Knocking New Zealand

The Grauniads net jetters have won a competition to send them around the world for free. In return they write a short column each week in the Travel Section. I've read quite a few of these, usually in disgust. The comments made about New Zealand were not the first time I smacked my hand to my head and thought 'who are these people?'. The columns are regularly nothing but a list of moans - it makes you wonder why they bothered going travelling in the first place. Shame on the Grauniad's judges - they picked a couple of right dunces. Now of course if they'd like to pay me to go to New Zealand.....

I read that piece by Ellie Netjetter with mounting disbelief - why on earth is she spending a year travelling round the world at the Guardian's expense, something I guess most people would regard as the opportunity of a lifetime, if she is unable to find anything good to say about the places she finds herself? Her comments about New Zealand bordered on the surreal - she seemed to be annoyed that there was no local equivalent of London, something I would regard as a major point in its favour, and her dismissal of the natural wonders as pretty but boring made me wonder what she does regard as worthwhile.