Can YOU decipher the above sign?

© Connie Hum 2011

The MUST Have Item for Hong Kong

It doesn't matter if you're just visiting Hong Kong or if you're relocating to this mega-metropolis like I am, get yourself an Octopus card right away! An Octopus card is THE absolute must-have item for Hong Kong!

"Standard" Octopus cards

You can purchase your Octopus card at any MTR station, either at the designated Customer Service booths or at the self-serve machines. The initial cost of a standard Octopus card is $150 Hong Kong dollars for $100 credit and $50 deposit. Whatever amount you have left over on your card is refundable upon return of the Octopus card.

Octopus cards come in a variety of designs and colors to fit all ages and styles, such as mobile phone accessories and watches!

Mobile phone accessory with built in Octopus

Not only does the Octopus card work on all major forms of public transportation in Hong Kong including the MTR, Star Ferry, buses and trams, it also works like a cash card in many shops all over Hong Kong! You can use your Octopus card at vending machines selling a wide variety of products from soft drinks to iphone covers, convenience stores like 7/11, supermarkets, mobile phone shops and retail stores. Hong Kond residents can even pay bills with their Octopus card!

My favorite place to use my Octopus card? The Mobile Softee trucks!

No cash for Mister Softee? No problem!

Just make sure that you don't lose your Octopus card! There's no way to trace a lost or stolen Standard card back to you! You can only submit a claim if you have a personalized Octopus card or one set up to automatically add value through your bank.  

*Local Tip* Avoid the long lines usually waiting for you at the MTR customer service booths or self-serve kiosks when you want to recharge your Octopus and head straight to a 7/11. It usually takes less than a minute to recharge and then you're back out to exploring the wonders of Hong Kong!

Is there any other destination that makes transportation and paying for things as easy as Hong Kong's Octopus card?

© Connie Hum 2011

#TTOT Round-Up: Language In Travel

Every Tuesday it's Travel Talk on Twitter! Follow the #TTOT tag to see what all the commotion and Tweets are about! There are two sessions to join, one at GMT 9:30am and the other at GMT 9:30pm.

This week's #TTOT topic of "Language in Travel" drew in 3,400 tweets mentioning #TTOT, reaching over 240,000 followers and creating 16,680,000 impressions!

Here's the round-up of this week's #TTOT:

Q1. What's the MOST important word or phrase to learn when visiting a foreign country? (submitted by YucatanHolidays) 

• bridaltravelguy: Over 18? 
• katyabroad: Just knowing hello, please and thank you will do a lot to endear you to the locals! 
• kerrinsheldon: "Two beers, please"
• MiddleSeatView: "I do not speak ______" - always helpful
• myTravelingLens: If you start off with a genuine smile, almost any word that comes out after will be sweeter  

Smiles always break the ice

Q2. What was your first memorable encounter with a foreign language? (submitted by RunawayJuno)

• glampacker: When I was 7. I thought when people got old they stopped speaking English and spoke Chinese like my grandparents
• Inga_Ros: I was 2 1/2yrs old when I had just moved to Kuwait and suddenly EVERYONE (except my parents) spoke a different language
• JustTravelous: I grew up speaking two German dialects and standard German. That was really confusing sometimes    
• Nomad_Student: First OMG-I'm-speaking-another-language! moment was arriving @ CDG, starving, & ordering a baguette w/brie @ age 15. Best meal ever!

Q3. What's the most interesting sign/label you've seen n a foreign language? (submitted via HotelPRGuy)

• hjortur: This is a sign here in Hafnarfjordur where I live, the elf capital of the world

• aldakalda: Fave sign, for donkey rides in Turkey: "Would you like to ride on your own ass?" 
• worldswaiting: "Please take advantage of the chambermaid" in Hong Kong  
• foodieintl: I like signs in "English"

• tifany74: At a Spanish thermal bath, I saw a sign in English for "Heated Poo." 
• JustTravelous: I love this sign found in Thailand, Koh Phi Phi

Q4. What's your best pantomime when language barriers are too difficult to overcome abroad? (submitted by conniehum)

• tranquilotravel: The downward-fist pump-plunger diarrhea sign
• LifeOutofaSuitc: Anyone else have to look up what pantomime meant? Oh, only me? Awesome...
• travelingted: I tried to give the international sign for where's bathroom at a bar. The bartender gave me a marijuana menu 
• EbroApartments: I remember me and the Catalan waiter making various animal sounds and pointing at parts of our bodies
• thetripchicks: Clicking my tongue and rubbing thumb with first two fingers together for 'that's too expensive'

The universal sign for "It's too loud in this room"

Q5. Most embarrassing mistake you've made in another language? What were you TRYING to say? (submitted by alannafree)

• corduroy08: Using google translator turned 'Hello mate' to 'Let's have sex'
• kerrinsheldon: In Chinese,I was trying to say "I understand your question"(wenti). I said "I understand your body"(shenti)
• conniehum: "Thanks" in Turkish sounds a lot like "testicular" and let's just say I've made that mistake!
• traveldudes: A friend wanted to order 5 cold beer in Khmer and hit the wrong tone and ordered 5 old women 
• crozul: In Egypt we wanted a buy a shawl ~ he brought us a camel instead 

Is this camel the color you wanted, miss?

