Queenstown to Glenorchy

Queenstown is situated in the central west part of the South Island. We arrived mid day and decided to explore town as the sun was shinning and the warm on our faces felt fantastic. Katy and I treated ourselves to a delicious scoop of dark chocolate with macadamia nut Patagonia Gelato ... and took in the views along the waterfront.

Several vendors were set up in the adjacent park area so we strolled through looking at homemade jewelry and artwork. I found a place to rent a MTB bike to hit the 7 Mile tracks up to Moke Lake for the next day. We camped overnight at the 12 Mile Delta DOC site by Lake Wakatipu which was stunning.

We woke up to Pete's world famous French press which we've all been spoiled by on the trip and then headed for the trails. We hit the Moke and Dispute Lake Trails which were amazing. The ride up was an advanced or intermediate trail, which involved lots of rocks and roots! Oye, my legs look like I got a little beat up. But, it was well worth it! Moke Lake was dreamy! We ended our ride in Wilsons Bay where the sun was shining and life was sweet as!

After a pit stop at the market, we headed north towards Glenorchy. WOW, again, another stunning place to set up shop for the night. Just in love with this part of the South Island. We camped at Mrs. Wooleys Camp grounds and feasted on fish tacos!

The road to Glenorchy and the storm rolling in

In LOVE with Milford

Wow, wow, wow. Completely in love with Milford Sound. Not much to say as the pictures do a better job of showing how amazing this experience was. Totally spell bound by such rare and natural beauty. Milford Sound is 16 kms in length and is the northern-most of 14 fiords that make up the spectacular coastline of the 1,200,000ha Fiordland National Park.

Post Stirling Falls Spray Survival Selfie

Dunedin + Moonbeams

We arrived into Dunedin in the mid afternoon. Katy and I decided to stroll around town for a bit. We hit up a few local bike and op shops. This city is quite artsy! So many murals on the sides of buildings and sidewalks here. It reminded me of SF and Wellington.

Local Artwork at the Japanese Restaurant

We finished the day with a lovely hot yoga flow class at Hot Yoga Dunedin. It felt so good to move in the heat! I have been doing a lot of yin yoga on this trip, but I really needed some flow, and with the rain and cramped quarters in the camper van, it's been hard to find time for physical asana practice. Post class we got some fantastic take out and freedom camped overnight in the most magical placed called Brighton Beach. What a lovely place to set up camp for the night. Not only did we have the mystic ocean to keep us company, but the full moon also made this spot all the more lovely. My camera couldn't quite capture the beauty of this full moon, but this moon felt closer and larger than I've ever seen before! We also noticed that orion's belt was reversed ... very interesting to view on this side of the world.

The cows came home

We freedom camped at Diamond Lake, which was lovely with views of rolling green pastures and mountain in the backdrop. We feasted on homemade pesto pizzas on the grill when we were suddenly interrupted by a herd of cattle. All we could hear was a sea of "Moooooooo" and I ran around the camper van to see all of these brown and white dairy cows just roaming the roads and wandering around the camp grounds. Ha! What a sight to see, everyone was out of their campers and vans to peep the chorus of Moos from the local cows.

Post dinner we went for a small stroll around Diamond Lake, Pete encouraged us to keep climbing for a better lookout over the lake. So Katy and I with wine in hand and in flip flops hiked up hill for quite some ways before we finally summited and had the most stunning views of multiple peaks and nearby lakes and the ocean. Well worth it despite how tipsy Katy and I were feeling.

The next morning we woke early and headed into town to set up camp in front of Lake Wanaka for breakfast. Such a beautiful place to eat and enjoy the view.

We then proceeded to rent some Mountain Bikes and hit the nearby Sticky Forest trails. What a fun afternoon! I also fell in LOVE with my bike - picture a shiny new MTB 1x11 Giant Trance with full suspension and dropper seat post. I never knew a bike could glide so smooth over rough terrain. After a fantastic ride round Lake Wanaka we hopped into the icy cold water for a quick cool down. We were famished by the time we made it back to town that we ducked into a local bar called Kai Whakapai and enjoyed some local craft brews and apps before heading back to our spot in Diamond Lake.

