Our Toilets Are Famous: The Hundertwasser Loos of Kawakawa
There is a brown tourist sign on Highway 1 pointing to public toilets. We took the exit. Best decision we made all day.
-
-
What to Do in Foxton, NZ: A Surprising Stop on Highway 1
Foxton wasn’t on our radar — it was just a town we’d driven through a dozen times on the way between Wellington and Auckland. Then my partner mentioned there was a windmill, and we made a detour. I was expecting something decorative. It’s actually a working windmill. That set the tone for the whole stop.
-
The Road to Milford Sound
I previously posted about Milford Sound. It is an incredible wondrous place. But even more incredible and wondrous (in my opinion) is the road that takes you there — state highway 94. Picture a road with mountains all around you, fields of purple flowers on every space flat enough to have them, and waterfalls competing…
-
New Zealand Travel | NZ: Kai and Cocktails | NZ: South Island | NZ: Where to Go and What to Do | Whiskey & Wine Around the World
Gibbston Valley Winery
I previously blogged about the New Zealand wine trail. In Central Otago in the South Island, on highway 6 just outside of Queenstown on the way to Wanaka you’ll see signs for Gibbston Valley Winery.
-
New Zealand Travel | NZ: South Island | NZ: Where to Go and What to Do | NZ: Wild and Weird | World Travel
Swimming with Dolphins in New Zealand (Dusky Dolphins like Christmas Carols)
We weren’t planning to stop in Picton. Then we saw a brochure about swimming with dolphins. Plans changed. It turns out that Dusky dolphins respond very well to Away in a Manger.
-
Hiking Amongst the Cows
I’ve mentioned before that pretty much every road in New Zealand takes you through countryside with beautiful serene pastures full of grazing cows and sheep. Usually you just drive past them, but not today.
-
The Longest Beach in NZ
Until yesterday, I thought that 90 mile beach was the longest beach in NZ. And apparently I’m not alone — if you Google the longest beaches in the world then 90 mile beach comes out in the top 10 just about every time. But not only is 90 mile beach not 90 miles long (it…
-
World Famous in New Zealand
On Highway 2 between Auckland and Tauranga sits the small town of Paeroa, birthplace of L&P — New Zealand’s most beloved soft drink and the source of the phrase “World Famous in New Zealand.” The giant bottle on the main street used to be a space rocket. Of course it did.
-
Living in New Zealand | New Zealand Travel | NZ: Kai and Cocktails | NZ: Living the Kiwi Life | NZ: South Island | NZ: Where to Go and What to Do
The World’s Most Southern Starbucks
Wellington Kiwis will sneer at your Starbucks cup. Auckland Kiwis couldn’t care less. And at the bottom of the South Island there’s a store that claims to be the southernmost Starbucks in the world.
-
New Zealand’s Only Castle (And Its Surprisingly Scandalous History)
William Larnach built New Zealand’s only castle in the 1870s. His last wife had an affair with his son. He shot himself in parliament. The castle is beautiful. The story is a lot.
