Auckland, New Zealand: April 2007

Welcome to the launch issue of "The Daily Explorer". If you are a reader of our sister publication, The Daily Lama, you may already know that Ray is gaining his first experience of 'solo' travelling and is currently touring New Zealand. He is likely to be there for three or four months.

On his departure from Sydney, Ray asked me if I would create a new online journal for him, to document his travels and bring you stories about what he is experiencing. I was thrilled to accept the challenge, so I am taking a break from The Daily Lama for a while, and am busy recruiting a new team of top journalists, who will follow Ray as he travels around the globe and investigate what he is getting up to. For those of you who would like a reminder about my background, here is my picture and profile, which first appeared in the The Daily Lama Launch Issue, back in December 2005:

"Hello. I'm Mozzie Byte, Editor of The Daily Explorer (and co-editor of The Daily Lama). Many years ago, I trained in insect combat at the Arachnid School of Martial Arts in Spain, under the auspicious guidance of Master Juan Byte Toomenny. I graduated with a black belt in swat and squish and I am currently the world record holder for swatting and squishing 35 mosquitoes in one minute. This record breaking event took place in a restuarant in southern India in 2004. I am thrilled that Ray has asked me to compile 'The Daily Explorer' and am looking forward to bringing you all of the news as it happens!"

As usual, I am keen to make sure that you really enjoy reading The Daily Explorer, so please make sure that you send me any feedback, comments, suggestions or requests so that I can incorporate them into future issues. You can use the comments box below, or email me at thedailyexplorer@gmail.com

To cover Ray's tour of New Zealand, I am delighted to announce that we have secured the services of one of the country's most talented online reporters. Ma Orihaka (below)joins the team and has written our launch issue, catching up with Ray last month as he arrived in Auckland and following him to the 'Northlands' region and around the beautiful 'Bay of Islands'. Ma has also managed to get a couple of short video clips from Ray, which you can view as your read through her article (the links are highlighted).

New Zealand is a country in the south-western Pacific Ocean, comprising two large islands (the North Island and the South Island) and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. In Māori, New Zealand has come to be known as 'Aotearoa', which is usuallytranslatedintoEnglishas 'The Land of the Long White Cloud'. The Realm of New Zealand also includes the Cook Islands and Niue, which are self-governing, but in free association; Tokelau; and the Ross Dependency (New Zealand's territorial claim in Antarctica)

Above: Map showing New Zealand's position on the globe - quite literally the other side of the world from the UK, where Ray started his travels in November 2005

New Zealand is notable for its geographic isolation, being separated from Australia to the northwest by the Tasman Sea, approximately 2,000 kilometres (1,250 miles) across. Its closest neighbours to the north are New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga.

The population of New Zealand is mostly of European descent, with the indigenous Māori being the largest minority. Non-Māori Polynesian and Asian people are also significant minorities, especially in the cities. Elizabeth II, as the Queen of New Zealand, is the Head of State and is represented, in her absence by a non-partisan Governor-General; the Queen 'reigns but does not rule', so she has no real political influence. Political power is held by the democratically elected Parliament of New Zealand under the leadership of the Prime Minister who is the Head of Government.

I asked Ray about his plans for touring the country. "My visa allows me to stay for up to six months, so I am going to take my time and cover as much of the two islands as possible" he told me. "I decided to start in Auckland, at the northern end of the north island, and work my way south, thinking that would be the most logicl way of covering the territory, with the intention of departing from Christchurch on the south island" he explained.

Above: Map showing location of Auckland, New Zealand's largest city with over 1.2 million people, or about 25% of the country's total population, and a land mass twice the size of London - for more information, visit Wikipedia where there is some great information about the city

Below: The Auckland skyline on a cloudy day is still very impressive - note the Sky Tower in the centre, the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere

Auckland is popularly known as the 'City of Sails' because the harbour is often dotted with hundreds of yachts and has more per capita than any other city in the world. Viaduct Basin hosted two America's Cup challenges, and its cafes, restaurants and clubs add to Auckland's vibrant nightlife. "I have to say that I was not over impressed with the city itself" confessed Ray. "For me, it is pretty ordinary, having lived in one of the best cities in the world (London) for most of my life" he explained. "Of course, the waterside location is fabulous and it is a great place to start acclimatising to the Kiwi way of life, whilst planning for my onward journey" he added.