We jumped started the next day with an hour ride back into the Sticky Forest, which after a month of not riding I was feeling it. Especially after some hard diggers from the afternoon prior. Onward to town for brekky and a local stop at the library for some free wifi to catch up on world news, all things social and quick check in on the weather. It had been rainy, and so we wanted to make a game plan that involved sunshine! We decided to head towards Dunedin and stopped along the way in Cromwell at Wooing Tree Vineyard. They're known for their Pinot Noir. I just loved everything we tasted, and wanted to buy it all. I also really enjoyed the winemaker Michelle who just dazzled us with her wit, charm, and enthusiasm! It's a shame they don't ship to the USA. But I'll save another bottle for the next go round.

We then headed to across the way to Aurura for another tasting. The wine maker was a tough cookie to crack, but she finally opened up to us after we had done our tastings, and was quite friendly.

Next stop was Alexandra where we decided to stay at Como Villa vineyard for the night through Ok To Stay. Let me just say that Johnny Chapman is my new favorite person! He was so lovely, even though they were closed he provided me my very own private tasting so that I could decide which wine to purchase and enjoy. The entire tasting room is filled with a slew of antiques and lots of stable influences. Old wagons scatter the grounds and I found this place to be so peaceful. This could also be due to the 3 rounds of wine tastings, but I like to think that Como Villa and Johnny just provided a really welcoming vibe and we're all riding that wave.

Jacky, Me, and Peter tasting at Wooing Tree

Do Go Chasing Waterfalls

Finally one of the first days of sunshine after two days of complete downpour. We made our way from Onekaka towards Takaka. We strolled around the little town of Takaka and sampled some delicious gin from a local distillery called Dancing Sands. The gin there was distilled from the local Manuka honey leaves and was fantastic. We then made our way towards Greymouth and stopped at Waikoropupu Springs, also known locally as Pupu Springs. This spring was beautiful, you cannot even touch the water by law there, as it is considered a healing spring in Maori culture.

This was the small window of time we had to explore, then we got on the road to head towards Graymouth. We scooped up fellow Wanderluster friend Jacky to join the Camper family.

We set up shop overnight at the Salmon Cafe in Puringa. Neat little place, where they farm salmon.

Then next morning we started our journey through the Haast Pass. This included the following stops along the way:

First stop Ship Creek. This little beach was covered with drift wood and was quite windy!

Second stop was Depot Creek Falls - This is a secret waterfall that Scott Cook writes about in NZ Frenzy.

Third stop was Roaring Billy Falls - This was pretty neat, as the water level was low enough for us to walk out into the bed of the river.

Fourth stop was Thunder Creek Falls.

Fifth stop was Fantail Falls - this secret track to view the falls across the crystalline Haast River, to this picturesque stair-step waterfall.

Last stop the Blue Pools - a short walk over a swing bridge overlooking deep blue crystal clear waters. Eye candy on a sunny day indeed

The Three Hunters - Adventures with Katy & Pete

Today we hiked the Wainui Falls Track in Abel Tasman National Park. It was raining cats and dogs all day, but we got our matching black raincoats and decided to venture into the rain. Lots of adventure in such a short hike. The trail starts out in a cow field, and we said hello to some of the angus cows that were actively talking to us as we walked past. About 200 yards in, we had to cross a mini 'river', where the nearby stream was overflowing and had semi washed out the trail. In order to do so, we took off our socks and shoes and waded through it. If our moms are reading this now, they've probably turned their noses up in disbelief!

Brother Pete Strolling across the bridge

The hike was through the rainforest and was quite majestic. The rainfall was steady, and our surroundings were lush and a vibrant green. After about 25 mins we arrived at the waterfall. The falls are 20 meters tall. Given the rainfall the falls were ROARING! Any attempt we had at keeping semi-dry fell by the wayside when we ventured out for a few pictures and the spray from the falls completely saturated us.

