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“Seriously man, what are you wearing?” My friend Fernando was jacket shaming me in the Valencia arrivals hall, not-so-subtly pointing out how hot it was. “What is wrong with you?!” With mock indignation I removed my jacket – and then proceeded to sweat profusely anyway. < Back Viva Valencia Sunday Star-Times 29 Nov 2025 “Seriously man, what are you wearing?” My friend Fernando was jacket shaming me in the Valencia arrivals hall, not-so-subtly pointing out how hot it was. “What is wrong with you?!” With mock indignation I removed my jacket – and then proceeded to sweat profusely anyway. It’s been nearly 20 years since 25,000 New Zealanders came through the same arrivals hall, enduring the Valencian humidity during the 2007 Americas Cup. After the cup moved on most Kiwis didn’t hear much about Valencia – that is, until last October’s devastating flood. In a city that has over 300 days of sunshine a year the speed of the rising floodwaters came as a shock, leaving over 230 dead and billions of euros worth of damage. It wasn’t the first time either: in 1957 the Turia River flooded so badly that the Franco government permanently rerouted the river three kilometres away from its original course. The Turia’s old riverbed was the starting point for my exploration. Now a sunken verdant park in the centre of the city, the 9km long Jardín del Turia is full of trees, running tracks, fountains, a football pitch and – most impressively – an oversized climbing structure that when viewed from above is a giant Gulliver pinned to the ground, sword and hat beside him, with Lilliputians (actually, humans) climbing all over him. Jardín del Turia is not only a living breathing artery, it’s also a direct path to Valencia’s top attraction: Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències (City of Arts and Sciences). Designed by Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava the stunning futuristic complex is considered one of the 12 Treasures of Spain, up there with La Sagrada Família and the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. Fernando looked at me looking in awe as we walked through the whale-like spine of the interactive Museu de les Ciències, while behind us stood L'Oceanogràfic, the largest aquarium in Europe. The star of the complex is without a doubt the spectacular L'Hemisfèric – a building ‘made whole’ as a huge human eye when reflected in its surrounding pond. I half expected to see Westworld’s Charlotte Hale step out of the Delos headquarters (IYKYK). My modernist bucket filled, we made our way back to the Juliet balconies and ornate doors of the old town, Ciutat Vella. In medieval times it was surrounded by the Muralla Cristiana (the Christian Wall) and only two of the original 14th century gates still stand, one being Torres de Serranos. Initially built to defend Valencia from siege, over the years it has been a prison for knights and nobles, hosted official ceremonies for Kings, and even protected artworks during the Spanish Civil War. I paid the princely sum of €2 and climbed to the parapets for a panoramic view of the Valencia’s Gothic, Romanesque and Neoclassical architecture. The old town’s one-way streets below were extremely walkable if somewhat deceptive. “If it’s big enough for a car, expect a car,” advised my friend Sarah, as we shared what looked like wide footpaths with e-scooters, Segways, and electric Peugeots. “Look, see that?” she said, pointing to a manhole cover. “There, above the crown…”. The shape of a bat, wings spread, sat atop Valencia’s coat of arms, stamped into the cast iron cover. Legend has it that in 1238 a noisy bat awoke King Juame 1, warning him of a surprise enemy attack and giving him time to defeat the Moorish invaders. Despite the interesting history lesson it was the odour emanating from below that caught my attention. My hosts, both in olfactory denial, had obviously got used to Valencia’s sewerage smell long ago, but ‘Spain drain’ is real and the city’s antiquated pipes are particularly pungent during humid weather. Not that it was putting off any tourists; the clacking of suitcases across cobblestones only stopped when visitors paused to admire the street art in front of them. An urban canvas of walls, shutters and roller doors, Valencia’s El Carmen neighbourhood is an eclectic mix of graffiti by taggers such as Deih, Hyuro and Xelon. David de Limón’s masked ninja peaks out from behind lamp posts, while Disneylexya’s large scale Latin-American illustrations cover entire walls. Urban art is such an integral part of the city that the contemporary gallery Centre del Carme is holding an exhibition on its origins. Art has long been part of Valencia and nowhere more so than Iglesia de San Nicolás de Bari y San Pedro Mártir de Valencia, or San Nicolás for short. Having pre-purchased tickets to this 750-year-old church we didn’t have to wait long before picking up our audio guides. And then we looked up. Nicknamed the ‘Sistine Chapel of Valencia’, San Nicolás’ ribbed-vault ceiling is simply magnificent. Painted in Baroque frescoes that stretch all the way from the altar to the baptismal font, depictions of archangels, saints, apostles, and cherubs look down upon the headphone-wearing visitors below. Like many a historic site San Nicolás is using 21 st technology to introduce a new generation to its attractions. We stayed for La Luz de San Nicolás, an immersive video show that transforms the Gothic architecture with beams of light, projects heavenly flowers across the frescoes, and fills the nave with divine ethereal music. Impressive as it was, Fernando wasn’t sure that the already beautiful church needed it. Three short blocks away was a more traditional slice of Valencia, the Mercat Central. Like Barcelona, Valencia has its own language – Valencian – and here a market is not a ‘mercado’ but a ‘mercat’ and there is none bigger than the Mercat Central. Pescaderos (fish mongers), fruiters (green grocers), and pastissers (sweet sellers) all have their sections but it is the charcutiers who are the busiest. Under hanging legs of jamón ibérico, Jose Vicente was handing over prime cuts accompanied by local cheeses, catering to customers ducking in during the siesta. Ahhh the siesta. Valencia still honours the afternoon rest period although not for sleeping these days, with the majority of small-to-mid-size shops closing between 2-5pm then reopening until 8pm. Even the shops that don’t have split shifts remain open late, before the al fresco restaurants start filling up quickly for dinner. As you’d expect for the birthplace of paella, food holds a special place here – Valencians eat five times a day – so it was only right that we went to one of Fernando’s favourite eateries, Kiosko La Pérgola. Perched up on barstools we ordered two large bocadillos, half and half sandwiches of beef tenderloin, ham, cheese, tomato, bacon and salsa verde, which were promptly cut in half again giving us eight minis. Eating over the hum of the kitchen, we watched servers enthusiastically leaning out to talk to locals and visitors alike. Unlike other Spanish destinations, visitors are welcome here (side eye emoji to Barcelona), and although Valencia is the country’s third biggest city at no stage did it feel overcrowded with tourists. Even the Line 3 metro back to the Aeroporto was busy but not packed with travellers. In the departures hall I hugged my tour guide farewell, thanking him for showing me the best of Valencia. It was time to put on my jacket again. Original publication: The Post < Previous Next >

