There’s too much snow. It’ll be too cold. The weather won’t be good this week. You’ll shoot your eye out… The reasons why I shouldn’t have gone to Kari Lake and Mount Aragats were many. All of the above (save one, can you guess which?) were offered up, and I was so close to scrapping …
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Tbilisi City Guide
Tbilisi has been my home for the past 2 months, and I’ve enjoyed exploring it and (mostly) eating as much delicious food as possible. It’s a great city for foodies, history buffs, music connoisseurs, and winos alike — all things which made this city a fun one to call home. I’ve put together most of …
Eight of the Best Sights on the South Island of New Zealand
New Zealand is one of those places that take your breath away on a continual basis. Its two islands are vastly different, but both intriguing in their own ways. The North is a hive of geothermal activity: volcanoes, hot springs, and hot water beaches. The South is chock full of wilderness: epic mountains, beautiful fiords, …
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Guide to Hiking in Yubeng
It started with Tinder. I know, I know, that sounds bad. But if it wasn’t for Tinder, I might never have heard of that place in an alpine valley mere kilometers from the Tibetan border. I might never have seen the photos of misting waterfalls, glacial lakes, and fluttering prayer flags which inspired me to alter …
Ten Things to Do in Taupo
There’s a saying which goes, ‘time flies when you’re having fun!’, and is it ever true! The past three months have been a blur, spent working, hiking, making new friends, and experiencing the best that Taupo has to offer. I got extremely lucky with my position as a receptionist at Rainbow Lodge Backpackers and was able …
Driving the West Coast Highway
The morning was cold, and I crawled out of my cocoon in the backseat of Te Namu to the sound of distant surf and the blasted buzzing of an infernal sandfly. I killed it before I dressed, and immediately felt positive about the day ahead. I would be driving the West Coast Highway to a place …
Hiking Isthmus Peak
“Forget about Roy’s Peak. It’s great but totally overcrowded. Try hiking Isthmus Peak instead,” the receptionist advised us as we made hiking plans over coffee and muesli. The lounge of Wanaka Bakpaka was full of bleary-eyed backpackers doing the same — Wanaka is a popular place for hikers. Marketa and I had met up for a …
The Backroads of Canterbury
It felt like it had been an age. Melissa and I had been in Samoa only 15 days, but the separation I felt from New Zealand seemed like it stemmed from an absence of months. Perhaps the displacement was because we were in Christchurch, a far cry from the rural pace of Te Anau. Whatever the cause, once we’d …
Driving to the Catlins
Driving past the holiday park leaves me feeling fuzzy — numbed to my actions and what they symbolize. I’m driving to the Catlins and leaving Te Anau. My home for the past 4.5 months, Te Anau is a tiny, buzzing little place popular simply because it’s the closest town to the iconic Milford Sound. Jobs are plentiful …
Cruise in Doubtful Sound
The prow of the boat cut through the waters of Lake Manapouri like a knife through as much butter. Gusts of frigid, pre-dawn air buffeted us as we fought for balance on the viewing deck, and the sun broke over the hills in the East. It was a fine day, and my coworker Marketa and …