The walk back in soggy shoes was more comfortable then one might suspect. Once again needed to cross the washed out road. Katy and I decided we'd keep our socks on this time, given they were already soaked and we hand in hand walked across. It was a good thing because Katy almost fell in. Peter happened to film the crossing and the video doesn't do the moment much justice, but we can't stop laughing now, even hours later as we watch the recap.

After drying off, we sought refuge in the nearby watering hole, also known as The Mussel Inn. We had some delicious Mussel Inn Hot Dogfish Chilli Cider accompanied with some picked eggs. YUM. This little bar was quite popular, as tonight was 'Quiz' night, or what we would refer to as Trivia night. Let's just say that the amount of mullets in the room really made the people watching highly enjoyable!

Windy Welly

Wellington, NZ is a bustling little port city. It immediately reminded me of San Francisco. The wind seems more fierce than it was in The Bay, but I found so many similarities as I spent the day exploring. First stop after meeting up with fellow Saratogian Chris; was hiking up Mt. Vic. The views from the top were fantastic. You have a 360˚ view of the entire city including the skyline, harbor, and the Pacific. Mt. Victoria's original Māori name was Tangi Te Keo, though Matairangi is also used.

The first name derives from a legend in which two taniwah tried to escape from Wellington Harbour which was then an enclosed lake. One taniwha became stranded and died, and its spirit turned into a bird named Te Keo, which flew to the top of the mountain and mourned (tangi).

The second name translates as "to examine the sky".

From here we strolled back into the city and walked along Cuba St. Cuba St has lots of shopping and cafes. We stopped at one of Chris favorite places called Fidel's Cafe. And yes, you guessed it, the entire cafe is all things Fidel Castro and Cuban (duh). Ironic we happened to be there yesterday given the recent events and the burial of Castro. From here we walked around the War Memorial and then I headed to Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand. This museum is FREE and is 6 stories! I spent a good few hours in there, learning about local Māori culture, seeing some classic and modern art, and lastly venturing through the larger than life Gallipoli war exhibit.

After my cultural fix, I walked along the waterfront and slowly made my way back to the apartment. This city has artwork on sidewalks, the sides of buildings, store fronts, and in crosswalks. If you don't stop to look around you will miss some of the fantastic gems that are sprinkled throughout the city.

City Centre - Art and Architecture Installations

Geothermal Explorations →

On the way to Lake Taupo I stopped off at hidden hot spring called Kerosene Creek. This is another little gem (and free mind you) that wraps around the side of Rainbow Mountain. I got to the trail head around 7:30 AM and had the place to myself. What a treat! I hopped right in and soaked in my surroundings. The water was incredibly warm.

Next stop was Huka Falls. I never wanted to leave. After parking at the trail head, I took the path towards the Ohumuheke Stream. After about a 30 minute (easy) hike I found a little sanctuary. I thought I had started the day off fabulously while soaking in Kerosene Creek, but imagine that the day could actually get BETTER. I jumped right in and floated between the hot and cold waterfalls that flow into the Waikato River. I was fortunate to arrive on the earlier side before 10 AM, so I had the place to myself. The falls are located right under a footbridge that seemed to pick up with bikers, joggers, and hikers. I truly understand why I am a water sign, I am always at peace and in my happy place whenever I am by a body of water.

The view along the trail to Othumukeke Stream

Where the rapids begin right before the falls. It was so loud as I stood over top on the footbridge. The rapids were ROARING. Such a mighty force.

After my geothermal fix, I decided to head towards Napier. Napier is a coastal city and is known for it's Art Deco influence but also for the massive earthquake that forever changed the town. I should also mention that we are entering wine country, so naturally there will be wine tasting on this part of the adventure. First of all, I have never in my life driven on a road through a mountain range like I did today. WHOA. The landscaped changed from Jurassic Park like images to green rolling hills with sheep grazing to vineyard vines and a costal view. I should also mention that I've gotten really good at driving on the left side of the road, however, these roads are so very narrow that I had to sacrifice my photography taking skills for safety's sake. But believe me when I tell you that it was epic. This drive is known as the Thermal Explorer Highway. Steam can be found rising as you enter the first mountain range from Rotorua and again at the very top, the fog was so thick I could barely see 10 feet in front while driving.