Articles by Guy Needham in international magazines and newspapers. Articles ARTICLES 29 Nov 2025 Viva Valencia Sunday Star-Times “Seriously man, what are you wearing?” My friend Fernando was jacket shaming me in the Valencia arrivals hall, not-so-subtly pointing out how hot it was. “What is wrong with you?!” With mock indignation I removed my jacket – and then proceeded to sweat profusely anyway. Read More 10 Oct 2025 The making of a pencil case Substack A pencil case, keeper of memories and three-way pens, lives in that no-mans-land of utilitarian nostalga and scholastic glory. In Lisbon, a city known for its leatherwork, a pencil case is much more than a convenient carrier; it’s a culmination of artisanal training, pre-cut patterns and naked flame. Read More 29 Sept 2025 Magical Māpua The Press We’d been in the village for less than half an hour before we were propositioned. Usually, I’m a little wary of strangers inviting me to their house but the tall man in the grey hoodie insisted. “It’s only three minutes away,” he said with a straight face and slight accent. “You should come.” So we slowly followed him down the road. Read More 23 Jun 2025 Opening up Angola The Post My guide turned to me. “I’m lonely,” he said. Oh OK, this is going to be an interesting trip. “No, no, that is my name. My Bantu name is Uliwa which means Lonely. I have no idea why my mother called me that, I have seven brothers and sisters!” And so began a weeklong friendship of Angolan stories and Afropop beats in the cabin of a Hilux. Read More 6 Jul 2024 Asia's overlooked Gem Copy Sunday Star-Times “The Pope, The Pope!” A construction worker was vigourously waving his arms and yelling at me. “The Pope, no entrada!” Seeing my obvious confusion, he came running over and introduced himself by way of tattooed name on his forearm. Pito explained that the attraction I had come to see, was closed, in preparation for a visit from the Pontiff. Read More 19 Mar 2024 Why Bluff is the New Hotspot you must Visit New Zealand Herald The town known for those fat juicy you-know-whats, and the place where every New Zealand fundraising ride / walk / tour seems to end, is having a modern-day renaissance. Bluff is one of the oldest settlements in New Zealand but rather than resting on its oyster laurels its quickly becoming a destination of its own. Read More 5 Mar 2024 Cruising down the Highway 35 New Zealand Herald I first saw it through a 1973 Holden Belmont station wagon’s smoke-stained window. Staring back at 11-year-old me was a blue and yellow sign: ‘Pig Dog Training School / Bookbinder’. Located just outside of Torere, Joshua Kauta’s iconic landmark still stands, symbolising the next 300 kilometres. Known yet mysterious, friendly yet wary, this is the East Coast. Read More 16 Feb 2024 Wayang Kulit Makers of Java The Jungle Journal Indonesia’s centuries-old shadow puppet-making tradition as practiced by artisans today Read More 24 Jan 2024 The Last Great Hunter Gatherers The Travel Almanac The leader reaches in between the freshly cut, drooping skin and through to the open organ cavity. Twisting his hand with a precision that only comes with age, he pulls out the bloody liver. The baboon dripping in front of him will be dinner, and perhaps breakfast, for the four families gathered under the ledge. Read More 14 Dec 2023 A Horim The Travel Almanac Deep in the Baliem Valley of Indonesia’s Papua region, size really does matter. The Dani tribe, first discovered by air in 1938 and still isolated in the mountains today, are known for a particular appendage: the horim. Read More 8 Nov 2023 A Spell in Salem New Zealand Herald “Salem has 400 years of history, yet all people want to talk about was the single worst year we ever had”. Our gregarious Witch City Walking Tour guide, Sean, with tongue firmly planted in cheek, introduced us to what put this Massachusetts town on the map – the Salem Witch Trials. Read More 1 Nov 2023 The Land of the Toraja Otago Daily Times As I left the room, I respectfully bowed my head and thanked my host, Tanjkeara. His wife, Francisca, who I had met at a cock fight had invited me into their home, impressing upon me that her husband spoke English, Dutch and Bahasa. As it was Tanjkeara didn’t say much - he hadn’t since he had died three years ago. Read More 25 Oct 2023 Falling for New England New Zealand Herald As the road softly curved under a canopy of maples, rusty reds and golden yellows tumbled to the ground. A solitary man, belt braces strapped over his checked shirt, stood out against the wall of crimson trees. Tailgate down on his Chevy pickup, twin American flags bookending his sign, his bottles of homemade liquid sweetness magnified the sun’s rays. Read More 9 Aug 2023 Hidden Gisborne New Zealand Herald The runway was approaching and we still didn’t have clearance. We’d reduced speed but the control tower was looming closer. Suddenly we got the green light. “There it is,” pointed Geoff, “Up in the tower”. Sure enough, a green light beamed back at us, permission to continue on the railway that cuts through Gisborne’s airport. Read More 22 Mar 2022 Palliser and Pinnacles New Zealand Herald “38!!” laughed Alison, when I asked her the population of Ngawi, the small fishing village we’d just set out from. We were aboard the fishing vessel Elan skippered by her husband Andrew, who had generously agreed to take me for ‘a spin around the point’. Read More 26 Jan 2020 Peru Navidad Sunday Star-Times Marden was ashen, it was obvious that the poison was starting to take effect. I knew what would happen next – the toxins making their way into his bloodstream, then his glands and finally hitting his central nervous system. With a small first aid kit there was nothing I could do. Not that he wanted me to. Read More 13 Oct 2019 Barcelona Nights New Zealand Herald “Li-ber-tat! Li-ber-tat!” The chant was sweeping across the square like a Catalan wave. The crowd ignored the soaring heat to remind the world that their pro-independence leaders were still in exile or jail. “Libertat-del-presos-politics!!” Read More 21 Aug 2019 Disappointing a Nun New Zealand Herald Vasillia gently touched my arm and leant in. “You are an Orthodox at heart,” she whispered, her eyes lighting up. “Yes, yes, I can see it inside you!” For the first time in my life I had to disappoint a nun. Read More 11 Dec 2018 Kenya's Lion Warriors New Zealand Herald "Um, aren’t we a little low?!” shouted my fellow passenger over the Cessna’s engine. She was right of course, we were only 50 metres above the ground and below us impala were scattering everywhere. “No, of course not,” I reassured her while secretly enjoying a personal ‘Out of Africa’ moment as she gripped the armrest. Read More 6 Apr 2018 Colour in the Streets Get Lost Magazine I was warned about getting shot in Colombia. The balaclava, reflective sunglasses and combat fatigues in the southern city of Pasto were a giveaway. I should have just run. Instead, I'm hit twice - not with bullets but with white foam shooting out of a canister by a 12-year old boy shouting “Viva Pasto!” Read More 25 Feb 2018 When Two Worlds Collide Sunday Star-Times “Smash it on the head” yelled Geranio, our guide. “Quick!” The freshly caught piranha was flip-flopping in a desperate attempt to get back to water, sharp teeth biting at air as I brought a rotting stick down upon its head. Minewa, a 60-year old local tribesman, added it to his string of dead fish and smiled at me. “Now you are a warrior!’”, laughed Geranio. Read More 24 Oct 2017 The Mentawai of Indonesia New Zealand Herald “Hold on, I just need to scrape something off…” My guide had removed his gumboot and was reaching for a knife. Slowly he sliced the blade down his leg to remove the blood sucking leech that had attached itself to him. “Welcome to Mentawai!” he said with a broad grin. Read More 12 Jun 2017 Guiding Principles New Zealand Herald Even the most ardent solo traveller at some stage will need a guide - someone who knows their cantons from their arrondissements better than you do. I’ve used more than 20 guides around the world, from well-known tour companies to random taxi drivers, so here are a few simple tips that might help you out. Read More 2 May 2017 Where the Ocean meets the Sky New Zealand Herald “In the olden days,” began Apinelu, a tone of longing in his voice, “it was never this hot. Never. Now everything has changed, not just the sea.” It was a very still 33° and my earlobes were sweating. Welcome to the small island nation of Tuvalu. Read More 3 May 2016 Deep in the Heart of Texas New Zealand Herald Y’all not from round here, are ya? Ain’t nobody drinks Budddd. This is Shiner Bock country, sir.” And with that the barman passed over a golden-labelled bottle of ale. I was in Luckenbach, Texas, population 3, a small town in the Hill Country west of San Antonio. Read More 2 Feb 2016 On Safari in the Masaii Mara Sunday Star-Times The lion was just metres away now. “Look, he’s trying to find some shade so the meat doesn’t rot