And there you have it, "Language in Travel!"

Next weeks #TTOT topic is: "Non Tourist Travel" submitted by trekkingnut. Submit your questions here! And don't forget to tune into #TTOT every Tuesday at 9:30am and 9:30pm GMT!

As always, a HUGE travel community thank you to our #TTOT hosts and organizers: traveldudes, roniweiss, toddwassel, traveldesigned, insidetravellab, WildJunket, tbloggersunite and mobilelawyer!

Have you got anything to add?

© Connie Hum 2011

American Eagle Outfitters Has Landed in Hong Kong

Last Friday night, I had the very special opportunity to attend the launch party of the first American Eagle Outfitters' store opening in Hong Kong.  

Store launch party in Kowloon

Arriving fashionably late, my friends and I ended up having to wait in line to get in as the party was already in full swing. No matter though, the lovely people at American Eagle Outfitters Hong Kong provided those waiting to get in with complimentary champagne!

Waiting with champagne

Once we got in, my friend and I, along with the other party-goers, were showered with free drinks, dainty appetizers and a DJ spinning funky beats amid all the new American Eagle Outfitters merchandise. Things got a bit crowded between the aisles of clothes and displays but everyone was generally in a happy, party mood.

A quiet corner at the AEO launch party

Standing among the quintessentially American style of AEO of super-casual clothing reminded me of my days growing up in California with cut offs and flip flops on the beach. I admit, I started to feel a little homesick for the golden California sun. Luckily, the colorful tank top display reminded me that summer in Hong Kong was just around the corner.

AEO's casual style

My friends and I browsed around the store, tried on a few hats for fun, chatted with some people and enjoyed our drinks for a couple of hours before leaving the launch party. 

Does this hat look good on me?

As we left the party, the staff at American Eagle Outfitters handed us each a lovely cap (ours were all white) to commemorate our night and their store launch in Hong Kong. It was a nice parting gift and a much-needed item for the upcoming summer.

My newest summer accessory

I'm glad to know that there's a little slice of Californian life and style that I can find here in Hong Kong! 

Shamrocks (and a bit drunk) to celebrate an early St. Patrick's Day

Ever encountered something random that reminded you of home in your travels? 

© Connie Hum 2011

Montage Monday: Coney Island

A photo montage highlighting my favorite memories from past travels!

Laughing up the nerve to ride the Coney Island Cyclone

Hard to believe but it was after two years of living in New York City that I finally made it out to Brooklyn's Coney Island and rode the famous Cyclone roller coaster for the first, and only, time. Constructed out of wood, the Cyclone was a bumpy and jolting ride that took us up and down at a thrilling top speed of 60 mph!  I didn't have time to be too scared of the drop-offs as I was too busy laughing my head off the whole ride with Jordi, Joel and Neil!

Coney Island's famous boardwalk

No visit to Coney Island is complete without a walk down the famed boardwalk and eating some of Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs. Friends and I enjoyed hot dogs, french fries, deep fried candy bars and all sorts of other unhealthy things. I usually feel sick after eating such things but once in awhile, it's fun to treat yourself to a day of junk.

Human pyramid success!

We drew a lot of attention when we decided to attempt a human pyramid on the beach with our laughter and shouting.  After several tries, we finally managed to complete our human pyramid though much smaller than the one we originally hoped to achieve. Success was fleeting as we fell apart mere seconds after this photo was snapped.

Impromptu limbo line

Drawing attention to ourselves yet again, my friends and I decided to start a limbo line on the boardwalk while a salsa band played next to us. It was great fun and before long, we had a large group of spectators and even some outside participants! How low can you go? How low can you go... Poor Christoph walked away with a fractured wrist from the limbo line though! Unfortunately no one realized and continued on with the limbo and laughing...

Sunset at Coney Island

Sunset at Coney Island was absolutely beautiful! I'm so glad that I finally made it to Coney Island after two years in NYC! In hindsight, I can't believe it took me two years to get out there and that I never went back afterwards! The day in Coney Island with my friends is one of my best summer memory from NYC and I cannot remember ever laughing so much in one day.

Have you ever been to Coney Island? What's your favorite Coney Island memory?

© Connie Hum 2011

Spotlight: The World Is Waiting

Liv has been exploring the world independently since she was 17. She became a diving instructor whilst still a teenager. Liv has lived and worked on islands, yachts and mountains, in villages and cities and worked her way around the world, earning her living mostly as a diving instructor and shark photographer. Liv's always busy exploring and trying to understand new places. She is something a little bit different and her friends have nicknamed her ‘Sharkgirl’. Liv documents her travel experiences and many misadventures on her site, The World is Waiting. 

