Windy Day on the Muddy River
The first omen was the fresh wind blowing headlong up the river. The second was the shabby looking boats, and the third was Alan breaking the rudder on the double kayak. ‘No worries’, said Alan, I’ve done that before. The boat’s a bit tippy but you’ll be fine.’ We are on the winding historic Waihou [...]
Te Aroha – kayaks, hot pools, tapas and the mountain of love
Te Aroha is a rural town in the Waikato region of New Zealand with a population of 3,768 (2006 census).[1] It is 53 km northeast of Hamilton and 50 km south of Thames. It sits at the foot of 952-metre Mount Te Aroha, the highest point in the Kaimai Range. (from Wikipedia) GOOGLE MAPS Te Aroha is [...]
Hot Pools – swim all year round in NZ
When I was hitchhiking around NZ 35 years ago, it took me a while to realise that you always pack your swimmers (togs, swimming costumes, swimwear…). Even though it is cold and even snowing, you never know when you are going to run into a hot pool. We visited De Bretts Hot Pools in Taupo [...]
Whangarei, Northland
Whangarei is the northern most city in New Zealand, on the way to the Bay of Islands, or more importantly to the Tutukaka Coast (we are parochial up here) and the Poor Knights Islands. It has a fabulous marina and some top shops, and the best sub-tropical diving. More on Whangarei here Make time to [...]
Join Rosemary in Vietnam this November..
It’s winter here in New Zealand, and I have started thinking about planning a vacation. As a woman travelling solo, the first place I look in the Women Travel the World website, and in particular their amazing Calendar of Tours for Women available for women from a range of companies around the world. Joining a [...]
Kayaking the Bay of Islands
I have spent hours stuffing my gear into small waterproof bags in my motel in Paihia in the Bay of Islands, in the North of New Zealand. My gear is now piled on top of the rest in the back of the van - how are we going to fit all that in kayaks!! Jill, [...]