quickly,” whispered my guide, Nicholas. In the big cat’s mouth was a Maasai calf, being unceremoniously dragged across the plain towards a desert date tree. It was nature at its primeval best in Kenya’s most famous game park. Read More 12 Jan 2016 Better than a Band Aid New Zealand Herald “Don’t worry ‘bout a thing, cause every little thing, gonna be al-riiight…” It seemed only appropriate that Bob Marley blared out the front of the pick-up as we bounced along the dirt road. After all, this was the country of Emperor Haile Selassie, recognised by Rastafarians as the Massiah of African Redemption and head of their religion. Read More 4 Jun 2015 Why Albania Let's Travel “Why Albania?” “Why not?” “What have they done to us?” “What have they done for us?” “Nothing….” “See, they keep to themselves. Shifty. Untrustable.” Read More 26 Apr 2015 The Strangest Town in Australia Sunday Star-Times We both looked up. It was a strange sound, obviously unfamiliar to my host. “When was the last time it rained here?” I asked. A pause. “Um… this is the first time this year. Might settle the dust though,” said Nick laconically. Perhaps a good omen to mark the centenary of what some would say is Australia’s strangest town. Read More 5 Feb 2015 Off-grid Ocean Journey New Zealand Herald “When the alarm goes you grab this,” Officer Cadet Dusan said as he pointed to my lifejacket. “And this.” An orange survival suit. “We muster on C Deck, starboard side.” I didn’t know if it was a good or bad thing that my welcome was bringing up Titanic-like thoughts. Read More 12 Feb 2013 Leap of Faith The Press Oh my god, he’s going to do it!” screeched the American teenager to my left. Sure enough with a quick wave to the crowd, a furtive glance downwards and a tuck of the pants, over he leapt. One of Mostar’s bridge-jumpers had just taken the plunge into the icy Neretva River below. I’d just witnessed something that wasn’t possible two decades before. Read More 17 Jan 2013 An Eye on Hvar Horizons Dominion Post A car’s side mirror on a plinth. Next to it, a mounted set of papier mache breasts. Between them, a hanging axe. I was standing in front of one of the world’s strangest – and strangely inviting – exhibitions. Read More 13 May 2011 Spires of Patagonia The Press Before you pull out the atlas, a word of warning: Patagonia isn’t officially a 'place' as such. Rather it’s the name given to an area spanning southern Argentina and Chile, and everything you have heard about it – barren, windswept, sparse and beautiful – is true. Read More 26 Apr 2011 Brazil Rediscovered Que Magazine We clap our hands for many things, but until this year I’d never actually applauded the sun going down – that is, until I was at Ipanema. Read More 11 Mar 2011 A Flying Visit Let's Travel It might not have been the largest plane in the world but it certainly was the friendliest. As we disembarked to the hot sticky tarmac, the pilot literally poked his head out of the cockpit to say “bye” to each of us, adding a cheery “Welcome to Gizzy!” Read More 28 Oct 2010 The Greatest Train Journey in the World The Press Platform 3, Beijing Railway Station. And there she was - the fabled Trans-Siberian, ready to take me on the longest train journey in the world. A surreal three countries, five time zones and 8300km of steppe, snow and stations lay ahead... but first of all there was Beijing. Read More 14 Apr 2009 Morocco in Focus New Zealand Herald When you're in Morocco colour is inescapable. The contrasts, hues and shades that make up this North African country are evident from the moment you land. Travelling through the country is an unbelievably vivid experience, an intoxicating blend of colours, photo opportunities mixed with spicy smells and the strange sounds of a foreign land. Read More 10 Feb 2009 A Date with Hizbollah Real Travel For years the name Beirut evoked images of a vicious civil war and a hotspot of clashing cultures. It’s been a while since tourists flocked to the ‘Paris of the Middle East’, so you can imagine my surprise when I discovered a Lebanon of high class fashion, vibrant beauty, worldly citizens and some of the most amazing nightlife in the Middle East. Read More see tear sheets >

Articles ARTICLES 19 Mar 2024 Why Bluff is the New Hotspot you must Visit New Zealand Herald The town known for those fat juicy you-know-whats, and the place where every New Zealand fundraising ride / walk / tour seems to end, is having a modern-day renaissance. Bluff is one of the oldest settlements in New Zealand but rather than resting on its oyster laurels its quickly becoming a destination of its own. Read More 5 Mar 2024 Cruising down the Highway 35 New Zealand Herald I first saw it through a 1973 Holden Belmont station wagon’s smoke-stained window. Staring back at 11-year-old me was a blue and yellow sign: ‘Pig Dog Training School / Bookbinder’. Located just outside of Torere, Joshua Kauta’s iconic landmark still stands, symbolising the next 300 kilometres. Known yet mysterious, friendly yet wary, this is the East Coast. Read More 8 Nov 2023 A Spell in Salem New Zealand Herald “Salem has 400 years of history, yet all people want to talk about was the single worst year we ever had”. Our gregarious Witch City Walking Tour guide, Sean, with tongue firmly planted in cheek, introduced us to what put this Massachusetts town on the map – the Salem Witch Trials. Read More 25 Oct 2023 Falling for New England New Zealand Herald As the road softly curved under a canopy of maples, rusty reds and golden yellows tumbled to the ground. A solitary man, belt braces strapped over his checked shirt, stood out against the wall of crimson trees. Tailgate down on his Chevy pickup, twin American flags bookending his sign, his bottles of homemade liquid sweetness magnified the sun’s rays. Read More 9 Aug 2023 Hidden Gisborne New Zealand Herald The runway was approaching and we still didn’t have clearance. We’d reduced speed but the control tower was looming closer. Suddenly we got the green light. “There it is,” pointed Geoff, “Up in the tower”. Sure enough, a green light beamed back at us, permission to continue on the railway that cuts through Gisborne’s airport. Read More 13 Oct 2019 Barcelona Nights New Zealand Herald “Li-ber-tat! Li-ber-tat!” The chant was sweeping across the square like a Catalan wave. The crowd ignored the soaring heat to remind the world that their pro-independence leaders were still in exile or jail. “Libertat-del-presos-politics!!” Read More 21 Aug 2019 Disappointing a Nun New Zealand Herald Vasillia gently touched my arm and leant in. “You are an Orthodox at heart,” she whispered, her eyes lighting up. “Yes, yes, I can see it inside you!” For the first time in my life I had to disappoint a nun. Read More 11 Dec 2018 Kenya's Lion Warriors New Zealand Herald "Um, aren’t we a little low?!” shouted my fellow passenger over the Cessna’s engine. She was right of course, we were only 50 metres above the ground and below us impala were scattering everywhere. “No, of course not,” I reassured her while secretly enjoying a personal ‘Out of Africa’ moment as she gripped the armrest. Read More 24 Oct 2017 The Mentawai of Indonesia New Zealand Herald “Hold on, I just need to scrape something off…” My guide had removed his gumboot and was reaching for a knife. Slowly he sliced the blade down his leg to remove the blood sucking leech that had attached itself to him. “Welcome to Mentawai!” he said with a broad grin. Read More 12 Jun 2017 Guiding Principles New Zealand Herald Even the most ardent solo traveller at some stage will need a guide - someone who knows their cantons from their arrondissements better than you do. I’ve used more than 20 guides around the world, from well-known tour companies to random taxi drivers, so here are a few simple tips that might help you out. Read More 2 May 2017 Where the Ocean meets the Sky New Zealand Herald “In the olden days,” began Apinelu, a tone of longing in his voice, “it was never this hot. Never. Now everything has changed, not just the sea.” It was a very still 33° and my earlobes were sweating. Welcome to the small island nation of Tuvalu. Read More 3 May 2016 Deep in the Heart of Texas New Zealand Herald Y’all not from round here, are ya? Ain’t nobody drinks Budddd. This is Shiner Bock country, sir.” And with