Naturally my first stop in Napier was at the waterfront. Despite the handful of vineyards and tasting rooms. It was a little doom and gloom when I arrived as a storm was passing through. But i still managed to stroll along the windy beach to take in the fresh air.

Napier, Also known as Hawke's Bay was great to stroll around especially once the storm blew by, the sun came out. As I mentioned before, the architecture of the city is heavily influenced by Art Deco. I felt like I was walking around in a scene from the Great Gatsby.

After strolling, I decided to head towards wine country. On my way I stopped at Abbey Cellars. Did you know that Kim Crawford and Matua Vineyards are legit across the road from one anther? Who knew! Side note: Tasting rooms close at 5 around these parts, which translates to 4:30 PM. Get there early for the full experience!

I decided to stop and spend the night in a Holiday Park in Dannevirke. What a GEM! I am so impressed not only by the price ($20 NZ) but for the sweet little cabin that they put me up in for the night. It's A frame and just perfect. Exactly what I need to rest my weary legs after a long day of travel. This Holiday Park is tucked away in a tranquil hollow surrounded by native bush.

Rotorua - Bay of Plenty

Or as I have renamed it, Sulphur City! Wooowee, does this bay smell like rotten eggs! Essential oils to the rescue when I needed a fresh scent in my nose. Despite the smell, this little city has lots of magical and healing properties. Captain Cook christened the Bay of Plenty when he cruised past in 1769, and plentiful it remains.

I ventured out to Hells Gate and explored the Geothermal pools. I took a self guided tour around the park and then hopped into the mud bath. After smearing the healing mud all over, I rinsed and did a little back and forth between the hot sulphur springs and the cold plunge! I'm feeling quite refreshed despite my jet lag catching up with me today. I'm still on East coast time, and have been waking up early, and fading fast in the evenings. Hoping my day relaxing in the sulphur will help, although I currently feel pretty drained. A few pictures from the day below.

Kia Ora!

Kia Ora translates to Hello, or Be well! And I've made it! My first stop was Paihia, also known as the Bay of Islands. Paihia is located in the northern part of New Zealand. This little beach is less than a block from my hostel. I spent the afternoon sunning myself and dipping my toes into the chilly water, before trekking around town.

From here I got onto a ferry and crossed the bay and got off in Russell. I walked and explored the town, and stumbled upon the oldest pub in all of New Zealand, known as the Duke of Marlborough. Also had a fantastic meal; Grilled octopus, dates, pecorino, Serrano ham, and arugula. Which was paired with a local Sauv Blanc. Arguably, this meal was the best because it's the first thing I had to eat after 15 hours of snacks and airline food, but the items above are a few of my favorites, and I can 100% vouch for the deliciousness of this meal.

My hostel is nearby, and for budget accommodations, is quite lovely. I've even made a few friends since arriving. That's the best part of travel, meeting new people and hearing the stories. Everyone has a story to tell, and I've enjoyed getting to know my fellow housemates this afternoon. I'm currently writing from the patio overlooking the ocean and listening to one of the housemates play guitar at the local pub across the the way called Thirty 30. Life is good, and feeling grateful for this opportunity.

Day 1

Wow I cannot believe that the day has finally arrived! I've only been planning this trip for almost two years when it first planted the seed in my mind many moons ago. Now here we are, Day 1! I am about to board a 15 hr flight into Auckland. This feels beyond surreal. I'm also hoping that I've downloaded enough entertainment to get me through in the event my body revolts against sleeping upright, frigid from the AC being cranked up, and the anxiety of finally getting both feet on solid ground and setting out on the journey that lies ahead.

Its been quite the journey to get here and my trip hasn't fully kicked off yet. It's been a process to research and plan my trip. Additionally, I took a leave of absence from my job which means getting my job back is not 100% guaranteed upon my return home. I also just hit my one year mark being back East and Upstate. So much has happened in my life since this little journey of mine took root. I've moved three times, had to say farewell to some amazing souls, survived major surgery, dealt with some real life shit, met amazing new people, made solid progress in my handstand, and throughout it all I fell in love.

