Travelers stories

New Zealand - a country with superb landscapes and beautiful vistas - is commonly used by movie production companies as a location to film their ???????. The Academy Award trilogy blockbuster, The Lord of the Rings, was filmed entirely at many various locations throughout the country. The director, New Zealander Peter Jackson who won the Oscar as the best-director for the third instalment, stated that there was no other country on earth which could provide the scenery and ???? necessary that would do justice in transforming the J. R. Tolkien’s epic novel from book-form to the big screen. New Zealand company, Weta Workshop, also won several Oscars in the special-effects category for their innovative works on the movies.

With a population that has only recently exceeded four million, New Zealand has been the butt of jokes primarily from it’s nearest neighbour Australia because there are approximately 60 million sheep. Throughout it’s history, New Zealand’s economy has been based on farming, agriculture and timber industries. In more recent times, while these industries continue to remain an important contributor to the economy, New Zealand’s innovative and creative psyche and culture has created many other industries that are actively making a significant input to the economy. It is a small modern country which more than holds it’s position against much larger and more populous countries in terms of lifestyle, living conditions, environmental sustainability and human rights for all it’s peoples.

As a proud and very patriotic New Zealander, I accept that my views and opinions will be seen by many as biased and one-eyed - I absolutely make no apologies for this. I have travelled abroad to many countries such as USA, UK, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain and Iran. It is my firm belief that we must all get out of our comfort zone by visiting other countries to experience other cultures. It is then that we will have a full appreciation of what we have and take for granted in our own homeland. That said, I urge all readers of this article to seriously consider New Zealand as a viable option to visit, as a tourist or simply to relax and recharge. Due to it’s isolated position deep in the Pacific Ocean, it is a long distance to travel for many, e.g. appproximately 24 hours flight time from the UK depending on travel routes and stopovers. If the reader contemplating visiting New Zealand is a member of an air-miles scheme, the points you acquire will be huge.

I recommend to all readers to check out an amazing report that provides comprehensive information on many factors to consider when visiting New Zealand. You will find information on:

Visa requirements,

Driving in New Zealand,

New Zealand culture,

New Zealand lifestyle and

A wealth of information on living, working or investing in New Zealand.

Thanks and my appreciation to all readers of this article. Should you require further information on any matters contained in this article, please contact me at: caymanz@yahoo.co.nz and I will happily and gladly reply.

This article was written by Frederick Beazley

To get further information on this article and how to access the report, please visit my blog at: http://visitingnewzealand.blogspot.com

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Infamous Slain’s Castle helped to provide Bram Stoker with the inspiration to create his masterpiece called Count Dracula. Nowadays it is a ruin, which has been left for nature to run its course, it may not be the prettiest of ruined castles to visit in Scotland. But never the less it is worth visiting, it has for some inexplicable reason been left to slowly erode by the local council, and all the other agencies which should be doing a lot more to save this historic ruin.

Slain’s castle is located beside Cruden Bay in Aberdeenshire, which is of course in Scotland. It is a majestic ruin which sits atop sea facing cliffs looking out to the wild North Sea. Slain’s Castle was originally built around 1597, by the 9th Earl of Errol. The castle was sold in 1916 after over 300 years of occupation by the Errol’s to a shipping tycoon, who took the roof off it in 1925 to avoid paying taxes.

If you dare to visit Slain’s Castle when it starts to get dark, you will understand why this eerie place provided the inspiration behind Count Dracula, Bram Stoker referred to Slain’s Castle as “the castle of the dead”, and for a very good reason!

It may be overgrown with weeds and grass, but as you walk along the ruined corridors, you still get a sense of the great grandeur which this vast place once had . For the truly adventurous you can still easily climb up one of the towers, but you have to brave and sure of foot. The dramatic views from the edge of the cliffs provide some fantastic scenery.

Slain’s Castle had the potential to be a top drawer tourist attraction, but through the short sightedness of the Local Council and various agencies such as Historic Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland who all decided to forsake it, its true potential has never been released.

Unbelievable the blind local councilors have allowed this famous ruin to be turned into holiday apartments, it could only happen in Scotland! Maybe Count Dracula will have the last laugh and there will be a lot of blood sucking late at night.

Go and visit this infamous ruin while you can and see where the legend of Count Dracula began.  A story about one man and his accounter with the Prince of Darkness at Slain’s Castle, Most Haunted Slains Castle, I Swear That I Could See Dracula Watching Me!

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Scotland is a country which offers travelers, tourists, holiday makers or whatever term you want to use, an abundance of wonderful places to visit. Some places are better known and more  popular than others and as result attract all the attention.

The five not so well known Scottish places, which  I have listed are maybe not well known, but they are all fantastic places, which are worthy of your attention, effort and time.

Nigg Bay & The Balnagask Headland: Aberdeen, a 2.5km walk around Aberdeen’s Balnagask headland gives an insight into the processes that formed the coastal landscape. With breathtaking views, the area is also abundant in a variety of wildlife.

You will take in spectacular views of Aberdeen harbour, lighthouses, an old fort, and rugged coastline, a pretty shingle beach and much more. At the Balnagask end there is a nice wee pub overlooking the harbour, waiting for you to quench your thirst.

Burn O ‘Vat: Near Dinnet, Aberdeenshire, Situated on low-lying ground, Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve (NNR) consists of extensive Birchwood, wetlands and heather moor. In its centre are two large lochs, Davan and Kinord, which provide a winter home for thousands of geese. To the west, you can find the hidden Vat, a spectacular geological feature famed for concealing the 18th Century outlaw, Gilderoy Macgregor.

There are many fine circular walks through the NNR, passing by such features as abandoned settlements and an ancient Celtic cross. There is an excellent visitor centre at the Burn O’Vat, to help you make the most of your visit.

Craigievar Castle: 6 miles south of Alford. This is an almost fairytale like looking castle which exemplifies Scottish baronial architecture. This great tower stands much like it did when it was built in 1626 by William Forbes.

Craigievar Castle is one of the best preserved tower houses in Scotland and is a great castle to visit and to take the tour of.

Cruden Bay Beach: Cruden Bay, a beautiful 2 mile arc of pink sands that form the bay of Cruden. Access to the superb beach is via a white wooden foot bridge, across the water of Cruden.

There is so much more to Cruden Bay than just the beach, it is a pretty enough village, with a golf course ranked in the top 100 in the world, the internationally know castle Slains Castle, which provided Bram Stoker with the inspiration to write Dracula is a short distance away.

Loch Muick: Lochnagar, This is a very popular walk round Loch Muick, in the shadow of Lochnagar. It is in an area where it is quite common to see large wild red deer.

Most of the walk is on fairly flat ground and part of it may be suitable for the disabled.It follows a route close to the Loch side with good views of the hills all around. After reaching a royal lodge there is a short wooded section. The walk then continues round the western end of the loch and goes past a sandy beach and a cascading stream, before rising slightly on the south-eastern side as it makes its way back to the start.

For those of you that are visiting Scotland and in particular using the Granite City Aberdeen as a holiday base, each of these great places are within about an hour’s drive of Aberdeen.  For those of you thinking about or are heading to Aberdeen, here is my must read article,  Aberdeen, Why Not Visit the Granite City?

I don’t think any country in the world can match Scotland for natural beauty, history and unpredictable weather, but for the truly adventurous that is one of the joys of travel.

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