Travel&Vacation

p/p ppCarrying almost 500 passengers, the Emirates A380-800 left Sydney about 9.30am yesterday on its first scheduled passenger flight to Auckland, and arrived just after 2pm./p pAt the controls was New Zealander Wayne Taylor, who learned to fly in Rotorua. Several other Kiwis were on the flight decks. Among them was barman Troy Whittle, of Mt Albert, Auckland./p pHaving worked for Emirates for about five years, Mr Whittle now mans the upstairs lounge bar, serving up cocktails and canapes to business class passengers./p pquot;At night time we drop the curtains down and make it a little bit darker,quot; he said./p pWhen he is not flying, Mr Taylor is based in Dubai./p pEmirates provided quot;fantastic apartmentsquot; for its crew, with all utilities paid for and every kind of outdoor sport available on your doorstep, he said./p pquot;I#39;m having the time of my life,quot; Mr Taylor said./p pThe Emirates A380 will initially fly between Auckland and Dubai, via Sydney, three times a week but will increase as the company grows its fleet of A380s./p pThe plane features 14 first class quot;suitesquot;, 76 business class quot;podsquot; and 399 economy seats./p pThe first class suites are the height of luxury, with soft leather, fully reclining seats, work desk and built-in illuminated vanity mirror, personal electrically controlled mini bar and room service./p pTwo luxurious shower spas are also available to first class passengers on a booking system that allocates about 20 minutes to each passenger./p pLuxury also abounds in business class, with seats housed in a quot;podquot; that includes a mini bar, privacy panel between seats, laptop and shoe compartments and a touch screen seat controller and in-flight entertainment system./p pBut it was disappointing that the previously large and heavily padded business class seats had been replaced with a narrower, harder version in order to make way for the new gadgets./p /p br

pMy husband and I talked at length the other night about attempts that were made to contact un-contacted tribes like those headlined last year. The tribesmen were touted as savages by a lot of people, presumably because it was us using our methods of civilization to spy on them, who had none. /p pWe discussed what defines and differentiates the civilized from the savage. /p pMy husband is a recently retired Marine who spent a year in Okinawa and Korea. He spent five winters in a tent in the highest elevations of Norway and deployed to the Mediterranean where his ship was diverted to the Adriatic Sea off the coast of Croatia. He crossed the border at Kuwait into Iraq in 2003 and spent time off the coast of Liberia on his way home. While stationed with Marine Forces Europe, he spent a great deal of time in Africa. He is no stranger to adversity and has witnessed much poverty. /p pHis military resume has given him a clear perspective on the world’s have-nots than could be had by any number of Americans whose sole understanding of the ROW (rest of the world) is limited to pictures in the paper. Any bit of travel abroad is often limited to those areas where one is not likely to see children playing in a puddle alongside a dead, bloated sheep. /p pWe discussed the poor in America, many of whom are supplemented by faith-based programs. Even so, many poor people are still hungry and homeless. Would it make a difference if there were no religion? I suggested there would be less war and perhaps more compassion around the world if we were without this condition. /p pHe disagreed, positing that religion is the only thing keeping most people in check. Without a higher power towing their moral line, he asserted, many would be left to their own devices. When their mettle is tested, one of those devices is not a moral center. Such is what some religious do when knocked down the rungs of Jacob’s ladder. /p pMany Americans have lost their homes to foreclosure because of loans they didn’t understand. While housed, all was well, and most behaved themselves. When homeless, many resorted to crimes like thievery and murder - a savage act by anyone’s definition. As the economy claimed ever more well-to-do, so did ever more savagery come to light. /p pPost-Katrina looting in New Orleans deftly marked the fine line between civilized and uncivilized, but because the main focus was on the looters’ skin color, the humanness of the reaction to the devastation was lost. The majority of the looters were black because the majority of those in need (without the resources to evacuate) were black. Had the poorest been white, we would’ve seen whites doing the same thing. /p br