Liv in Turkey

1. What persuaded you to become a SCUBA instructor?

I fell for scuba diving during my first dive when I was 16. The instructor ate a banana underwater and lots of small brown fish charged at him to nip little bits off the banana for themselves. The Turkish coast has a lot going for it, but miserably little by way of reefs and fishlife, hence the underwater entertainment. Knowing what I do now, my first dive was in one of the less exciting places to dive but at the time it didn’t matter. Breathing underwater and the weightless easy movement of diving instantly had me hooked. A year later I completed a few courses at a friendly, bustling dive centre in Turkey and another year later I was working there as an instructor; it seemed a natural progression for me.

Awesome job or what?

2. What has been the biggest travel challenge for you?

Other than trying to squeeze my dive gear into my luggage allowance each time I move, which is a nightmare, my biggest travel challenge has been missing friends and family. When you decide to live and work far from where your family base is there will always be events like birthdays and weddings that you will miss out on. Skype helps enormously when you miss friendly faces, especially during your first few weeks in a new place, but missing out on occasions is, for me, the significant downside of being far away.

3. Where was your most memorable living abroad experience and why?

I am lucky. I have oodles of memorable experiences under my belt and I am having trouble choosing just one, so here are some of my favorites:

• My daily morning walk to a dive center in Kenya involved walking through a small village before I got to the hotels on the beach. Each morning I was ambushed by a frenetic bunch of children who were grinning from ear to ear and would hang off me as I tried to wade through them and get to the beach. It struck me that they had so little but always seemed so happy.

• Living in Egypt I enjoyed a swim before work and there was a local dolphin that often turned up and would playfully charge me and swim around me playing. I lost count of the number of times I was late for work as a result.

• A luxury yacht I worked on spent a summer sailing the Bahamas. When we were at Thunderball Island, the crew managed to find an afternoon to explore. We snorkelled into the Thunderball cave, (so named because the Bond film of the same name was filmed there). You had to skin dive under a rocky ledge to get inside the cave which was amazing. It was light inside because of an opening at the top and the water was crystal clear but dotted with fish.

• I also remember my first shark dive in the Bahamas. I had just taken a job as an underwater photo/video pro and there I was taking video of about forty reef sharks on the daily shark dive. I was ecstatic and every shark dive I went on I thought to myself, “I can’t believe I’m doing this. I love it!”

Filming sharks for a living

4. What do you find the hardest part of moving to a new country?

Foreigners living overseas are often stuck between being a foreigner and feeling like part of the local community. It is a strange feeling when you feel like you want to live somewhere (and perhaps you are living there) but don’t quite feel like you belong there. I spent years in Turkey and although I always felt at home there, it took time to feel like a local. I think there are two important factors to consider when trying to get around this and they are: 1) Understand the place. You need to immerse yourself in the culture of the place (including language, history, and societal norms) in order to understand why local thoughts and feelings may be different to your own and embrace those differences 2) You should never say “No” to an invitation. You never know which places you will discover or which friends you will make at that party, barbecue or dinner. They say ‘Home is where the heart is’ and I really believe it is the people that make the place. Ultimately you can feel ‘at home’ anywhere that you have friends. 

5. If all your luggage was stolen but you could ask the thief to return just one item, what would it be and why? 

If my luggage was stolen I would be upset about losing, simply because they are irreplaceable, my photos. I tend to upload my photos to an external hard-drive rather than clog my macbook with them. I am currently investigating online storage options in fact, to see if I can protect my photos even further.

6. What is your advice to someone interested in travel and pursuing an extraordinary career?

Be brave. People often say they wish they had done the things I have done. The only difference between us is that I made the choice to do the things I have done. They decided not to. It takes courage to abandon what the majority take for granted and forge a different path. There are plenty of naysayers who will ask “What will you do for work?” and “What will you do for money?” These are valid questions and definitely worth consideration, but they are not reasons to be too scared to try something new. Perhaps your employer provides accommodation or perhaps you will be paid less but your living costs will be drastically reduced. Ultimately, you need to balance what you think you will gain from and enjoy about living overseas against what you feel you will miss out on by not staying home.

Liv doing what she does best

Liv, thank you so much for sharing your travel adventures with Connvoyage!  I am just so in awe of you that you get to swim with sharks for a living! I hope I get to dive with you one day!  

© Connie Hum 2011

Happy Two Year Anniversary!

Tomorrow, March 10, marks the two year anniversary of my first blog post on ConnVoyage! Wow! I honestly cannot believe that I've been blogging on the road for two years now!

Blogging in a hostel in Pune, India

I originally started ConnVoyage as a way of staying in touch with my friends and family after leaving EVERYTHING behind in New York City and California. I wanted to share my experiences of living in Istanbul, and whatever other travels I had, with my loved ones. I never thought that two years later, I'd still be traveling the world and blogging about it!

Blogging to a wider audience in Hong Kong

I never even ONCE considered turning ConnVoyage into an actual "travel blog," which is quite evident from my first blog post! Not even a single photo! No wonder my friends and family weren't interested in what I had to say.

ConnVoyage has come a long way in the two years since 2009 and I want to continue making it even better!

What suggestions do you have to help improve ConnVoyage?

© Connie Hum 2011