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Calder & Lawson Tours

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Calder & Lawson Tours

Calder and Lawson Tours is a leading tour operator with over two decades of experience in planning and operating fully escorted tours from New Zealand.

24/09/2024

Lovely Taormina was crowded with tourists, many coming to see where The White Lotus was filmed. However only the inside of the hotel was used in the programme. The beach scenes were filmed in Cefalu.
Our group was relieved to leave the crowds behind and travel high above Taormina to the small village of Castelmola where we stayed.

23/09/2024

Following the recent volcanic activity on Mt Etna, we weren’t sure whether we would make it up the mountain. We did and got to 9500 ft mostly by cable car and truck rather than walking! A dramatic landscape and lots of fun.

22/09/2024

Syracusa was buzzing when we arrived as the next day, a G7 agricultural meeting was being held there. Streets had been cleaned of rubbish. Old olive trees had been dug up and planted in the square. Large agricultural machinery was sitting in the middle of the old town of Ortigia where we stayed. However our focus in Syracusa was uncovering the incredible architectural heritage from Greek and Roman civilizations. On a visit to the Neapolis Archeological Park we saw an immense quarry, a Greek Theatre built in the 5th century BC, a Roman amphitheater from the 3rd century and the alter of Hieron II used for ritual sacrifices dedicated to Zeus. All amazing feats of construction. But intriguingly placed among these ruins were striking bronze sculptures by Igor Mitaraj, a Polish sculptor and we were captivated by them.

21/09/2024

From Jersey to Guernsey to Sark. We’ve been busy and not just sampling seafood. We’ve been walking, hanging out with Victor Hugo (he wrote Les Mis whilst in exile on Guernsey), spotting dolphins whilst on Sark ferry and much much more. Back to the mainland tomorrow, a night in Poole then via Bath to the Cotswolds.

20/09/2024

In 1693 a devastating earthquake destroyed the South eastern corner of Sicily. Many of the towns were rebuilt by the Spanish in flamboyant Baroque style. The buildings with their warm pink, soft yellow and cream coloured limestone have a homogeneous character, highly detailed ornamentation and curved facades. The faces on the corbels holding up the terraces are particularly delightful. Staying in Ragusa, we visited Noto and Modica. In Modica, we stopped at one of the oldest chocolate makers, in business since 1880 for a taste test! We have been recommended to watch a series called Detective Montalbano which is set in these stunning Baroque towns.

20/09/2024

A friend mentioned that the new Medieval garden in Hamilton Gardens, currently under construction, will take visitors back to medieval Europe. The design is inspired by the cloister garden of the monastery of San Giovanni Degli Eremiti, (St John of the hermit) built in the 12th century, featuring distinctive coupled pillars and pointed arches. We were lucky enough to visit this peaceful place as we explored Palermo.

19/09/2024

My first impression of Palermo as we arrived, was what an ugly, dirty city it was. A lot of rubbish on the streets. Ugly rectangular flat roofed apartments apparently built by the Mafia after the war. Much of the city was flattened by the bombing and still not rebuilt. But yesterday was a day for mosaics and we visited some absolute jewels. The Palatine Chapel is said to rival the Sistine Chapel in its magnificent decoration. Rather than frescoes, the walls are covered with mosaics depicting biblical scenes. The Islamic styled wooden ceiling is truly remarkable. The inside was brightly lit and the gold leaf and colored tiles sparkled and shone in the light.

17/09/2024

On from Cornwall to the Second C of the CCC trip, The Channel Islands via a night in Bournemouth. We arrived today in St Aubin after two nights in St Helier. A happy mix of walking and history.

17/09/2024

A fun night at a cooking school in Palermo. Chef Michael introduced us to some typical Sicilian dishes. Arancine al ragu, saffron flavoured rice balls filled with meat. An ancient recipe created as a snack for Arab hunters. Pasta with zucchini, followed by thin meat rolls stuffed with cheese, currants, and almonds which are skewered and roasted. Finishing with the most famous Sicilian dessert, cannoli which are fried pasty tubes filled with ricotta cream! A Sicilian feast!

