‘The Southland Times’ – Kiwi ‘Natural’ in Dream Job article

Published on Friday, February 14th, 2003, under Media

The Southland Times, February 14, 2003, QUINN, Rowe

QUEENSTOWN — Ellis Emmett has a job many other young Kiwis can only dream of.

As one of the presenters of a Canadian adventure tourism show, he gets to travel the world and talk about it — to a potential audience of 65 million people.

Don’t Forget Your Passport is a one-hour show syndicated to 80 countries.

Southern New Zealand gets in on the action this week as Emmett and Canadian production team Gordon film in Queenstown and Doubtful Sound.

In true travel-junkie style, the story of how Emmett came to be in front of the camera is a good yarn from a far-flung place.

Backpacking his way around Asia, he visited a friend who ran a helicopter business in Cambodia.

The pilot due to take the Sivells and their crew to a remote temple by helicopter could not because of a last-minute hitch and it fell to Emmett to take them by land.

As they rode through the jungle on motor bikes, Emmett and the presenter got talking. Mr Sivell filmed the whole thing and a “natural” was discovered.

Things took a turn for the worse when Mr Sivell had a serious motorcycle accident breaking several bones and fracturing his scull.

Emmett helped stitch his wounds in a Khmer hospital and the bonds were set.

Mr Sivell said he thought Emmett’s Kiwi upbringing helped make him such a great host.

“He’s up for the challenge — there isn’t much he won’t tackle.

Some hosts out there don’t want to get their hands dirty. I think part of being a New Zealander is being a team player.” Emmett takes turns presenting with four other hosts and the Sivells call him up at his Cheviot home when they need him.

So far he has been to Chile, Bolivia, Argentina, twice to China and three times to Australia.

Even though the show was at times grueling, he knew he was lucky to have the opportunity.

“I’ve learnt so much from these experiences. I’m nobody special — I just love traveling, adventure and experiencing different people and cultures – I guess that helps.”