I love traveling to places that are lesser known, but spectacular. It makes me feel like I’ve found this great little secret. New Zealand of course is well known, but the New Zealand islands are not, and that’s exactly why they should be on your New Zealand itinerary. The Subantarctic Islands, aren’t really a secret […]
I could hear him talking, but my mind kept going elsewhere. My eyelids felt heavy and locked shut like magnets. Then something about a ozone hole rang through my brain and jolted my eyelids back open. Craig was telling me about why I needed to wear sunscreen in New Zealand, but the only thing on […]
Few places on earth have as much landscape diversity than New Zealand. There is a ton packed into 2 relatively small islands; from glaciers to farmlands, to mountain peaks, to tropical beaches. I still remember my trip to the islands ten years ago when I first started my travels. The landscape and my experience in […]
“You should put more sunscreen on because you look like you are burning.” “Did you bring snacks with you? We may not be able to eat lunch at our normal time.” “Make sure you go to the bathroom before we get on the boat as there may not be another opportunity.” As soon as these […]
What’s the first thing you think of when you think of New Zealand? For most people it’s adventure travel. And for some people like me, it’s sheep. But I’m sorta strange, so we’ll go with adventure as the norm. Even the tourism department labels themselves the “Home of Adventure Tourism”. I suppose it’s not too […]
“Okay, I’ll do it,” Lindsey said with more trepidation than excitement. What had I done? I just talked her into something that I had no desire to do, and now I have to go with her. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Sometimes I get so focused on others getting over their fears, I lose track of my […]
We drove to the airport as the snow came down heavier and heavier with each minute that ticked by. I watched the fat snowflakes land on the windshield and melt and thought about the number 5. It’s shocking to me that this is my 5th Niece Project trip. And even more surprising – this is […]
“It’s like Hawaii and Colorado had a baby” – that’s how my niece Lindsey described New Zealand, and that’s actually pretty damn accurate. I have been in few places in the world with this beautiful of turquoise waters, beaches, wildlife, and snowy mountain peaks. A country where you can do it all, and we did. […]
Note: Updated in 2017 – Magic Bus no longer operates, however providers like Stray Bus and Kiwi Experience still do operation a hop on hop off option. Still a great option for solo travelers in New Zealand! My last days in New Zealand and I feel as if I was looking through a kaleidoscope for […]
There are some great pics of New Zealand mountains, ferns, and rain forests! To view my New Zealand Photography – click here! I’m starting over again – I’ve moved on from my current backpacker friends and headed for Fiordland Park and the Milford Sound on my own. The drive to Te Anau (pronounced tee-anow) was […]