Exploring

While in Auckland, many encouraged us to take a trip to a local bird sanctuary island about 30 minutes away. Most people take a day trip with the local ferry, but Chris and I saw that there was a bunk house available to reserve space in and I decided that was the better way to […]

We loved our little beach house in Red Beach and the fun adventures a stationary life brought us. Jack went diving and joined the water polo team. Aleah volunteered at an animal rescue. Chris jumped in with both feet into the local wing foiling group and even had a down wind race end at our

Queenstown, New Zealand is known for many cool activities. The Fjordlands are only a short distance away, with beautiful scenery all around. There are so many bungee jump and giant swing locations that it’s hard to drive outside of the city without seeing one. Canyoning is also popular here, with some claiming that it originated

According to Māori legend, Poutini the taniwha (supernatural being) was a guardian of pounamu who swims up and down the west coast of the South Island. One day he travelled north to the Bay of Plenty and came across a beautiful woman named Waitaki and instantly fell in love. Although she was married to another

Over the weekend Aleah, Mom, Dad, and I, plus Busia and Tee, left Auckland to see a bit more of New Zealand. The first activity we did together was to experience a Māori village. The Māori are the native people of New Zealand, although technically they arrived fairly recently, as recent as just 800 years

One of my first group activities with other kids in New Zealand was Surf Life Rookies Sunday Fun Day. Surf Life is an organization for kids to practice useful pre-lifeguarding skills and have a fun day in and near the water. Rookies is the thirteen year old group which I took part in.  The first