NZ 'love at first sight' for Dawn French
26 Feb 2009
British comedian Dawn French has given New Zealand a glowing report in a UK Telegraph celebrity travel column, describing her visit to the country as love at first sight.
French says she discovered New Zealand "a dozen or so years ago" when she visited with husband Lenny Henry after he’d toured Australia.
"For a start it’s very, very far away, so the chance of bumping into someone you might not want to bump into are slim," she says.
The beauty of New Zealand’s North Island had captivated French who likened it to Scotland - only warmer. "What’s more, it’s so peaceful, unspoilt and friendly," she said.
Extreme sports
The couple’s initial visit to New Zealand started in Auckland which French called "a beautiful and relaxing city." They also visited Rotorua known for geothermal activity and the famous Pohutu geyser at Whakarewarewa.
Although it was more than just New Zealand’s scenery and remote location that took French’s fancy, the extreme sports that seem to get most people’s hearts pounding, apparently weren’t her thing.
She declined the offer of a bungy jump saying: "I toyed with the idea of taking a jump myself but my boobs are so big they would almost certainly have done me a serious injury, so I thought it safer just to watch."
Ah the Kiwi wine!
French had a message for anyone thinking they had to indulge in extreme sports in New Zealand. "Me? I was happy sampling the latte and ice cream, not to mention the wine.
"Ah, the Kiwi wine! One of the highlights of our visits is usually visiting Waiheke Island, a half-hour ferry ride from Auckland, a magical little trip all in itself," she said.
Waiheke is a small island in the Hauraki Gulf with about 8000 permanent residents including 70 working artists. White sandy beaches, good cafés and restaurants, lodges, sculpture parks, galleries and a combination of laid back island life with extreme luxury make Waiheke a popular destination with tourists and locals.
The island is also well known for award winning olive groves and wineries - the latter also featuring on French's list of praise.
"Try wineries such as Stonyridge Vineyard, where you can eat, drink the excellent local wine and have the most wonderfully relaxing time. A lot of the best restaurants on Waiheke are attached to wineries, like the one at Te Whau Vineyard," she said.
French and Henry are regular visitors to New Zealand and say they usually rent a house on Waiheke Island as part of their stay. "We generally prefer that to staying in a hotel - there are lots of lovely holiday homes to rent," said French.
Long haul flight
And the world famous comedian who is currently appearing in two BBC Radio 4 comedies - ‘Joan of Arc’ and ‘Mastering the Universe’ - even had good advice for visitors tackling the long haul flight from the UK to New Zealand.
"I'm a terrible flyer and I get very bored on long flights. But my tip is to take a book, and the bigger the better; a book like The Lord of the Rings, perhaps, for New Zealand. Believe me, it helps," she said.
More information:
Waiheke Island wins 2009 smart travel pick
Art outdoors
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