Auckland, New Zealand is a really pleasant city. There’s nothing spectacular about Auckland. It’s not the worlds most beautiful city. It’s not the most exciting city on Earth. There’s nothing that screams out at you that you can’t miss. But Auckland, New Zealand is a really pleasant city to be in because it’s just that…pleasant. […]
Why You Should Visit Tauranga, New Zealand
February 2, 2016 by 12 Comments
I have been to New Zealand numerous times and actually spent a few months in 2003. However, until my recent cruise with Azamara Club Cruises I had never heard of Tauranga. Apparently, Tauranga is the 4th most populous “city” in New Zealand as many people have fled Auckland because of the sky-high real estate prices […]
Hobbiton is one of the Coolest Things in New Zealand
February 1, 2016 by 12 Comments
I have never seen any of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ movies. I have never seen any of ‘The Hobbit’ movies. I have never read any of the books either. I don’t like science fiction or fantasy. That said, I went to the Hobbiton movie set as a special day and night time tour excursion […]
Picton, New Zealand and the Surrounding Area is Worth a Look
January 29, 2016 by 4 Comments
Picton, New Zealand is a cute little town. That’s really the best way to describe it. Of course, Picton is also a very important port town that connects the South Island to Wellington and the North island of New Zealand. Picton itself is also the gateway to both the Marlborough wine region and the beautiful […]
A Daytrip to Cape Kidnappers, New Zealand
January 28, 2016 by 8 Comments
Cape Kidnappers is a place that sounds made up. In fact, in actually looks like a place that’s made up as well! However, I can assure you it is a real place and it is a beautiful place even when the weather doesn’t cooperate with you! As an excursion from the Azamara Quest, I did […]
Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula, New Zealand
January 26, 2016 by 12 Comments
Dunedin, New Zealand is unlike most settlements in Australia and New Zealand as it was settled by Scottish as opposed to English immigrants. Originally they were going to name it New Edinburgh but settled on Dunedin; which is actually a derivation of Edinburgh’s Gaelic name. Today, Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula are teeming with life […]
My Weather Channel Segment
September 29, 2014 by 7 Comments
Yesterday I did a live Weather Channel segment via Skype from my hotel room in Providence, Rhode Island. The Weather Channel segment hatched from a post I did a few weeks ago called Top 5 Cold Weather Destinations as a Kensington Tours Explorer in Residence. I mentioned Alberta, the Western Canadian province featuring Calgary, Banff […]
Top 5 Cold Weather Getaways
August 20, 2014 by 2 Comments
Are you starting to get that itch for cold weather? Are you tiring of the dog days of August? Are you dreaming of that skiing or mountain getaway this winter? While I fully admit that I don’t love the cold and I love summer, I do hanker for the sight of snow covered mountains in […]
