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…
You haven’t lived till you’ve jumped from a plane
Mom, you okay? Still breathing? I’m on the ground, safe. You can exhale now. Okay? Good. Yes, that’s right, I just got back from my first skydiving experience. I seriously wasn’t going to go, but after hearing person after person…
Art deco by the sea
I’m here in Napier for a quick overnight stop. I hadn’t planned on coming out here, but everyone I met back in Taupo said it was really nice and worth a stop, so I jumped on the InterCity yesterday to…
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day
Just a quick note to wish everyone a happy St Paddy’s Day. And Happy Birthdays to Mom and Iris. Still in Taupo. Enjoying it here. Went horseback riding this afternoon. (No, Mom, I didn’t go skydiving, though that seems to…
And for all the adrenaline junkies…
For all you adrenaline junkies, I highly recommend a trip to NZ – the country invented specifically for you. I’m here in Taupo, which borders on beautiful Lake Taupo. In true Kiwi fashion, simply looking at or admiring the lake…
Last one in is a rotten egg…
That smell of rotten eggs isn’t imagined. It’s the sulphur from the thermal hot springs in aptly-named Rotorua. And while I can’t say the air smells too pleasant, I am looking forward to having a dip. Arrived in Rotorua this…