Auckland’s Sea Life Aquarium
Dec11

Auckland’s Sea Life Aquarium

While we were housesitting in Auckland, we decided to check out their aquarium. We figured it would be something nice to do on a wintery, overcast day. Its official name is Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium. They were kind enough to offer us free admission so we could review it. Whenever you review a place, you always hope you’ll have positive things to say. Hope springs eternal, right? Our underwhelming experience began with finding...

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Antarctica for kids (and their parents)
Nov20

Antarctica for kids (and their parents)

This south polar continent is on many people’s bucket list and rightly so. It’s the only continent we haven’t visited yet, and it’s high on our list. It’s also an extremely expensive visit, so it’s going to be a while before we can make it happen. With the expense of travel and its extremely remote location, it isn’t exactly a hot family destination spot, but there is a way to experience Antarctica for kids and their families. While...

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Visiting after the Christchurch quake
Aug20

Visiting after the Christchurch quake

In February 2011, the largest city on the south island of New Zealand, which is also the country’s 2nd largest city, was rocked by a 6.3-magnitude earthquake causing over $40 billion in damage and killing 185 people.. The center of town was devastated, and the eastern suburbs experienced liquefaction. Now 2-1/2 years later recovery still looks very far away. Visiting after the Christchurch quake today was a surreal experience....

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Traveling between the cities of New Zealand
Aug15

Traveling between the cities of New Zealand

When looking at New Zealand on a map, it can seem deceptively small. The country may have more sheep than people, but it is by no means a short trip to get between the various cities of New Zealand. In fact, a bus from Auckland to the nation’s capital is an 11-hour ride, and they’re located on the same island. There are several options for getting around, and it’s worth spending a bit of time doing some research to see what your best...

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Could I live in Australia or New Zealand?
Jul23

Could I live in Australia or New Zealand?

As we slowly make our way around the world (only one continent unvisited!), we’re paying attention to the places we might want to stay longer and possibly use as a long-term base. We’ll still travel, but at some point I’m sure we’re going to want a place that feels a bit more like “home” where we can both make friends and be part of a local community. We absolutely loved Australia, and we’re enjoying New Zealand so far. But I have to...

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Wonderful Wellington
Jun13

Wonderful Wellington

The capital city of New Zealand may not be the largest urban area in the country, but it is definitely the hub of culture. Wellington is located right on a harbour, surrounded by mountains, and boasts a number of great attractions and festivals. If you only have a few days to explore Wellington, having your own vehicle is a huge asset, as this will allow you to bypass the hassles of having to use sometimes unreliable forms of public...

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