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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
Everyone knows about the sheep, “Lord of the Rings” locations, and the many hot spots for adrenaline junkies. Did you know New Zealand is also one of the hottest places on Earth? Steaming hot, thanks to its perch on the edges of the Pacific and Australian Plates. With geothermal resources rivalled only by Yellowstone National […]
Chances are your New Year’s resolutions include experiencing new things, or shedding those holiday pounds and getting fit. Roll them into one master plan with five hikes around the world that will jump start you toward your goals. The views aren’t bad either. Everest Base Camp, Nepal This 12 day hike takes you into the […]
Some say that if we were meant to fly we’d have been born with wings. Perhaps. But I doubt those naysayers have been to Milford Sound. And I’d bet a golden grouse they’ve never seen it by helicopter. The truth is New Zealand’s epic fjord land can only be appreciated fully if seen from the […]
Even in a country as small as New Zealand, a three room hotel (for lack of a better word) is considered tiny. And yet, somehow there’s something about Edenhouse, in the Nelson/Abel Tasman area of the South Island, that isn’t little at all. Like any masterpiece Edenhouse plays the scales beautifully, twisting large and small […]
First things first, it’s pronounced ‘Why-Hecky’. And it’s a tiny island in New Zealand. Not the North Island, nor the South Island, Waiheke is it’s very own dot on the map. Okay, so it’s more of a speck. I think everyone knows by now (or has been told ad infinitum) that New Zealand is a […]