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  • Book Reviews
    • Fiction
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  • Plane Travel

    A Sloppy, Sweaty Trek in Sapa, Vietnam

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    The drive into Sapa was a cavalcade of buses. And, despite the many switchbacks, they were vying to be first, passing in the shortest of lanes so that often the bus being passed and the vehicle coming from the other direction had to slam on the brakes so the impatient driver could shoot through the gap.

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    My School Abroad: Institute of American Universities

    February 2, 2020

    A Day in Marseille: History and Street Art in France’s Oldest City

    February 23, 2020

    Home on the (Mountain) Range

    October 22, 2023
  • Plane Travel

    Trekking a Trio of Deadly Volcanoes in East Java

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    I'm cold. I'm in Indonesia and I'm cold. Shivering. Shivering, on an island that is about 8 degrees of latitude away from the equator. To be fair, I am about 6,000 feet above sea level and it is 2:30 am. Why, you might be wondering, am I awake at 2:30am?

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    The Zugspitze at dusk

    A Gem in the German Alps: Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Springtime

    May 25, 2022
    Carcassonne Castle at dusk

    Carcassonne: a Castle Playground

    February 3, 2020

    Getting My Feet Wet in Whangarei

    July 24, 2023
  • Plane Travel

    World of Waterfalls in Blue Mountains National Park

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    The fog was so low and heavy that I felt as though I were in a snow globe that started and ended at the ends of the block. Church spires rose like phantoms, trees were mere shadows. I could hardly get a feel for the town of Katoomba, much less what lay beyond.

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    fall trees in yellow and red mixed with green and a purple sky dotted with clouds

    I love ME…I mean Maine!

    October 6, 2022

    1 Year of New Zealand Selfies: March & April

    April 15, 2024
    Maddie with a visor and binoculars waiting to get on a boat to explore the Kinabatangan River

    1 Year of Travel Selfies: July & August

    August 30, 2024
  • Guides

    Three Actual Trip Itineraries I’ve Done in New Zealand

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    This post includes three actual itineraries for trips I planned and executed with the participating parties. Each group came for a different amount of time with different goals (which I've also listed). Each was a successful trip, though I will include a few lessons learned at the end of each itinerary.

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    Cooking in Communal Kitchens: Cheap, Yummy Hostel Dinners

    January 18, 2024

    NZ Working Holiday Visa: Buying a Car in New Zealand

    July 31, 2023

    Easy, Yummy Hostel Dinners: Almost Instant Pizza

    December 15, 2023
  • Plane Travel

    Tongariro Alpine Crossing – A Love Affair with a Volcano

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    When we went out to the car in the morning, the air was crisp and chilly. A thin layer of ice coated my windshield. I was reminded of Colorado, of pink-nosed mornings watching the sun come up while out hunting. Hardly a cloud threaded the sky.

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    To the Main! –Heading Inland like the Fishermen of Old

    October 9, 2022

    Crashing through the Catlins + Cool Coastlines

    January 5, 2024

    Ducking Ropes and Slippery Slopes in Piha

    August 10, 2023
  • Plane Travel

    Everything I Know About the Kunkel Curse

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    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 Kunkel Curse. I really wish someone would invent an app where you can punch people through the phone.

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    Photos from New Zealand Christmas and New Year

    January 13, 2024

    A Backpacker’s Life, Introvert Style

    January 17, 2024

    1 Year of New Zealand Selfies: March & April

    April 15, 2024
  • Plane Travel

    The Kunkel Clan Arrives in New Zealand!

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    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.

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    A Week in Wanaka Getting High

    December 8, 2023

    Along the River Danube: Ancient Fortresses and Fearless Kings

    October 6, 2015

    Akaroa in the Spring, New Zealand

    October 19, 2023
  • Plane Travel

    Trekking with Kiwis – Off the Beaten Path

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    This story begins at the end of a dirt road far past the jewel-like Lake Ohau in the middle of the South Island. The dirt road carries a two-vehicle caravan down ruts and pot-holed roads. Sometimes the road splits to mirror the braided river to our right, letting our guide/driver choose his own adventure: a mini canyon carved out of loose grey gravel from the last big rain or a mud pit or a rock-studded dirt bank. Snow fell the night before despite it being the middle of the summer in New Zealand, and the mountains have a dusting of snow that ends in a straight line halfway down the…

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    The Ruins of Ephesus: A City Out of Time

    March 27, 2019

    Arthur’s Pass: My Favorite Alpine Region of New Zealand

    December 6, 2023

    Kusadasi: Seaside Getaway with a Hidden Face

    March 28, 2019
  • Plane Travel

    The Magical Milford Track and the Invention of Sandflies

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    A car. A bus. A boat. Finally, I arrive at the beginning of the Milford Track. One of New Zealand’s 10 Great Walks and often dubbed the Finest Walk in the World. So here I am. At the beginning of the Milford Track. Ahh, breathe it in. Take in the view. Snap a photo…

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    Kusadasi: Seaside Getaway with a Hidden Face

    March 28, 2019

    1 Year of New Zealand Selfies: September & October

    September 22, 2023
    Lac Zola and Montagne Sainte-Victoire

    Day One: My Home Away from Home and a Hike with Aix’s Famous

    January 19, 2020
  • Plane Travel

    Middle Earth Magic in New Zealand

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    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.

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    Peach clouds at sunset over the Côte d'Azur

    La Côte d’Azur: Sunshine, Flowers, and Spring-time!

    February 14, 2020

    A Kaleidoscope of Rotorua and Taupo – Central North Island of New Zealand

    September 18, 2023

    Trekking a Trio of Deadly Volcanoes in East Java

    May 20, 2024
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Traveler, Reader, Writer

Hi! My name is Maddie. I am a traveler, reader, and writer. Pages to Planes is where I catalogue stories of my (history-obsessed) adventures and write reviews of my favorite books. Welcome!

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