We had been in New Zealand for a bit over a week. Our Juicy Camper had carried us from Auckland, through Middle Earth and across the Strait to the South Island. We’d pointed further south along the rugged West Coast…
South West Escape
Summer is nearly here for us in the Antipodean landmass I call home, and I’m looking forward to a very busy season of relaxing through the end of my long service leave. One of the joys of living in Western…
Fox Glacier Ice Climbing
I love rock climbing. My rapidly, prematurely ageing frame doesn’t necessarily love that I love rock climbing, but it’s still one of my favourite adventures! The challenge is a thrill, the technical aspect is exciting and beating a route either…
Extra Cut! Huge Luge in Rotorua
Rotorua is known for its volcanic activity. It’s also become renowned for the quality mountain biking available right in the city. I don’t ride a mountain bike, so we tried the luge instead!
Head in the Land of the Long White Clouds
I’ve explained my love of the Mackenzie Country in the Canterbury area of New Zealand’s South Island, but in so doing I glossed over a rather important landmark that sits in the northern corner of the region. Don’t worry though…
Pies and Lodges in the Mackenzie Country
VISTA: There are miles of roads like this all across the South Island There is a lot to love about New Zealand, and anyone who has spent any amount of time in The Land of the Long White Cloud (a…
Extra Cut! Fox Glacier Ice Climbing
Some things are hard to put in to words. So when words fail, pictures prevail! This is what a day of ice climbing looks like in New Zealand’s South Island at Fox Glacier.
Extra Cut! Snow Boarding in New Zealand
It has been some time since my last post and during my hiatus, there have been plenty of adventures. They’ll be heading your way shortly, along with a few new stories from our past trips! To ease back into the…
Blowing through windy Wellington
New Zealand is a unique place, and when it comes to the nation’s capital – Wellington – that is true in fantastic style! One of the wettest, windiest places on the planet, New Zealand’s capital city lies nestled in the…
New Zealand: Rushing through the North Island
Three weeks is nowhere near long enough to spend touring New Zealand. This was a concept that was abundantly clear to us, long before we picked up our van in Auckland for the 20-day tour of the North and South…
In search of Lorien: Finding Middle Earth in Glenorchy
Snowboarding in Queenstown on New Zealand’s South Island was a far different experience to the comfortable, resort-style treat you might be used to in Europe or America. Each morning was an early start for a 45-minute or more drive up…
Underground in a land without litigation.
The central region of New Zealand’s North Island is fertile, green, and lush. The hills are used for farming, lovely towns like Cambridge, Hamilton, Mata Mata and Hobbiton make driving distances manageable and pleasant, and one of the country’s principal…
Picnic at White Island
Anyone who has attended middle school should have learned that volcanos – in addition to being fascinating – can be pretty hot, and an altogether inadvisable place for a picnic. With this wisdom in mind, it may come as a…
New Zealand, Middle Earth and The Shire
About two and a half hours driving south of Auckland will take you to another world. Much has been said before about the hidden world spread across New Zealand, but until you actually find yourself in Middle Earth, it’s hard…
Einstein’s Barber Shop Itinerary – New Zealand: Ice, snow, and Middle Earth
Itinerary 4 – New Zealand
Meeting Linh: Part 2
The phone’s ring dragged me from blissful slumber, and I hadn’t even accepted the call when my stomach leapt into my mouth and wrenched me in to full consciousness. I was still bumbling through apologies as I stepped into the…
Einstein’s Barber Shop Itinerary – WA: The South West
Welcome to the second Einstein’s Barber Shop Itinerary! This week, we’re looking at the first significant trip I took in Western Australia (and the trip during which I met my partner Linh)! If you’d like to download the PDF which…
Meeting Linh: Part 1
When people ask how Linh and I met, the answer often elicits a condescending smile – at least until we provide a little more detail. The short version of this story is that I found Linh on Gumtree, but before…
Extra cut! Power Lines Track Shenanigans
A few years ago, we spent a day driving the Power Lines Track with some friends. I made a video at the time, but failed to consider relevant copyright considerations for Facebook. Today I found some royalty free music and here…
Einstein’s Barber Shop Itinerary – WA: Exmouth and Karijni NP
I’ve been writing about my travels for a bit over a year now, and I’ve racked up some fairly interesting miles, both in Australia and across the globe. Each time we take a trip, we do some kind of planning,…
Fuelling new Discoveries
Running out of – or at least grossly miscalculating – fuel is almost a rite of passage for the seasoned overland traveller. I’v lost count of the number of times that I’ve spent long stretches of road sweating the minute…
A short trip in a big state
Western Australia is massive. All that space houses a relatively modest population with a few far removed settlements – some of which are almost large enough to be classified as towns. In face, with the exception of Mandurah and perhaps…
An open letter to (WA) Drivers
Dear Western Australian drivers (may be applicable to drivers in other locales), Hi, you probably don’t know me. I’m that guy sitting in the oncoming lane. I know you haven’t noticed me, because you’re trash texting your mate about how…
Harvesting the fruit of a ten-year old dream
Ten years ago I was selling televisions in Queensland and doing everything I could to avoid the responsibilities of my still new adulthood (in some ways, little has changed). Elsewhere in the world, however a man and his wife had…
Extra cut! Hop Harvest
As I try to work out how to replace Barber Shop Photos with something else, I’m playing with video editing. Last weekend (Feb 20) Linh and I joined some friends in their inaugural Hop Harvest Party to celebrate their first…