One Year. 20 Locations. A year of memories
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
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10 realities of returning home from travel / life abroad
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
Places you can’t get out of your head
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
Getting back to nature in Hamilton: Hamilton Gardens
Beautifully sculpted gardens, colours and tones galore, water features to capture you’re attention – all in one central place in Hamilton Gardens. I recently took a morning out to the gardens with my… Continue reading
Getting out of Auckland City: Piha and Kitekite Waterfalls
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
The travel contrasts we experience
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
Noticing Nature at Mt. Maunganui
Just over a week ago I had the pleasure of visiting one of my favourite places on earth, a spot of stunning nature near where I grew up: Mt. Maunganui. This was the… Continue reading
Brunch with the Brunch Club at Tannery
My first Kiwi bloggers brunch! My London blogger pals would be proud! I stumbled upon this group and managed to sneak my way into their brunch yesterday at the Tannery in Auckland. It was… Continue reading
Memories in Quotes
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
Travel Personality – Travel Linkup
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
One month anniversary back in New Zealand
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
San Francisco: from the Golden Gate Bridge to Alcatraz and the bits in between
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
Getting back to nature at Yosemite National Park
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
San Francisco, entering into a modern lifestyle
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
Farewell Latin America
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
Puerto Viejo and Cahuita National Park, Costa Rica
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
Seeking wildlife in Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica
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
Monteverde and Santa Elena: Cloud Forest of Costa Rica
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
Panama City: A mix of old and new
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
Sailing through the San Blas Islands on the Nacar 2
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
Caribbean Coast of Colombia: Cartagena and Tayrona National Park
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
Colourful and scenic region of Guatape, Colombia
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
Salento, Valle de Cocora Palms and the Coffee Region
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
Bogota and the Graffiti of Colombia
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
The end of my time in Ecuador
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
Santa Cruz, Galapagos
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
Cruising Around the Galapagos: Part 4 – Rabida, Santiago and Baltra Islands
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
Cruising Around the Galapagos: Part 3 – Fernandina and Isabela Island
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
Cruising Around the Galapagos: Part 2 – Western Isabela Island
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
Cruising around the Galapagos: Part 1 – Santa Cruz and Isabela Islands
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
Visiting San Cristobal island in the Galapagos
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
Volunteering at Yana Cocha in Ecuador
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
Cities in Ecuador
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
The turning point in my solo travels
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
Heading up the coast of Peru
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
Lost in translation
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
Visiting the Nazca Lines
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
Machu Picchu mountain hike and city
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
Planning Machu Picchu (without the trek in)
Heading to Machu Picchu in February means you can’t do the Inca Trail as it is shut, but there are other treks you have the option to choose from. However, with my knee… Continue reading
Pisac in the Sacred Valley
Finally as a practise run for Machu Picchu mountain, I headed up to see the Pisac ruins in the Sacred Valley. I caught a local bus for about an hour or so from… Continue reading
Ruins ruins and more ruins around Cusco, Peru
After a bit of a rough start to Cusco (getting kicked out of a hostel for writing an honest review of a past hostel) I was determined to organise my trip in and… Continue reading
Exceeding expectations at Colca Canyon
Just a few hours out of the quaint town of Arequipa, after seeing the not-so-nice edges of town you can head out to see the world’s deepest canyon: Colca Canyon. Given my knee… Continue reading
Arequipa and the Monasterio of Santa Catalina
Amongst the white washed old buildings of Arequipa lies a nice Cathedral and a beautiful church, but the highlight attraction is the monastery of Santa Catalina. This was one of those moments where… Continue reading
Bolivia, diverse and surprising at every corner
As I left Argentina/Chile a few weeks ago I was a bit down in the dumps for various reasons. I was determined to cheer up and appreciate what was ahead of me. Leaving… Continue reading
Lake Titicaca, Isla del Sol and the Floating Islands
Altitude increase again, heavy breathing and I was standing on my balcony (of my hostel room) staring out at the blue waters of Lake Titicaca from Copacabana in Bolivia. A truly stunning spot.… Continue reading
The Pampas, Amazon region in Bolivia
