Two things appeared on my radar last Friday, both of which promise essentially mystery travel. 1. I had a press email from Global Scavenger Hunt, an “annual event” that charges $25,000/team of 2 for a “free” trip around the world. Travellers must apply and interview, and its only a three-week trip. The email starts off…
Category: adventures
new zealand: a hiker’s paradise, part three
This week’s hiking in New Zealand post kicks off on the South Island. From Wellington, you can see the Marlborough Sounds, and since they’re on pretty much the same latitude, the climate is very similar. The further south you go, the more varied the landscape and the climate gets. Expect chillier nights, warm days, and…
chasing waterfalls: ten of new zealand’s best cascades
One thing I’ve done a lot of recently is track down waterfalls in New Zealand. Southern NZ is full of them, especially in the Catlins and Fiordland, but there are some really amazing ones in the North Island as well. Some waterfalls you can only see via hiking trails like the Milford Track – like…
new zealand: a hiker’s paradise, part two
Last week, I posted part one in this series about hiking in New Zealand. In it, I wrote about how to prepare for various hikes and what the climate is like in different parts of New Zealand. I also wrote about various hikes across the northern part of New Zealand’s North Island. Its a lot…
a brush with spontaneity: the moeraki boulders
I was undecided as to whether this post should go under “tinder tales” (possibly coming soon) or spontaneous adventures. It might make a reappearance, honestly, but for now, it was a spontaneous adventure with a new friend. (It is absolutely no secret that I take serious advantage of Tinder while travelling. How else am I…
new zealand: a hiker’s paradise, part one
When you google New Zealand, what images come up? Stunning landscapes, trails through pristine wilderness, rushing waterfalls, vistas over broad lakes, snow-capped mountains… It’s easy to imagine trekking through this sublime land and many do. There are so many great walks across New Zealand, and nine of them are actually referred to as Great Walks….
a penguin experience with the royal albatross centre
Last week, I joined my flatmate Mandy on a Penguin Tour with the Royal Albatross Centre out on the Otago Peninsula. It was one of the cooler moments in my life, watching tiny blue penguins scurry out of the water and up to their nesting holes in the hillside. Read on for my experience and…
in photos: the taieri gorge railway experience
Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to travel with Dunedin Railways on their Taieri Gorge Railway experience. It was a blustery day, and while the sun never made an appearance, the trip was worth every minute of my time and energy. You can read about my experience here, and enjoy this photo essay below.
travel essay: riding the rails in the taieri gorge
I stepped onto the train platform, the cool shadows of the Dunedin Railway Station behind me, its ornate interior all Art Deco meets old world architecture. In front of me, the Taieri Gorge Railway sat waiting silently to take me on an exploratory journey. Climbing aboard, I found my seat in the carriage next to…
what no one told me about travelling in my thirties, part two
I got so many responses to my question, “what did no one ever tell you abut travelling in your thirties?“, that I had to break it into two posts. Or three. They’re still coming. Guess what? If you’re in your thirties, and travelling solo, and have never settled down, don’t have kids, don’t have a…