17/09/2024

Zingaro became Sicilys first nature reserve in 1980. Our first walk of the tour was along this rocky coastline and beside the navy and turquoise sea. The mid 20s temperatures are pleasant for walking. In the afternoon a fascinating visit to the Trapani salt pans. This industry began with the Phoenicians and carried on by the Romans but reached its height in the 19th century when salt was considered ‘white gold’ and was sent as far away as Norway for preserving fish. A visit to a small museum introduced us to the art of salt extraction. What incredibly hard work it was when done manually!

11/09/2024

The CCC trip is in the first C - Cornwall. The weather could have been kinder at the Minack theatre but the cliff top walking has been fabulous. Plenty of Ti Kouka to keep us grounded and a visit to Tate St Ives and a 10 minute gallery talk on Frances Hodgkins who had five years in the town was an added bonus.

11/09/2024

The Troubles. What an innocuous phrase to describe decades of sectarian violence and thousands of lives lost in Northern Ireland.

The Good Friday Agreement in 1998 has ushered in a quarter of a century of relative peace, but the divide continues. Protestant/Catholic. Unionist/Nationalist. Londonderry/Derry. Words matter. Flags and murals delineate the separate communities.

We were blown away by the honest and passionate accounts by people in Derry/Londonderry and Belfast, people whose own lives had been shaped by these events and backgrounds and who opened our eyes to the currents in Ulster society today.

10/09/2024

Family connections are strong between New Zealand and Ireland, and many Kiwis can trace their roots to the Emerald Isle. Everyone in our group has gained a better understanding of why this is. The ‘push’ of severe economic deprivation and political factors. The ‘pull’ of better economic and social opportunities.

Some towns we visited had special family connections. One person visited the church his great-great-grandfather was baptised in in 1817.

For someone in our group, the link was more recent and personal. In 1942 a young New Zealand pilot was killed while training, and yesterday his nephew was able to visit his grave for the first time. The UK equivalent of the RSA recently erected a memorial near the crash site, which he also got to. Special memories.

08/09/2024

The west of Ireland continues to impress us with its beauty and absorb us with its stories.

There are pretty towns, wild coasts and attractive countryside. We visited an impressive stately home, now an abbey, and the poet W B Yeats’s grave. There’s a darker side to this area, though, with many mass graves from the Great Famine of the late 1840s.

06/09/2024

Off Ireland’s west coast lie the Aran Islands and our visit to the largest, Inis Mor, was a glimpse into many different eras. A stone fort more than 3,000 years old. Churches dating back 1,300 years.

The islanders’ everyday language is Irish (Gaelic). Farming is much less important than it was and fishing has practically ceased. Tourism has filled the gap. Depopulation is continuing, though.

The impressive cliffs on the island match the Cliffs of Moher on the mainland, which we cruised below on our return journey and had stood on top of the previous day.

05/09/2024

The landscape of the west coast of Ireland is very different from the neat and rolling fields that we’d seen in the east. Larger hills, harsher land and smaller farms spoke of a more difficult life in the past.

Though there are signs of historical depopulation, we saw old thatched cottages only in a heritage centre. The countryside is dotted with modern bungalows, holiday homes and golf courses for the well-off.

We stood on the Atlantic shore near Ireland’s most westerly point. One fellow told us that on a fine day you can see the Statue of Liberty, but we think he’d spent too much time kissing the Blarney Stone 🤣🤣

02/09/2024

Emigration changed the face of Ireland and its impact is still seen today. Ireland is the only country in the world (except perhaps a few small island states) whose population is still less than it was 200 years ago.

Many Irish people left through the pretty port town of Cobh (pronounced Cove) where the emigration story is powerfully told. This town has many other connections with the sea, including as the Titanic’s last port of call and where survivors of the sinking of the Lusitania came ashore.

On a happier note, today it’s a picturesque place to explore.

31/08/2024

Fighting like Kilkenny cats. We didn’t see any fighting (or cats) on our visit to this small Irish city but we heard one theory for the origin of the phrase. The Anglo-Norman Hightown didn’t get on with its Gaelic or Irish neighbours, and the centuries of feuding saw walls built to separate the two and competing churches built. This left an impressive architectural legacy.

The fascinating stories don’t end there: a castle that was home to one family for 600 years, witch-burning and the impact of both the English and Irish civil wars. Kilkenny was a very enjoyable and interesting stop on our exploration of Ireland.

31/08/2024

Not just a pub band, the Merry Ploughboys were formed in 1989 to foster the Irish song tradition. Some of those we saw were original band members, still playing with passion and vigour 35 years on.

