Hidden away in the rolling hills of Northumberland, a remarkable herd of white cattle roams freely across ancient parkland, carrying in their genes a story that stretches back over 700 years. These are the Chillingham wild cattle—perhaps the most extraordinary...
Travel
Te Anau: The Gorgeous NZ Setting for Hunted Pack
Te Anau is a small New Zealand town known as the gateway to Milford Sound and Fiordland National Park. It’s a picturesque place with a beautiful alpine lake and snow-capped mountains. Mr. Munro and I visited and walked parted of the nearby Kepler Track. I fell in love...
In Praise of Packing Cubes
For years, I’ve been hearing about the marvelous creation called packing cubes. Packing has never been a problem for me. I’m an experienced traveler and, therefore, have a lot of experience packing suitcases. Who needs packing cubes, I thought. Oh, how wrong I was....
A Magical Visit to Hobbiton
We recently spent four days touring Matamata, the National Park, Taupo, and Rotorua before returning to Auckland and jumping on a cruise ship to Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Milford Sound, Dunedin, Wellington, and Tauranga. Excellent weather, splendid company, and many...
Review: Country Cruise P & O, Pacific Explorer
P & O Cruises Dates: 17 November 2023 (Three nights) Auckland return. I’ll be the first to admit that I wasn’t anticipating this cruise with the same enthusiasm I might have for our other holidays. I'd sailed with P & O a few years ago and was underwhelmed. A...
Stewart Island, Inspiration for Protecting the Bride
Stewart Island is the third-largest island in New Zealand, and it sits around thirty kilometers south of the South Island. Mr. Munro and I visited in 2020 and enjoyed our visit so much that I decided to set a book on the island. After percolating the idea for a few...
Cape Reinga, NZ – The Northernmost Point
Last weekend, Mr. Munro and I visited Cape Reinga, a place I'd never gone to before. Cape Reinga is at the northern end of the North Island of New Zealand, and from here it's possible to see where the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean collide with currents going in...
Antarctic Icebergs
Icebergs are chunks of ice that have calved off glaciers and ice shelves. They vary in size from small to large enough to sink a ship. The Titanic, for example. New icebergs are white while the older ones are blue or sometimes green. An iceberg comprises fresh snow...
Meet the King Penguin: Ten Facts About the King Penguin
One of the things I was most looking forward to seeing when we visited the Antarctica region was the penguins. Penguins are fascinating birds, and I never tired of seeing them or watching their antics. Facts about King Penguins 1. They’re the second-largest species of...


