One of those moments. You know the moments. The ones that you pinch yourself that you can’t quite believe you’re seeing. And experiencing. This was one of those moments. I’m a world away… Continue reading
From houses to rubbish bins, walkways to waterfront sculptures. Then there’s the galleries, museums and shows that Wellington is busting with! I recently had the pleasure of spending 3 days in Wellington, based… Continue reading
WOW literally. Art, culture, nature, scenery. Its like Wellington has everything you could want in a city… including 4 seasons in one day! I spent three days there (since I’m a bad Kiwi… Continue reading
Getting down and dirty, deciding there’s no point in washing your shorts because you’re on enclosure cleaning yet again or it’s just so wet and humid, why bother? These are the joys of… Continue reading
Feet deep in snow, hands cradling the tripod and camera while the eyes stare up at the dancing colours in the sky. This week’s travel experience that makes it into my 30 Top… Continue reading
Ever since I’d first decided to move to the UK and London I knew I wanted to visit Ireland. It was top of my list, Scotland may have sneaked in there first, but… Continue reading
Sometimes I’ve been surprised to find a toilet seat on a toilet in Africa. Sometimes it’s been hot water in the depths of South America. Once or twice the surprise was a sign… Continue reading
Lush green forests. A scurry amongst the leaves. The call of the wild amongst shaking trees. These are the things that make me feel wild and free. As part of my East African… Continue reading
Running off a cliff strapped to a stranger, getting caught by the air and gliding through the sky with the power of the a parachute holding you above the ground. Incredible to say… Continue reading
When I think back about this experience, I think of the shaky legs, the deep breathes of fear looking down the side of the stone steps as I climbed the highest mountain in… Continue reading
This month’s travel linkup is all about your best food experiences while travelling. I couldn’t rest on just one, so have picked my top three from three different continents. So, sit down, get… Continue reading
Whenever I struggle to sleep or when I go to my ‘happy place’ during meditation, it’s a beach in the Greek Islands. This beach is known as Agia Anna in Naxos, where I remember staring… Continue reading
Take a train, a backpack, hiking boots, a mangle of languages and a Kiwi addicted to travel and what do you get? A solo Kiwi traveller (me) backpacking for a about 2 weeks… Continue reading
Ever felt like a mouse is running around in a maze in your head, not sure which way to go? Need a bit of clarity? Literally just need to get away from everything?… Continue reading
A bit of cold. A few early mornings. A lot of rain. A bit of a Non-English speaking Bolivian driver getting lost. A bit of altitude sickness. And a memory to last a… Continue reading
Whether it’s being sick in Thailand, New York or South America, or nearly missing flights due to unexpected celebrations, or realising this is your one chance to do something in a particular place,… Continue reading
Just over a year ago I returned from an epic adventure around South and Central America. I’m still often pinching myself with the memories I have from there, some of which I can’t… Continue reading
I’ve seen my fair share of waterfalls in my life. Niagara Falls and Victoria Falls were both pretty impressive, but it wasn’t until I visited Brazil and Argentina and saw Iguazu (or ‘Iguaçu’ as… Continue reading
Centre of New Zealand. Check. Queens Gardens. Check. World of Wearable Art Museum – aka the WOW Museum. Check. Besides the fantastic nature spots of Abel Tasman, Nelson Lakes and Kaiteriteri nearby, Nelson… Continue reading
Consider for a moment a place you’ve never thought you’d visit. Is it dangerous? Is there some strange noises that you can’t quite comprehend? Do you find yourself holding a baby baboon in… Continue reading
Language Travelling somewhere where you can’t speak the local lingo. Good example: Arriving after a 20+ hour bus journey into Salta, Argentina. A spot people raved about. A spot I struggled to figure out… Continue reading
Picture this: Waking up in the morning in a king size bed, strolling out to a balcony, gazing out over warm clear blue water, watching the odd turtle or stingray swimming by… that’s… Continue reading
I could be in Bariloche staring out at Cerro Campanario or maybe one of Switzerland’s gorgeous lakes, but instead I’m at the delightful Nelson Lakes region on a sunny Easter Sunday with my… Continue reading
