New Zealand Handbook

This Scotsman has two major passions in life: wildlife and travel. After gaining a diploma in wildlife illustration and photography in Wales in 1986, Darroch took up the position of assistant manager at a wildlife rehabilitation centre in Scotland. This unusual work took him to many far away places, including Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War Eco-disaster in 1991 and eventually to New Zealand, where he emigrated in 1992. There he acted as an oiled wildlife consultant to the government and in 1996 published his first book 'Creatures', an account of his wildlife encounters. Now Darroch has expanded his work to include both travel and nature.

A foot in the door; essentials; planning your trip; before you travel; money; getting there; touching down; where to stay; getting around; keeping in touch; food and drink; entertainment and nightlife; shopping; holidays and festivals; sport and special interest travel; health; further reading; North Island; Auckland; Northland; The Coromandel Peninsula; the Waikato; the Bay of Plenty; Taupo and Puapehu; Taranaki; East coast; Wanganui and Manawatu; Wellington; Nelson and Marlborough; Canterbury; the West coast; Otago; Southland and the Fiords; background; footnotes.