The identity of the letter's author was revealed to be Oliver Beale, 29, a high-flying advertising executive, according to London's Daily Telegraph. Mr Beale's addressed his letter directly to Virgin boss Richard Branson to complain about the quality of his in-flight meal during a flight from Mumbai to Heathrow in December last year. He attached photographs of the meal as evidence. In his colourful complaint, Mr Beale described his feelings about pulling back the tin foil on the main course thus: "I'll try and explain how this felt. Imagine being a twelve-year-old boy Richard. Now imagine it's Christmas morning and you're sat their with your final present to open. It's a big one, and you know what it is. It's that Goodmans stereo you picked out the catalogue and wrote to Santa about. Only you open the present and it's not in there. It's your hamster Richard. It's your hamster in the box and it's not breathing. That's how I felt when I peeled back the foil and saw this…" He then described the biscuit provided for dessert: "There was a small cookie provided. It had caught my eye earlier due to it's baffling presentation… "It appears to be in an evidence bag from the scene of a crime. A CRIME AGAINST BLOODY COOKING. Either that or some sort of back-street underground cookie, purchased off a gun-toting maniac high on his own supply of yeast. You certainly wouldn't want to be caught carrying one of these through customs. Imagine biting into a piece of brass Richard. That would be softer on the teeth than the specimen above." Mr Beale also complained about the TV screen for his in-flight entertainment, which he said had given him a headache due to the poor picture quality. He finished off with: "So that was that Richard. I didn't eat a bloody thing. My only question is: How can you live like this? I can't imagine what dinner round your house is like, it must be like something out of a nature documentary." The Telegraph reported Mr Branson had rung Mr Beale personally to apologise and invited him to select food and wine for future Virgin flights. "He was incredibly nice about the whole thing but I haven't received any compensation since talking to him," Mr Beale said.

Statistics New Zealand figures showed a 4.3 percent decline in national accommodation sales for the month on a year-on-year basis. Most regions experienced a downturn, with Bay of Plenty, Otago and Auckland suffering the biggest drops. Alongside Hawke's Bay and Gisborne, Wellington posted an increase in guest nights. The western Taranaki, Wanganui and Manawatu regions also recorded small increases. While November figures were most likely boosted by political supporters and National Party entourages after the October election, the city held up resoundingly well all year. Wellington has had a single month of declining year-on-year visitor numbers in 2008, with August down 2.5 per cent on the previous August. Positively Wellington Tourism chief executive David Perks said Wellington's marketing strategy was diverse, aimed at domestic and international tourists. "Most of the other regions choose to do one or the other. It means we don't have all our eggs in one basket." Most of the national decline was due to international visitor nights declining 8 per cent, while domestic tourists' overnight stays only dropped 1 per cent. Mr Perks said there was more work to do to bolster international visitor numbers for the region, but the decline in growth was less than other regions. He said the triple focus on domestic, international and event markets gave Wellington an edge. There was a continual need to invest in major events like the World of Wearable Arts and the Rugby Sevens tournament, but also to encourage "B-list" events such as the International Jazz Festival. "If we can lift some of those to be bigger events, we do that," Mr Perks said. Another $500,000 had been earmarked for marketing Wellington in one of the main cities in Australia. YHA Wellington general manager Chris Sperring said the tales of woe for tourism had yet to hit his Wakefield St hostel, which was all but full last night and had enjoyed at least 80 per cent occupancy throughout last winter, the low season. The hostel had diversified to attract a range of tourists and Wellington's stellar events schedule had helped. "The amount of good quality events we pick up in Wellington is just fantastic," he said. Mr Perks said the offshore marketing happening now was aimed at drumming up business several years ahead. Cruise ship numbers, which did not contribute to accommodation sales, had remained constant despite the economic downturn and boosted retail spending on quieter days, he said. He noted hotel occupancies were looking good through to March, after which they softened. Mr Sperring said tourists were not booking as far ahead, which was creating issues as drop-in inquiries often had to be turned away from a full house. With the rugby sevens tournament on Waitangi weekend looming, he was expecting to have to turn away tourists "in droves".  

For the mere act of transporting us from shore to shore we can thank Carnival Cruise Lines. But for making this cruise a special cruise, about you and me and the music, and not just an ordinary cruise, we have to thank Simple Man Cruise. And for the money they’re laying down to charter this wonderful cruise, we have to thank Sixthman. This cruise turned out to be four days of nonstop music and sun and fun. I even told my editors I’d need a week to recuperate when I got back. They thought I was joking! Obviously these wankers have never been on one of the Simple Man Cruises. Billed as the Simple Man 2009 Cruise, it was hosted by Lynyrd Skynyrd. We were due to cast off at 1600 hours, and when we weighed anchor it was to the sound of music on the Lido Deck. But you could hear the music from anywhere on the ship, as long as you were outside. And who wants to be inside on a cruise? Four days of maximum sun is the sure cure for four months of snow up to your ass. Four days on a cruise should rate two weeks to recuperate. There are times when men and women in combat will go for three, sometimes four days without a break, without sleep. To think that your body is moving for that long with little or no rest is scary! Even without the combat. After the third day I had to be reminded to take it a little easier. And what was reminding me was my whole body: It was tired. Beyond tired. But don’t pity me. It’s like the old guy with a 25-year-old hottie, it took three undertakers to get the smile off his face. I’m gonna come right out and say it, people. This Lynyrd Skynyrd Simple Man Cruise was just phenomenal. Phenomenal that Simple Man Cruise arranged the perfect weather. Phenomenal that Simple Man lined up the perfect music Obviously, Lynyrd Skynyrd were the stars of the show, but lemme tell ya, straight up, they had to work to keep their star billing. The other acts were breathing down Skynyrd’s neck the entire time. “No prisoners!” was their war cry. Any band that slowed down the chase would have footprints up their back and down their front. Somebody asked me as we were leaving the Marshall Tucker performance, “Who’s your favorite on the cruise?” I told her, “Marshall Tucker!” The next day, as we were coincidentally at the Oakhurst performance, she asked the same question, and I replied, “Oakhurst!”