Journey is as follows, with one month in each place: New Zealand, Australia, India! Some friends joke this is my version of "Eat, Pray, Love" but not sure that's exactly what I'm setting out to do, but we will find out!

I'm not sure what lies ahead over the next 90 days, but my mind is free to embrace everything that comes my way. Time to board my flight. Catch you all later ✌🏽

Preparation

How in the world do you pack for a 90 day journey abroad in a 36 liter pack?! I've been struggling and researching all types of posts on what to pack and how to pack for a trip like this. Luckily, I'll be getting out of dodge and heading for warmer climates; which means, lighter clothing, but as a lady who likes clothes and accessories, how the F do I fit all my favorites into this incredibly tiny pack?

Here is what I've decided upon:

Clothing

2 T-shirts
1 Trucker hat
Beanie
1 bathing suit
1 pair of jean shorts
5 pairs of yoga pants
2 long dresses
1 long sleeve thermal
1 lightweight lone sleeve dress
4 sports bras
Birkenstocks
Hiking shoes
Water shoes
Raincoat
3 pairs of Wigwam sport socks
Mom's fanny pack from the 90's
1 pair Wool socks
1 Turkish towel (doubles as a scarf)
1 light weight sweater
1 heavy weight sweater wrap
LRC game

Electronics

Mophie power station
Outlet adapters (AU and India)
iPad Pro
Headlamp
Flashlight
Headphones
Extra long USB charger

Essentials

Essential oils: Lavender, Maleluca, Deep Blue, On Guard, Stress Away
Dr Bronners bar soap / Honest Soap Co.
Sunblock / Bug Spray(Deet-free Picaridin) / Permethrin
90 days of probiotics
Moonology book
The Bhagavad Gita
The Master's Touch
Journal
Eckhart Tolle - A New Earth
40 oz Hydroflask
Liforme Travel yoga mat
1 bottle of nail polish
First Aid kit (Lots of goodies from mom the nurse)
Prescription medications (Malaria tablets, etc.)
Bathroom toiletries
Small backpack for carry on and day trips
Pocket knife

Snacks

Almond Butter Packets - yep, totes made the cut
Adirondak Blend PB (My fave)
Variety of tea bags
Snack bars; Larabar and Kind bars
Mixed nuts
Dried chickpeas/broad beans

Now, we'll have to see what ACTUALLY fits into these the pack, but I'm confident that I can squeeze it all in. More updates later this weekend as I attempt to stuff that sack!

The Power of Vulnerability

“And so here’s what I found. What they had in common was a sense of courage. And I want to separate courage and bravery for you for a minute. Courage, the original definition of courage, when it first came into the English language — it’s from the Latin word “cor,” meaning “heart” — and the original definition was to tell the story of who you are with your whole heart. And so these folks had, very simply, the courage to be imperfect. They had the compassion to be kind to themselves first and then to others, because, as it turns out, we can’t practice compassion with other people if we can’t treat ourselves kindly. And the last was they had connection, and — this was the hard part — as a result of authenticity, they were willing to let go of who they thought they should be in order to be who they were, which you have to absolutely do that for connection.”

— Brené Brown

I woke up to such a frenzied state of the nation today. Seemed everywhere I looked I was hearing or reading all of the opinions and views on the election. After 5 minutes, I decided that was enough. I needed to distract myself and bring something else to my mind. This is when I stumbled upon Brené Brown's Ted Talk on vulnerability, in which she discusses our ability to empathize, belong, and love. This was my silver lining.

“And so I said, “Here’s the thing, I’m struggling.” And she said, “What’s the struggle?” And I said, “Well, I have a vulnerability issue. And I know that vulnerability is the core of shame and fear and our struggle for worthiness, but it appears that it’s also the birthplace of joy, of creativity, of belonging, of love.”

