Auckland New Zealand greets nearly 4 million visitors annually. Some stay in the city, but more come to explore the lush green country. It’s this exploration that makes a visit to New Zealand so special. Sure, you can fly to the major cities, but what you miss along the way is the magic. An Auckland to […]
Wellington Activities: 37 Things to Do in the Capital of New Zealand
Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, is often overlooked by visitors as they head straight to the South Island, yet it is one of my favourite getaway cities. The range of Wellington activities makes it a perfect choice for either a romantic escape or a sightseeing visit with family and friends. It is a charming […]
Zealandia Ecosanctuary by Night and Day – Wildlife Outside Wellington
Tucked up over the city of Wellington is Zealandia, an ecosanctuary reminiscent of the days before humans arrived in New Zealand. A predator-proof fence surrounds the Zealandia sanctuary, creating an “island” within New Zealand’s capital city and allowing birds and other native creatures to live wild as nature intended. Whether you are a nature or […]
Quinn’s Post Joins Two Powerful War Exhibits in Wellington NZ
The recently opened Quinn’s Post Trench Experience is Sir Peter Jackson’s latest addition to World War I history in Wellington New Zealand. The experience at the Great War Exhibition is a one of a kind. “It takes Peter Jackson’s creativity to pull this together,” according to the museum’s general manager. Quinn’s Post is one of now […]
The Art of Coffee Roasting: Behind the Scenes at Mojo
Wellington is known for great coffee. A few minutes inside the Mojo coffee roasting facility and I knew why. Delicious coffee is found at Wellington restaurants everywhere. We knew we were near a coffee roasting facility when the earthy, nutty aroma reached us. Reminding me of a mix of two of my favourites: coffee and chocolate, […]
Wellington’s St Paul Cathedral: Gothic Revival vs Modern
Old St Paul Cathedral in Wellington caught me by surprise. The streets of New Zealand’s capital reflect an active, upbeat, modern city. The general architecture styles are eclectic, contemporary and interesting. Then there is old St Paul Cathedral. Built entirely of native timber, this 19th-century gothic-revival masterpiece is well worth a visit. The high, vaulted […]
Colourful Photos from Wellington Botanic Garden
Half the fun of the Wellington Botanic Garden is getting there. We arrived into town late in the day, checked into our apartment, and headed to Lambton Quay. It’s the centre of Wellington and the location of the Cable Car entrance. At the top is the Wellington Botanic Garden. I am generally not a huge fan of this type of place, but […]
Sarah’s Sunday Snapshots #40 – New Zealand photos
These are some of my favourite New Zealand photos I never shared. I thought it would be nice to have a mixture of general random photos from the past few years as my last New Zealand photos post, since I’m leaving for a year in 4 days (4 days!). When I’m in Argentina on my […]
Our Favourite Wellington Restaurants
Wellington restaurants have it all. Our favourites are comfortable, somewhat casual, and always serving great food. The city offers traditional, international, and eclectic options. Wellington may be a city known for its coffee but take a look at some of the food we tried at several Wellington restaurants and see if you agree it is also a city for eating. […]
Hiking Mount Victoria in Wellington
A few eyes rolled when I suggested hiking Mount Victoria during our recent visit to Wellington, one of my favourite New Zealand cities. At 196 metres, it is taller than any natural point in Auckland, and the 360-degree views from the top are well worth the effort. And effort it was. We were later told we had […]
Kapiti Coast Textures in New Zealand – Sarah’s Snapshots
Last weekend I was on an AFS camp on the Kapiti Coast (New Zealand) north of Wellington and, naturally, I brought my camera along. With only carry-on for the flight (limiting my weight to 7kg), I brought my new lightweight 24mm lens for the weekend. Following the theme of several previous posts, I decided to take […]
Wellington Photos: 20 Reasons It’s My Favorite NZ Getaway
Wellington is so much more than just New Zealand’s capital city. It’s a vibrant eclectic mix of architecture styles, unusual street art, culture, and history. It’s been my favourite weekend getaway destination since my first visit nearly 12 years ago. A picture is worth 1000 words, so I will show you why I love Wellington in […]
Find South with Stars: Things I Learned at Carter Observatory in Wellington, New Zealand
From the big bang to space exploration, Carter Observatory in Wellington took us through time with colourful exhibits. Sarah and I visited during our recent mother-daughter adventure. We went on Saturday night in hopes of seeing the refracting telescope at work. We had a clear sky and we wanted to see the stars. We began […]
Photos: A Rainbow of Hair Color in Wellington New Zealand
People watching from a cafe on Cuba Street in Wellington, New Zealand, Sarah suddenly had an idea “Hey mum, I challenge you to do the 100-Strangers Project featuring a rainbow of hair color.” It’s a new twist on an old challenge to help improve my portrait photography skills. Last year I never completed the 100 […]
Walk Wellington – Best Way to See New Zealand’s Capital City
Walk Wellington is the perfect name for the city tour we took to kick-start our mini adventure in New Zealand’s capital. We went open minded, expecting to learn a bit about the history and architecture. Our expectations were far exceeded as we discovered a city filled with mystery and surprise around every corner. It’s in […]
Sarah’s Sunday Snapshots #27 – Hobbit Movie Costumes
Last week while at a waterfront cafe in Wellington, New Zealand mum and I came across a glass case containing the costume of Legolas from the Lord of the Rings (LoTR). Me, as a huge LoTR fan, became extremely excited when we found out that there was a whole trail of Hobbit movie costumes scattered about […]
Wellington’s Best Desserts are at Strawberry Fare
Strawberry Fare calls it a Black Forest Tower. I call it chocolate perfection on a plate. It took only a few bites before I realized: this dessert is exactly how I envision heaven (only heaven has fewer calories). **Sorry, Strawberry Fare has closed its doors in Wellington. We recently discovered the original Strawberry Fare (related […]
Wellington Zoo, Home to the Only Bear in New Zealand
Wellington Zoo calls itself the “Best Little Zoo in the World,” and they just might be accurate. Having lived most of my life near large cities with somewhat famous zoos, I thought I had seen it all. Not so. The Wellington Zoo offers many surprises and is worth a visit. It’s one of the highlights […]
Sarah’s Sunday Snapshots #26 – Wellington Textures
This weekend has been very exciting so far – mum and I have been in Wellington since Friday for a mother-daughter weekend, and it has been awesome! Wellington is full of interesting sites and activities (which mum and I will be writing about in the weeks to come) and we’ve been having lots of fun. Today I […]
Bizarre Wellington Street Sculptures are Colorful Fun
Wellington is an exciting, eclectic mix of modern, traditional and cultural street art. My daughter and I had a blast exploring the city and discovering so many interesting Wellington street sculptures. Often thought of as the soul of the city, colourful Cuba Street is a meeting place for friends, buskers, shoppers and diners. We chose […]
Walking Along the Wellington Waterfront, New Zealand
New Zealand’s capital city is the perfect place for a mom/teen getaway. Of course, we went shopping, ate wonderful food, and we also took a walk along the Wellington waterfront. I had my new street lens (20mm prime f/1.7) on my Olympus OM-D Em5. Here are the photo highlights: There is plenty more to see […]
Wellington’s Taranaki Wharf Jump Platform – Will You Leap?
This week I took a two-day express holiday to Wellington with my niece. Aside from traditional sights, she also took a leap from the Taranaki Wharf Jump Platform. She is far braver (and much younger) than I am. The platform is along the Wellington waterfront, just outside TePapa, the national museum. Wellington is New Zealand’s […]
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