The fake YouTube video is just another example of Australian advertising agencies' "crude" use of social media to promote brands, a marketing expert says. In its latest campaign, Tourism Queensland invited people to send in a 60-second video of themselves to apply for a $150,000 caretaker job for Hamilton Island, which it dubbed "the best job in the world". Local and international media outlets last week reported thousands of applicants had already sent in videos, including an Australian woman called "Tegan" who supposedly showed herself visiting a tattoo parlour to get a 10-centimetre tattoo proving her love for the Great Barrier Reef. But Tourism Queensland has since admitted "Tegan" was not a genuine applicant, but a member of the ad agency that created the campaign promoting the Great Barrier Reef islands. It said the "fake" video, one of the first posted, was only intended as a example of the creativity Tourism Queensland expected from applicants, and to spur people to post their own videos. But there was nothing on the video or the campaign website to say the video was an example. Marketing expert Tim Burrowes said the video showed Australian ad agencies were starting to use social media - such as YouTube, Twitter and Facebook - to promote their brands. "Social media is a conversation between consumers and they are trying to insert their brand into that conversation," Mr Burrowes said. "You're just seeing the beginnings now of Australian agencies doing it, but they are not terribly sophisticated so far." Mr Burrowes - who was first to expose the fake Tourism Queensland video on his blog, Mumbrella - said Australian agencies' efforts so far at using social media had been "a bit lame and obviously faked up". Many YouTube users sensed the Tourism Queensland tattoo video was a fake, some pointing out that the applicant's skin was not red, as it should be, after getting a tattoo. Mr Burrowes also took aim at the weekend's story about a 24-year-old woman, Heidi Clarke, who has posted a video on YouTube reportedly to track down a mystery man whose jacket she found at a Sydney cafe. Ms Clarke said she posted the clip because she was smitten with the man and wanted to meet him. "I'm convinced that's a fake, just the way she talks about the jacket [and] how good the lining is … it's almost becoming a cliche for advertising agencies to do this now." A newspaper said the label inside the jacket belonged to a well-known clothing store that was about to launch the clothing line. "I really think this [devious approach] will bite a lot of brands on the back side," Mr Burrowes said. "Consumers are very cynical and the trust in these brands will fall away. "The danger now is every time there's something interesting on some social media website people wont trust it - a lot of brands have been quite short sighted." Tourism Queensland believes its tactic has worked, with the caretaker job having attracted 5800 applications by yesterday afternoon, and 6000 expected to have been received by the end of today. More than 10,000 were expected to apply by the February 22 cut-off date. Mr Burrowes acknowledged wide media coverage of the video had helped the campaign, but said much of the campaign's success also owed to its original "brilliant PR idea" of the working holiday. One of the best examples of a company using social media to promote its products was that of Blendtec, a US company that makes blenders, which has a series of YouTube videos in which company founder Tom Dickson attempts to blend a range of items. The "Will it blend" series shows Mr Dickson blending avocados, shoes, golf balls, and even an iPhone. "I think the secret with social media is you want to go viral, and to do that you have to be entertaining and then your brand gets a nudge right on the corner of the story," Mr Burrowes said.