Stepping foot off that plane back in 2010 was daunting to say the least. I knew basically no-one, didn’t have a proper place to live, no job, nothing. All I knew was that… Continue reading
5 years on and the one experience that comes to mind when someone asks about my favourite trip – as hard as it is to pick just one, this one is usually the… Continue reading
All the stressful preparations behind me, donning my perfectly planned out long haul outfit (aka homeless person attire) I stepped onto the plane. My first big plane I’d ever been in. Travelling towards… Continue reading
Here we go. 9 months until I’m 30. It’s a big number and while I could make some exciting plans to achieve before then, I’m excited to share with you my greatest travel experiences… Continue reading
Gushing water, crunching of leaves, insects in the trees and birds singing away. I’m staring through the trees in the bush at the beautiful Whangarei Falls, just a few hours north of Auckland,… Continue reading
As the boat rolls in I feel like I’ve stepped back a few decades, the shoreline is neat and tidy, a one street town appears with dotted little quaint colonial buildings along the… Continue reading
This month’s travel linkup is all about love… here’s 10 things that I love about travel: 1. Waking up in the middle of nowhere and pinching myself that I’m actually there 2. Being surprised… Continue reading
Wow heeelllo 2016! Aren’t you shiny and new, warm and happy, tasty and a delightful year to meet? Here’s to another year and some fantastic experiences, travels and moments ahead, many of which… Continue reading
It really doesn’t get much more stunning than this I think as I gaze out over a vineyard seeing snowcapped mountains across a glistening Lake Wanaka. My trip to Queenstown was just one… Continue reading
What do you imagine when someone says Paradise? Blue sky, white sand beaches, maybe palm trees, clear blue ocean? I’m sure everyone’s interpretation of Paradise is different, but recently I literally visited a… Continue reading
As the humpback whale sprayed and flicked its tail, I gazed around me, mountains, waterfalls, open water, birds singing and the gentle hum of the boat. I was finally here. Milford Sound. The… Continue reading
As part of this month’s link up of ‘favourite things’ I’m taking the angle of my favourite things to do while travelling, so here they are: Get Lost When you’re in a safe… Continue reading
On this day last year I left my home of almost 5 years, London, to begin a world adventure and return to my homeland of New Zealand. It’s hard to believe it’s been… Continue reading
A few months ago I returned back to my home country, after 7.5 months of travelling through Africa and Latin America and close to 5 years living in London in the UK. I… Continue reading
One’s destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things – Henry Miller This month’s travel linkup is all about places you travel to that you can’t get… Continue reading
In need of a break like me? Stuck inside job hunting and researching 9-5 isn’t much fun, so I recently opted to take the day out and head out of Auckland City to… Continue reading
This month’s linkup is focused around the contrasts in travel that we experience. For me, I’ve certainly had my fair share in the last few years, it’s hard to know where to begin?… Continue reading
Since returning to New Zealand recently I’ve been working each day on my mindfulness and compassion (as part of my ‘fresh start’). Last week the Dalai Lama turned 80 and I stumbled across this… Continue reading
In an effort to back involved with the blogging community this month’s travel linkup topic is all about travel personalities, so here’s my take on my own travel personality. Young and nervous traveller… Continue reading
Yes, one month ago today I landed early morning on a rainy day in Auckland where my sister met me (and my cold) with open arms. One month has flown by. I spent… Continue reading
Back from Yosemite, I settled back in San Francisco, the city known for its varying climate and fog. All of which I got to experience, along with my first cold of my trip.… Continue reading
Sun, snow, birds, deer, squirrels, elusive black beers and an abundance of pure nature, all part of Yosemite National Park in California, USA. For years I’ve wanted to go to Yosemite National Park,… Continue reading
Arriving in San Francisco I couldn’t help but be happy. I settled in at my expensive hostel, hired my first fluffy big towel (in close to 8 months) for $1, flushed toilet paper,… Continue reading
So there it went. The end of my time in Latin America. I started at the beginning of December 2014 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, where I quickly moved to Argentina (for my safety… Continue reading
