Suspect sighted. Shoot to kill!

The Australian Possum is one of New Zealand’s biggest pests. It also happens to be adorable. For those of us from North America, you are probably used to something like this or this when thinking of a possum. Why are our possums so much mangier here in the Northern Hemisphere? The New Zealand possums are even cute when they run. They have this awkward, but endearing, gait and a furry tail that flaps in the air. Yes, their cuddling quotient is off the charts, but massive campaigns exist all around New Zealand to obliterate these little guys.  (more…)

Highway 6 runs along the western side of New Zealand’s south island. The drive seemingly takes forever, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Along the way you will find quaint towns, beautiful coastal views, and winding mountain passes. It takes around six or seven hours to drive from Greymouth to Wanaka, but its best to spend at least three or four days so you have time to take it all in.  (more…)

New Zealand is a country full of extremes, especially when it comes to natural phenomena. It can be snowing one week and then sunny and hot the next. You can see palm trees at the base of a glacier or observe stacked rocks that are flat as pancakes. These are some of the interesting natural wonders that make visiting New Zealand so unique.
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One of the best parts of visiting New Zealand’s south island is viewing the colonies of fur seals that line the rocky shores. At times, the seals can be found swimming in the water and awkwardly waddling across the rocks. More than likely, though, you will find the seals passed out in the sun.

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Fiordland National Park is the largest national park in New Zealand and part of the Te Wāhipounamu UNESCO World Heritage site. Located in the southwestern corner of the south island, Fiordlands is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Many of New Zealand’s most-famous sights are located here, and it is a must-do for anyone visiting the south island. (more…)

New Zealand is known for its water features. Whether you’re talking oceans, fjords, rivers, waterfalls or lakes, water is everywhere. The Lakes District in southwestern New Zealand holds some of the most spectacular lakes in the country, including Lake Wakatipu, Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea. Many of the key attractions and towns of this area center around the water. (more…)

The devastation of the Christchurch earthquake from 2011 is still impacting the city today. Although significant progress has been made, I was very surprised to see how much work still remained. Despite all of that, Christchurch has made great use of art and innovative ideas to move forward. Here are some of the interesting things to see and do around Christchurch. (more…)

The drive from Christchurch to Queenstown along Highway 8 takes around six hours, but if you do it right, it should take much longer. There are some beautiful stops that will make you want to linger as long as you can. An alternate (and longer) route to Queenstown takes you along the coast to Dunedin and down to the southern portions of the south island, but I will be focusing on the Highway 8 route here. (more…)

This is the second part of my tour of New Zealand’s incredible north island. To read the first part of my tour, click here. In this post I discuss my time in Auckland, a beautiful coastal city, and at the incredible Waitomo Glow Worm Caves. (more…)

The north island of New Zealand is a pleasant mixture of natural beauty and engaging attractions. Most people spend the majority of their New Zealand trip on the south island, but the north island should not be missed. I didn’t get a chance to make it to all of the sights (sorry, Wellington), but the places I did see were worth the visit, and I’d love to return to see some of the other places I missed. (more…)