It's strange how our perception of a place can change with time. Upon arrival, New Zealand felt like a check in the box – a place we wanted to see before moving on to the next destination. Now, looking back at our time there, it feels like another home. It's a... Read more
Our original plan for visiting the New Plymouth area was to explore Mount Taranaki, but we really enjoyed this area much more than we realized we would and (due to weather) ended up seeing far more of it than we realized! Staying at Oakura Beach Although the New... Read more
Some of our favorite hiking memories were poorly planned, last-minute adventures that went nothing as we expected. And the Wilkies Pools Hike in the Mount Taranaki (aka Egmont National Park) area was a prime example of the magic of spontaneity. When we looked up and... Read more
No matter how much we love a relaxing beach vacay or fun city stay, the mountains are always ringing us up and begging us to come visit. So, after a short paddle sesh on the north coast and a house sit in Christchurch, we set our sights on the rest of New Zealand's... Read more
As the day approached for our big Rotorua rafting adventure in New Zealand, I began to panic a bit. What if our raft tips over? What if we fall out? A 7-meter (23-ft) drop is no joke. A lot can happen over that distance, not to mention the risks once underwater. (All... Read more
Trying to decide on a first destination in a place with hundreds of amazing options is a challenge. Luckily, we were celebrating my birthday a few days after landing in Auckland and I only wanted one thing: sunshine. GLORIOUS SUNSHINE! After six weeks of winter in... Read more
While planning our three-week trip through Germany for December, we knew we had to include Neuschwanstein Castle in our itinerary. We love castles and this is THE castle to see – especially with a snowy backdrop. So, we added it to our route and decided to base... Read more
As soon as we started planning our time in Scotland, I had one thing on my mind: exploring Isle of Skye. I had seen photos of this magical place for over a decade and it looked like our own personal heaven. Waterfalls, lush hikes, and possible fairy sightings? There... Read more
When we saw a long house sit for Scotland in autumn, we just couldn't resist applying. Once we were chosen, this sit actually kicked off our plans for our multi-month European adventure. We were so thankful for so much time to really see the best things to do in... Read more
There is just something so breathtaking about watching water rush over a cliffside, down a mountain, or through a canyon. We have been long-time waterfall lovers and seek them out wherever we go. Usually, a quick Google search leads us to many local favorites that we... Read more
