Travel, Photography, and Other Fun Adventures
by Alaska Girl at Heart
New Years Eve was average, but I woke up in jail New Years morning. I actually wish there was an interesting story to tell. Our hostel for New Years was a converted jail/women’s prison/military camp. They’ve done a great job Continue reading New Years Eve in Christchurch
The Otago Rail Trail was created to promote a family-oriented recreation area. The trail is approximately 150 kilometers long. We were scheduled to ride 35 kilometers from Lauder to Wedderburn. I opted to stay in the back with one of Continue reading Mountain Biking the Otago Rail Trail
Maroi legend believes that the boulders are actually the remains of eel baskets. The scientific explanation is much more complicated, but rather than regurgitate Wikipedia here is a link to their explanation. Besides seeing these interesting boulders, I tried a Continue reading Moeraki Boulders
Punakaiki is on the west coast of the South Island of New Zealand. A main tourist are the pancake rocks. These rocks are made of layered limestone that has been eroded by the sea. Stopping to view them was a Continue reading Punakaiki Pancake Rocks
Technically I’ve kayaked in the sea before, but it was in the Galapagos and we just stayed within a protected bay. We also used “sit on” kayaks (not sure of the technical name). So, when I heard I’d be sea Continue reading Kayaking in Doubtful Sound
I happened across a star gazing tour while visiting Skyline in Queenstown. It wasn’t something I had planned on doing, but it may have been the highlight for the three days I was there. Queenstown is known as the adventure Continue reading Star Gazing in Queenstown
Right before Christmas I had the opportunity to make myself the best gift. I learned (probably a major overstatement) how to carve jade from Hamish in Barrytown, which is on the west coast of the south island of New Zealand. Continue reading I Carved Jade
I love to stand-up paddle board. I’m so glad my friend Barb suggested it a couple of years ago in Mexico. Since then, I’ve done it several times. Raglan was a bit different as we were fighting both an outgoing Continue reading Stand-up Paddle Boarding in Raglan
The Whangarei (pronounced Fangaray) Native Bird Recovery Centre was an unexpected treat. It’s a not for profit centre that takes care of over 1300 birds a year. We had a chance to pet a kiwi bird. A kiwi is an Continue reading Whangarei Native Bird Recovery Centre
Christmas day started a bit earlier than I would have liked. I was up by 615am, so that I could eat breakfast and pack before our 730am departure from Franz Josef. The timing wasn’t ideal as we had one of Continue reading Christmas in New Zealand