Following a recent visit to friends in Wellington I travelled back to Auckland via scenic train, the Northern Explorer, one of New Zealand’s Great Train Journeys. Explore the rural heart of New Zealand's North Island on this epic 681km journey between Auckland and Wellington by train.  Our Northern Explorer train connects multi-cultural Auckland with our bustling capital, Wellington. With unique blends of international prestige and local culture, both are excellent places to start or finish … [Read more...]

26 May 2025 It is still pouring with rain this morning but the wind has dropped and it feels a lot warmer. The forecast is for it to clear by lunchtime so I have a slow start to my day (Chloe is working). Inspired by the stories that were told at our dinner last night, I decided that today would be a history day. In the morning I would read and research, and then once the weather cleared I would explore the Arthur’s Pass Historic Walk through the village. According to last year’s census … [Read more...]

25 May 2025 After the magnificent day we had yesterday, we woke to a very grey and dismal morning with very heavy rain forecast for the evening. It was perfect for lingering a bit longer snuggling in bed with a book before getting up to light the fire and make some breakfast. It wasn’t raining yet so we decided to walk up to the Devil’s Punchbowl Falls that we had seen in the distance yesterday, There are over 400 steps up to the Devil’s Punchbowl Falls, so we took it easy on the way up, … [Read more...]

23-24 May 2025 I was so privileged to be able to stay at my friend Chloe’s cabin in Arthur’s Pass National Park for a long weekend. Arthur’s Pass is is the highest and most spectacular pass through the New Zealand Southern Alps. It takes about 90 minutes by car or shuttle (from the airport) heading out northwest of Christchurch. You can also get there via the TransAlpine train which is one of the world’s greatest train journeys (and definitely worth doing). Chloe has a such a cute … [Read more...]

Warning: this post contains a serious dose of cuteness! I just had to share some photos of a recent visit to Cornerstone Alpaca Farm in Gordonton (near Hamilton). Feeding alpacas is a great activity for kids but thoroughly enjoyable as adults too. My friend Dominique was keen to visit this Alpaca Farm not far from where she lives. We visited mid-week and were rather surprised to find how busy it was (as were the owners). It was still school holidays so I guess it shouldn't have been a … [Read more...]

It has been 3 years since the last Sculpture in the Gardens was held at the Auckland Regional Botanic Gardens so I was definitely looking forward to visiting it again with my mother Gill. As usual they have done a fantastic job of siting the sculptures so that they are positioned to show the sculptures to their best advantage and of course to showcase the gardens themselves. It is an easy 1.5km walk and is well set up for those with mobility issues. I didn’t have a clear favourite this year … [Read more...]

Until recently I didn't really recognise the name Guo Pei. I did however remember the remarkable yellow dress that Rihanna wore to the New York Met Gala in 2015 gaining global comment (and sparking numerous memes about omelettes). This stunning dress was designed by Guo Pei, a Chinese fashion designer, and its creation took two years and over 50,000 hours. Although Guo Pei had been a renown fashion designer for the elite in China for many years, this dress marked her entry to the Western World … [Read more...]

Olympic Park in New Lynn isn't really hidden (it is fully visible from a major arterial route) but I've called it that because I have driven past it for 3 decades without realising that there is more to it than a children's playground and a sports stadium. Recently I had to fill in time while I was waiting for my car to be ready nearby so I took a walk to explore it - and was very pleasantly surprised. Winding through the middle of the park between the playground and the stadium is the Wai … [Read more...]

I was fortunate enough to receive a voucher as part of the Explore Tāmaki Makaurau COVID recovery programme: encouraging Aucklanders to get out and visit attractions and activities. My friend Dominique and I decided to visit Wētā Workshop Unleashed. Wētā Workshop Unleashed was opened in Auckland in December 2020, described as “a fantastical film effects experience”. This sits alongside the Wētā Workshop and Wētā Cave in Wellington and was designed to be able to give visitors a more … [Read more...]

Last year I went on Auckland Museum’s Incredible Rooftop Tour and was blown away by what we saw. Keen to see more, my friend Doreen and I went on the Secret Museum Tour which took us down into the depths of the museum where all the storage and restoration happens and have just taken the Hidden Heritage Tour that shows you all sorts of fascinating insights into the 100 year history of the museum. Secret Museum Tour This was described as a ‘once in a lifetime chance to explore the underground … [Read more...]