After a whirlwind of the most breathtaking beaches, majestic waterfalls and vast volcanoes in the North Island, we knew it was time to venture to the next part of our trip- to the South Island! Emotionally, it wasn’t an easy departure due to the many I-can’t-believe-that-we’re-here moments at every encounter with nature, but the final goodbyes to new friends were equally difficult. Thankfully, we left…
Every year, tourists travel to Rotorua, New Zealand to witness its geothermal activity, natural hot springs, shooting geysers and pristine lakes. More importantly, the town is home to a popular cultural center for Maori history and present day life, which is the main reason Lucas and I wanted to visit, given our love for culture. Naturally, Rotorua made it onto our list of things to do in New Zealand after a few web…
One of the great things about meeting fellow travellers and talking to local Kiwis is discovering the most fascinating natural wonders of New Zealand. We first heard of Hot Water beach from our nomadic friends Nashant and Isabell and couldn’t believe what they were describing. Hot water that comes out of the sand? Near the frigid ocean? No way, we have to see it for ourselves. We…
According to World Standards, about 35% of the world population drives on the left-side of the road, and the countries that do are mostly former British Colonies. This point of contention has created an on going debate with opposing countries that often refer to their side of the road as the ‘right’ side, as in the correct way to drive. While this interesting little nugget of information is quite fascinating,…
The beauty of residing in Auckland is the ability to experience the city vibes of New Zealand’s largest metro and its main attractions. A variety of shopping and dining options are available for city seekers in search of a easy going nightlife, cafes and live music. But there’s more to Auckland than the cosmopolitan city that its known for. The major hub is within driving distance to stunning beaches and scenic hikes all within an hour…
We are excited to share with you our new YouTube series, How We’re Living, an on going update of our semi-regular routines to highlight accommodations and everyday responsibilities like grocery shopping and budgeting throughout our travels. The Retro Caravan We sold our house to live in an RV camper. Correction, we sold our four bedroom, two bath, finished basement and fenced in property to live in a caravan nicknamed Alpha and…
We made it! Since our arrival to Auckland, we caught up on much needed sleep for the first few days. Not so much from the sixteen hour time difference but from a lack of sleep over the last few months. Planning for a life transition was a full-time job and we had our fair share of late nights, early mornings and a whirlwind of tying up loose…
Up, up and away we go. After many sorrowful goodbyes, our one-way ticket from New York to New Zealand couldn’t have been any smoother. Many assumed that we flew through LA to reach our destination however we actually flew from Toronto to Vancouver, which was a five hour flight, then onward to New Zealand for the last fourteen hours of our trip. We were not looking forward to being…
Mom, Me, Dad, Lucas, Shakira (niece), Andrea (sister), Ava (niece) Preparing for long-term travel can be incredibly exhilerating as the days, months and years leading up to your departure come to fruition. The realization of your perfectly hatched plans inch toward your personal deadlines as the details become solidified. All of the countless research hours, the detailed spreadsheets and careful planning creates a level of comfort on this nonconventional journey as…
When we started talking to people about our extended travel plans, most people thought our unconventional decision was made lightly without much thought to how we would prepare ourselves to live in another country. We cannot stress how far from the truth that is. In fact, we created multiple to-do lists, spread sheets and laundry list of calendar reminders to organize our travel plans for the next several…