An extended delay in effective CPR led to brain injury and death.

Elisabeth Easther talks to Darren Mills of Waikato River Explorer.

Mount Pirongia gives you something new to look at all day.

Tim Roxborogh tackles the famous river's bike trails with ease.

Neil Porten and his daughter go black water rafting. Here are their accounts of adventure.

A road trip around Lake Taupo is short enough to do in half a day.

The repairs are beginning but it's unclear when the airwaves will again liven.

Greg Bruce and his family enjoy a Coromandel break, despite the weather.

Shandelle Battersby checks into a Heritage Collection hotel on Taupo's lakefront.

Chocolatefish Media owner Adele Thurlow shares the best things about her adopted home.

Eveline Harvey finds magic above and below ground in Waitomo.

Tess Nichol is pleasantly surprised to find generous cheesemakers and inspiring gardens in Hamilton.

Stephanie Holmes lives a life of luxury in the Coromandel ... if only for a weekend.

The gateway to the Western Bays is sitting pretty, writes Elisabeth Easther.

Ewan McDonald is shocked to find TripAdvisor on the money regarding comfortable beds.

Miriyana Alexander checks out a luxury lodge that's luring celebs to New Zealand.

Opito was worth the journey, even if Eveline Harvey didn't get to sample its scallops.

Taupo is a great playground for thrillseekers, finds Shandelle Battersby.

We look at spots made famous by some classic Kiwi landmarks.

Elisabeth Easther enjoys a tour of a Cambridge stud farm and takes a crash course on raising racehorses.

Next time you're in the region, be sure to explore these spots ...

Elisabeth Easther visited her turangawaewae and learned that lemurs are lovely and Cambridge's river trails are superb.

Even with three kids in tow, Rob Cox manages to have a ball in Rotorua and Ruapehu.

This old mining town is finding a new fortune in the beauty of its forests, writes Elisabeth Easther.

Climb aboard a carriage to appreciate a potter's decades-long labour of love.

Hit these city trails and go exploring on your bike.

Elisabeth Easther revisited her hometown for a refreshing outdoor experience.

This charming Waikato town proves a great choice for a weekend away, writes Elisabeth Easther.

This Waikato town's a treasure hunter's dream, writes Joanna Mathers.

Paul Rush explores the pink-tinged, sculptured coasts of Coromandel.