Alice in Wonder-Where-I-Am-Land.

Remember blimmin’ months ago when I promised to tell you about the time I went for a stroll around the block, decided to go off-trail into the bush and nearly put myself into a survival situation? Well I’m finally making good. It happened on Easter Sunday. I remember it well, because I’d eaten a shitload of chocolate and was…

Bloomin’ Fantastic!

Since we got back from New Zealand a few people have been asking me when’s the best time to head over for skiing. To which I helpfully answer I dunno. Although the South Island has pretty good snow throughout the season, generally it gets the best dumps of snow either at the start of the season (July) or towards the end (September)….

Wana Walk? (Diamond Lake, NZ.)

Wanaka, Day 2. Not sore from snowboarding for the first time EVER!! … Miracles do happen! Could be thanks to that (SO GOOD) soak in the spa yesterday. Those things should be compulsory in all holiday houses, like toilets. Spent a lazy Sunday morning sitting on the balcony soaking up the spring sunshine with a cuppa tea and boysenberry jam…

The Wilds of Suburbia: Burleigh Head National Park, QLD.

Disclaimer: Not sponsored. But you know that by now. Burleigh Heads is a little town on the Gold Coast that’s like a ‘best of’. It has everything on the Goldie in one place (well, except for the theme parks) but on a smaller scale; gorgeous beaches and surf breaks, a wildlife park just up the road, cafes and restaurants, parks…

There’s Something About Mapua. (Mapua, New Zealand)

(That’s MAH-pua, not Muh-POO-a; less emphasis on the ‘poo’.) Disclaimer: Not sponsored. Did it for love. If you’re wondering where to go for your next summer holiday, want gorgeous beaches and sunny days, with great food and wilderness experiences and a laid back vibe without huge crowds, I suggest you get your arse to Tasman, in the…

ACDC on the ATCT: Abel Tasman Coastal Track, New Zealand.

Disclaimer: This post wasn’t in the slightest bit sponsored, unfortunately. (I did get a hot lunch on our flight to Enzed but I think everyone got one.) We enjoyed our New Year’s 2016 in one of my favourite places on the planet; Abel Tasman National Park, on NZ’s South Island. Unlike our previous South Island beach holiday destinations it’s right at…

Abel Tasman National Park, N.Z. Takes 1 & 2.

The journal continues… with a flashback to Saturday 21 December 2002, during my first ever trip to New Zealand. What the hell for, you ask? Read on. Out with Kaiteriteri Kayaks, and my second trip into the Abel Tasman NP. I luv it – the only place I’ve visited twice in Enzed! Well, besides Wellington, but that…

On This Day…

I’ve been working my way through this enormous book for the past ten months called The Assassin’s Cloak. It sounds like a badass historical thriller, but is actually an anthology of badass diary entries. From the 1660s to the 1990s, grouped together for every day of the year. There’s all kinds of shit going down – 25 January 1851 Leo Tolstoy wakes up…

The Misty, Muddy Mountains: Binna Burra, Queensland.

Last December J & I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary.  The day itself was a bit of a fizzer; I awoke with a 6 yr old’s foot up my bum and J started work at 5.30am. So romance. Eh, it was fine. Once the right time presented itself however – the following Easter weekend – we…

Dunedin Rocks! Karetai Track & Smaills Beach, New Zealand.

Dunners Day 2. We didn’t have morning tea at our usual place today – we figured it would be overrun by blow-ins hoping to run into Inigo Montoya. (For newcomers thinking what the hell are you talking about, Inigo Montoya?!?!, see previous post.) Went to a new place out on the Otago Peninsula, and afterwards, as the rain had eased off, walked…

Bucketed: Cradle Mountain, Tasmania.

Do you remember the last family trip you went on? (I mean, before you had your own family and the karmic wheel turned and it became your own kids bludging in the backseat whining “Are we there yet”?) I remember mine well, because it was only last October. Mum and Dad headed to Tasmania and amazingly both Justine…

Here Be Dragon…flies.

Back in February my sister, who has long dabbled in the performing arts, scored a gig in a promo video/website for a cool new camping whatsit. The inventor, Helmut, has a highly admirable DIY ethic and had advertised online for someone to do the narration and demonstration while he would script, shoot and edit the video…