New Plymouth is a coastal town and we finally had some good weather to actually see the coast. The sand is black here due to the volcano, Taranaki, that hovers in the background over the whole area. The mountain reminds … Continue reading Surfing in New Plymouth
Night here is complete. The darkness envelopes you like a warm, soft blanket you might hide under as a kid. The only lights are the headlights on your car, showing you only what you need to see and the winding … Continue reading Picton to Wellington and the Ferry
The morning dawned…dark and stormy with gale force winds. Today was our one day in Kaikoura and we had hoped to go whale watching. We did not have any internet and so we were unsure if the cruise had been … Continue reading Whale Watching in Kaikoura
Our first full day here dawned bright and sunny and since we had booked a sailing adventure today in the Tasman Bay, we were excited to get going. Just a short drive down the road, our sail would take us … Continue reading Abel Tasman and the Seals
After traveling far and wide, and doing something every day, we decided to take it easy today. Yes, we relaxed and enjoyed our day here at the Vineyard. (I did enjoy writing that!) We are just a block from the … Continue reading Ruby Bay and Nelson
It is no secret that we like good wine. We have stopped at vineyards here in NZ that have truly changed our minds about NZ wines. And there is no going back-we are hooked! When an opportunity came up to … Continue reading Kina Beach Vineyard and the Schoolhouse
Sometimes life gives you lemons and sometimes they are very small. Today we received a small lemon by way of the weather. Pull up a chair, relax, and let me pour you some lemonade. One of our longest day drives … Continue reading Kiwis, Seals and Pancakes
I have always been fascinated with the modern home. The clean lines, stark interiors and I wondered if anyone who lived in them had any “stuff” and where did they put it? The homes in NZ all have a slight … Continue reading Kiwi Modern and the Iron Mountain
About 20 years ago, Shawn bought this wonderful wool shirt from Pendleton that has kept him warm through many a cold trip. He lost this shirt, his lucky shirt. NZ loves dirt roads and today’s trip was one of my … Continue reading Rob Roy and How Shawn Lost His Shirt
Shawn loves to fly. He was even in the Air Force and during that time we lived across the street from the Air Force plane museum. Whoo. Hoo. I am good for about 5 minutes at a plane museum and … Continue reading Wanaka, Planes and More Planes
The Traveling Squirrel 