Tasmanian Devil

It’s A Feeding Frenzy at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary!

Julie Australia 3 Comments

Kangaroos, wombats, and Tasmanian Devils, oh my! Time for another animal encounter, this time at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary in Tasmania, Australia. Tasmania, an island that sits off the southern coast of Australia, is home to some of the most unique wildlife in the world. Here, mothers raise their young in pouches, mammals lay eggs, and devils roam at night. We …

Wineglass Bay

Now We Can Call Ourselves Bushwalkers

Julie Australia 2 Comments

In Norway and Italy we were hikers. In Nepal we were trekkers. In New Zealand we were trampers. Now that we are in Australia and successfully hiked the Wineglass Bay Circuit, we can call ourselves bushwalkers. We had a week to spend in Tasmania, and like always, we were on the lookout for some of the best hikes (or bushwalks, …

New Zealand with Kids

Ten Fun Things To Do with Kids on the North Island of New Zealand

Julie New Zealand 12 Comments

The second half of our New Zealand adventure took us through the North Island. Although the North Island lacks the stunning scenery that we were wowed by on the South Island, there are still heaps of fun activities for families. The North Island has it all…beaches, volcanoes, fabulous cities, famous movie sets, more adrenaline generating activities, and even caves filled …

Hobbiton New Zealand

Photo Tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set

Julie New Zealand 6 Comments

What is the cutest little spot in New Zealand? The answer is Hobbiton, the movie set for The Shire in both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. What is Hobbiton? Hobbiton was constructed in 1999 for the filming of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It was used for just several weeks of filming and not intended …

Tongariro Alpine Crossing

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing, New Zealand’s Best Single Day Hike

Julie New Zealand 30 Comments

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is often labeled as the world’s greatest single day hike. Located on the North Island of New Zealand, the volcanic terrain of Tongariro National Park breaks up the lush, green scenery that is so prevalent in this country. Here is your chance to hike in the shadow of Mt. Doom, walk through an almost lunar landscape, …

Hooker Valley Track Trail Guide

Hooker Valley Track Hiking Guide: Stats, Map & Photos

Tim New Zealand 8 Comments

The Hooker Valley Track is a hiking trail in Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park that takes you through stunning alpine mountain scenery within New Zealand’s Southern Alps. You will hike past views of snowcapped mountain peaks and glaciers, across three swing bridges, and past two glacial lakes (Mueller Lake and Hooker Lake). The track ends at Hooker Lake with …

Roys Peak Track Wanaka

Roys Peak Track: Stats, Photos, Hiking with Kids

Julie New Zealand 26 Comments

Roys Peak Track is one of the best hikes to do on the South Island of New Zealand. Located in Wanaka, this trail takes you high into the mountains for breathtaking panoramic views over Wanaka and Lake Wanaka. The hike itself is not all that exciting, but the main reason for hiking Roys Peak Track is for the views from …

Queenstown Luge

Becoming Adrenaline Junkies in Queenstown, New Zealand

Julie New Zealand Leave a Comment

This post could have been called a lot of things.  Blowing the Budget BIG TIME.  Having the Time of Our Lives.  Getting Our Adrenaline Fix.  Best Three Days Ever.  #Neverwanttogohome. We had an absolutely amazing, action packed three days here. And there is still so much to do when we come back, and come back we will definitely do. Forget …

Julie Bungy Jump

A Tale of Four Bungy Jumps

Julie New Zealand 4 Comments

Prior to our trip around the world, we would never have gone bungy jumping.  That’s just for crazy people, right?!  But as we passed bungy jump locations around the world, the idea grew on us.  Once in Queenstown, the birthplace of bungy jumping, the idea didn’t sound so crazy anymore. How could we circle this globe, trying to experience as …

Milford Sound

Milford Sound: Day Trip Options, Key Summit Hike & HELPFUL Tips

Julie New Zealand 22 Comments

The Milford Sound (also called Piopiotahi), one of New Zealand’s most popular sights, is located just a few hours away from Queenstown and Te Anau on the South Island. In 2008, the Milford Sound took the #1 spot on TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice World Destinations. And nearby Queenstown took second place. That just goes to show how popular (and touristy) the …

Wow New Zealand

Wow!

Julie New Zealand 4 Comments

I had once heard that New Zealand is such a beautiful place that you can’t believe it, even when you see it with your own eyes. We have only been here several days now and I agree with that statement. New Zealand just may be the most beautiful country we have ever visited. This post was written at the beginning …

Fiji Sunset

Fiji…One Week In Paradise

Julie Fiji 6 Comments

Ahhh…Fiji.  Paradise. Fiji was everything we expected and more. Crystal clear aquamarine water, white sandy beaches, amazing sunsets, beautiful islands. We joke around that Fiji is our vacation from our vacation…a very long vacation, I know.  Here we got some much needed R & R from our fast paced travels around the world. I can’t complain about the challenges and …

Modriki Island Fiji

Beautiful Modriki Island, The Filming Site for the Movie “Cast Away”

Julie Fiji 6 Comments

Ahhh….Fiji. This has to be one of the most beautiful places we have been to yet.  No wonder it is such a popular location for filming movies. Movies such as “The Blue Lagoon” and “Cast Away” were filmed here. During our short stay in Fiji we took a tour out to Modriki Island (also called Monuriki Island), the filming site …

Taiwan Food Tour

Taiwan Food Tour

Julie Taiwan 9 Comments

Stinky tofu, pig’s blood soup, and chicken feet, oh my!! We ate some weird things while in Taiwan and believe it or not, we even ate out of a toilet. Our two weeks in Taiwan was a culinary adventure and tons of fun. We wandered through night markets, ate at delicious Japanese restaurants, and feasted on Dim Sum. Here is …

Taiwan Facts

Ten Interesting Facts About Taiwan You Probably Didn’t Know

Julie Taiwan 15 Comments

Before our trip around the world I knew very little about Taiwan. It wasn’t even on our radar as a destination for our journey around the globe. While browsing through hotels on Trip Advisor, tourism advertisements and facts about Taiwan kept popping up. After the tenth advertisement, Taiwan captured my attention and I took my first look at the Taiwan …

Teapot Mountain Hike

Hiking Teapot Mountain in Taiwan

Julie Taiwan 49 Comments

Hiking Teapot Mountain was a fantastic experience. This hike would end up being our favorite in Taiwan as it had all of our favorite elements: stunning scenery, rock scrambles, steep ascents that required basic rock climbing skills, and an almost deserted trail. We saw hardly anyone else on this hike leaving us to wonder where everyone was. Why don’t more …

Taipei Street

Taipei, Taiwan in Photos

Julie Taiwan 2 Comments

Our introduction to Taiwan was its largest city, Taipei. We spent five awesome days here. There is so much to do, with night markets to explore, Taipei 101 to climb, so many wonderful restaurants to choose from, and tons of day trips to take. This was yet another city that we all really liked. National Palace Museum Our visit to …