Above: Auckland is known as the 'City of Sails' because the harbour has more yachts per capita than any other city in the world

Finding accommodation in Auckland is pretty straightforward and their are many options available to travellers. I caught up with Ray and his hostel, in the city centre. "It was all a bit disorientating at first, catching the bus from the airport and being dropped off on a street corner with no clue as to where I was" said Ray. "However, it turned out that I was staying one block away from the Sky Tower, which meant I knew I would never get lost" he joked.

Above: Ray's home in Auckland for the next three days - the Surf n Snow Backpackers hostel - one of the few remaining low rise buildings left in the Central Business District (CBD) of the city

It is said that New Zealand is one of the adrenalin capitals of the world, with just about every kind of extreme experience you can imagine available to anyone who wants to go outside their 'comfort zone', and the city of Auckland has more than it's fair share of the thrills. "The view directly outside my bedroom window was of a three seat, bungy style catapult that hurtles people high up into the air at incredibly high speed and has them bounce up and down in hysterics for about 2-3 minutes before they finally come back down to the ground" said Ray. "This went on every night until the early hours, with high pitched shrieks sounding off every five minutes or so - luckily for me, I am a very heavy sleeper so it didn't bother me too much" he told me.

Being only one block away, Ray was compelled to go and take a closer look at the Sky Tower, with the idea of getting an early, aerial view of the city and the surrounding areas. "I always like to get up high when I arrive in a large city as it helps with my orientation and gets me connected to the place" explained Ray. "The Sky Tower is the tallest building in the southern hemisphere, so it was a perfect vantage point" added Ray.

Above: The Sky Tower, one block away from Ray's hostel, provides the perfect vantage point to take a good look at Auckland

Below: The Surf n Snow hostel (centre) looks very small from the observation deck!

Standing at over 1,000 feet tall, the Sky Tower is slightly taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris. There is a fifty mile view on a clear day from the observation deck, which is 220 metres above the ground. Ray quickly swotted up on some of the more interesting points about it. "About 750,000 visitors a year come to see this amazing construction, made from 15,000 cubic metres of high strength, high performance concrete" said a well informed Ray. "The main shaft is twelve metres in diameter and at a normal pace, it would take 24 minutes to climb the 1,029 steps to the observation deck" added Ray."It has been built to withstand winds of up to 125mph – the tower will only sway one metre at the top in these conditions!" he laughed.

Above: Dont look down! - The architects have very cleverly laid (very thick) glass panels in the floor of the observation deck to give you more of a thrill as you look down - "Even though the panels are absolutely safe, it still made my heart race when I stood over them and looked at the street below" said Ray

It was while standing on the observation deck that Ray noticed a small group of people had gathered on one side and were looking upwards. "I went over to see what was going on and couldn't believe it - one at a time, people were actually jumping off the tower!" said a greatly surprised Ray. "I watched for ages as each person went through their own little process to get past their fear and throw themselves off the launch platform - you could see it was a very hard thing to do for most people" observed Ray. "It made me think about how I would handle it, and I realised the only way to really find out would be to do it" said our bold solo traveller.

For readers that are interested, the Sky Jump is the highest tower based jump in the world (not a bad choice for a first timer like Ray!). "You fall for 192 metres, fast and smooth at 85 kph for 14 seconds, before slowing in the last few metres to land gently on the target" Ray told me. "The jump is controlled by a 'fan descender' cable system, the same technology used in movies when stuntmen fall from tall buildings" he added.

Above: "I must be stark raving bonkers" thinks Ray, as Brad from the Sky Jump team makes sure he is securely strapped into his harness and completes the final safety checks before helping Ray leap off the end of the platform for his 14 second fall to the pavement below

Below: Ray's view of the ground just prior to the jump looked like this - notice the red mat with the white dot on the ground below (centre) - that is the target!

Seconds later, I caught up with Ray after he successfully landed on the ground. "Wow! - the ground rush was unbelievable" exclaimed a very out of breath Ray, as his heart still furiously pumped. "You'll never guess, Ma - the Sky Jump staff told me that they are not very busy today, so I can have a second go for free" disclosed Ray, with great excitement as he quickly made his way back to the launch platform at the top.

Above: "That's it - just hold it there and smile!" shouts Brad, as he takes a souveneir picture of Ray's jump - all jumpers have the option of having the winch stopped after one second of their fall to get a snap. As Ray was offerred a second jump, he decided to pose for his picture on the first!

