Home Base

Our time in New Zealand is winding to a close, and each day speeds by faster. We will be back in Detroit in early December, just in time to leave the beginning of summer in Ahipara and face the unseasonable cold predicted for the Midwest. My daily walk on the beach suddenly is more precious … Continue reading Hiding in Plain Sight

The first time I flew in a prop plane, John and I were on our honeymoon. We caught a jumper flight from San Juan to St. Croix, and I was terrified. In general, flying on any plane was anxiety-ridden for me. Take-offs and landings were white knuckle moments, and flying over the ocean conjured up … Continue reading Picture This

Continued: Our week of adventure with Carrie Tongariro National Park is northeast of Taumaranui. Located a few hours from Auckland, the park is a popular destination, featuring the 19-kilometer Tongariro Alpine Crossing, a World Heritage site. That track has been on my bucket list for a while, but in October, it is still partially snow-covered … Continue reading Death by Vacation, Part 2

90 Mile Beach stretches from Ahipara, where we are living, up to Cape Reinga, the northern most point of New Zealand. The beach is one continuous, hard-packed sand trail, used by horses, ATVs, and 4-wheel drive vehicles. We bought bikes last year to ride it, and retrieved them out of storage when we returned. We … Continue reading Biking in Northland