[.ca] Lonely Planet Kiwi Tracks: A New Zealand Journey (ISBN 0864427875)

Where is New Zealand heading?:
I very much recommend Andrew Stevenson's "Kiwi Tracks," equally well for those who do and do not know personally New Zealand's natural and cultural landscape and her Great Walks. I myself fall somewhat in between these categories - having explored the South Island only, during some six visits in the last 20 years, always tramping, always in awe. He tells well how the Great Walks (the term had not existed in my early tramps) have turned from a few persons in lonely huts to nearly hundreds of packed-in campers on solo or guided tours -in just a few short decades. Also his South Island walks were unusually impaired by a massive snow storm and so come across a bit off-putting. Stevenson gave me the best-yet view of what I have been missing in the North Island ("away from the Mainland," as he quips). Overall, his book is a beautiful, honest, and detailed travel narrative (thank goodness for someone taking the time to name by name the many fauna and flora experienced). But it is markedly canted by his own ah, delicate emotional state during the journey. The book's dust jacket warns us: "... whatever you have in your rucksack, the heaviest baggage is what you carry inside." Stevenson's emotional center of mass during his trip clearly is located a bit outside himself and he is prone to tip over emotionally during the journey. His honesty about this both hurts and helps the narrative - it does give the reader a reference point: The author is working hard to discover that which is truly important to himself in his journey, as well as puzzling over that same question for New Zealand - the colonist vs. native Maori views of national politics, natural heritage, and future directions. While relating the pristine and inutterably amazing natural beauty of this land, not the least being the almost inconceivable human innocence and generosity of its citizens, he gives us a tutorial in NZ's basic dilemma. When he asks a fellow tramper to quote the best and worst of his travels: \oI paraphrase\c "The worst is to see the landscape so corrupted by commercialism so quickly." (You can guess - the bus tours, helicopters, jet boats, egregious mountain re-landscaping.) "The best is that New Zealand is still so unbelievable beautiful." This echoed within me, watching once-quiet towns transformed at the snap of a dollar into teaming Disneylands. Stevenson shows us, by example(s), of how New Zealand transforms and helps its visitors. A German therapist suggests that tramping holds more value than health insurance premiums. I am inclined to agree. Of the highest value to me in the book is that Stevenson gives us some great insight into the NZ national values debate (still-ongoing) contrasting (via his hitchhiker's car-cabin testimonies) the views of the progeny of the more recent Western, rough-hewn pioneers against the natural spiritualism of Maoris, who also gave him rides, and to whom he related more. He shows us that the people of New Zealand must finally listen to the Maori, and strive to preserve their naturalist vision (in the face of adventure bungee-jumping tourism). Between the lines, he shows us that the dialog must go both ways, especially when facing the World's money, foreign buyers and the touristic denizens of the new millennium.

A wonderful personal diary of a New Zealand vacation:
Andrew Stevenson has successfully accomplished what very few others are able to do. He has written a travel guide that is actually enthralling to read. From its pages you will gain a wonderful sense of the flora, fauna and people of "The Land of the White Cloud." Although the title suggests it to be a book on hiking... it is not. It is a personal account of his time in New Zealand, where he spends 4 months marching through some of the most beautiful places on earth. The casts of characters that he introduces us to are not "over the top" hard to imagine people, but... simply the everyday folks of New Zealand and the foreigners that are vacationing there too. I look forward to reading all of Mr. Stevenson's works. Andrew... if you ever need a hiking buddy... drop me a line!

Unattractive:
Every now and then I like to read a book and see how folks from overseas percieve my homeland. I also enjoy travel writing as well, so this one seemed like a good read. It isn't. The Author spends a lot of time ruminating on how he left some bimbo in Norway, and how this has spoiled his trip to NZ. How sad. A lot of space is devoted to this, and waters down much of the description of the countryside and more imporatntly the people. Much of the people he meets are cliches and stereotypes. For example, he is tramping and runs across a guy who is trying to abandon the ghosts of Vietnam by being in NZ. Right, and of course how can we forget the cliched surfer? He in many areas has a smarmy attitude, treating the locals as naive and foolish. For example, when at a race the PA announces that a sum of money has been found and if it is yours, you can claim it. he thinks this is highly amusing- I am glad I live in country where that happens. He seems appalled at Adventure tourism, and the bush and forests should somehow be kept only for trampers. Well, if it gets people out of the house, whats the problem with it. He spends a lot of space bemoaning the fact that hunting introduced animals is a popular past time here. For example, the fact the possums are generally shot in the millions- yet does not grasp that is a ligitamite and enjoyable outdoors recreation, and is alos preserving the native bush. ... Not recommended.

I'm not a fan of travel writing, but ...:
I found this to be an interesting book. If you want to learn all about New Zealand, its flora and fuana, or great "tramps" (hikes, for you and me), this isn't the book for you. However, it is an enjoyable light read, giving the reader interesting snapshots of life in NZ. Stevenson meets some interesting people along his journey and I found the way in which he shares their stories much more engaging than most of his descriptions of his walks in the woods. Yes, at times the book strains credulity and some of the characters may seem a bit cliche, but I, too, stood in wonder of many of the situations he encounters. Ultimately what comes through is that New Zealand is a land both unlike any other and exactly like home, too.

Exciting Country, Depressing Author:
Being that I am preparing to spend the next two years of my life in school in New Zealand, I have been looking for books that can help to prepare me for what my experience in the country will be. That said, I found this book a valuable read. The author presents a good picture of an outsider's view of New Zealand, at least from a traveller's perspective. I think the overall picture, of a beautiful country with an old fashioned mindset, is an interesting one, and I'm looking forward to experiencing it for myself. His descriptions of NZ's natural offerings are the strong point of the book. Unfortunately, the author is leaving behind a life in Norway that was apparently, in his mind, quite tragic, and he drags the reader through his problems. He's gone to NZ to think about his life, and apparently tramping alone through the wilderness doesn't perk him up much. Reading about how depressed and lonely he is becomes an annoyance from the first chapter, and negatively impacts the entire book. The country he describes sounds beautiful in itself, but with his constant crying, you can't help but feel down about the whole experience. It's like taking a vacation with a friend who's going through a rough divorce. Overall, the book was good when it stuck to any issue other than the author's relational troubles. I'd recommend it if you can pick it up secondhand, or at the library, as I did.