A Land of Two Halves: An Accidental Tour of New Zealand

Joe's books are uniformly great, and this one is no exception. I've never been to NZ (I don't count the hour I spent in the airport at Auckland) but traveling with Joe is the next best thing....

When I first bought this book, I had planned to emigrate to New Zaland. After I started reading it I decided to go on holiday there first and hitchhike, just like Joe Bennett. However, reading more and more of the book, I decided hitchhiking might not be the best idea for me. So I will take a bus tour. Where the book really proves its worth though is when it comes to describing the country. It portays New Zealand for a great nation, but also one that is desolate and for the most part empty. Sure Auckland might be a big city, and Wellington and Christchurch following suit, but the rest of the country? Sometimes you can taste the loneliness of the land. All in all it made me reconsider emigrating there. And reconsider Australia and reconsidering emigration all together.

Being a Brit myself, over here in NZ for good (I hope), after around 4 years living and working here, Joe Bennett's writings struck a real cord. NZ is an excellent place to live and tour, and the real value is in its people - but like all busy folks it's easy to drift into the daily grind and forget why we're here. The timing of world travel readers dipping into this book is fortunate, against the background of Lord-of-the-Rings-plus-100%-NZ-plus-All-Black-Rugby Domination-plus-America's-Cup-performance-plus-cheap-accomodation-and-decent-flight-prices gloss, so as to show a more down-to-earth view. Bennett's view should not be seen as cynical (as I note critics' views), and an awareness of what the book is about should be allowed to sink in. Here is an older and settled guy, hitching around a wild and woolly land populated with interesting (and eccentric most times) and kind people, in a young country that's just recently re-forged its own identity as a Pacific Island chain the other side of Asia (or USA, depending on your persective) from the parents that abandoned it. Look at it as a view of NZ drawn from interaction with it's salt-of-the earth locals, and enthusiastic visitors. Bryson meets gnarrly Brit wit - Excellent.

Having been to New Zealand twice my wife and I contemplated moving there. Residing in a country is, of course, much different from being on holiday there. This book gives readers a look at the "Land of Two Halves" beyond what's been portrayed in the movies. Hitchhiking his way on two separate journeys (divided between the North and South Islands), Mr. Bennett is given a lift from some very colorful characters. Some hard-bitten and jaded, others silent, a few as chatty as magpies. Like Australia, the Kiwis can be a rough-hewn, industrious lot, facing hardship with fortitude and good cheer. Some of the isolated towns, pubs and hotels are downright eerie, reminiscent of places that time forgot. Decor and furniture often dates from the 1950s, '60s or '70s and accommodation can be a bit threadbare. Where Bennett really shines, however, is in his descriptions of what it's like when he's kept waiting for hours by the road without a ride. He manages to colorfully illuminate how it feels to stand with one's thumb jutting over the asphalt, on an isolated road shoulder with nothing to do but watch a bird hopping in the grass or a horse posing stock-still in an adjacent pasture. It takes talent to make such a situation interesting but that's exactly what he does. The middle-aged author thrives in such settings, having little time for the larger cities like Wellington and Auckland. He gives them short shrift. Anyone wanting a glowing travelogue will be disappointed. This isn't an episode of Rick Steves' Europe. It's a realistic account of what a lonely traveler experienced by taking a satchel, walking to the edge of town and putting his thumb out. He vividly illustrates how it feels to try and time storm fronts and strategize over the best approach to where you want to go versus where your next driver is headed. It's life on the road by the seat of your pants. I quite enjoyed this tale, feeling that I gained a more well-rounded perspective on a country I greatly admire.

English-born Joe Bennett was a teacher when he went to New Zealand at the age of 29. He was supposed to stay for just a year, but sixteen years on he is still there. This book covers the author's hitch-hiking trip around New Zealand. "In the trip I am about to go on, I want to see the place as clearly as I can." However, the main purpose for the trip is to find out whether Joe should stay or go when his dog dies in the next few years. Before I start this book review, I must make readers aware that this book is nothing like a traditional tour or travel guide. Just like the title suggests, this book consists of two halves. The first half of the book covers his travels on the South Island of New Zealand, while the second half covers the North Island. "The North Island is different from the South Island. It has a different history, a different geography and a different climate." These differences are very much covered as he describes his experiences while hitch-hiking around both the larger and smaller towns. Since he is somewhat of an outsider, he also covers the issue of the national identity - "The question of national identity is raised so often and so tediously that there are times when New Zealand's most prominent characteristic seems to be wondering whether it has any prominent characteristics." As people who have been to New Zealand will know is that the country is beautiful and full of contradictions. The author believes that there are plenty of distinctions about New Zealanders: "What about the vaunted practicality, the no-nonsense earthiness, the number-eight-wire ingenuity, the rugged independence, the compulsion to travel, the willingness to work hard?" Joe Bennett covers all these subjects fantastically and full of wit. Some of the language used might upset some readers, it covers the issues realistically. After weeks of travelling from Invergarcill and Bluff at the south point of the South Island to Cape Reinga at the north point of the North Island he also manages to find the answer to the main purpose of the book: "It will be good to have a young dog around again. And it may perk up my old dog in her years of decline." Yes, I do like this book. The author discusses the hidden realities behind New Zealand. It discusses the most important details of the larger towns on the South and North Island of the beautiful New Zealand. I believe that this book does two things. First, it provides tourists with a good introduction into the 'real' New Zealand, which is not covered within the traditional travel guide. Second, it is an enjoyable read. I have just one issue with the book. I believe that the author has 'cheated' in the second half of the book when he decides to stop hitch-hiking and decides to hire a car. He also becomes somewhat less detailed in the last quarter of the book (homesick to his dog??). I still recommend this book to all (potential) visitors to New Zealand.