Coromandel Penisula--Pre-Pandemic Timing is everything, especially with travel. Don't travel when it's too hot or too cold or too touristy. Our timing for our March trip to New Zealand was sublime. Pre-pandemic.  We left Tuesday, March 3, 2020, just as international...

Shire Living at Hobbiton If you are a fan of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, you know that the movies were filmed in New Zealand where director Peter Jackson is from. The shire is described as Middle-earth in J. R. R. Tolkien's iconic fantasies. “In a hole in the...

Rotorua The town of Rotorua at first glance is unimpressive giving off an industrial vibe. It didn't help that the lakeside view was obstructed by a major renovation. However, a dig below the surface is highly recommended. And literally below the surface are...

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better --Albert Einstein  Beauty abounds in Lake Taupo, a lakeside hamlet two hours west of Napier. Huka Falls and the Waikato River Our goal for the day to soak in the beauty of Lake Taupo starting with...