This is the second part of our back-to-nature New Zealand road trip itinerary. The first part focussed on the South Island, and this part details our New Zealand North Island itinerary. In the first post, I also explained all the logistics of our road trip in New Zealand: how much we spent, the kinds of places … Read more
I moved here at 19, exhilarated and starry eyed after a year travelling the world by myself. While friends headed out across the width and breadth of England, for me it had always been London. I grew up just a 30-minute train ride from the city in a suburban Surrey town. We’d save our money … Read more
I’ve been a mega fan of Lonely Planet since I took my first solo trip abroad more than 14 years ago. I can remember pouring over the books as I planned my trip around the world. They came to symbolise adventure, and I still get a thrill every time I buy one now. We used one … Read more
Our New Zealand road trip was one of the best things we’ve ever done. It was partly due to how unexpected the trip was, but most of all it was down to the sheer magnificence of New Zealand itself. For such a small country, the abundance of natural diversity is extraordinary. From snow-capped mountains to glowworm … Read more
There’s a classic trajectory for anyone who tries to mix a life of working plus travelling. It goes a little like this: 1. This is amazing! I can work while I’m travelling. I’m living the dream! My future is made of laptops and cocktails by the pool. 2. Dammit. To make this happen, I need … Read more
My aunt doesn’t read this blog but she knows everything that I write on it because her best friend Diane calls her and reads each post verbatim. Diane has been this blog’s biggest supporter from as soon as I started it in 2012. She leaves comments telling me how wonderful she thinks it is, and … Read more
I’m a little obsessed with what I call “tree seas” – a stretch of forest where you can gaze across the treetops and get lost in the expanse of green. It was a scene like that which inspired my trip to Brazil, and I was reminded of it again in New Zealand in the hills of Coromandel. In … Read more
Mexico City is a place that stole our hearts and made us realise our love for Mexico goes beyond the village of San Pancho. The laidback pace of Mexico suits us and despite being one of the world’s largest cities, we found Mexico City both manageable and charming. This was largely due to where we … Read more
Today I intended to write about cafes, dolphins or rainbows. But a line in this morning’s news has infuriated me, and there’s no choice but to talk about terror. Of course, even before this particular line, my mind was filled with the recent atrocities – from Belgium to Turkey to Pakistan, our world is being … Read more
Somewhere between New Plymouth and Waitomo I lost my shit. I was looking up the directions for our boat trip into some caves when I saw the line “No need to bring anything, we provide all the necessary gear”. Gear? I thought I was headed to a leisurely boat ride into a cave filled with … Read more