The first thing I do when I enter a new hotel room isn't to go straight to the window to check out the view, test-bounce the bed or look into the bathroom to see whether the toiletries are Molton Brown or Gilchrist & Soames.

Think of women's clothing and Iran and the unappealing image that springs to mind is probably the shapeless, black coverall of a traditional chador.

Cruise ships have been flocking to Auckland in recent months, reviving calls for the city to build a flash new terminal, preferably capable of catering for two ships at the same time.

Melbourne's Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs exhibition brings ancient Egypt closer to home.

Natural disasters have put the tourism sectors in Christchurch and Queensland on the back foot but the Aussies have already come out swinging with the cleverly named "Nothing beats Queensland" campaign.

I've always felt that food was one of the great reasons to travel. But you'd have to say that until relatively recently it wasn't top of the list of reasons for visiting the South Pacific.

At Auckland International Airport I watched sympathetically as my young daughter wrestled with the dilemma of how to meet the needs of three young children within the limits of the aviation security rules.

If you've flown Air New Zealand and found yourself on the new Airbus A320, you'll have had the chance to use your mobile at 5000m, or to listen to your neighbour doing important business by phone.

The shadow of earthquake and recession may still be hanging darkly over the land but that seems only to have spurred Kiwis to fly further and to more exotic locations when they go on holiday.

Hihi - otherwise known as stitchbirds - may well be New Zealand's most interesting birds.

After digesting both sides of the debate, Jim Eagles believes there should be a uniform set of rules governing freedom camping.

Checking your rental car for scratches before you depart on a journey can be tiring - but Alex Robertson has a solution.

You may have noticed that over the holiday period Air New Zealand finally took delivery of the first of its five Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

Peter Calder takes a break from creature comforts - and city slickers.

There was mild celebration last year when the New Zealand and Spanish governments negotiated an agreement on working holiday visas.

I am starting to think that in this case we do need a national policy on freedom camping, so campers and locals know exactly what the rules are.

I've enjoyed some fantastic New Year's Eve festivities in years gone by, usually with family and friends, and mostly at the beach.

A survey of 502 Kiwis found that 42 per cent said they usually decided on their travel plans around this time of year.

Touch wood, but I've never actually been robbed while travelling.

Jim Eagles reflects on his journey to one of New Zealand's most isolated outposts, the Chatham Islands.

Airport security precautions are a fact of life these days, but Jim Eagles wonders whether some of the checks haven't become a bit much.

If you're one of those sad people who put a dampener on their own holidays by feeling guilty at the damage done to the planet when they fly overseas, here's something that should ease your conscience.

The latest Lonely Planet guide to New Zealand came out the other day with the usual flutter of controversy over descriptions of the Bay of Islands as over-hyped, Hamilton as dull and Kiwis as eager-to-please.

If you're moving back from Australia to New Zealand - going against the tide - you're better off not being a dog.

It's a shame the path around Devonport's North Head isn't quite complete, writes Jim Eagles.

Next time you're passing through Christchurch International Airport during the hours of darkness keep an eye out for the control tower.

I've had a bit to do with beauty queens over the years.

A study by Expedia.com has found that New Zealanders organise their trips on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

I was sitting in a restaurant in Urumqi, in northern China, enjoying the spicy food smells from the kitchen, when a plaintiff Australian voice quavered across the room, "I want steak, eggs and chips."

Over the years I've spent a fair bit of time hanging round the world's airports between flights.