A guide played haunting music which echoed around the walls of the Grand Canyon. Photo / Supplied
Violin airs in Canyon
We were on an 11-day rafting trip through the Grand Canyon, celebrating our 25th anniversary. Our days were filled with paddling through the ever-deepening canyon as it revealed its history and immense beauty, hiking and climbing up side slot canyons, running rapids and swimming under pristine waterfalls. But the moment of magic amongst the most magical of trips was the seventh night. We slept under the stars; the sand
hot from the scorching day. The red canyon walls towered above us on three sides revealing only a strip of sky, studded with stars and the moon. The mighty Colorado River was the only sound in the silence. As we began to drift off to sleep, one of the guides began playing her violin. The hauntingly beautiful music echoed around the close canyon walls. I felt as if I was in heaven.
Claire Hotchin
Wrong place, right meal
In 2002 while returning to the United Kingdom for our first visit since migrating to NZ in 1969, we stopped off in Bangkok to visit Nok, the AFS daughter who spent 1989 with us. One day stands out. We spent the morning seeing some extraordinary sights in the city and after a pleasant lunch she drove us to the Grand Palace. She had asked a co-worker to recommend somewhere different for dinner, close to the palace. We walked
through a market and took a boat over the river, wove through the market on the other side and down a road to where she thought she had been told. We had a wonderful (and cheap) meal sitting on a balcony over the river. It was the wrong place! Returning to her car we passed the right place, posher and more expensive. Were we glad she got it wrong!
Mike Wells
Classy city of wonder
Magical Singapore. On arrival at the cool, clean terminal, there was an air of suppressed excitement from my three girls. The tree-lined taxi drive exploded into glorious sunlight and a riot of colourful flowers as we were transported into another world. Amazing people of all cultures rushed to work amongst sophisticated, multi-storeyed buildings which rubbed shoulders with more traditional, older homes. The palatial lobby of a world-class hotel then invited us to a tastefully furnished and spotless room. The magical shops of Orchard Road beckoned, filled with endless colourful and tempting goods. Spoilt for choice, we munched on chilli-flavoured chicken burgers. The next few days were a blur - we sampled the biryani in Serangoon Rd, rambled through Clarke Wharf, explored the fantasy kingdom of Sentosa, took photos in the Tiger Balm gardens and glided along on a cycle rickshaw under starry skies in this vibrant and unforgettable city.
Jennifer Naeem
Sea turtle gives birth
Two days in Queensland's Bargara were magical because we were able to get so close to nature. Snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef off Lady Elliot Island in the company of giant sea turtles and brown sharks as well as the incredible colourful reef fish was amazing. Sitting beside a giant green turtle as she laid her eggs at the Mon Repos Conservation Park was mind-blowing and walking to the beach from our accommodation in Bargara and discovering hatchling turtles emerging from the sand path was cool. A beautiful part of the world.
Leonie Lawson
Power cables by donkey
I walked the trail from Pokhara to Jonsom in western Nepal in 1981. I had been travelling from London to New Zealand by myself. The grandeur of the physical environment with the peaks of Annapurna and Dhalageri dominating the landscape stunned me. Climbing from 610m to 3650m and then back again more than once helped me connect with this amazing environment. I was experiencing this part of the world as it transitioned from the old to the new. I shared tracks with donkeys carrying copper cable for electricity reticulation but none of the villages was yet electrified. Nights were spent at local tea houses where accommodation was free but you paid for mostly delicious meals cooked over a gas cooker. Evenings were a time to share with others from all parts of the world. Even if we struggled to find a common language we were able to share the moment.
Paul Mason
Keen kids spark interest
My first travelling experience alone was at the age of 18 in a country I had never visited before nor had known anything about, Turkey. I went there on an internship to teach English at a private school in a small town, Manavgat, and was blown away at how different the Turks' lifestyles were compared to the lifestyles of us Kiwis. The people there were the most hospitable I have met and were full of curiosity to learn about my different lifestyle as well as to teach me more about their own. The sights were breathtaking. I visited popular tourist attractions such as Cappadocia, Antalya, Ephesus, Pamukkale (and Hierapolis), Troy, Gallipoli and of course Istanbul. My most memorable experience was visiting a public school in a less advantaged part of Istanbul. As soon as I arrived at the school gates, enthusiastic children ran up to greet me and tried their best to converse in English. They asked for autographs and some offered to be my bodyguards. It was an unforgettable experience that has sparked my interest to help less fortunate children.
Nanako Ohashi
Wedding ring returned
My husband and I were on our honeymoon in Rarotonga last year. We had been married for four days when we decided to go for a midnight dip (after a few cocktails) and went swimming in the sea out the front of our resort when my husband's wedding ring came off. We snorkelled for days trying to find it but had no luck. We had been back home from our honeymoon about two weeks when the resort rang to say someone had found the ring in the sea while snorkelling. So the resort couriered it back to us and, unbelievably, it was the ring we had lost. I think fate may have had a small hand in it and I hope it is a sign that our marriage will last the distance.
Amy Kerr
Back in the Middle Ages
Waking up in Arab East Jerusalem was like stepping out of a time machine. The ancient city walls and the bustling marketplace felt like I was back in the Middle Ages. Trying to swim underwater in the Dead Sea was an impossibility and gave me a real appreciation for the natural wonder that it is. The old city of Bethlehem was awe-inspiring as I dwelt on the significance it has played in being the birthplace of the world's largest religion.
The old cathedrals that have been there for hundreds of years have seen so much history unfold around them. The rich culture and the way of life that has remained the same for hundreds of years is amazing to experience and I would recommend it to anyone.
Joseph Martin