Straying from the Flock

An illuminating road trip through the history, life, and attractions of one of the most beautiful countries in the southern hemisphere The beauty and grandeur of New Zealand has captured the imagination of movie-goers over the past couple of years, and the country is a dream destination for many around the world. Straying from the Flock is an intimate and personal account of one passionate traveler's visit to this incredible country, its mountains and beaches, fjords, rainforests, vineyards, and hidden eateries. Each of the fifty chapters describes one day in his travels-fishing, flying, cattle herding, befriending locals at every turn. Filled with colorful stories and memorable personalities, the book not only describes the trip of a lifetime, but captures a life-altering experience for its writer. From mountains and rainforests to cities and beaches, Straying from the Flock is both a moving memoir and personal travel guide to this amazing country.

Your Ticket to New Zealand xi Section 1 The Far End of the Earth 1 1 Travel without Reservations 5 2 Across the Ocean from the South Pole 6 Section 2 The South Island 13 3 The Wrong Side of the Road 15 4 Penguins, Pints and Pioneers 19 5 A Hot Tub for Sea Lions 23 6 Stern Scotch Presbyterians 26 7 Ski Trails above the Clouds 30 8 Extreme Sports 33 9 Skid and Tow 37 10 Paddling under the Glaciers 40 11 Crampons and Crevasses 43 12 Across the Southern Alps 48 13 Heli-skiing? Heli-no! 54 14 Mountain Rescue 61 15 The Country of Second Sons 65 16 A Flying Shepherd 70 17 Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience 77 18 Bad Girls’ Guide to Wine 80 19 Meeting Captain Cook 83 20 Above Murderers’ Bay 90 21 The Emperor of New Zealand 95 22 The Cat across Cook Strait 99 23 Once-in-2,000-Years Earthquake 104 24 Sherry with a Painter 110 Section 3 Australia 115 25 Swim in an Anti-Shark Cage 117 26 Parfume Downwind 122 27 An Esky Party 123 28 The Stolen Generation 125 29 Directions for a Hanging 127 30 I’ll be Buggered 129 31 The Best Brains of All Fish 130 Section 4 The North Island 135 32 Prawn Sambal from KL 137 33 81 Sheep an Hour 139 34 Biblical High Tech 143 35 The Maori and the Mongrel Mob 148 36 A Knife for a Captain Cooker 154 37 The Rules for Whale Encounters 161 38 Fight or Be Cooked 168 39 Between the Dolphins and the Gannets 175 40 Thrown Out for Misconduct 182 41 A Blue Electric Charge 187 42 A Farmer and a Scholar 194 43 Where the Queen of England Goes to Fish 200 44 The Polynesian Spa 206 45 How to Catch a Barracuda 210 46 Stud Lambs Get Crotchety 215 47 The City of Sails 224 48 A Stack of Sheepskins 226 49 A Tunnel through a Fishtank 230 Section 5 Cook Islands / Goodbye New Zealand 235 50 Writing in Rarotonga 239 51 Goodbye New Zealand 248 Section 6 The Practical Traveler 251 Favorite Places 255 Favorite Guides 259 Background Reading 261 Practical Books and Web Sites 263 Bring with You 265 Flying in the Front of the Plane 267 Overcoming Jet Lag 271 Recipes 273 Acknowledgments 275