Ancient New Zealand forests descended from Gondwana
A hairy frond unfurls from the middle of a tree fern Almost everything is different in New Zealand, but it was the forests that most captivated me. They’re called podocarp forests —...
Janet's Jaunts Blog
Train an easy choice from Wellington, New Zealand
Tranz Metro is a commuter division of KiwiRail The Wellington train station is not much different from train stations throughout the world Taking a train from Wellington to Wairarapa in New Zealand...
New Zealand’s merino sheep make the best long johns
When I discovered the Baaa code on my New Zealand long johns I couldn’t resist. I entered it at the maker’s website Icebreaker.com and discovered which of the many sheep farms its...
Wearable art showcased in Wellington, NZ competition
The fashion is like nothing you’d ever see on the streets of Auckland or Wellington – or even the moon – but the annual World of Wearable Art Show in Wellington, New...
Visit a New Zealand mission little changed since 1830s
The Elms, built in the 1830s as a mission house on the Bay of Plenty, is the oldest European building in this part of New Zealand. Early New Zealand missionaries came to...
At last: Wellington, New Zealand
Maybe it was the No Jet Lag pills I tried to take every two hours for the 20 or so hours I was underway from Cleveland to reach New Zealand. Or maybe...
Valentine romance in Loire
Just as it’s difficult to say goodbye to a great book, so it was hard for me to end my four-part series about exploring France’s Loire Valley chateaux. I loved every minute...
Sinking the cruise industry?
Who would cruise the Mediterranean in January? I shared that reaction with Jennifer Fried, manager at Traveline in Willoughby, when I first heard of the Friday 13th disaster involving the Costa Concordia...
Exquisite sleeps in Loire chateaux
Château de Chissay is one of several chateaus in France’s Loire Valley to offer overnight accommodations to visitors. Chateau Chissay’s dining room awaits with fine china, crystal and starched tablecloths. Both...
Learning from others
I learned lots from my group of international journalists while visiting France’s Loire Valley in September. The ten of us, shown here after our wonderful hot-air balloon voyage, came from Tokyo, Hong...
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