Ash and Elisa have gone down to Napier to visit E’s family for the week, so left to my own devices, I hopped on the ferry to Devonport yesterday for a walk around. I’m really surprised that there aren’t more easily-accessible waterfront parks in this city, considering that it has two harbours and water can be seen from pretty much every vantage point. Or, rather, maybe there are lots of places to walk and run where you can be by the water (Im looking for something like the Martin Goodman …

On Saturday afternoon, the Kiwis and I set off on a day mission to Tawharanui Beach. The beach is only one part of the giant park, in effect a nature preserve complete with a predator fence to keep the reserve’s sheep safe. In addition to the sheep, I met my first pukeko (now officially my favourite bird) and her little puffpall babies.
We’d taken our time getting out to the beach, stopping in a small town (whose name I cant remember right now. Elisa?) to visit the honey market (where we …

It’s been a quiet week for me here. Ive gone round the shops a couple of times (I was on the hunt for lightweight pants and a cellphone case. Found the pants, have given up on the case), worked on my freelance site quite a bit, done things like the laundry and grocery shopping. Last night I went out for a really yummy Thai dinner with Elisa. I’ve been craving noodles like mad, but Im not sure yet where to find the kind I want. Joy spoiled me in Taiwan …

As hard as it seems to believe, I’ve been in Auckland for almost a week! It took me a while to get all of the posts and pictures up from my Hong Kong and Kaohsiung adventures, but Im finally ready to write about my new home.
I have a sneaky suspicion that New Zealand is really Heaven on Earth. No, really. Even if you discount the gorgeous scenery and the Kiwis themselves (and their crazy accent, which I love), the place seems to strike a resonante chord with me every time …

Im a little late in writing this up, what with this week being all crazy, New Zealand-style. After my day in HK, I spent the following weekend in Kaohsiung with Alex and his girlfirend Joy. Taiwan really isnt my speed, but I had a great time riding around the city on the back oh a moped (in the rain!), eating all kinds of insanely tasty meals, spending time with a friend I hadnt seen since February, and just generally being somewhere new.
Saturday Alex took me to Cheng Ching Lake, a …

I arrived in Hong Kong this morning at 5am, local time. A little shell-shocked, and more than a little numb, after making my way through customs I had 15 hours to kill before my flight to Kaohsiung. The first thing I did was pay $25CDN for a shower, it was probably the best money I have spent all day. If anyone out there is even considering a long haul flight, budget in the additional expense of a shower afterwards, it totally prepared me to face the very long day ahead …