During my last days in Costa Rica I ventured down the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica to meet the beaches, wildlife and… the wet season. That’s right the wet season. This affected my… Continue reading
Sloths, check. Monkeys, check. Racoons, check. Iguanas, check. Birds, check. Beaches, check. After a bit of a disappointing trip to La Fortuna/Arenal (was super expensive to do tours and not much else there),… Continue reading
Green trees and birds all around, this area of Costa Rica is a great starting point for any adventure in Costa Rica. Monteverde and Santa Elena are cloud forest reserves with a town in… Continue reading
There’s more to Panama City than the canal. Yes, honest. There’s a cute wee old town with colonial buildings, some that aren’t falling down and some with flowers. It also has a few… Continue reading
Pristine beaches. White sand. Crystal clear blue and green waters. Palm trees everywhere. The San Blas are a real beach paradise. As I farewelled Colombia and South America I boarded a catamaran boat to… Continue reading
If colour, heat and beaches is what you’re after then the Caribbean Coast of Colombia won’t disappoint! Flying into Cartagena, the first thing that hits you as you get off the plane is… Continue reading
Colour, colour, colour everywhere! This is the South America I imagined! Guatape is an easy day trip (or overnight trip) from Medellin in Colombia. After just 2 hours on a bus you can… Continue reading
Stunning countryside to say the least. Salento did not disappoint. The bus ride alone was stunning through the mountains of the coffee region. Arriving in Salento, myself and a another couple stayed at… Continue reading
Coming into Bogota at night it can seem a bit dodgy, but in the bright daylight (if you manage to avoid the rain) it holds a few treats. Colourful houses and churches Stunning… Continue reading
Ecuador was a tricky country for me. The moment I arrived I was surrounded by lots of green banana trees for miles. I had hope of a fantastic time in the countryside. I… Continue reading
More iguanas, tortoises, a pier that lights up at night, sea lions that laze about and some white sand beaches. Santa Cruz is an expensive, but nice spot to stay in the Galapagos.… Continue reading
Santiago Island Walking on moon-like rocks to creep up on the playful Galapagos fur sea lions you feel like you’re a long way from home… or at least I did. The fur sea… Continue reading
The Western Galapagos Islands continued to excite me, despite the incident with the sea urchin… Fernandina Island on day 5 was incredible. Definitely a highlight for many people on the tour. Back… Continue reading
Lava rocks, pink flamingos, iguanas and wildlife all around. This is what I came to the Galapagos for. To be honest, the Galapagos wasn’t as abundant in wildlife as I had expected or… Continue reading
Put together 16 random people from all over the world on a first class boat for 7 days. It could go one way or the other. In our case it was a fantastic… Continue reading
Red, Blue and Nazca Boobies – birds that is. Male Red Frigate birds with their bright red chest ballooned out. Green, Grey and Leatherback turtles. All just a few of the amazing wildlife… Continue reading
For two weeks I was recently based on the edge of the Amazon jungle in Puyo, Ecuador, volunteering at a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre called Yana Cocha. The centre is home to a… Continue reading
The start of Ecuador hasn’t been easy for me, but I have visited some pretty nice cities over the last few weeks, so here is a little insight into them! Guayaquil Underrated Guayaquil,… Continue reading
It’s okay to change plans. It’s okay to concede that long term travel isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It’s okay to stay put for awhile to recover and regroup. When I… Continue reading
Sand Dunes, fancy cities and swimming with turtles – what more could you want? Gone were the ruins, onwards to sea level (no altitude issues) and sunshine. First up was Huacachina, then onwards… Continue reading
This month’s travel link up has been given the topic of lost in translation. It might as well be labelled: ‘Ngaire’. I find myself constantly lost in translation every day since I started… Continue reading
The Nazca Lines have always been a bit unknown, so on my journey up the coast of Peru I figured I’d stop by and check them out. It was a very short, sickly… Continue reading
Wandering out from the bush and stairs I see an oasis of flowers, bushes, butterflies and finally one last hill promising the end is in sight! A few weeks ago (I know I’ve… Continue reading