Autumn Healing

“There is healing in the laying on of hands; in the letting go of fear, in asking for help, in silence, celebration, prayer. There is healing in speaking the truth and in keeping still, in seeking sunlight and not shunning struggle. Laughter and the affirmation of wholeness hold their own healing. When the soul dances, when the day begins in delight, when love grows and cannot be contained, when life flows from movement to moment, healing happens in the space between thoughts, and the breath before the first sung note. Healing is a birthright and a grace. When we dare to be open to the unknown, we extend ourselves in caring, when we welcome in the vast expanse of life, healing comes from the heart, and blossoms from the inside out. ”

— Go In and In

As we embrace Autumn, "It's a season of transition, it embodies a culmination - it's Nature's 'last hoorah!' before retiring into winter's slumbering mood. This is a hustle-bustle-boogie down month as preparations are made. Autumn is symbolic of the activity inspired by the fire-glo radiance of the changing foliage we see this time of year. This is a time of taking stock of all the bounty and provision we've been afforded. A time for itemizing our blessings and recounting our joy." With all of the go-go-go, it is not surprising that injury can occur. Sometime's that's natures way of telling us to slow down. I know so many sweet souls who are going through some type of injury (emotional and physical), so this post is dedicated to help heal and restore those in need. Rest is a concept that is fleeting for most; especially for those of us who zip around all day like Mario Andretti.

However, what's most important is to understand that healing takes time, whether it is physical or emotional in nature. With the rise of the New Moon this month take time to go inward. Focus on you. Schedule time just for yourself. Perhaps soften your yoga practice with yin, a restorative class or yoga nidra, meditate more, take a soothing bath. Eat foods that will help to nourish you from the inside out; roast yummy root veggies, eat warm soups, and sip hot teas. Make sleep a priority! It's okay to hit the snooze or take that unexpected cat nap, listen to your body. As the season changes, are bodies also need to change.

Below are a few suggested essential oils to help balance the vata dosha (energies) which are dominant this time of year. Have more questions about oils? Check out my doTERRA site, or email me.

Balance - Is a blend of Spruce, Ho Wood, Frankincense, Blue Tansy, and Blue Chamomile with Fractionated Coconut Oil promotes tranquility and relaxation. Spruce, one of the oils in Balance, was used by Native Americans for health and spiritual reasons and is still used today to bring harmony to the mind and body. Ho Wood, Blue Tansy, and Blue Chamomile can ease anxious feelings, while Frankincense provides a grounding, balancing effect on emotions. Place on the souls of your feet, on the back of your neck, and on your wrists.

Lavender - Often considered a must-have oil to keep on hand at all times due to its versatile uses, including calming and relaxing properties that promote peaceful sleep and ease feelings of tension. Place on back of neck and temples. Add a few drops to a warm bath. Use in a diffusor, and my personal favorite; add to distilled water in a spray bottle to spritz on top of bedsheets.

On Guard - Is a blend of Wild Orange Peel, Clove Bud, Cinnamon Bark/Leaf, Eucalyptus Leaf, and Rosemary Leaf/Flower essential oils. On Guard is a powerful proprietary blend that supports healthy immune function and contains cleansing properties. This oil can be hot to the skin, so dilute with coconut oil to minimze skin sensitivities. I like to apply to the sole of my feet or behind the ears. Can also be ingested with a few drops in water (1 drop/4oz water).

We Wish

“We wish to be loved as we ourselves would love. Any other way makes as uncomfortable. We respond with doubt and suspicion. We misinterpret the signs. We do not understand the language. We accuse. We assert that the other person does not love us. But perhaps he merely loves us in some idiosyncratic way that we fail to recognize.”

— Jan-Philipp Sendker, The Art of Hearing Heartbeats

Indian Summer of the Soul

Feeling so blessed to live in Upstate, NY this time of year. Get out and get after it. Take a moment to soak up the sun on your face, play in the leaves, and breathe in the fresh air.

“Then in October, Indian Summer, the air turned so soft, the sunlight so fragile, and each day’s loveliness so poignantly doomed that even self-ignorance and restlessness felt like profound states of being, and he just wandered the empty beaches and misty headlands in a state of serene confusion and awe.”

— David James Duncan