Following on from last week’s emotional post about the art and destruction of Christchurch City I thought this week I’d share my favourite spot in Christchurch to visit: The Botanic Gardens. Strolling through… Continue reading
Buildings falling to pieces. Construction site after construction site. Little pockets of pop up life. Art and colour amongst the grey. A city attempting to rebuild itself. This is Christchurch. I had the… Continue reading
It’s those places that you never considered visiting. Those spots that you stumble upon. Those aspects that etch away at your mind, heart and soul. Those places that you can never forget. Those… Continue reading
Akaroa, known as the only French settlement in New Zealand and easy day-trip from Christchurch. Towards the end of last year I had the pleasure of nipping down to Christchurch in New Zealand’s… Continue reading
This month’s blog linkup is all about the not to peachy moments of travel. Having travelled the globe and blogged along the way I usually try to keep it upbeat — because who… Continue reading
In late 2016 before the dreaded earthquakes I visited Kaikoura in the hope to see whales. While the whales weren’t present, I am pleased I had the chance to see the pristine coastline… Continue reading
2016 Was a year of highs and lows, some epic lows, hence how quiet my blog has been lately. With the start of 2017 comes a time to start getting back into the… Continue reading
For the last public holiday I ventured down to Christchurch to enjoy a long weekend in a place I’d never been to before. When booking this trip I decided to treat myself to… Continue reading
Just a short 10min drive from central Wellington (or with the free Zealandia shuttle) nestled amongst the bushland, is a nature sanctuary to delight any nature lover — whether you grew up in… Continue reading
Number 30 in my Greatest Travel Experiences before I’m 30 had to lead me back home to my homeland, New Zealand, Aotearoa, the land of the long white cloud. New Zealand was never high… Continue reading
From High Tea to Gardens of Eden, From delights of Scottish Highlands to districts of Lakes, From English ‘beaches’ to castles and ancient buildings, From the hustle and bustle of London, to Shakespeare’s… Continue reading
Colourful temples so intricate and shiny. A stark contrast to the smoggy streets and smells of tasty food stalls. This was my brief taste of Thailand. Step back 6 years, it’s 2010, I’m… Continue reading
77km/hr. Steep sandy slopes. Helmet, board, GO! Sandboarding is not for the faint hearted. It will test your fear of heights, fear of speed and fear of falling and injuring yourself. First time… Continue reading
Some places take dedication to reach. This ‘Top Travel Experience’ is one of those… Petra, Jordan, from Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt… yes it’s quite a way. It involved a couple of buses,… Continue reading
I can’t believe I’m here. Standing infront of ‘the’ Pyramids of Giza. Am I actually here? I ask myself. It’s one of those places we see in books, we read about, but we… Continue reading
Waking up inside a cave to look out at sculpted stone mountains with colourful hot air balloons gliding between them… where in the world am I? Cappadocia, Turkey. Known for it’s fairy tale… Continue reading
Well, nothing in life is ever perfect… right? At least my travels are never perfect. I think that’s what makes them some of the best stories I have to share! So this month… Continue reading
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
What do you want to do for your 21st? Well back in the day my answer was, Go skydiving! I’d never done anything quite like it before and I have never been super… 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
Colourful buildings adorning a coastal landscape. Wildflowers blooming amongst spring grass. Views from above village standing on cliffs. Pizza, pasta and gelato… need I say more? Cinque Terre is a little area of… 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
It’s got to be a once in a lifetime opportunity to live in a city that holds the Olympic Games. I was lucky enough to have this opportunity back in 2012. With the… Continue reading
Nestled away in the farmlands of Gordonton in the Waikato, minutes from Hamilton is an estate of green tea called Zealong. As the sun shone down one bright Saturday I joined a few… 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
It seems so long ago, yet so vivid, the memory of travelling down the Yacuma River in Bolivia after torrential rain that could have blocked my journey to the Pampas. The steaming sun… Continue reading
Home. Where for out thou home? Ummm… I thought it was London for awhile (well close to 5 years)… but really I knew it was always New Zealand… but now that I’m back,… 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
For once put aside the intrepid travelling, the camping in Africa, the solo backpacking through South America and consider for a moment immersing yourself in food heaven, indulging in a city so diverse,… 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
1 year ago today I landed in Auckland, New Zealand on a plane from San Fransisco in a snotty, sick mess to see my sister waiting for me at the airport (poor her).… Continue reading
Snap. Leopard darts from a tree. One of the only photographs taken of it was mine. Eyes wide open. Lion’s munching on a zebra on the side of the dirt path. They didn’t… Continue reading
Think golden sand, sunshine, clear waters and stunning scenery. What more could one want? Being Easter, this was my last chance of a decent swim in warm-ish waters before Autumn properly kicks in… Continue reading
Whales, penguins, seals. Glaciers that grow. Snowcapped mountains to hike amongst. Beaches. Where else could this fantastic destination be? None other than the Chilean and Argentine wonder of Patagonia. On my long backpacking… 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
If you asked me 10 years ago if I’d ever go to Bosnia I would have said ‘no way’ — probably would have said that about Russia too actually. When I thought of… Continue reading
The birds were deafening as we kayaked up to the little island in Abel Tasman National Park. Seals played by the rocks and the birds sang their hearts out. I don’t think I’ve… 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
Imagine waking up, strolling 50m to a coffee shop for a large flat white (Kiwi classic) and proceeding down another 50m to the beach. Sand, water, islands and just the sound of 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
For years and years I roamed, I gazed a gazeless stare – David Bowie, The Man Who Sold the World Sometimes it takes a shock of someone so fantastic to pass to realise… 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
Stepping out of the hire I look around and think I’m in some sort of western town, shops and miners cottages all styled from many years ago. This is Arrowtown, New Zealand. Arrowtown… Continue reading
I’m dreamin’ tonight of a place I love Even more than I usually do And although I know it’s a long road back I promise you I’ll be home for Christmas… For once… 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
Switzerland, Argentina, Chile, even a bit of Bosnia, all in one country… my home country of Aotearoa! Sweeping views of Lake Wakatipu as the plane lands in an area surrounded by snow-capped mountains,… 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
