The average person spends six months of their life waiting for red traffic lights to turn green. In Rarotonga, they don't have any red lights, or green ones, so it was the perfect place to spend those precious minutes topping up on "Vitamin Sea" instead. Located just a three and a half-hour flight from Auckland, it's home … Continue reading PARADISE WITH NO TRAFFIC LIGHTS

I've been on hikes before, but the Okura Bush Walk gets a ten out of ten on my list of top New Zealand walking trails.  Gasping at the stunning blue-green water below the bridge that disappears into the forest was a sight for sore eyes. I stopped to take a bunch of photos, and I … Continue reading Essentially Kiwi

The wing of the plane glided through snow capped peaks as it gracefully turned into Queenstown. As I stepped off the plane I immediately felt the bite of zero degrees. Usually, I dread the cold, but this time it was a refreshing welcome to winter.  The airport was adorned with giant snowflakes and snowboard cut-outs … Continue reading Winter starts here

Waking up in time to hike Mount Maunganui's iconic mountain, Mauao, to watch the sunrise is one of the best ways to start any day. Early risers tend to greet you with fresh smiles and hearing the waves hit the shimmering sand below as the chirping tui's wake makes this place unique. A few surfers make a splash when … Continue reading World famous in New Zealand: Mount Maunganui, Tauranga

For the past 14 years, tourists, locals and thrill seekers have jumped off the Auckland Harbour Bridge. Walking up the steep edge along the bridge will set your pulse racing and your palms sweating, but it's well worth it in the end. Anybody seeking a rush of adrenaline in Auckland is in for a treat. WHERE/WHAT … Continue reading World Famous in New Zealand: Auckland Harbour Bridge bungy

PUBLISHED HERE IN SUNDAY STAR TIMES The downpour was causing the river boat to rock and water was slowly soaking into the wood, but that didn't stop us going down the Amazon River. It was early morning and our jungle lodges were over an hour's ride away by boat. My partner Scotty and I didn't want to … Continue reading Peruvian Amazon Jungle: a three-day adventure

PUBLISHED HERE IN SUNDAY STAR TIMES Dawn was welcomed by a band parading through the streets and it was the perfect wake-up call for the first day of the Inca Trail. It was 4.30am and coffee was scarce. My partner and I anxiously sat in the hostel foyer, in the muddled town of Cusco, Peru, … Continue reading Laughs, lamas and dramas hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Melbourne native Alexandra Nelson crossed the ditch to work as a reporter for the Manukau Courier in Auckland. What inspired your move, and how long have you been here? My move was heavily based around my family and my partner who is Kiwi. I'm lucky to be an Australian and New Zealand citizen but was born and raised in Melbourne … Continue reading Kiwi Life: From Melbourne to Manukau

PUBLISHED HERE IN SUNDAY STAR TIMES From the Hell Hole of the Pacific to Romantic Russell, the Bay of Islands will steal your heart. Located just a three-hour drive or a 35-minute flight north of Auckland, it's home to 144 islands nestled between Cape Brett and Purerua Peninsula. Paihia is the main town where every local seems to know each other. Even … Continue reading Pack your bags for the Bay

We emerge from the Ruakuri cave as we float into the sunlight of the Waitomo forest. I’m not afraid of heights but crawling into tight spaces scares me. Before descending in to the Black Labyinth The Legendary Black Water Rafting Co. kitted my partner Scotty and I up in really thick wetsuits, helmets, headlights, booties and our own … Continue reading Black Labyrinth