NZ Surprises not everyone plays rugby; thriving wine and food culture Lonely Planet

Not everyone plays rugby; the wine and food culture is thriving and there’s much more to New Zealand than just two islands, according to the latest 2009 Lonely Planet Travel Book.

A journey through every country in the world includes a feature on New Zealand pointing to our trademarks: sheep, Maori, the All Blacks, clean and green; nu clear-free; extreme sports; the end of the earth; Middle Weather; Neil Finn; Janet frame and pohutukawa blossoms.

``One could be forgiven for thinking that Mother Nature decided to take her best features and exhibit them all in this South Pacific island nation,’’ the 887-page hard cover book says.

``All the classics are there – awe-inspiring Alps, plunging fiords, expanses of pristine beach, dense rainforests, active volcanoes – but what makes this such a stellar performance is the sheer concentration of it all. Top if off with lively indigenous culture, cosmopolitan cities and a people with a distinctly Kiwi lust for life and you know this is one special country.’’

Some of the must-dos include the train ride from Christchurch to Greymouth, fish and chips on a deserted Northland beach; or the marine life off Kaikoura.

Lonely Planet suggests reading Whale Rider, listening to Salmonella Dub’s Killer Vision, watching the Lord of the rings; eating whitebait and drinking boutique beer.

They describe Australia in a word as: G’day mate; for England, ‘Oright; for New Zealand: sweet as, bro.