The rain started and didn’t finish for over 12 hours. Torrential downpour is an understatement. Trugging out in the mud and rain from my hostel, I walked to the office where the adventure… Continue reading
Salar de Uyuni
After spending the night in a salt hotel, freezing after a luke warm shower and hearing rain pounding down, we weren’t sure if we would be able to get to Salar de Uyuni… Continue reading
Roughing it in Bolivia
Colourful mountains from Chile. Colourful lagunas. Pink and white Flamingos. A bit of altitude sickness. All part of the 3-day adventure from San Pedro de Atacama in Chile to Salar de Uyuni in… Continue reading
Farewell Argentina, how you have changed me
After almost a month and a half in Argentina (and 3 months into my entire trip) I bid farewell to the lovely diverse country and will be heading north into Bolivia. It’s interesting how travel changes… Continue reading
Rocking it up in the last of Argentina
Okay so that sounds more exciting than it actually was… to be honest Salta was a mix of tiredness and frustration where things continued to build and go wrong. However, I did have… Continue reading
Wining and dining in Mendoza, Argentina
3 hours. Yes 3 hours. 3 freaking hours at the border crossing from Chile to Mendoza in Argentina. Welcome to summer! Trust me to cross borders a few days after New Years. It… Continue reading
Daytrip to Valparaiso
Colour. UNESCO. Views of the ocean. Culture and art. What more could you want from a city? Taking a bus from Santiago (just under 2 hours each way) I ventured out to the… Continue reading
Ringing in the New Year in Santiago
Fireworks were lighting up the sky in typical New Year fashion for a good 20 minutes in Santiago, Chile. Yet it was a quiet one this year. A few beers and champagne on… Continue reading
Christmas in Bariloche
Christmas can be a lonely time for the solo traveller. This year I opted to choose a nice hostel (Penthouse 1004) and participated in the shared Christmas Eve dinner that they organised. So… Continue reading
Hiking in El Chalten
Having been in Buenos Aires for what felt like far too long, I was excited to come to Patagonia and get some hiking in the fresh outdoors. I’d had the chance to spot… Continue reading
The travel and adventure year ahead
As you may realise, I’m on an eight month stint of travel around Africa, South America, Central America and even a brief visit to North America. As we begin the new year I… Continue reading
A day in Chile at Torres del Paine
Five layers were never enough. Ten minutes outside was too long. It was safe to say Torres del Paine was freezing. I gave away the dream of doing the W Trek in Torres… Continue reading
Merry Christmas to all!
Here I am, spending Christmas all alone this year in a new town in a new country on a new continent that I’ve never visited before December. I’m travelling solo until June next… Continue reading
Hitting the ice at Perito Moreno Glacier
First you hear cracking. Then you hear a shudder. Then you hear crashing. That’s ice falling from Perito Moreno Glacier. Taking the afternoon bus from El Calafate in Patagonia, Argentina, my newfound friend… Continue reading
Whales, seals, penguins, all in a day at Peninsula Valdes
Just a few minutes out from shore and we’re surrounded. All around us are families of Southern Right Whales. From babies (that are still massive) to super long mothers. These whales bob up… Continue reading
Colour, culture, taste and life in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Argentina is Passion. Colour. Food. Coffee (Cafe). Style. After about a week I’ve seen many sides to Buenos Aires in Argentina. It’s not what I expected, but its still a vibrant and interesting… Continue reading
Being awestruck at Iguazu Falls in Brazil and Argentina
Stepping foot onto the first viewing platform in Brazil after a long (slightly torturous) nightbus experience, I couldn’t help but open my jaw in awe at the sheer size and volume of Iguazu Falls.… Continue reading
Day Trips from Cape Town, South Africa
Wine, incredible landscapes, chocolate, boutique shops. Penguins, lighthouses, mountains. All the incredible sights I saw during a few days trips out from Cape Town. Visiting the wineries of Franschhoek and Stellenbosch South Africa, like New… Continue reading
Sights of Cape Town
After almost 6 weeks travelling around Africa I had just under a week in Cape Town, staying in an apartment with friends for a few days and then a hostel for a few.… Continue reading
Victoria Falls to Cape Town Tour: The End
It seems fitting that after such a variety of landscapes that our tour ended in an incredible spot in South Africa called Highlanders – a camp ground surrounded by vineyards in South Africa. I… Continue reading
Fish River Canyon, one of the biggest in the world
‘Coffee, Tea & Kudu Pies’ a sign says as we pass Fish River – more of a pond under the bridge rather than a river. Despite trying Kudu, Oryx and Springbok steaks I… Continue reading
Happy Birthday to me: Visiting the famous Sand Dunes of Namibia
5am. I’m hiking up Dune 45, 100 metres up a thin ridge of a massive sand dune. Terrified I manage to pass the sitting people to find a spot to see the sunrise.… Continue reading
Sandboarding in Swakopmond
In the centre of Namibia lies a colonial German town that has moved to the modern age in recent years and is now a tourist hub. It still has German road names and… Continue reading
In Namibia, but somewhat transported out of this world in Spitzkoppe
Wandering through the desert I was once again in a completely different landscape at Spitzkoppe. Greeted by a friendly meerkat we gazed on towards the area known as the ‘Matterhorn of Namibia’. The… Continue reading
The Cape Fur Seals of Cape Cross
The moment you hit the Skeleton Coast (part of the Atlantic coast down from Angola) you feel the change in temperature. I’m talking about going from wearing shorts and a sleeveless top and feeling hot,… Continue reading