Below: "Don't try this at home" - look closely at the photo (about four windows down from the top) and you will see Ray falling through the air during his second jump. "I have never been so pumped in all my life - this has to be one of the scariest things I have ever done, or will do" said Ray

Having completed his courageous feat, Ray needed to get himself organised for his imminent departure from Auckland. "I did a lot of research on the options for getting around and decided that for me, renting a car was the best choice for maximum freedom and flexibility" he told me. "So I shopped around and secured a great deal with a company that would let me drop the car off in Wellington (at the sourthern end of the north island) after a few weeks without any additional charges" said a delighted Ray.

With transport sorted, there was time for Ray to do his own walking tour of the city and take in some of the sights there. "As luck would have it, my last day in Auckland was St. Patricks Day and there was a huge parade scheduled for that afternoon" Ray told me.

Above: Ray enjoys the St. Patricks Day parade along Queen Street in the centre of Auckland. If you would like to see a short video clip, watch The St. Patricks Day Parade.

Deciding to head northwards, Ray had arranged to call in on Mary and Bill Farrell, two of Nikki's friends who live in Titirangi, one of the west Auckland suburbs. "It was lovely to make contact with these two early on" said Ray. "I was a bit overwhelmed when I first arrived in Auckland, as there appears to be so much to see and do in New Zealand - it felt a bit like tourism on steroids to me" added a slightly bewildered Ray. "Bill and Mary were very friendly towards me, no doubt because I had come 'highly recommended' by Nikki, who is their close friend - it is who you know after all!" said Ray.

Above: Mary and Bill, who emigrated from England about twelve years ago live in Titirangi, in the 'Waitakere' region - a very beautiful area of the country that is densely populated with forest, yet still only 40 minutes drive from Auckland. Mary and Nikki used to work on theatre projects together

Below: Bill and Mary, oustide one of the entrances to the Regional Park in Waitakere, stand in front of a typical Maori carving

Ray told me that Bill and Mary are very happily settled here. "They have found a lovely home, which they have extensively renovated and it is very peaceful indeed" said Ray. Bill works as a psychologist and Mary as a psychotherapist, and both have established a base of clients over the years, although it wasn't too easy for them in the beginning" Ray told me. "I was particulalrly impressed and inspired that Mary has recently published her first book, called 'Acts of Trust', in which she explores the different aspects of risk, trust and betrayal in our relationships, whether between friends, lovers, partners, parents and children, or people and animals. With the help of examples from contemporary film, television, literature and psychology, she tells the stories of a number of exceptional people who have engaged in extraordinary acts of trust. It is next on my list to read!" added Ray.

Above: Ray, who poses here for a snapshot at the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park viewpoint, had a lovely afternoon with Bill and Mary, before setting off to explore the 'Northlands'

Also close to where Bill and Mary live are the beautiful and somewhat unique beaches at Karekare and Piha. "I had read about the strange black sand at Karekare and really wanted to see it" said Ray. "Some scenes from the movie 'The Piano' were filmed on this beach and it really stuck in my mind" he added.

Above and below: The vast, desolate, black sandy beach at Karekare has a quite haunting atmosphere - the winds are very strong and you can actually lean your whole body weight against them. "I made a footprint in the sand and then timed it to see how long it took for the wind to completely refill it with sand till it disappeared - about two minutes" said a startled Ray

Below: Ray's only company on the deserted beach at Karekare was this solitary seabird - the access to wildlife in New Zealand is unsurpassed

The 'Northlands' is the name given to the region which covers the peninsula north of Auckland that stretches right up to Cape Reinga - the farthest northerly point you can reach on the north island. "I get a real buzz from going right to the edges of countries I visit" said Ray. "It gives me a sense of distance, perspective and a feeling that I am somehow completing my travels thoroughly, as well as seeing some really sensational coastal views" he told me.

Above: The 'Northlands' covers everything north of Auckland (see map, left), right up to the tip at Cape Reinga, including the famous 'Bay of Islands' and the '90 mile beach' (see green shaded area, right)

Below: The first of many beautiful lakes to be discovered by Ray - this one is called Lake Taharoa, and is one of the Kai Iwi lakes near Dargaville on the west coast (see map above). At Wikipedia, there is a list of over 3,000 lakes in New Zealand with a surface area larger than one hectare, with further information about each

As Ray travelled further north towards Cape Reinga, he passed through the massive Kauri forests at Waipoua, home to the largest and oldest Kauri trees in New Zealand. "I won't bore Daily Explorer readers with the details, except to say that I made a special point of paying homage to Tane Mahuta, the tallest kauri tree known to stand today" he told me. "It is 51 metres (169 feet) in height, and has a circumference of 13.8 metres (45 feet). There is no proof of the tree's age, but it is estimated to be between 1,250 and 2,500 years old" said a very knowledgable Ray.