that the barman passed over a golden-labelled bottle of ale. I was in Luckenbach, Texas, population 3, a small town in the Hill Country west of San Antonio. Read More 12 Jan 2016 Better than a Band Aid New Zealand Herald “Don’t worry ‘bout a thing, cause every little thing, gonna be al-riiight…” It seemed only appropriate that Bob Marley blared out the front of the pick-up as we bounced along the dirt road. After all, this was the country of Emperor Haile Selassie, recognised by Rastafarians as the Massiah of African Redemption and head of their religion. Read More 5 Feb 2015 Off-grid Ocean Journey New Zealand Herald “When the alarm goes you grab this,” Officer Cadet Dusan said as he pointed to my lifejacket. “And this.” An orange survival suit. “We muster on C Deck, starboard side.” I didn’t know if it was a good or bad thing that my welcome was bringing up Titanic-like thoughts. Read More 14 Apr 2009 Morocco in Focus New Zealand Herald When you're in Morocco colour is inescapable. The contrasts, hues and shades that make up this North African country are evident from the moment you land. Travelling through the country is an unbelievably vivid experience, an intoxicating blend of colours, photo opportunities mixed with spicy smells and the strange sounds of a foreign land. Read More see tear sheets >

< Back Jacket-shaming in Valencia 29 Nov 2025 In today's Sunday Star-Times you can read all about how Valencia is once again the hot place to travel in Spain - full of modernism, tradition, siestas and art. It’s been nearly 20 years since 25,000 New Zealanders came through Valenica, enduring the humidity during the 2007 Americas Cup. After the cup moved on most Kiwis didn’t hear much about Valencia – that is, until last October’s devastating flood... You can read the whole article here (paywalled) < Previous Next >

Latest news and updates from Guy Needham. LATEST NEWS 29 Nov 2025 Jacket-shaming in Valencia In today's Sunday Star-Times you can read all about how Valencia is once again the hot place to travel in Spain - full of modernism, tradition, siestas and art. Read More 28 Oct 2025 Kanamutico meets Boston A portrait of Kanamutico of the Vatwa tribe will be on display in the US for the first time, as part of the Griffin Museum of Photography's Winter Solstice exhibition. Read More 21 Oct 2025 Behind the scenes in Lisbon In Lisbon, a city known for its leatherwork, a pencil case is much more than a convenient carrier; it’s a culmination of artisanal training, pre-cut patterns and naked flame... Read More 14 Oct 2025 Ciao Vatwa The Vatwa will be popping up in Rome at the Galleria Arte Roma Design in early January 2026. Read More 6 Oct 2025 The Vatwa go to Melbourne Melbourne's Ladder Art Space will be showing the Vatwa exhibition as part of their 2026 programme, bringing to Australia one of Angola's most intriguing tribes. Read More 28 Sept 2025 Māpua Magic This week The Press featured my article on Māpua, a pocket of paradise on the Waimea Inlet 30 minutes from Nelson, that blends natural encounters with artisan flair and friendly style. Read More 23 Sept 2025 Exposição os Dani Guy Needham's inaugural exhibition in Portugal, Os Dani, opened in Lisboa this weekend hosted by PsiRelacional and Incubator Photo Gallery. Read More 6 Sept 2025 The Dani go to Portugal Guy Needham's first exhibition in Portugal brings The Dani of Papua to Lisbon, courtesy of Incubator Gallery Read More 19 Aug 2025 Lubango Local chosen for Athens An image of a just-emptied train carriage at a railway station on the outskirts of Lubango, Angola, has been selected for a global travel exhibition in Athens, Greece. Read More 8 Jul 2025 Thinking clouds Fieldfare - a print journal celebrating our connection to place with a longer, slower read - recently published its favourite reader travel photos on Substack. Mine was one of them... Read More 20 Jun 2025 Opening up Angola This week in The Post is my story about the new Angola - a country made rich by oil, gas, gold and diamonds, that has a tumultuous recent history and is now on a path to attract more tourists... Read More 2 Jan 2025 First Rodeo in the World This week Guy Needham went along with thousands of others to watch the first rodeo to be held in the world each year, the Warkworth Rodeo... Read More 3 Aug 2024 More in Timor-Leste Today's Sunday Star-Times features my latest travel article, this one on Asia's youngest country. From fish on a stick to preparing to the Pope, read about what makes this country between Indonesia and Australia so special. Read More 5 Jul 2024 Working with Red Cross CVTL Last week Guy Needham joined Bin Sar of On Shoot Timor-Leste in the Timorese region of Covalima to deliver a three-day photography and communications training session to Red Cross CVTL Timor-Leste... Read More 4 Mar 2024 Not the Bluff you think you know Pick up a copy of the New Zealand Herald's Travel magazine for my latest story on Bluff. The town known for those fat juicy you-know-whats, and the place where every New Zealand fundraising ride / walk / tour seems to end, is having a modern-day renaissance... Read More 3 Jan 2024 Yellowstone meets Warkworth The Warkworth Rodeo, held north of Auckland New Zealand, didn't disappoint with its annual gathering of cowboys and cowgirls. Read More 22 Dec 2023 The Last Great Hunter-Gatherers "The leader reaches in between the freshly cut, drooping skin and through to the open organ cavity. Twisting his hand with a precision that only comes with age, he pulls out the bloody liver." Read More 4 Dec 2023 Java's sacred Shadow Puppets The Jungle Journal has just published Guy Needham's photo essay on the wayang kulit, Indonesia’s centuries-old shadow puppet tradition. Read More 10 Nov 2023 NZ Camera 2023 Lokop Mabel, one of the elders of the Dani tribe in Papua's Anemoigi village, features in NZ Camera 2023. Read More 24 Oct 2023 Falling for New England Want to know the best way to sell maple syrup in Vermont? Or where to go for the annual pumpkin' chuckin' contest? Read More 27 Sept 2023 The Dani come to Auckland In Guy Needham's first New Zealand show in three years, The Dani is now showing at The Grey Place in Auckland. Read More 17 Sept 2023 On show in Barcelona Europe's first showing of The Dani is now live at Barcelona's Fotonostrum Gallery, accompanied by background on the tribe itself. Read More 10 Sept 2023 Lokop Mabel wins Portrait Award Lokop Mabel of The Dani tribe has won another award, this time the Portrait category in the international Shoot The Frame competition. Read More 20 Jul 2023 The Huli at Webb's Webb's upcoming Material Culture auction, a celebration of the mastery and skill of indigenous artists and their craft, will feature images from The Hull of Papua New Guinea. Read More 9 May 2023 Domi Logo goes to Athens An image of Domi Logo, one of the elders of the Dani tribe, has been selected for an international Portraits exhibition in Athens, Greece. Read More 9 Mar 2023 Photographers for Ukraine Guy Needham and a number of photographers worldwide have joined together to raise funds for UNICEF Ukraine via Portugal's Incubator Gallery. Read More 30 Nov 2022 Yunita Mabel wins Bronze Fresh off winning the Portrait award for Shoot The Frame, and ashowing at the Indian Photography Festival, this image of Yunita Mabel has just won Bronze at the Budapest International Foto Awards. Read More 15 Nov 2022 From Papua to Boston Boston's Griffin Museum of Photography will be the first United States gallery to feature one of the Dani tribe from Indonesia's Papua region. Read More 11 Sept 2022 Aman Ipai honoured in Vienna A monochromatic portrait of Aman Ipai, one of the Mentawai of Indonesia, has been selected for the Vienna International Photo Awards. Read More 5 Sept 2022 Two Dani in Scotland Two images of Dani elders taken outside their pilamo or men's hut, have been selected for the Glasgow Gallery of Photography's Portraits exhibition. Read More 30 Aug 2022 Hadzabe Girl wins Silver Hadzabe Girl has won Silver at the prestigious 2022 Prix de la Photographie de Paris in France. Read More 8 Jul 2022 Yunita Mabel wins Shoot The Frame A portrait of a young Dani woman, Yunita Mabel, from the Papua region of Indonesia has won the Portrait Award for Shoot The Frame. Read More 14 Jun 2022 The Dani go to the USA An image of