New Zealand

I thought I was going to New Zealand for beaches, food, and Franz Josef Glacier. I got all of those things. What I didn't expect was how emotionally affecting the trip would be. The history — particularly around Christchurch — hit in ways that good travel sometimes does. warm Kiwi hospitality was t…

I'll be honest — I went to New Zealand primarily to see Hobbiton, and it delivered beyond what any photo prepares you for. But the surrounding region surprised me just as much. Wellington has a character I didn't anticipate, and wandering without a plan for an afternoon turned out to be one of the h…

First time in New Zealand and I tried to approach it with open eyes rather than preconceptions. Christchurch was the base and a good one — central, manageable, and with strong food options including the best pavlova I've ever had. Bay of Islands was the big set piece and fully justified the trip. T…

New Zealand is undeniably beautiful. Tongariro Alpine Crossing and the area around Wellington have a visual quality that photographs don't capture fully. I enjoyed lamb roast and appreciated warm Kiwi hospitality. That's all real. But remote from everywhere adds flight costs was more of a problem t…

We chose New Zealand for our honeymoon and it was perfect for us. The romantic atmosphere in Auckland at night, the drama of Milford Sound, the intimacy of small restaurants serving lamb roast — all of it added up to exactly what we were hoping for. very safe and easy to travel became an unexpected…