Above: Tane Mahuta (left) is really awesome - "No wonder so many people want to come here" says Ray (right) as he tries to comprehend the miracle of nature that has resulted in this beautiful, majestic and ancient tree

To reach Cape Reinga if you are heading up the west coast of the peninsula, travellers have to take a short trip across a bay at Rawene in area known as Hokianga harbour, to reach Kohukohu on the other side. There is a small car ferry which runs every 30 minutes during the day. "The road to Rawene was really very pretty" said Ray, and the kind of road that would be ideal if you were on a motorcycle" he added, as he remembered his two-wheeler days back in England.

Above and below: The route to Rawene takes you along some quite spectacular coastline, with miles of gently winding, rolling roads that would be perfect for biking

Above and below: The car ferry at Rawene takes about 15 minutes to make the short journey across the bay to Kohukohu

Below: The road from Kohukohu going north continues for a further 130 kilometres or so to Cape Reinga. "When I was driving, the road seemed to go on forever, but with my music playing in the car and the glorious sunshine outside, it was a very relaxing experience" said Ray.

Above: The road from Kohukohu to Cape Reinga looks like someone has unrolled a very long, tarmac rug across the undulating, green countryside. "If you do it, just sit back, turn the music up and enjoy the drive" said Ray

Not only is Cape Reinga the most northerly point of New Zealand, it is also the place where the Pacific Ocean collides with the Tasman Sea, creating the very unusual phenomenon of waves overlapping in two different directions around the headland. "This was an amazing thing to witness" said Ray, "and worth the effort of getting there for this alone" he added. "I tried to capture it on film for The Daily Explorer, just to give readers a sense of it" he added as he showed me the photograph below.

Above: The waters around Cape Reinga, where the Pacific Ocean collides with the Tasman Sea, create a mind boggling spectacle. The waves can reach 10 metres in height in stormy weather....

Below: .... and like many places in New Zealand, provides our traveller with a simply breath-taking vista

Above: End of the line, and New Zealand! - the Cape Reinga lighthouse

The Cape Reinga Lighthouse is located in the Te Paki Recreation Reserve and large numbers of visitors flock to photograph and walk around it, making it one of the most popular landmarks of Te Paki. "It was built in 1941 using the lantern from nearby Motuopao Island lighthouse which had been decommissioned, with the light powered by diesel generated electricity" said Ray. "However, in 1987 the light was automated and is now monitored from Wellington. The 50-watt light bulb, magnified by the lens systems, throws a signal of warning 49 kilometres out to sea and is often the first light in New Zealand that sailors see" added our inquisitive traveller.

Above: This signpost illustrates how remote this place is - over 18,000 kilometres from London and nearly 2,000 kilometres from Sydney, where Ray had been just a few days earlier

Below: The lighthouse, in all its glory. This is the place where, it is said, Maori spirits depart on their journey to their final resting place

On the way back from Cape Reinga, travellers can turn off the main road at Te Paki and drive about five kilometres to the start of the famous '90 mile beach', where there are giant sand dunes between the road and the beach. "They are really massive" said Ray. "Thank God I did not have to climb them for very long because walking uphill in the very fine sand, with the sun beating down, was very exhausting" he recalled.

Above and below: The awesome, giant sand dunes at Te Paki

Above: Many people come to the dunes at Te Paki to sand-board down them!

Below: The people walking along the ridge indicates how enormous these dunes are

The start of '90 mile beach' was the end of the road for Ray. "Unfortunately, anyone with a rental car is not allowed to drive on the beach" said a disappointed Ray. "I didn't mind too much as I had a similar experience on Fraser Island in Australia a few years ago, and the thought of getting bogged down in the sand was quite unappealing" he told me.

Above: The famous '90 mile beach' - the origin of the name is uncertain, for the beach measures only 55 miles in length!

Below: Ray has to make do with a walk on the beach, as he is not allowed to drive his rental car on the sand!

I caught up with Ray as he was leaving '90 mile beach' for the southbound journey along the west coast. "The drive and the scenery all the way up to the Cape was truly awesome and I am very glad I started my tour of New Zealand up here" he told me. "I am on my way to the Bay of Islands next, although its getting late and I don't think I'll make it today, so I'll look for a quiet place en route to hold up for the night" he added.