a Mika Logo, a boy from the Dani tribe in the Papua region of Indonesia, has been selected for Praxis Gallery's international Portraits exhibition. Read More 22 Mar 2022 Palliser & Pinnacles Check out the cover story of today's Herald Travel section to read all about New Zealand's only red-and-white striped lighthouse, the country's biggest fur seal colony... Read More 8 Dec 2021 Carnaval in Suitcase Magazine The latest issue of travel + culture magazine SUITCASE features a photo essay of images Guy Needham took at the Carnaval de Blancos y Negros. Read More 25 Sept 2021 6th Biennial of Fine Art & Documentary Photography December sees The Hadzabe of Tanzania continue its world tour in Barcelona, as part of the 6th Biennial of Fine Art & Documentary Photography. Read More 13 Sept 2021 La Mercè selected for US exhibition La Mercè, an image taken for a New Zealand Herald article, has been selected for Praxis Gallery's International Juried Photography Exhibition. Read More 7 May 2021 Opening Night in Melbourne Last night saw the opening of The Hadzabe of Tanzania in Melbourne, Australia, where guests found out about the Hadzabe's traditional nomadic lifestyle of dirt, baboons and clicks. Read More 23 Apr 2021 Six Tribes donates to Barcelona Following its inaugural showing at Atelier Güell, a limited number of Six Tribes prints will be on show in Barcelona from April 24 to May 15 at the gallery. Read More 21 Apr 2021 Tales of the Unwritten Nashi Boy, as featured in Metro magazine and the Royal Photographic Society's The Decisive Moment, has been selected for a street photography book and exhibition in Italy. Read More 9 Apr 2021 Hadzabe Girl at Center for Photographic Art Fresh on the back of winning silver in the 2020 SGIPA International Photography Awards, Hadzabe Girl has been selected from amongst 2000 submissions to be part of the Center of Photographic Art's 2021 Juried Exhibition Read More 16 Nov 2020 Hadzabe Girl wins Silver Hadzabe Girl, a Dickenesque portrait taken in the Laye Eyasi district of Tanzania, has been announced as one of the winners in the 2020 SGIPA International Photography Awards. Read More 19 Oct 2020 Samburu Opening Night Hundreds of people made it along to the inaugural showing of the Samburu of Kenya on the Opening Night and throughout Auckland Artweek. Read More 3 Oct 2020 The Samburu on RNZ National On RNZ National Guy Needham joins Colin Peacock to discuss his work and the intimate portraits he created of the Samburu tribe in northern Kenya. Read More 2 Oct 2020 Aman Ipai overlooks Florida Aman Ipai, also known as 'The Mentawai Smoker' is being shown as part of the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts' exhibition this month. Read More 19 Sept 2020 The Hadzabe in Portrait Magazine Portrait Magazine, a digital publication dedicated to portrait photography, has chosen The Hadzabe of Tanzania to be featured in its latest issue amongst six other photographic projects. Read More 21 Aug 2020 Flowers for Basel A select group of images from "There are always flowers (for those who want to see them) - Henri Matisse" will be making an appearance in a virtual exhibition in Basel, Switzerland. Read More 20 Aug 2020 New Zealand Camera 2020 Hadzabe Girl has been included in the just-released 2020 New Zealand Camera Book. Read More 4 Jul 2020 Lake Tekapo X Los Angeles A photo taken at sunrise at New Zealand's Lake Tekapo has been selected for the upcoming The Golden Hour exhibition at the Auburn Art Gallery in Los Angeles. Read More 2 Jun 2020 Hadzabe Kudu in F-Stop magazin Online photography magazine F-Stop has included two of the Hadzabe series in its June issue - Hadzabe Boy and Hadzabe Kudu. Read More 14 Apr 2020 Goroka Boy goes to the United States Goroka Boy, an image taken in the central Highlands of Papua New Guinea, has been selected for Praxis Gallery's international juried Portraits exhibition. Read More 3 Apr 2020 There are always flowers "There are always flowers (for those who want to see them) - Henri Matisse" is a series designed to bring light to the dark days of Coronavirus. Read More 20 Jan 2020 Jaguars in the Jungle In this coming weekend's Sunday Star-Times you can read all about how I helplessly watched on as my guide was slowly poisoned... Read More 4 Dec 2019 LA Center of Photography Member of the Month Guy Needham has been selected as LACP's Member of the Month for his Tribal series. Read More 16 Nov 2019 Hadzabe Girl in Budapest Next week Hadzabe Girl appears as part of a group exhibition to be held at Budapest's Ferencvárosi Művelődési Központ. Read More 5 Nov 2019 Kilts meet Kudu Two of Guy Needham's indigenous portraits, Hadzabe Smoker (wearing a kudu skin) from the Hadzabe of Tanzania series, and Final Touches from The Huli of Papua New Guinea, will go on show for the first time in the UK. Read More 8 Oct 2019 Tower to the People "Squinting up, we could make out a young girl in a red helmet scrambling towards the top. The crowd was told to shush. Plaça de Sant Juame fell silent as we held our collective breath..." Read More 28 Sept 2019 First Place win in Florida Hadzabe Girl has taken away 1st Place in the People & Portraits category at the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts. Read More 19 Sept 2019 Six Tribes opens in Barcelona On the back of its first showing in Athens, Six Tribes opens in Barcelona tomorrow night in the historic Raval area. Read More 18 Aug 2019 Castles in the Sky If you want to read about why I disappointed a Nun while gazing out from ancient monasteries perched atop towering pinnacles of rock in Meteora, Greece, pick up a copy of this Tuesday's New Zealand Herald. Read More 30 May 2019 Shoot The Frame book out now Two of Guy Needham's portraits - Aman Teutagougou and Hadzabe Smoker - grace the pages of the latest Shoot The Frame photobook. Read More 29 May 2019 The Hadzabe opens in Auckland The sixth instalment of Guy Needham's tribal series opened in Auckland last night to a packed Grey gallery. Read More 23 May 2019 Monochrome in Hungary Aman Ipai, one of the lead images in The Mentawai of Indonesia series, has been selected as part of a group Monochrome exhibition to be held in Budapest next month. Read More 17 Apr 2019 Der Letzte Schliff geht nach Berlin Final Touches, from The Huli of Papua New Guinea series, is making an appearance at Berlin's Jarvis Dooney gallery throughout April. Read More 15 Apr 2019 Judging for Crete Guy Needham has been selected as one of the international jury for the upcoming Chania International Photo Festival. Read More 23 Feb 2019 Auckland Festival of Photography Guy Needham's The Hadzabe of Tanzania has been selected for the Core programme of this year's Auckland Festival of Photography. Read More 9 Feb 2019 Greece welcomes Éxi Fylés Last night Éxi Fylés (six tribes) opened at the Blank Wall Gallery in Athens, with a show-and-tell opening night. Read More 19 Jan 2019 First Peoples in D-Photo magazine Pick up a copy of the latest D-Photo magazine to read the feature article about my time with the Hadzabe of Tanzania Read More 11 Dec 2018 Pride of Kenya If you want to know about drinking goat's blood and tracking lions, pick up a copy of today's New Zealand Herald. Read More 4 Dec 2018 The Hadzabe go to the US Hadzabe Smoker, the lead image of The Hadzabe of Tanzania series, will have its US debut next month in the SE Center for Photography. Read More 26 Sept 2018 The Hamar in Vermont Vermont's PhotoPlace Gallery has selected one of Guy Needham's Hamar of Ethiopia images for its upcoming Travel exhibition. Read More 14 Jul 2018 PhotoKina Germany Final Touches, the lead image of Guy Needham's The Huli of Papua New Guinea series, will be on show at PhotoKina in Cologne, Germany this September. Read More 27 Jun 2018 LA meets Siberut Aman Ipai, one of the feature images of Guy Needham's The Mentawai of Indonesia series, has been selected by the Los Angeles Centre of Photography for a group exhibition. Read More 26 Jun 2018 Urban 2018 Photo Awards Guy Needham's Shades of Otara has been chosen as a Selected Series in the dotArt Urban 2018 Photo Awards out of 4,460 photos and 272 portfolios from around the world. Read More 25 Jun 2018 Chania International Photography Festival Two of Guy Needham's images from his Mentawai tribal series will be part of the