It’s the end of the road for me here in NZ. With less than 24 hours until I fly to Australia, I’m both excited and a bit sad to be leaving this beautiful country behind. This past month has been…
The fun way to get wet
I’ve made it to Christchurch, the south island’s largest city and my last stop in New Zealand. I’ll be here for a few nights before I fly to Australia. It’s a pretty city – more of a large town, actually,…
Penguins and lakes
Back inland again, on yet another beautiful turquoise lake. This one is called Lake Tekapo, and it’s on the other side of Mount Cook from Lake Matheson. So I’ve made a giant loop. The lodge here is right on the…
Life in the Otago
Greetings from Dunedin, the largest city I’ve seen so far in the South Island and center of Scottish descendancy in New Zealand. Dunedin is mostly a student town, but its Scottish heritage is plainly seen in everything from the giant…
When a camera just doesn’t do justice
Wow, where to begin? I’m here in Queenstown, the self-styled “adventure capital of the world” ever since A.J. Hackett decided it would be fun to throw himself off a bridge with a bungee cord tied to his ankles… and then…
Lakes and puzzles
Kia Ora from Wanaka, a small town about 100km north of Queenstown and set against the beautiful lake for which it was named. The hostel where I stayed last night was right on the lakefront, and the views at sunset…
West Coast
Currently in Hokitika, about an hour south of Greymouth, on my way down to the Glaciers. Hokitika is a tiny little town but there are a lot of glassblowing and jade shops everywhere, which is pretty interesting since you can…
Abel Tasman National Park
I’m very tired so this entry will be pretty quick. I’m in Nelson now, which is a fairly large town that I haven’t seen much of, since we arrived here last night and I spent today at Abel Tasman National…
Goodbye north island, hello south island
I’ve crossed over – literally. Yesterday morning, I crossed the Cook Strait from Wellington to Picton, leaving New Zealand’s north island behind to continue my travels in the south island. The ferry crossing took about three hours and it was…
Windy Welly
I’ve made it to the southern tip of the North Island: Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city. Wellington is nicknamed New Zealand’s “windy city” and it’s easy to understand why, the minute you step outside. Perhaps fittingly, every third establishment seems…