Stopping in an area known as Whangaroa County, about 50 kilometres north of the Bay of Islands, Ray found the perfect bolt hole. "I discovered this charming little hostel, nestling in the low hills beside a picturesque bay" said Ray. "It was cosy, cheap, and I had a whole dorm to myself" he told me. "Better yet, they had a DVD player so I was able to watch a couple more episodes of The West Wing" added a very happy Ray. 

Fishing is almost a religion around these parts and the Whangaroa township is known as ‘the Marlin Capital’ of New Zealand. "I just had to try the local fish for supper and spent a great evening talking to the locals in the pub and getting an insight into their way of life" said Ray. "I was very surprised to discover that some of them were intent on watching an episode of 'Dragons Den' on televison, which had been aired in the UK some time ago" he added.

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Above: In the tiny, picturesque bay area of Whangaroa, Ray found much evidence that many ancient Kauri customs are still observed, although they have obviously been updated a little for the twenty-first century, as this picture shows

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Below: As well as the fishing opportunities, there is a great little hike near the bay up to the top of St. Pauls Rock

Above: The view from St Pauls Rock out over the bay area is a reward in itself for reaching the top.....

Below:...... although Ray cannot help congratulating himself on getting up there

Below: Is this the place where they filmed the Alien landing scenes in 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'? thinks Ray as he drives past

After leaving Whangaroa, there were a couple of notable places on Ray's itinerary, identified in his research, to visit. "The first place I wanted to stop was at Matauri Bay" said Ray. "It was here that a tragic, explosive event made world headlines in 1985, when the Greenpeace ship - The Rainbow Warrior - was blown up" Ray told me. 

"Greenpeace had been planning to sail in the vessel to Muroroa, near Tahiti, to protest against French nuclear testing. But the French government organised a group of saboteurs, who attached explosives to the side of the ship and sank her" explained Ray. "Most of the attackers have never been brought to justice, although two were caught some time afterwards. The skeletal remains of the sunken ship were moved to the nearby Cavalli Islands, where it is used for diving exploration" added Ray.

Above: Matauri Bay and a few of the 17 Cavalli Islands, which are a haven for divers who want to explore the sunken wreck of the Rainbow Warrior. The red arrow to the left of the picture indicates the place where a memorial was laid on the twentieth anniversary of the attack

Below: Picture of the Rainbow Warrior, taken in 1985

The other place that Ray had noted to visit was Kerikeri, a small town of historic significance, at the northern end of the 'Bay of Islands'. "I wanted to take a look at 'The Stone Store', on the banks of the Kerikeri river, which was built between 1832 - 1836 and is the oldest stone building in New Zealand" said Ray. "Adjacent is the Mission Station, which is even older as it was constructed in 1822 by Reverend Butler - its the country's oldest wooden building!"

Above: The Stone Store, which is situated on the banks of the Kerikeri river, is New Zealand's oldest stone building. Unfortunately, a week after Ray took this picture, it was flooded in one of the worst storms to hit the Bay of Islands area in several years

Below: Adjacent to the oldest stone building in the country is... the oldest wooden building - the Mission Station

New Zealand offers great contrast for travellers, from the ancient to the modern, from peaceful, natural beauty to adrenalin pumping, modern, man made thrills. After taking in some of the history, Ray quickly headed for the Bay of Islands, for an opportunity to get out on the water in one of the many 'muscle' boats that offer trips out to the world famous 'Hole in the Rock'. "I spoke to a few people who had been there and they all highly recommended it" said Ray. "So I signed up for the one and a half hour trip around the Bay" he told me, as he prepared to get on board.

Above: Ray's water transport of choice - the very high speed, twin 10 litre turbo charged Volvo diesel engine-powered "Mack Attack"

Below: Kitted up and ready to go - Ray makes his way to the boat for the high speed ride around the Bay of Islands

Above: On the way out to the 'Hole in the Rock', the captain of the boat pointed out this rather strange looking cliff - if you look closely, you may see the outline of a woman's face in the rock. "There is a legend about this" said Ray. "I wish I could remember what it is, but I can't" he admitted!

Below: This is what you take the trip for - to go through the 'Hole in the Rock', which you can see close up (left) and from a distance (right)

In the Bay of Islands, there is a finely balanced blend of modern, thrill seeking experiences and sites of historical significance. Ray was fascinated to absorb more information New Zealand's history, so headed for the Waitangi Reserve. "This is a very important place in Maori history, as it is where the Treaty with the British was signed, in February 1840" said Ray. "Lord and Lady Bledisloe purchased the estate in 1932 and gave it in trust to the people of New Zealand to enjoy" he told me.