inaugural Chania International Photography festival in Crete. Read More 5 Jun 2018 Huli Boy in Dutch exhibition This walking dichotomy of a young Huli boy - is he turning his back on a traditional way of life, or walking towards his future - has been selected by Rotterdam's Galerie Sehnsucht as part of its Wanderlust exhibition. Read More 15 May 2018 Resting at London Photo Festival The feature image of the Shades of Otara series is on show this week at the 2018 London Photo Festival. Read More 9 May 2018 Viva La Fiesta! The featured 'Postcard' in the latest Lonely Planet Traveller is a shot taken by Guy Needham at Colombia's Carnaval of The Blacks and Whites. Read More 8 May 2018 The Mentawai opens in Sydney The third of Guy Needham's tribal series, The Mentawai of Indonesia, is now on show in Sydney as part of Australia's Head On Photo Festival. Read More 16 Apr 2018 A Different Aspect of Reality Two of the images from The Mentawai will be shown in Athens, Greece this month as part of an international group Portraits exhibition. Read More 9 Mar 2018 Otara in the Royal Photographic Society Journal One of the most defining images of the Shades of Otara series is spotlit in this month's Royal Photographic Society's Journal. Read More 25 Feb 2018 Warriors with wi-fi The lead travel story in today's Sunday Star-Times is my experience of meeting the Waorani tribe in the Ecuadorian Amazon - and what I did not expect. Read More 25 Jan 2018 Carnaval in the Bogota Post Colombia's Bogota Post has selected an image taken by Guy Needham at the recent Carnaval de Negros y Blancos for its front page. Read More 16 Jan 2018 Colours of Colombia "All the fun of the fiesta in Latin America" is captured on the cover of the latest New Zealand Herald travel magazine. Read More 12 Jan 2018 Head on Photo Festival The third of Guy Needham's tribal series, The Mentawai of Indonesia, will be shown as part of the Head On Photo Festival in Australia this year. Read More 12 Dec 2017 The AFAR Guide to Auckland Want to know more about visiting New Zealand's 'City of Sails'? Check out this guide on AFAR.com that I locally edited, to find out the best places to stay, where to eat & drink, what to do, and of course, where to shop. Read More 24 Oct 2017 Living with the Mentawai If you'd like to know what it's really like living with an ancient tribe in the equatorial rainforest check out my latest article in the New Zealand Herald to find out about coping with leeches, rotting wood, poison arrows and medicine men. Read More 13 Sept 2017 Royal Photographic Society meets Otara The Royal Photographic Society, one of the world's premium photography institutions, is featuring a gallery of Shades of Otara on their website. Read More 19 Jul 2017 The Mentawai in D-Photo Magazine In an exclusive interview with D-Photo magazine Guy Needham talks about the lengths he went to to get the shots for his upcoming exhibition, The Mentawai of Indonesia. Read More 4 May 2017 Digital Photo Magazine's photo of the Day One of the images in the upcoming exhibition, The Mentawai of Indonesia, has featured in the US magazine Digital Photo as their Photo of the Day. Read More 2 May 2017 That Sinking Feeling “It’s fair to say that Tuvalu is unlike any other islands you’re likely to visit: small, isolated, beautiful, sleepy and sinking." Read More 15 Oct 2016 Colour Nature II released Guy Needham's latest project, a departure from his tribal work, has just been released for sale as Colour Nature (II). Read More 5 Aug 2016 The Hamar opens in Auckland The Hamar of Ethiopia opened last night in Auckland with Guy Needham sharing stories about Ethiopia and talking about the concept behind the exhibition. Read More 3 May 2016 Lone Star State of Mind “Y’all not from round here, are ya? Ain’t nobody drinks Buuuud." Ever wondered what it's like in a true cowboy town in southern Texas? Read More 14 Apr 2016 On cultural awareness Last night Guy Needham spoke at the North Shore Photographic Society about his travel photography experiences and his recent Shades of Otara exhibition. Read More 19 Jan 2016 Here to Help Guy Needham's latest article about voluntourism in Ethiopia is the cover story of the New Zealand Herald's travel section. Read More 23 Oct 2015 Issues around Permission Last night Guy Needham spoke at the Auckland Photographic Society about his travel photography experiences and his recent Shades of Otara exhibition. Read More 21 Oct 2015 Goroka selected for UK Portrait Salon The UK Portrait Salon has accepted ‘Goroka’ by Guy Needham, into the 2015 exhibition to be held in London in November. Read More 8 Jul 2015 Winner of National Geographic Traveller Competition An image taken in the highlands of Papua New Guinea by Guy Needham has won National Geographic Traveller magazine's "Colour My World" photography competition. Read More 4 Jun 2015 Why Albania “Why Albania?” “Why not?” “What have they done to us?” “What have they done for us?” “Nothing….” “See, they keep to themselves. Shifty. Untrustable.” Read More 1 Jun 2015 Shades of Otara opens Guy Needham's latest solo exhibition, Shades of Otara, opened this week at Studio One in Auckland. Read More 13 May 2015 Interview with The Photographers' Mail Adrian Hatwell of D-Photo magazine and The Photographers' Mail sat down to discuss Guy Needham's upcoming solo exhibition, Shades of Otara. Read More 26 Apr 2015 The Strangest Town in Australia We both looked up. It was a strange sound, obviously unfamiliar to my host. “When was the last time it rained here?” I asked. A pause. “Um… this is the first time this year. Might settle the dust though,” said Nick laconically. Perhaps a good omen to mark the centenary of what some would say is Australia’s strangest town. Read More 26 Apr 2015 The Strangest Town in Australia Guy Needham's latest travel article has featured in the Sunday Star-Times, about Australia's Strangest Town. Read More 5 Feb 2015 Off-grid Ocean Journey “When the alarm goes you grab this,” Officer Cadet Dusan said as he pointed to my lifejacket. “And this.” An orange survival suit. “We muster on C Deck, starboard side.” I didn’t know if it was a good or bad thing that my welcome was bringing up Titanic-like thoughts. Read More 3 Feb 2015 Off-Grid Ocean Journey Guy Needham's latest photo expedition, on a freighter across the Tasman Sea and South Pacific Ocean has featured in the New Zealand Herald's travel section. Read More 14 Nov 2014 Shades of Otara to show at Studio One Studio One in Ponsonby has confirmed that Shades of Otara - a documentary series three years in the making - will be exhibited from 25 May next year. Read More 19 Oct 2014 Photographers Meet Up group Last night Guy Needham shared his tips on safety, planning, gear and marketing with 25 other photographers at the Image Centre Meet Up group. Read More 7 Sept 2014 Someone Else's World Guy Needham's tips on preparing for overseas photoshoots is part of this month's D-Photo Magazine article on "Someone Else's World". Read More 14 Jul 2014 Colour Nature opens Guy Needham's next exhibition, Colour // Nature will be hosted by Auckland's Grand Rendezvous Hotel. Read More 1 Jul 2014 Dalmatian Cultural Society's Open Day Guy Needham's People of The Balkans exhibition is having its second showing, this time at the Dalmatian Cultural Society's Open Day in September 2014. Read More 4 Jun 2014 Opening Night for The Huli Last night saw the opening of The Huli of Papua New Guineaas part of the Auckland Festival of Photography. Read More 27 May 2014 Splendid Isolation in D-Photo magazine Guy Needham was recently interviewed by D:Photo Magazine. Read More 20 May 2014 Presentation on the Huli On Tuesday 3rd June at 6pm Guy Needham, will be talking at the opening of his latest exhibition, The Huli of Papua New Guinea. Read More 1 May 2014 Story of the Creative Some of Guy Needham's images marking the 20th anniversary of the 90s wars in the Balkans recently featured in a New York City digital exhibition, The Story of The Creative. Read More 14 Apr 2013 People of the Balkans Guy Needham's People of The Balkans solo exhibition opened yesterday at The Photographer's Gallery in Napier. Read More NEWS

Guy Needham is an international photographer noted for his work with indigenous tribes, who primarily draws on themes of culture, identity and place.

