Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The nation's nerves were jangled yet again in July and August 2013 as a swarm of
moderate earthquakes struck the top of the South Island. Widely felt in the capital, they
served as a seismic reminder that New Zealanders do indeed live on the shaky isles.
Reasons to be Cheerful
Christchurch's recovery and rebuild is still a major preoccupation, producing good news
and bad stories in equal measure. On one hand it is testing relationships between the cit-
izens and government agencies, as tough decisions are made about fix-ups and pay-outs.
On the other, Christchurch's recovery reinforces Kiwis' perceptions of themselves as 'bat-
tlers' with strong communities and civic pride.
New Zealanders have little difficulty in finding something to feel proud about. While
the All Blacks remain a foundation - not only for their sporting achievements but as fig-
ureheads for 'brand NZ' - the depth of Kiwi talent ranges far beyond the rugby pitch. Fol-
lowing the All Blacks' success at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, this featherweight country
punched well above its weight at the 2012 London Olympics. Claiming six gold medals,
Team NZ gave traditional rival and sporting giant Australia a run for its money as it only
managed to win one more. Other Kiwi sporting stars making their mark around the globe
include young golfing sensation Lydia Ko, NBA rookie Steve Adams, IndyCar speedster
Scott Dixon, and Valerie Adams, the greatest female shot putter the world has ever seen.
While Sir Peter Jackson holds his position as a heavyweight in cinema with his block-
busting adaptations of
The Hobbit,
another major player has thrown his hat into the ring.
Canadian director James Cameron has set up a rural home base near Wellington and will
create the
Avatar
sequels in the capital, bringing substantial investment and cementing
NZ's reputation as a world-class filmmaking destination.
Pop pundits are also taking note of new Kiwi stars, with Grammy Award-winning
Lorde (she of
Pure Heroine,
one of
Rolling Stone
's albums of 2013) and Kimbra (of
Goyte's 2012 smash-hit
Somebody That I Used to Know
) making huge impressions. Pages
are also being turned on the international literary scene, as evidenced by Cantabrian
Eleanor Catton. She claimed one of the world's most coveted publishing accolades in
2013, the Man Booker Prize, with her voluminous historical novel
The Luminaries
- only
the second New Zealander to do so.