After one of my first days in Queenstown, after work, my friend/coworker, Maz and I headed up to Moke Lake to take a walk. We drove alongside Lake Wakatipu and crept higher in elevation. It was so stunning. The views of the lake and the mountains behind it in every direction are stunning. Once we …

Great Coffee, Surf and Hikes: How to Spend a Weekend in New Plymouth
Published Nov 2019 A weekend in New Plymouth is the perfect weekend getaway if you’re in Auckland. When traveling, if you’re someone that’s more interested in doing your own thing, rather than heading with the throngs of other tourists to the most bustling destinations, New Plymouth is the place for you. Do you love good …

To Do New Plymouth: Ski and Surf All in One Day
Published 2019, Updated 2025 To Do New Plymouth: Ski and Surf All in One Day I can never find the words to describe living in a new place/city/country. I always freeze up. Rather than saying living in NZ is “good and I’m having a great time!” to everyone who asks and wants to hear more, …

An Abandoned Lodge, a Waterfall, and a Hot Chocolate: Winter on Eastern Mount Taranaki
Having already been to two different parts of the Northside of Mount Taranaki, upon our boss’ recommendation, we headed East to Dawson Falls. On the rainiest day of the week, it was definitely hard to motivate for this hike, but totally worth it. After committing to the causes of exploration and new experiences, we drove …

Two Days Hiking Around Mount Taranaki
DAY ONE: My first time going up Mt. Taranaki was when I hiked to Pouakai Tarns, a mirror lake that reflects the mountain, which is the first section of the Pouakai Crossing. I loved this walk because the path was so well-maintained and easy to follow. It was incredible how curated and constructed the wooden …

7 Trail Runs in the Hudson Valley for Spring, Summer and Fall
When I lived in the Hudson Valley, I fully embraced my passion for trail running. I’ve been using MapMyRun to map my runs and create a collection of my favorite trail runs from the area. I thought this would be a good resource for others to have and for me to look back on. Additionally, …

Hiking Half Dome: A 10 Hour Night Hike
Half Dome is the ultimate Yosemite day hike – the one you can’t die without doing, and the one you’re most likely to die while doing. Yosemite Day Hikes Last week, Nick, Ben and I hiked Half Dome. Half Dome is a dome-shaped rock in Yosemite National Park- famous for its unique shape and its …

Exploring Antelope Canyon
On my road trip across the United States, I stopped at Lower Antelope Canyon. After spending the night at Lake Powell in Utah (see this adventure here), Nick and I woke up bright and early and headed out to Lower Antelope Canyon in Arizona. The only way to visit the canyon is to go through …

Yosemite National Park, Bass Lake and Sierra Nevada California
Photos from the mountains in and around Yosemite National Park. Taken on film and digital.