Above: The landing point at Waitangi named after Captain William Hobson, who arrived in January 1840 to propose a treaty with the Maori chiefs on behalf of the British government. The British governor, James Busby and Rev. Henry Williams of Paihia helped translate Hobson's draft into Maori. On 6 February, 43 Maori chiefs signed the treaty, and another 400 more signed by September. Hobson proclaimed British sovereignty over the whole country in 21 May 1840. Still relevant today, it guarantees the rights of Maori and non-Maori citizens

Below: Looking at the picture below overlooking the bay at Waitangi, it is possible to imagine what it must have been like when Captain Hobson landed here over 160 years ago....

Above and below: Te Whare Runanga, a Maori meeting house opened during the Treaty centenary celebrations in 1940. Standing alongside the Treaty House, it symbolises Maori involvement in the signing of the Treaty and in the life of the nation. The word 'Runanga' means to 'discuss in assembly'. The carvings inside depict ancestors from many tribes. "I spent quite a long time here, really trying to imagine what it must have been like for these people to accept a pact with the British" said a very reflective Ray

Above: A photograph taken at the centenary celebrations in 1940, showing the welcome given by the Nga Puhi, one of the largest Maori tribes, to the British at the official opening of the 'Marae' (meeting house)

Below: The Treaty House, next to the Te Whare Runanga. It was originally built in 1833, fell into decline and was later fully restored to its present condition

Below: Before leaving Waitangi and the Bay of Islands, Ray was treated to a display of Maori singing and dancing. "They have such beautiful voices and a very gentle, yet forceful way" said Ray. To see a short film clip, watch The Maori Culture

To complete his tour of the Northlands, Ray had just one more place to visit - Waiheke Island, located just off the coast near Auckland. "I was driving south to get back to Auckland when I suddenly felt nature call" recalled Ray. "As luck would have it, I was very close to a small Kiwi outback town called Kawakawa, which I soon discovered is world famous for it's public toilets" he added. "They were designed and built by an Austrian born artist and ecoarchitect, Friedensreich Hundertwasser, who lived there from 1973 until his death in 2000" Ray explained to me. "Apparently, these are the most photographed public loo's in the whole of New Zealand" added an amused Ray.

Above: Hundertwasser's unusual toilets at Kawakawa - other examples of his work can be found in Vienna and Osaka

Waiheke Island is the most visited of the gulf islands and one of the largest. "I heard that the island had a bit of a 'new age' vibe about the place, which definitely appealed to me" said Ray. "On the car ferry from Auckland, I got into a conversation with a lovely lady called Jenny, who works just outside Auckland as a G.P." recalled Ray. "We talked for most of the one hour crossing" said Ray. "When I mentioned that I intended to do a tandem skydive in the next couple of weeks, I discovered that she had also been wanting to do one for some time, so we decided there and then that we would do it together!" said Ray. "I just love it when that kind of thing happens - it's what makes travelling so exciting!"

Above: Auckland was starting to fade away in the distance as Ray travelled further south, although it was still visible from Waiheke Island. "I loved Waiheke and met some great people there. If I ever return to this part of the world, I will definitely go back" said Ray

Below: Ray struck up a conversation on the ferry to Waiheke with Jenny, who lives just outside Auckland, and they made a pact to do a tandem skydive together - we will be bringing you coverage of their jumps in our next issue!

Editors Note: Thanks Ma - what a brilliant debut article for the Daily Explorer! In our next issue, we will be bringing you stories and pictures about Ray and Jenny's tandem skydive, as well as catching up with more highlights from Ray's tour.

If you would like to give me your feedback, you can email me at thedailyexplorer@gmail.com. And if you like reading The Daily Explorer, please tell your friends about it! You can do this by using the "Tell a Friend" feauture button at the top of this page.

Its All in the Name

This is one of the features that readers of our sister publication, The Daily Lama, have enjoyed. So by popular demand, we have decided to continue with it here. From time to time, we will publish photographs of different places or things that Ray comes across on his travels. If the name of the place or thing in the photograph matches with your name, you are invited to send us an email telling us, and we will include your name in a prize draw to be made at the end of the year, in our final issue of 2007! Here is the picture for this issue:

Above: Matthews Vintage Collection of cars, engines and tractors, taken in Whangaroa County near the Bay of Islands

If you would like to enter our prize draw, please send your email to thedailyexplorer@gmail.com

MOZZIE BYTE

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