In-Between
Travel on side roads
-
Why I Had to Jump in New Zealand
"Any advice?" I wonder if the man I'm speaking to can hear the wobble in my voice. I imagine my eyes are coated in a shiny sheen of madness, but he must be used to that by now.
-
Kunkels in Kaikoura: the End of the Line
I wake up on day 18. There's a horrible little thought in my head. Abel Tasman was such a world of it's own that there was no room for intruding thoughts. But Abel Tasman is now behind me, and there is that horrible little thought growing bigger and bolder...
-
Spoiled in the Sand: Adventures in Abel Tasman National Park
The beach-side spoiling actually starts two days before Abel Tasman National Park when the bus pulls up to our AirBnB in Mapua, which is a small coastal town about half an hour from Nelson in the Tasman Bay. Not only is it beach front with a beautiful deck and soft sand, but it is so close to the Mapua Wharf...
-
Everything I Know About the Kunkel Curse
For as long as I can remember, my dad has talked about the Kunkel Curse. Along the same veins of Murphey's Law, the Kunkel Curse says: The more I want something, the more likely it will never happen. Already, just talking on the phone with my dad before he flew to New Zealand, he was already warning me of the…
-
The Kunkel Clan Arrives in New Zealand!
It starts months ago. First there are flights to buy. Then, when I buy a four-seater Suzuki Swift, there's a five person rental car to reserve. Later, there are emails and phone calls and FaceTimes, accommodations to choose, activities to book, bikes to rent.
-
Middle Earth Magic in New Zealand
I've never been one to obsess over actors, over sets, over costumes. I don't care about who played the character or where the movie was filmed or how the magic happened. I like the characters, the plot, the story. However, there is one film series that is a little bit different.
-
1 Year of New Zealand Selfies: January & February
Happy 2024 from New Zealand! For the beginning of the year, I visited volcanoes, dropped back down to the South Island, and went on two epic adventures! Then, my parents and my aunt and uncle arrived for almost three weeks of fun!
-
A Backpacker’s Life, Introvert Style
How, you might wonder, does someone who loves spending weeks at home just reading and writing, deal with the constant change of location? How does an introverted, large-group adverse, anti-heavy-drinking, control-loving, homebody juggle her dichotomous desire to cheaply travel and explore the rest of the world? I'm here to give you the answer: small routines and big organization skills.
-
Photos from New Zealand Christmas and New Year
My expectations of a Kiwi Christmas were, in no particular order: BBQ, beach, summer fun, games, big gatherings, and tables shuddering with the amount of delicious food. These expectations, I believe, could have been met by many families (as I've heard stories of recounted holidays from many Kiwi's on my journeys), but the couple I stayed with did things quite…
-
Crashing through the Catlins + Cool Coastlines
Actually, I drove incredibly carefully through the Catlins--which is how I usually drive. However, since I had a lot of ground to cover in a short amount of time, it did feel a bit like careening wildly through the region. Thankfully, I had driven out to see a few sites at the edge of the Catlins area when I'd been…
-
Stewart Island: The Island of the Birds
Throughout my wanderings, multiple travelers have told me that Stewart Island was one of their favorite places in New Zealand. Stewart Island is at the bottom of the South Island. I'd loosely been planning on visiting the island (because I'd been to the farthest northern point, may as well try to get to the southern point!) before I heard these…
-
The Sound of Silence: A Little Luxury and a Lot of Peace in Doubtful Sound
As we set sail on the 42 kilometer sound, one of the bigger ones in Fiordland, I nose my way around the ship, claiming my bunk and finding the best view points. Over a snack, we get some Fiordland history that answers some of my burning questions. First, what is a sound and what is a fiord?
-
A Week in Wanaka Getting High
Wanaka is a town in the Otago region of the South Island. Not far from Queenstown, it's located on the shores of Lake Wanaka. And Lake Wanaka is a ginormous and stunning blue lake that fills an old glacial valley. That means there is plenty of room to spread out on the flat valley floor and that the lake edge…
-
Goodness Glaciers, Great Balls of Ice
In New Zealand, Kiwi's pronounce glacier differently. I say "Glay-sure," with an sh sound in the middle. But Kiwi's say "Glass-ee-er". I like it. It makes what is essentially a several-kilometer-long hunk of ice capable of re-shaping entire landmasses sound very delicate. Fragile.
-
1 Year of New Zealand Selfies: November & December
New Zealand gets busier and I get crazier! You could be forgiven for thinking that "planning" now means "throwing a dart at a board and seeing what sticks." I promise: there is a method to the madness of these next couple months (and I'll let you know what it is once I've figured it out!).
-
Highlights of the Road South: Methven to Omarama
In traveling from Christchurch to Lindis Pass (gateway to Wanaka, Queenstown, and many of the activities most tourists come to experience), I discovered some lovely places on, and off, the beaten path. Mount Sunday got it's name because boundary riders would meet at the tiny mount on Sundays.
-
Home on the (Mountain) Range
This post picks up where I left off: traveling from Westport back to the East Coast of the South Island. Though I’d made the same drive only six days previous, I didn’t take the time then to stop and appreciate the beauty (partly because I didn’t even know I’d reached Lewis Pass until I’d passed it!). My return drive, I…
-
Akaroa in the Spring, New Zealand
A glimpse of Akaroa, New Zealand in the spring time. Akaroa is New Zealand's little French town. However, other than some French street names, it doesn't feel particularly French. It does, however, feel quiet and peaceful. Almost forgotten.