It's hard not to think of Norman when you're spending the weekend at The Vintage. His craggy, hatted features are festooned on posters throughout the development in the heart of the Hunter Valley wine district. The Queenslander, who notoriously blew more majors than he won, designed the course a decade ago. Today it is regarded as one of the finest golf courses in Australia. Friends will vouch for the fact that I'm a pathetic golfer. But the A$39 ($48) nine-hole dash after 4pm (including an electric buggy) is too attractive to miss. Especially as I've got two caddies on hand, not one. My six-year-old, no sports fan, loves being the scorer because he can practise his maths (though my embarrassing score isn't helped by the three or four shots he adds to each hole). Meanwhile, the four- year-old has taken to shouting "terrible shot, Daddy," even before I've hit the ball. You don't have to be a golfer to enjoy staying at the clumsily named Grand Mercure The Vintage Hunter Valley but obviously it helps. It's an apartment-style, two- storey complex clustered around a swimming pool and is a five-minute walk from the clubhouse, the practice ground and the first tee. Our two-bedroom apartment is certainly swish in that minimalist, muted, modern manner. The king- size bed in our room lives up to its "luxury" billing, although the little luxury we value most is our own LCD television screen so we can sit back and watch something grown- up, while the boys focus on cartoons. First-release in-house movies are available but, surprisingly for such a new hotel, there's no cable television. The rest of the apartment has everything we could need. Bathroom and separate toilet are stylish and amply sized. There's a gas fire for winter, air-conditioning for summer, mini hi-fi, DVD, broadband connection (for a fee), in-room safe, washer-dryer, steam iron and ironing board. Then, of course, there's that luxury no Norman-influenced resort should be without: a garage with remote-controlled door and enough room for our car and our golf buggy. The gas barbecue on one of our two balconies and a kitchen mean we can easily fend for ourselves. But on Friday evening we take the short walk up to the clubhouse, having booked a table at The Legends Grill, overlooking the 18th green. Understandably, the children's menu isn't cheap ($14.90 for chicken nuggets, chips and ice- cream) but our meal – scallops and timbale for starters, barramundi and trevalla for mains, washed down with a bottle of Bimbadgen sem-sauv – is splendidly relaxing, with comfortable surroundings and welcoming staff. Par for the course. Our Saturday experience, however, leaves us bunkered. We'd planned a quiet night in, knowing the hotel offers a room-service menu, with food prepared by The Legends Grill. When we phone, however, we're told the kitchen is closed for a wedding. To me, that's unacceptable in a hotel that bills itself as four-and-a-half stars. At the very least, apartment guests should be informed the restaurant will be closed when they check in. Thankfully, there's no shortage of dining options in the Hunter and we dash off for tapas at the Brokenback Bar at Arrowfield Estate. We don't let that one problem spoil our experience of The Vintage. Indeed, there are probably weekend guests who haven't left the complex: there are two swimming pools, a gym and a floodlit tennis court. If all that tires you out, massage and beauty treatments can be arranged in your apartment. So many of the Hunter Valley's highlights are within a 15-minute drive. Bimbadgen Estate winery, with its award-winning restaurant Esca, is the neighbouring property. Hunter Valley Gardens, about 24 hectares of floral adventure, is just up the road. Would we recommend The Vintage Hunter Valley to Norman and Chrissy Evert? Yes: it's a fairway to heaven. Grand Mercure The Vintage Hunter Valley, Rothbury, New South Wales, a little over two hours north of Sydney is stylish but slightly anonymous accommodation. Prices range from $299 a night midweek to $499 a night on weekends (two-night minimum stay). more at grandmercurehuntervalley.com.au.  

Wynn’s Encore Resort in Las Vegas offers an exciting new make-up service. It is not simply a make-up application, but an actual lesson. Jennifer — my tall, blonde, well dressed (and perfectly made-up) beautician — greets me in the super swank, very elegant Salon which looks out over the lush Wynn property and offers floor to ceiling views of the city. You will find the Salon so large and airy you feel good just being here, especially if you are lucky enough to be pampered by the expert staff. “Come to my table,” Jennifer says, beckoning me to her private and impeccably clean spot near the window. Introducing myself, I explain that I’ve been doing my make-up the same way for a few months now, and wanted an expert’s opinion of what I am doing right and what needs improvement. I’ve also applied eyeliner and asked if I’ve applied it thin enough, and implore her to tell me tricks to keep the eyeliner from moving. Jennifer listens to me, nods, and removes my make-up so we can start with a clean new face. I ask her about the many brides she’s made-up for weddings, and if they come for pre-consultations. “Actually, a lot of women do not even realize they will be getting married until they arrive. Or maybe they had originally planned on a quick drive-thru style wedding, and once they are here, they realize that they want the full ceremony, so they invite friends, buy the dress, and get their make-up done.” We talk about skincare a bit, and then Jennifer takes out The Gun. Actually, it is machine called “Temptu” that sprays on foundation for a flawless finish. “I want one!” I exclaim, marveling at the result. It looks like I’m not wearing any make-up at all, yet I have that polished, finished look we ladies will recognize when we smooth new silk stockings from high-end stores like Wolford over our legs. The sheer stockings look natural, yet more polished. Jennifer asks me what sort of look I want, and I explain that I’m a pretty formal person and am constantly attending meetings or going to a variety of events. “I pretty much keep the same sort of sophisticated day and evening look, ” I say, at the same time explaining that I realize, when it comes to true sophistication, less is more. I’m glad Jennifer agrees with my ideas. We go very light on the foundation with some blush that she also sprays on, light with the lips (just a bit of gloss), and per my request, makes my eyes dark, dramatic, and smoky. The look is perfect for Las Vegas - and for Manhattan, too. I walk out of The Salon feeling good that a lot of my ideas about skin care and the “less is more” look have been validated, and confident that when pictures are taken later in the evening at a conference event, I will photograph well? The Salon Wynn Encore Resort 3131 Las Vegas Blvd S Las Vegas, NV 89109 (702) 770-7000