< Back Urban 2018 Photo Awards 26 Jun 2018 Guy Needham's Shades of Otara has been chosen as a Selected Series in the dotArt Urban 2018 Photo Awards out of 4,460 photos and 272 portfolios from around the world. The series, taken in South Auckland's Otara markets over a period of years, will now be considered for an exhibition to be held in the Italian city of Trieste later this year. < Previous Next >

As the road softly curved under a canopy of maples, rusty reds and golden yellows tumbled to the ground. A solitary man, belt braces strapped over his checked shirt, stood out against the wall of crimson trees. Tailgate down on his Chevy pickup, twin American flags bookending his sign, his bottles of homemade liquid sweetness magnified the sun’s rays. < Back Falling for New England New Zealand Herald 25 Oct 2023 As the road softly curved under a canopy of maples, rusty reds and golden yellows tumbled to the ground. A solitary man, belt braces strapped over his checked shirt, stood out against the wall of crimson trees. Tailgate down on his Chevy pickup, twin American flags bookending his sign, his bottles of homemade liquid sweetness magnified the sun’s rays. This is how you sell maple syrup in Vermont. Fall, as the Americans call autumn, is a golden season in New England and nowhere more so than the Green Mountain State. Ironically, it is when these mountains lose their colour that the ‘Leaf Peepers’ come out to play. Every year thousands of tourists take to Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts in an effort to catch the most vibrant yellows, burnt bronzes and deep oranges. The trick though, is the timing. ‘Peak Fall’ doesn’t send out a calendar invite in advance, and the degree to which colours change depends on the season before. If the summer is too dry the leaves will change early; too wet and they suffer from fungi and insect attacks. Then, warm sunny days and crisp nights are needed to bring out the bright hues, as the green chlorophyll breaks down and red pigment begins to emerge. Fall’s colour change begins in the higher, cooler areas first and typically runs north to south, so from late September to mid-October people get in their cars and take their chances. Among the destinations: Smugglers Notch, Vermont’s first designated Scenic Highway. At times a narrow sharp-turning lane carved out between boulders and birches, it was here that Mr Maple Syrup was selling his wares. He’d driven 30 miles that morning to find the most picturesque spot on the Notch, but not before his young granddaughters had helped out by ‘testing’ the syrup for sweetness. To the south of his glistening bottles lay one of Vermont’s most quintessential villages, Stowe. A picturesque destination when nearby Mount Mansfield is covered in snow, Stowe is also a beacon for photographers in the fall. Its white church punching through a carpet of colour is the classic New England picture postcard. The trick though, is the timing. ‘Peak Fall’ doesn’t send out a calendar invite in advance As popular as it is pretty, don’t be surprised if you end up sad-faced outside a Stowe restaurant whose earliest availability is next Wednesday, or if you have to queue to enter a boutique store. Thankfully there is more on offer in Stowe like the Annual Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival. Timed for the month of Halloween, the highly competitive event involves three rounds of launching trebuchets to hurl pumpkins as far as possible until they become… squash. Vermont’s Route 100 has long been described as the most scenic road in New England, and even the casual visitor can appreciate its beauty. Quaint red barns stand guard between rolling hills, as the light dapples onto covered bridges. Tourist attractions in their own right, Vermont’s covered bridges are typically made of timber trusses with the majority built in the 1800s for livestock and pedestrians. The reason for the roof? To protect the wooden decking and siding from the harsh elements and rot-inducing rain. Not content with just one covered bridge, the southern Vermont town of Woodstock has three of them. Named ‘The Most Beautiful Town in America’ by Traveller Magazine, and blessed with seriously impressive foliage and charming film-set-worthy buildings, you can see why it’s on many an autumnal itinerary. Woodstock is also a magnet for mountain bikers, turning their head on a swivel, hands hovering over brakes, as they soak in the colours on the outskirts of town. But not everyone welcomes the influx of insta-tourists. In neighbouring Pomfret, Windsor County deputy sheriffs have set up checkpoints after locals voted to keep tourists out, fed up with the damage to the environment, trespassing and trash left behind. Thankfully that behaviour is few and far between and it’s yet to be seen whether the ban will be repeated next fall – or expanded. Across the state line in New Hampshire, things couldn't be more different. The Saco Ranger Station warmly welcomes visitors at the beginning of ‘The Kanc’ - a 34-mile stretch of oaks, aspens and ash trees linking the towns of Conway and Lincoln. Officially named the Kancamagus Highway after Chief Kancamagus who was a leader of a confederacy of native American tribes, The Kanc is the #1 scenic route in all of New Hampshire. The HOGs know it. Harley after Harley roar into the bends, not a helmet to be seen, leather-clad nature lovers living the state motto of ‘Live Free or Die’. At picnic sites they’re joined by Bostonian day trippers and hard core hikers, all appreciating the burst of colour in the White Mountain National Forest. While there is no cellphone coverage in much of The Kanc you can pick up detailed maps at the ranger station for some old-school orientation. The first notable point of interest is the Rocky Gorge Scenic Area where a footbridge leads you past the hornets' nests to a slight hill, revealing shimmering Falls Pond. Six miles on and there’s another reason to pull over: Sabbaday Falls. A short walk from the trailhead takes you to an outstanding waterfall and emerald pool where you can appreciate the fresh scent of crisp leaves drifting down the river. White Mountain National Forest has another Notch on the fall belt - Franconia Notch. Recognised for its scenic vista of Echo Lake surrounded by deep shades of orange and red, the best vantage point is from Artists’ Bluff. Be warned: it’s a steep uneven climb to the rocky outcrop and the track does get busy, but once you reach the top it’s like your phone filter is already set to vivid. Sometimes nature doesn’t play ball. Earlier this year floods hit parts of New England, adding to the woes after a particularly harsh cold snap. While not too detrimental to the changing leaves, this was not the case for other crops. A majority of pumpkin patches were destroyed after being underwater for two days, and the traditional pick-your-own-apples became a ‘next fall’ thing to do. Even the most hardy of corn was affected, with some of the region’s family-friendly corn mazes not opening this season. Thankfully all was not lost, as every restaurant worth its pumpkin still offered its take on New Hampshire’s official state fruit: pumpkin spiced latte, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin chilli, pumpkin fudge and the ubiquitous fresh pumpkin pie. Of course, if pumpkin isn’t your thing and it’s time to take a break from all that stunning scenery, you don’t have to go far to find bacon pancakes drizzled with home-made, driven 30-miles, tested by granddaughters, maple syrup. Details Plan well in advance as accommodation books out early, and try to avoid weekends if you can The best time for viewing is in the mornings before the heavy traffic and after any fog clears Drones generally aren’t allowed over the national parks so check restrictions before you go. Some park stops require a $5 day pass that can be purchased from a ranger station Vermont Tourism: www.vermontvacation.com Stowe, VT, tourism: gostowe.com Visit New Hampshire: www.visitnh.gov Kancamagus Highway: kancamagushighway.com Smugglers Notch State Park: https://vtstateparks.com/smugglers.html Original publication: New Zealand Herald < Previous Next >

< Back The Dani go to Portugal 6 Sept 2025 Guy Needham's first exhibition in Portugal brings The Dani of Papua to Lisbon, courtesy of Incubator Gallery Saturday 20 September sees the official opening of The Dani of Papua in Lisboa, courtesy of Portugal's Incubator Gallery, to be held at Sede da PsiRelacional. Featuring a select number of prints from Guy Needham's time with the tribe in the Papua province of Indonesia, the opening night will include a question and answer session for guests. < Previous Next >