30/08/2024

Marquesas by Passenger Freighter
The last few days we have docked back in Papeete & enjoyed some r&r at the beautiful Te Moana Tahiti Resort before our flight home. I know the weather back home has been pretty bad so I almost feel bad posting them. Almost 😀

30/08/2024

Last day with the group in Munich with a very entertaining tour of the city by a young New Zealander who has lived here for 8 years. It ended with an obligatory trip to a Bier Garten. This group has clearly driven the tour manager to drink! This morning we disburse variously to Manchester, Copenhagen, Paris, London, Singapore and of course New Zealand.

29/08/2024

Marquesas by Passenger Freighter
Our last island call and what a way to finish. A day on Bora Bora snorkelling crystal clear water & seeing plenty of colourful fish & coral gardens. A lunch just for us on Motutapu, a private island inside the atoll.

29/08/2024

Dublin. Full of tradition but a strikingly modern city. Home to centuries of history and the stories of Ireland’s more recent troubled past.

As we began our tour of the Emerald Isle we were privileged to meet many locals with a passion for bringing these stories to life.

29/08/2024

Marquesas by Passenger Freighter
The absolutely stunning & dramatic landscape of Fatu Hiva. One of the islands we visit while the ship carries on working.

28/08/2024

From Seefeld in Austria to the Dolomites in Italy. It’s an adventure that’s coming to an end unfortunately. Off to Munich tomorrow and then we either fly home to NZ or elsewhere in Europe. An unforgettable trip.

25/08/2024

Marquesas by Passenger Freighter
This was the spectacular manoeuvre by the ship early this morning. We came into a narrow entrance on Ua Huka Island, dropped anchor & the ship swung 180degs then ropes were taken from the stern to either side of the entrance. By raft by superb seamen, and secured so we were now facing back out to sea. They jumped from the raft onto the rocks & secured the rope to the bollard.

25/08/2024

Marquesas by Passenger Freighter
This is Pip a NZ trained dog who's specialty is checking all cargo for rats. Keen as mustard.

23/08/2024

Marquesas by Passenger Freighter
A nice side view of the Aranui 5 & her working deck. We all spend hours watching loading & unloading & the cranes, the nimble staff & what gets shipped from island to island.

23/08/2024

Marquesas by Passenger Freighter
Today it was Hiva Oa Island & a visit to the Paul Gaugin museum. And a touch of the East Cape.

22/08/2024

We leave Switzerland for Austria tomorrow. This selection of photos is to show that it’s not all been about walking! We‘ve learnt how to make alpine cheese and gingerbread. We‘ve visited two ancient libraries, three abbeys, been up and down multiple cable cars and visited one or two pubs. The food has been stunning. We could get used to this. Let’s see what Austria, Italy and Germany can offer!

Address

697C Wairere Drive
Hamilton
3210

Opening Hours

Monday	8:30am - 5am
Tuesday	8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 5pm
Thursday	8:30am - 5pm
Friday	8:30am - 5pm

Website

http://www.calderandlawsontours.co.nz/

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Videos

The Merry Ploughboys in Dublin

Not just a pub band, the Merry Ploughboys were formed in 1989 to foster the Irish song tradition. Some of those we saw were original band members, still playing with passion and vigour 35 years on.

Usually when people think of Borneo they think of the “man of the jungle” Orangutans and our visit to the Semongohh just out of Kuching didn’t disappoint. A sanctuary for rescued orangutans that has been running for several decades. We saw 9 of these beautiful creatures ranging an alpha male, to an infant to a 53 year old grandma .

Residents of Xaxaba village welcomed us with dance. The party continued after we left 😁

One day at Moremi we followed a female lion for some distance, and our trackers found her again after she disappeared into the scrub to return to her cubs. After putting on a small show they moved off again. Very cute.

The smoke that thunders

At Etosha the zebra crossings aren’t painted on the road 🤣🤣🤣

At the end of our tour of Mondesa township we were entertained by a charming group of singers.

Namib Sand Sea

This part of Africa’s west coast has been arid for millions of years; in fact the Namib Desert is thought to be one of the oldest in the world. It’s still changing, through tectonic movements, occasional rain and relentless wind. We saw tonnes of sand on the move.