Once, in my traveling years, I found myself sharing a hostel with a

Frenchman who had been everywhere. I mean, EVERYWHERE: Siberia to

Singapore, Macchu Picchu to Mombasa–everywhere. I asked him which place,

of all the places he had seen, was the most beautiful. After a moment’s

though he said: “New Zealand.” Within a remarkably small territory (he

explained) there is simply everything you could wish to see: towering

ice-capped mountains, lush forests and quiet woodlands, rolling hills dotted

with sheep, tropical beaches, coral reefs… the whole works. Never been

there myself (though my brother was born there). Sure would like to go.