< Back Story of the Creative 1 May 2014 Some of Guy Needham's images marking the 20th anniversary of the 90s wars in the Balkans recently featured in a New York City digital exhibition, The Story of The Creative. It was one of the largest events ever put on by See|Me, featuring artists from all over the worlds in two venues in New York City, including their exhibition space at 19-26 Jackson Ave, Long Island City, Queens. < Previous Next >

Y’all not from round here, are ya? Ain’t nobody drinks Budddd. This is Shiner Bock country, sir.” And with that the barman passed over a golden-labelled bottle of ale. I was in Luckenbach, Texas, population 3, a small town in the Hill Country west of San Antonio. < Back Deep in the Heart of Texas New Zealand Herald 3 May 2016 Y’all not from round here, are ya? Ain’t nobody drinks Budddd. This is Shiner Bock country, sir.” And with that the barman passed over a golden-labelled bottle of ale. I was in Luckenbach, Texas, population 3, a small town in the Hill Country west of San Antonio. It was to be the starting point for an adventure deep into the heart of Texas, a road trip to discover the smaller side of the big state. The Hill Country is known as much for its wildflowers and Harley-hugging roads as it is for being in the Bible Belt of America – a place where God meets guns, traffic yields to longhorns, and TexMex and ribs are a staple diet. Even the towns have great names; you can travel to Welfare in the morning, visit Comfort in the afternoon and spend the night in Utopia. ‘Luckenbach, Texas’ was made famous by a Waylon Jennings song and is not so much a town as a gathering of buildings. Located just off Highway 290, the post office is also the general store and the saloon is out back. It’s renowned for its live music scene so we arrived in time to see the ‘picker circle’ – an improvised mish-mash of musicians who gather under an old oak tree and pass around a pick, each playing a song with the others joining in. "Da-da ding-ding, ding-ding, ding-ding, diiinnng," the unmistakable sound of a banjo was slowly echoed by a guitar, "Da-da ding-ding, ding-ding, ding-ding, diiinnng.” Everybody chuckled at Duelling Banjos being played, and I half expected someone to call out “Squeal like a pig, boy!” as a nod to Deliverance. Thankfully it was not to be as the banjo player ended with a flourish before passing the pick to the young cowboy on his right. He broke straight into that ol’ country classic, “Cocaine’s gonna kill my honey dead.” It was time to explore. Not far from the circle in front of a wooden building sat Cassey, co-owner of the Snail Creek Hat Co. “Howdy, y’all look like you need a hat!” While I didn’t take her up on her offer I did ask about what’s in style. “Welllllll,” she drawled, “Over yonder you can see that they come in all shapes and sizes,” pointing to the audience. “I used to be able to tell a Texan from a Dakotan just by looking at their hat but now it’s about personal preference.” She and her husband Glen use water to shape the unstructured palm leaf hats they get in. “In West Texas they angle the brim like this,” she said, folding in the sides like a paper dart. “It means the hat’s more aerodynamic and the winds just pass right on through.” Much as I was tempted to buy a cowboy hat, I opted instead to see the real thing in action, and where better than the Cowboy Capital of the World. Even the towns have great names; you can travel to Welfare in the morning, visit Comfort in the afternoon and spend the night in Utopia. Bandera, Texas, earned its moniker after the Great Western Cattle Trail drives of the 1880s, where at one stage there were more cattle and cowboys going through the main street than all the other cattle trails in the United States. More recently they’ve had a number of rodeo champions come from Bandera, which just gives extra points to their town spurs. Everywhere you look there are authentic buildings, early Americana and signs advertising the next rodeo (Friday). We were here to see the most Western event of them all – the gunslingers shootout.Every weekend the Bandera Cattle Company celebrates its heritage with a re-enactment of real scenarios from the town’s past. Taking a seat on the bleachers behind the Visitors Centre we watched as the period costumed cowboys slowly took up their positions, one drinking ‘whisky’, another playing cards, and our host, Dennis, sharing some of the local history. “God damn, that wasn’t meant to happen!” Dennis had just shot himself in the groin with a blank. It looked like it hurt. “You’re as dumb as a box of hammers!” yelled one of his compatriots to much laughter from the crowd. The show went on for an hour, with kids having the chance to be deputised afterwards. It was enough motivation for me to take the plunge and go buy some cowboy boots. After much assistance I settled on a pair of Justin’s that have been produced since 1879, “Made by his daddy’s daddy and his daddy’s granddaddy before him.” Quite chuffed with my new purchase we rocked up to our accommodation, a Texan ‘dude ranch’. There are a number of dude ranches near Bandera that offer accommodation, meals and activities all rolled into one – think of it as AirBnB meets the Warkworth Rodeo. We chose the Twin Elm “For Western Fun.” As it was getting dark when we arrived the owner pointed us towards the campfire and invited us to join her for ‘s’mores’. S’mores are a Texan treat where you roast marshmallows over a fire ‘til they’re ohhh-so-gooey and then add them to a graham cracker topped with a slice of chocolate. With full tummies the next morning we took advantage of our surrounds with a horse ride led by some of the local hands. Wading through the Medina River, past the fallen trees and down the trail, we got to experience their daily life at a leisurely pace. Bandera was also where I discovered how deeply ingrained religion is. On the way into town we noticed a number of flags at half-mast. I politely enquired when we got there, “We saw some of the flags were at half mast, has someone important died?” The lady stared straight back at me and said, “Jesus”. It was Good Friday. Moving on quickly after insulting the entire state of Texas, our next stop on the small town tour was Fredericksburg. Established by a German baron in 1846 after signing a peace treaty with the Comanche Indians, the town is considered the capital of Hill Country. Fredericksburg’s main claim to fame is being the birthplace of Admiral Chester Nimitz who led the US Pacific naval effort in World War II. The town houses the fantastic National Museum of the Pacific War and it made me proud to see the New Zealand flag flying (at full mast). “God damn, that wasn’t meant to happen!” Dennis had just shot himself in the groin with a blank. It looked like it hurt. The best part of Fredericksburg however is just outside of town. It’s called Wine Road 290 and comprises 15 different wineries in the area. In Texas a winery does not necessary mean a vineyard; it could simply be wine retailer. We didn’t let a wee detail like that put us off as we slowly pulled in to The Vintage Cellar. We’d already tried some of the local Bending Branch ‘Thinkers Blanc’ so that was a mandatory buy, but what caught my eye was the “Pour It Forward” chalkboard. Like a ‘random act of kindness’, the idea is to buy someone a drink in advance by writing up an occupation on the board. Unfortunately, no one had written ‘Parched Kiwi’ but if I’d been a fireman, marine, zookeeper or teacher it would have been a very boozy afternoon. Leaving the Hill Country the next day we noticed that the landscape had changed, speckled with political billboards. Texas is staunchly Republican – represented by Senator Ted Cruz – and even here it’s hard to escape the slogans in the midst of an election campaign. Looking around as the last of the sun’s rays lit up the wildflowers on the side of the road, we passed a “Make America Great Again” sign. Something tells me that the locals don’t have anything to worry about. This land of cowboys has never had a problem being great. Details Stay: www.twinelmranch.com Getting there: Air New Zealand flies direct Auckland to Houston (14 hours); Houston to San Antonio is a 1 hour flight; Hill Country is a 1 hour drive away Websites: www.luckenbachtexas.com www.banderacowboycapital.com Visas: Apply online for the USA ESTA visa waiver for up to 90 days Location: Hill Country, Texas, USA Original publication: New Zealand Herald < Previous Next >

< Back Six Tribes donates to Barcelona 23 Apr 2021 Following its inaugural showing at Atelier Güell, a limited number of Six Tribes prints will be on show in Barcelona from April 24 to May 15 at the gallery. The show in the historic Raval area will feature images from Papua New Guinea to Ecuador to Kenya, with proceeds to go to supporting the gallery. < Previous Next >