There aren't many places where you feel the urge to wear your wedding ring around your neck and begin dodging fictional forces of evil.
New Zealand's Tongariro National Park, however, is exactly one of those places.
As anyone who has been to a movie theater in the ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
New Zealand
Hiking across Mordor in Tongariro National Park
There aren't many places where you feel the urge to wear your wedding ring around your neck and begin dodging fictional forces of evil.
New Zealand's Tongariro National Park, however, is exactly one of those places.
As anyone who has been to a movie theater in the ...Stand up paddling with stingrays in New Zealand's Murderer's Bay
Though Captain James Cook was the first European to set foot on the islands of New Zealand in 1769, he was not the first European to "discover it". That honor would belong to Dutch explorer Abel Tasman who sailed past the country while navigating the Southern Ocean for ...Kaikoura, New Zealand: Surfing, seals, and seafood
"The chowder isn't the type you have back in the States" I am warned.
The brunette woman working the oceanfront seafood cart has detected my accent and is concerned I won't like her steaming bowl of mollusks.
"There isn't much cream, just freshly made broth mixed ...Franz Josef glacier: Big icy tongue of the rainforest
"The Franz Josef Glacier is so singularly beautiful, so beautiful indeed, and centered amongst such vivid, exceptional, and picturesque surroundings that if it were situated in any other country than New Zealand it would have long ago been acclaimed 'The Most Beautiful ...The best walk in the world? Tackling New Zealand's Routeburn Track
"I keep wondering whether I really like tramping...the cold and the loneliness and the fear--do they outweigh the magnificence, the terrible impersonal glory of the mountains?"
-Charles Brusch, Poet-
14 miles is too far to walk when you're on vacation. And ...Growing on the edge: Wine tasting in the southernmost wine region of the world
On a morning in which I had no intention of drinking alcohol (yes, morning) I somehow found myself having a glass of what has officially been called the best wine in the entire world.
This is what happens when you take road trips, you stumble upon things. In this ...Freedom to Roam: The Southern Alps by helicopter
No, the Southern Alps aren't in the south of France or Italy as the name may lead you to believe. Rather, they are 12 time zones away in a remote corner of the Pacific Ocean and form the spine of the rugged South Island of New Zealand. Home to National Parks such as ...10 Etsy shops from around the world
With all of the Etsy shops out there, how are you supposed to know which shops to peruse and potentially support? While it's a good thing to be supporting independent, local, self-made, all-natural, and/or struggling artists, it's a difficult thing to know where to start. ...8 best coastal walks from around the world
There's nothing better when traveling than exploring a beautiful city coastline. Not only do these treks give you access to unique landscape and picturesque beaches, they also help you stay in shape while on the road.
Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk, Australia
When I ...Bullriding Kiwis: Rodeo at the bottom of the world
"These riders aren't some dope smokers from the local pub. They aren't some hippie who's trying to molest your grandmother. These are real riders here. And they are men."
-Wanaka Rodeo announcer-
As friends back home in the United States nursed a New Year's Day ...Adventure Vacation Guide 2012: Queenstown, New Zealand
Just as I mentioned in the Adventure Vacation Guide to Chamonix, France, what separates an adventure destination from an adventure capital is the ability to get an adrenaline rush for all 365 days of the year. Although Queenstown may be closer to the South Pole than the ...Freedom to roam: New Zealand by campervan
Well. It's official. For the next three months I am officially living in my car.
No, this vagabond hasn't fallen on hard times (yet), but rather, I am going to be embedded in the back of a 1995 Toyota campervan in the magnificent country of New Zealand, where, for the ...Understanding the sport of Wellie Wanging
No, it's not what you think it is, although it still not your usual sport. Wellie Wanging, also known as Gumboot Throwing, is a sport in New Zealand that consists of throwing a Wellington boot, which is basically like a rubber galoshe, as far as possible within a set ...
Welcome to Hell's Gate in Rotorua, New Zealand
While you probably won't run into Satan, a visit to Hell's Gate in Rotorua, New Zealand, will immerse you in a world of boiling natural ponds, smoking sulfur pits, active volcanoes, and the Inferno, two violently erupting geothermal pools. The area, which was originally ...
Photo of the day - Otago sheep
These Otago sheep have a great view, which they might be able to see if they'd only get their heads out of their grasses. Joking aside, we can't help but hope that these assiduously grazing sheep are enjoying the steady march towards summer in New Zealand.
This image ...10 unique underground hotels from around the world
While staying above ground has its perks, it's always fun to try something a little out of the ordinary. On your next trip, why not try staying in one of these unique hotels located underground? You'll get privacy, a unique experience, and won't have to worry about the sun ...Worlds largest insect discovered in New Zealand?
New Zealand's Little Barrier Island holds the unique distinction of being the home of the world's largest insect species – the giant weta. This endangered bug, which resembles a very large cricket, can weigh as much as a small bird and has a wingspan that can exceed ...Five holiday cookies from around the world
I love good old American iced sugar cookies as much as the next person. Yet there's a whole world of cookiedom out there, and the holdiays are the best excuse to do a little experimenting.
Whether you prefer your cookies buttery, spiced, crisp, or iced, there's something ...10 best wine hotels around the world
What's better when you're on vacation than a day at the vineyards? How about wineries that let you stay the night, as well? No more worrying about drinking and driving or figuring out transportation as these ten wine hotels offer guests vino tastings as well as a comfortable ...New Zealand to open new trekking route
New Zealand, a country that is already established as one of the best adventure travel destinations on the planet, is preparing to open a new trekking route that will run the entire length of the country. Dubbed Te Araroa, the trail is the result of a massive volunteer ...
