Wellington Launches Walkway Tour Application for iPhones

Do you know Pencarrow Lighthouse’s two New Zealand firsts and why people on Tinakori Road used to go without dinner?

A free iPhone application designed to help locals and visitors make the most of Wellington’s walkways is now available on iTunes. The ‘Welly Walks’ application features seven walks; it leads users around the capital’s sites using maps and instructions, also featuring facts and information about landmarks, public art, nature reserves and coastline.

Positively Wellington Tourism Chief Executive David Perks says the joint project between the regional tourism organisation and Wellington City Council is a natural progression from the development of the Wellington mobile guide m.WellingtonNZ.com.

“The Wellington mobile guide offers details about the top things to see, do and taste in the city right in the palm of your hand. The Wellington Walks application builds on providing information by acting as a guide around our walkways and delving deeper into the sites they take in.”

The application, which features the Southern, Northern, Eastern, Skyline, City to Sea, Explore Waterfront and Explore Parliament and Thorndon walkways, was built by My Tours, a web-based service that converts city walks, museum tours and audio guides into iPhone applications.

“We're now looking at creating our own walks and guides and adding them to the application. Wellington’s so compact and walkable, but you do have to be a bit in the know to make the absolute most of what the city has to offer. In particular we’re thinking of developing trails around boutiques and all the tucked away bars.”

The free application can be downloaded from www.itunes.apple.com

A GIFT IDEA WHICH REALLY TAKES OFF!

Another birthday, another Christmas, another special event - and with each occurrence, that never ending dilemma. What new, different and exciting gift can I buy for that special person?

They have all the clothing and accessories, the fragrances, the jewellery, the music and the gimmicks that they need.

But have they ever flown an airliner?

New Brisbane-based company “Flight Simulator 737” now offers that amazing opportunity! Based at Archerfield Airport, ”Flight Simulator 737” has just introduced the next generation of airliner training simulators and now offers private use from just $250 for a one hour session.

“This is a gift with a difference, no matter what the occasion may be,” said Ross Farquharson from “Flight Simulator 737”. “We offer an experience like no other, and an experience which can be shared with partners or friends, as the one hour flight session aboard the simulator can be used by one person or divided between several participants.”

Mr Farquharson said one-day group packages and corporate reward and team building sessions were also available with Flight Simulator 737.

Flight Simulator 737 has introduced world-first satellite imaging technology to recreate not only a range of flight experiences and conditions but realistic takeoffs and landings at more than 90,000 airports.

So sophisticated is the new technology that it even offers authentic ground imaging, showing actual runways, taxiways, terminal gates and surrounds at all of the featured airports, and enabling users to replicate a total flight experience from the moment an aircraft pushes back from the aerobridge to the moment it arrives at its destination.

It uses actual images to replicate not only flight operations but a realistic perception of movement. Image resolution on the simulator is accurate to one metre – 15 times sharper than the imaging available through on-line products such as Google Earth.

“Flight Simulator 737” is located in the Simulator Centre, Hangar 3, Qantas Avenue, Archerfield Airport. For more information or to make a booking visit www.Flightsimulator737.com.au , call 07 3371 5737.

Ultimate Ride Team to Jet-ski from London to Auckland

Adventurer, pilot and author, Jeremy Burfoot, is set to lead a group of New Zealanders in an attempt to break the world personal watercraft record by riding from London to Sydney to Auckland. The 32,000 km epic journey, The Ultimate Ride, sets off from London in August to boost awareness of healthy living, cancer prevention and to raise funds for cancer research.

The Ultimate Ride is the fresh challenge Burfoot needed after being the first to circumnavigate New Zealand in a personal watercraft, commonly known as a jet ski, to raise funds for cancer research. Burfoot and his team are well advanced in the planning needed to break the current personal water craft distance record of 18,400 km.

“We’re tackling one of the world’s most iconic routes; the London-to-Sydney journey has been made famous by all kinds of intrepid travellers – though none have tried it on a personal watercraft,” says Burfoot. “The eyes of the world will be on this attempt. The ultimate joy for me would be to get the message about early prevention of cancer, and the need for regular health checks, out to as many people around the world as possible.”

Burfoot is motivated by his own battle with cancer and his desire to ensure funds are put into researching the one disease that both the developed and developing world are struggling to combat. The team will be working with cancer organisations in each country they pass through to help raise the profile of the event and its goals.

The Ultimate Ride will set off from London on August 1 for one of the world’s most difficult water routes. The team will travel more than half-way around the globe, enduring challenging weather and treacherous oceans with piracy, shark infested waters, language barriers and bureaucratic nightmares just some of the hazards along the way. The journey will culminate in Auckland at the end of November.

In 2006 Burfoot and Brad Burton took their personal watercraft on a 5,000 km, 19-day “warm up and shake down” ride around New Zealand. A number of organisations, including the Cancer Society of New Zealand, got on board with the ride as a means of drawing publicity to their cause. Burfoot wrote a book, The Ride around New Zealand, about the experience.

Planning is now well advanced for this year’s journey. The organisers have set up a trust and are seeking further sponsors to assist them with the journey, as well as gaining attention in the international media on the goal of raising funds for cancer research. A major naming rights sponsor for the Ultimate Ride challenge is still available. A website www.london-sydney.org has also been launched and will be used to track the progress of the journey before, after and during the event.

The Ultimate Ride is also offering opportunities for individuals to join the team on parts of the journey. See ‘Join Us’ on the website for more details.