“How ya going?” I got very used to hearing that friendly greeting. While the dust is still settling, the laundry washing, and the jet lag still very much in full force, I thought I would put together a quickie about my recent incredible Australian experience. I just returned from over three weeks of exhausting research, […]

During my everyday Wall Street-workaholic life, I stare at spreadsheets and presentations on a computer screen for 12 or more hours a day. So when I worked with Trufflepig to plan my trip to New Zealand, I was definitely looking for a new challenge, and a change of scenery. I figured I would be staring […]

Of all the hotels, lodges, inns, B&B’s, home stays, hostels, villas, ships and couches I’ve experienced over the years, nothing makes me feel more at home than the company of a furry friend. I’m talking about dogs (to quickly clear up any confusion). New Zealand seems to incorporate man’s best friend into the environment better than […]

New Zealand is hardly a country of beaten paths. Nevertheless, foreign visitors tend to flock to certain towns and regions, whilst other areas remain untouched or visited primarily by vacationing Kiwis (as in the people of New Zealand, not the national bird of New Zealand). The Coromandel Peninsula is a prime example of a classic […]

Hitting the open road in New Zealand is one of our favourite things to do. When on said road, one of the most noticeable things you see is the large variety of campers, or caravans to use the vehicular vernacular. Every time I see one, it brings me back to a point in my childhood, reminiscent of […]

Abel Tasman rocks. And it also does the splits (see the photos above and you’ll know what I mean). Seriously though, any visit to the Nelson area of New Zealand should definitely include a visit through Abel Tasman National Park. This park, founded in 1942, is the smallest of all the National Parks in the […]

There’s a camp, set high (so high you need a helicopter to arrive) in a valley in New Zealand. And at this camp there are no restaurants. No shops. Not even any trees. From an initial look, there’s nothing to do. Yet, it’s the background of one of the top ten experiences of my life. […]

Let’s go out on a limb and predict that the world isn’t going to end tomorrow. Christmas and New Year’s will come and go, and then those of us in the northernmost parts of the northern hemisphere will enter what one Trufflepig planner calls “the long, dark tea time of the soul.” Give your soul […]

We’re foodies. Hands down. Fresh, local, meat, veg, wine, beer, we want to try it all. Never in a million years have I found myself thinking that I may have had too much. “I don’t know if I can sit through another five-course meal” and “I hope this one doesn’t have wine pairings” are both […]

Have you ever been in a helicopter? It’s cool. Like, really cool. Up until recently, I had a big helicopter-shaped void in my life. Then I went on six of them in one trip. If you want your first (or any) helicopter experience to be a special one, New Zealand is the place. It is literally the […]

There are sheep in New Zealand older than many of the houses. Perhaps that’s a slight exaggeration, but not wholly incorrect. Touring around the country it’s remarkable how new everything is. In the short history of New Zealand, a hundred years is an eternity. So it’s really not every day you stumble upon a country […]

KEEP LEFT. That’s the first thing we tell everyone when they travel here. We also tell them about a dozen more times. In your jet-lag induced, underslept state, it is a valuable piece of advice. Now that that’s out of the way, driving in New Zealand can be a bit of a wild ride. Combining […]

Sure, the flurries are a beautiful novelty right now. We’re all dreaming of a white Christmas too. But come January, escape is going to be the only thing on your mind. Plan your trip now with a few of our favourite suggestions for this January. You can call it a new year’s resolution if that […]

Where:  Nin’s Bin, Kaikoura Coast, New Zealand What:  New Zealand green-lipped mussels While famous for its New Zealand crayfish since 1977, Nin’s Bin also offers up some of the freshest mussels around. These giant and beautiful bivalve specimens were everything a mussel should be, and more. Lightly steamed in a dash of local white wine, […]

Now that Halloween candy is marked down to half price, it’s only a matter of time before the malls are filled with Christmas carols reworked by pop stars, and all the merchandise to go along with it. But Santa, what we want this year is really quite small. It could fit in the slimmest of […]

As summer arrives, everything feels fresher and lighter. You can immediately identify the moment when it’s time to do away with those sad comfort foods of hibernation season, and plan a slightly less sluggish menu. Where: Wharekauhau, Palliser Bay, New Zealand What: Fresher than fresh cucumber, crab, and greens from the garden. I have a […]