Flying Kiwis

Leaving home to see the world is something that succeeding generations of young New Zealanders have done in ever-increasing numbers. ‘Overseas experience’ or the ‘OE’ has been the topic of countless individual travel accounts, and has provided the subject matter for plays, films and novels. Until now, there hasn’t been a history of the OE.

Based on the oral accounts of several hundred travellers, across all seven decades of the OE, this vibrant history shows how the OE has changed over time. Well illustrated with the ephemera of popular culture surrounding youth travel, the book traces the emergence of the OE and the transport, media and other networks that have supported it.

Flying Kiwis is an essential read for anyone who has arrived in London with a few dollars and the address of a friend’s cousin.