Hi, Terry!Many years ago a Maori folk goup from Rotorua came to my town to participate in an annual summer folk festival.They presented us with excellent haka and made the audience so hot!I hope I will come to NZ one day and see haka where I should see it to understand its original meaning.

If you come and visit Rafal, you won't be dissappointed. It's a beautiful country full of relaxed, easy going people who mostly just love to help out our vistors. :( Orbx FTX are going to do one of their wonderful scenery products for New Zealand next year, so if you want an advance look that will be the product to fly with. Unfortunately, it's mostly an FSX desert at the moment. :( The Haka is respected by NZ Pakeha (European) and Maori alike. Maori were the first to inhabit New Zealand and are thus the Tāngata whenua or 'people of the land'. The Haka can be adapted to suit the circumstance in which it is given but it is effectively a 'challenge'. Depending on the circumstances you may be challenged to come in peace, you may be challenged to do your best or you may be challenged to fight as warriors. In this last context, the Haka is used by the All Blacks, out national rugby team (representing our national sport) to challenge the opposition to a good game of rugby. But in no matter which circumstances it is given, it is only given to those who's standing is high enough. The Haka demands respect, but itself shows great respect to those who receive it. :( Terry

Not sure about the Cabbage Rolls....OUCHThat's OK.....I was out in New Zealand just last year. If you ever get out there you have to visit Napier. It is a town that was destroyed in the early 1930's by an earthquake. It was rebuilt entirely during the early 1930's using the Art Deco style.We went to the yearly Art Deco festival last year in Napier when over 150 classic cars and thousands of people converge on Napier dressed in Flapper Dresses and Period outfits....Lots of Jazz of course.Highly recomend this place for any lover of Art Deco and Classic Cars.http://www.artdeconapier.com/

Not sure about the Cabbage Rolls....

I love cabbage rolls, but then I live alone.Believe me, you would not want to be in the same house with me for at least 24 hours! :(

Hllo,Haka ? Maoris ? NZ ? ... Enjoyhttp://simtube.com/video/3395/RNZAF-planesRegards.Gus.

Hllo,Haka ? Maoris ? NZ ? ... Enjoyhttp://simtube.com/video/3395/RNZAF-planesRegards.Gus.

Thanks for that Gus. I've been crew on both of those aircraft and was in Mauritius with the C-130 when we stopped there enroute to transporting troops to Rhodesia to assist with free and fair elections between Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe. Fat lotta good those elections turned out to be !! :( That particular flight was interesting in a number of ways. We desended into Mauritius through heavy cloud and a wall of CB's. Severe turbulence in a C-130 with 60 troops and freight down the back is never fun. The smell of air sickness and a well used honey bucket which managed to throw its contents all over the ramp and floor made the thought of a go around somewhat untenable. Once we were on the ground we couldn't refuel for an hour and half due to continuous lightening in the area. Our flight into Salisbury, Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe) was similalry interesting only this time it was the threat of being shot at with small arms fire on approach and even the possibility of a shoulder launched SAM attack. Air Rhodesia had lost two Vickers Viscounts to guerrilla SAM attacks and had taken to painting their aircraft in an Army camoflage livery as well as fitting engine tailpipe extensions to lower IR signatures from their exhaust emissions. To counter the thrreat we let down from 10,000 feet directly above the airfield, lowered flap to 100 percent and conducted a tight orbit to keep within the confines of the airfield. Finally, after a very short final approach we were down and I can happily report we didn't look like a collander afterwards...whew!. Oh and on the way back we had a day off in Mauritius and that was just fantastic.. :( So thanks for the video Gus.. a flood of memories with that one. Merry Christmas mate. :( Terry

Hello,Good you enjoyed your short stay in Mauritius.I go many time to Mauritius (wife is a native :) )Allways amusing to see all those passengers looking outside and smilling seeing the island and the white beaches .. the plane descending in a clouds free blue skyUsually they don't smile more when on the final approach :)When this is clouds there .. they are very low and so some good turbulences near the ground can't make them smilling more :)And when the final approach is made via Flic En Flac (From inland the normal way) from Curepipe the ground is sloping up the runway and the aircraft therefore follow more or less the slope Some must think the plane will land in the sugar cane plantations .....Approach from the sea side is very unusual.Regards.Gus.

....the final approach is made via Flic En Flac (From inland the normal way) from Curepipe the ground is sloping up the runway and the aircraft therefore follow more or less the slope ...

Your so right Gus. With 2500 foot terrrain on the left, a 1500 foot rock outcrop on the right and unusually sloped terrain in front, it makes for an interesting approach, especially when the cloud base is close to minimas, you've just been through severe turbulence, it's the end of a long flight and this is the first time you've ever been there. It certainly got our attention !! This is what the two guys up front looked like during the approach lol......................:( :(

This is what the two guys up front looked like during the approach lol......................:( :(

That is the best use of the emoticons I have seen in a long while :( Mark