Travel

New Zealand: Milford Sound

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I’ve often heard that no trip to New Zealand is really complete without a visit to Milford Sound, one of New Zealand’s natural wonders and a designated World Heritage Area.  The funny thing is that the name can be misleading because Milford Sound is not a ‘sound’ at all, but actually a fiord.  What’s the difference you ask?  A sound is a valley created by rivers while a fiord is carved by glaciers.  During the last Ice Age, glaciers carved out Milford Sound, a huge U-shaped valley with towering mountains, waterfalls, and rainforests. Continue reading →

New Zealand: Mount Cook

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After a few days in Wanaka, we continued our journey onwards to Mount Cook, the highest peak in Australasia at 3,755 metres.  Aoraki Mount Cook National Park is home to many other towering peaks as well as the longest glaciers in New Zealand. According to legends, Aoraki and his three brothers, the sons of the Sky Father, had their canoe overturned on a reef while on a sea voyage.  When the brothers climbed on top of their canoe, the freezing south wind turned them to stone. The canoe became the South Island (Te Waka o Aoraki) and Aoraki and his brothers became the peaks of the Southern Alps. Continue reading →

New Zealand: Wanaka

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After a long day of driving through the Haast Pass, we finally ended up at the lake-side town of Wanaka.  Words simply cannot describe this beautiful and idyllic setting, but I will try.  Wanaka is located on the edge an alpine lake bearing the same name, and is surrounded by the spectacular Southern Alps. It is considered to be one of the hidden gems of New Zealand since it is not as well known as Queenstown.  With a population of less than 10,000, Wanaka feels noticeably less touristy than its sister city.  Here, you can walk down to the lakeshore on a sunny day and not be overwhelmed by visitors. Continue reading →

Photo of the Week: Gorge

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IMG_8087Atlanta, USA

This week, I dug up some photos from our trip to Atlanta a few years ago.  Since we rented a car, we decided to drive out to Tallulah Gorge for a short day-hike.  This beautiful destination, filled with waterfalls, rock outcrops, and river cascades is one of the most popular trails in Georgia.  The easy to follow 2 mile trail takes you across a suspension bridge, down towards the gorge and back out again. 

Every week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home.  Most of my photos have little or no post processing.  If you would like to see more, please click the Follow button.

New Zealand: Rob Roy Glacier

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What I absolutely love about hiking in New Zealand is that it seems like no two trails are alike.  Each one is challenging and great in its own unique way.  So even though we ended up hiking almost every day, the experience felt different each time.  There are tons of great day trails around the Wanaka area, and one of which is the Rob Roy Glacier track – the jewel of Mt Aspiring National Park.  It’s hard to believe, but after after almost 2 weeks in New Zealand, I still couldn’t get enough of the picturesque mountains, sheer rock cliffs, hanging glaciers, and alpine valleys. Continue reading →

Photo of the Week: City-center

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IMG_2436Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Every few years I go back to my hometown only to find that it has changed beyond recognition.  Vietnam has one of the fastest growing economies in Asia, which has translated into more high rises and modern buildings. Although there is still one area that has remained the same, the main square overlooking City Hall. The familiar French colonial building with its bright orange roof is iconic in this ever-changing city.

Every week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home.  Most of my photos have little or no post processing.  If you would like to see more, please click the Follow button.

New Zealand: Roy’s Peak

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I’ve never been an avid hiker; I have attempted a few short and long hikes over the years, but it wasn’t until I got to New Zealand that I realized how much I enjoy hiking. The South Island is known for its incredible trails with captivating scenery.  Wanaka in particular has many must-do hikes, one of which is the popular Roy’s Peak,  a rigorous uphill climb with breathtaking views of Lake Wanaka, Mount Aspiring, and the surrounding mountain peaks.  The exertion and pain is rewarded when you’re standing on a trail overlooking the the best views in New Zealand.
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New Zealand: Haast Pass

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Driving across New Zealand, there is no shortage of beautiful scenery and spectacular landscapes, so when I read that the famous Haast Pass is THE most scenic highway in the country I had my doubts – but it didn’t take long for me to completely change my mind. This 140 km section of State Highway 6 starts at the Tasman Sea and winds its way along rugged coastline, skirting lush rainforests, passing through steep mountain ranges, crossing tumbling rivers and finally ending at Lakes Wanaka and Hawea, two of New Zealand’s biggest mountain lakes.  The road follows an ancient trail used by the Maori people. Continue reading →

New Zealand: Glacier Country

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From Hokitika we continued to head South along Highway 6 towards Fox Glacier.  A visit to  New Zealand’s West Coast isn’t complete without a trip to one of the two glaciers found there – Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier. The topography in this area is unique with glaciers and ice surrounded by lush, green forest covered with ferns and mosses. Also, both glaciers are located only a mere 300 meters above sea level. Continue reading →

New Zealand: Wellington to Hokitika

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When we first started planning the trip, we decided to not book anything in advance in order to allow ourselves some flexibility.  It worked out for the most part, and we were able to change our itinerary as we went along.  Our determination to go with the flow was really tested on this leg of the trip where everything was turned topsy turvy and we had to scramble to make lots of last-minute changes.  Luckily or unluckily (depending on how you look at it) we are no strangers to dealing with problems that arise while traveling. 

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