The three New Zealand sites are among 261 nominees from across the globe to make it through to the quarterfinal phase of the New Seven Wonders of Nature competition, run by a Swiss-based non-profit foundation. New Zealand's scenery is up against some tough competition - the Grand Canyon, the Dead Sea and Mt Everest are all on the list, while across the Tasman, nominations include Great Barrier Reef and Uluru. The public can help to whittle down the list to 77 semifinalists through online voting, open till July 7. A panel of nature experts chaired by Federico Mayor, former chief of Unesco, will then cull the list to 21 finalists. The seven winners will then be chosen in another round of public voting lasting till 2011, this time by Internet, telephone and text messages. The competition follows a search to find seven manmade wonders, which were announced 18 months ago. The winners were the Colosseum, Italy; the Great Wall of China; the Taj Mahal, India; Petra, Jordan; Christ the Redeemer Statue, Brazil; Machu Picchu, Peru; and Chichen Itza, Mexico.  

“Asian fusion is so…2008!” proclaims a Barbie blonde holding court in the Wazuzu restaurant at the new Wynn Encore resort in Las Vegas. Like many of the glamorous diners at this most exotic restaurant, Barbie conducts herself with the air of a sophisticated “foodie” - a term used to describe an individual who is always the first to check out a new restaurant or identify a new cuisine trend. What Barbie does not yet realize is that the cuisine at Wazuzu is not Asian fusion. Instead, it is Pan Asian Bistro. So, what’s the difference? According to Chef Jet Tila, the term refers to Asian food in its purest form. Unlike Asian fusion, which mixes all Asian flavors together, Chef Jet offers dishes from Thailand, Vietnam, China, Korea, and Japan that reflect the spices and flavors of the individual region. Working with Chef Jet, Master Sushi chef Matsuura offers both traditional and innovative sushi and a daily “tank-to-table” special. Before delving into the cuisine, allow me to set the scene. Wazuzu is gorgeous with vibrant orange silk draperies and distressed bleached wood wall panels, resulting in a look both modern and striking. Barbie looks good here. So does everyone else with the flattering and rather dramatic lighting. The intimate, yet open room faces the very active casino floor, so you can people-watch the international crowd at the slot machines or peek sideways at your smartly dressed fellow diners. Like virtually all Wynn resort restaurants, the dress code is “resort casual,” yet the “Forbidden City” setting motivated me to dress to match the upscale elegance of the room. Possessing an active imagination, I fancy myself a glamorous spy in a 1940s movie. “Cocktail, miss?” I look up at our young, pink-cheeked server who offers me the cocktail menu designed by Wynn’s in-house mixologist, Patricia Richards, who has created nine specialty cocktails inspired by the flavor of Chef Jet’s cuisine. I’m told Wazuzu Smash, the restaurant’s signature drink, is made with Skyy Vodka, orchid mango liqueur, freshly muddled pineapple, yuzo, calpico, and ginger syrup. Hmm, tempting. But today I am looking for the perfect Asian food and wine pairing. As an aperitif, I choose Jizake Tenzan Genshu from the nine-item sake. It is bold and rich, with a palate of toasted rice scented with caramel. It pairs quite well with Chef Matsu’s Special, seared big eye tuna topped with micro mixed salad, chili ginger sauce, and green scallion oil ($28). Next, I try three whites with the highly recommended seafood sunomono. This dish is seasonal sashimi (today it included shrimp, octopus, salmon, and vinegar-soaked cucumbers) with Taz Chardonnay (Santa Barbara), Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand), and Dr. Thanish Riesling from Germany’s Mosel region. You will find the best pairing is the Sauvignon Blanc (the sharp, pink grapefruit and citrus flavors of the wine match the sharp, clean sunomono), though I appreciated the contrast between the rich, honey and yellow-fleshed fruit flavors of the off-dry Riesling.