Crossing Paths with Meghan and Harry, and Missing the Plane to Paradise

Agreed!

@Amy-Hmmm... Well, nobody's perfect.

@Amy: I would say EVERY culture is "selective" in what they remember and what they share with outsiders.

@Amy I didn't see anything in this article which implied modern Maori denying their past history of tribal warfare, cannibalism or infanticide, not at all unique in Polynesia or Melanesia. If they focus on the positive aspects of their cultural history, like family values and spirituality, and the unique aspects like their art, what is wrong with that. I remember being taught about the cannibalism at school nearly 50 years ago. As for "in the 1700s", yes, since their arrival in the 1300s Maori did prey on Moa eventually to extinction, it was their easiest food source in islands with no mammals except bats. The early Europeans helped drive some other bird species to extinction with their collecting for museums. Which is the most forgiveable motive?

@Skidaway. You'd be hard pressed to find a local who believes that downtown Auckland is "minutes away" from the airport. At best, it's 30 minutes. Considering that traffic can and often is a problem any time of day, give yourself at least an hour fifteen. A taxi can cost $80 to $100. If in the writer's situation, I would absolutely not recommend staying overnight downtown if you have to make an early flight the next day. There's a very good hotel on the airport property about 100 feet from the door of the international terminal. Yes, there's lots to do downtown and it's worth visiting, but having already had multiple flight problems, she did the right thing. (I know locals who spend the night before their flight near the airport just so they don't have the hassle of getting there in the morning.)

@Skidaway It's too bad you find Fiji, my birthplace, a real yawn. I can't imagine why you'd choose this opportunity to bash another location [in your comment], but I find your lack of generosity tiring. While I didn't grow up in the South Pacific, my return visits as a foreigner constantly prove and re-prove that Fijians are the warmest and nicest people. While resorts are nice, the curious and welcoming people I met driving across the interior of the island in a rental car were as unforgettable as coastal trips to see the deep blue sea. I've driven across both your north and south islands [of NZ], and spent nights in a dozen towns, and found the people in your communities to be milquetoast on both hospitality, and personality. Not as kind as Canadians, and infinitely more xenophobic. The hikes that featured few NZ locals, were very charming. NZ's eclectic [to me] flora and fauna, was a nice change of pace from unwelcoming cities, provincial towns, and assorted tourist traps.

@Comment Hi @Comment, I think you will find that Savannah (The location that @Skidaway was posting from ) is in Georgia, USA not New Zealand, so whilst you may have found us xenophobic and unwelcoming here in NZ whilst travelling beiwteen our tourist traps, @Skidaway was not talking as a Kiwi and therefore as far as I know is not an unwelcoming xenophobe residing in said tourist traps. So while I may have to bear the opprobrium of the labels as above @Skidaway does not. Anymore than you bear the labels of being generous and open-minded. But then of course our labels could both be wrong.