We’ve visited Wellington several times and Zealandia before.(formerly known as the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary) Last time our visit was during the winter and since we both really wanted to see a tuatara, we decided to try our luck again. Zealandia is an inland island –...
This week I thought I’d take you on a whistle-stop tour of New Zealand. We’ll start our visit at Mt. Maunganui, a beautiful beach area on the east coast of the North Island. The area is named after the extinct volcano, which dominates the vicinity. The hill is Mt....
Tomorrow it’s ANZAC day (25 April) where New Zealand and Australia remember those who fell at Gallipoli during World War 1. A few years ago, Mr. Munro and I visited ANZAC Cove and Chunuk Bair in Turkey. We walked from ANZAC Cove up to Chunuk Bair. It was sweltering...
I stepped out of routine last weekend. After packing my handbag with necessities, including my camera, I went off to be a Cheesemaker for a day at the New Zealand Cheese School. There were about ten of us on the Dairy course, and we learned how to make milk ricotta,...
New Zealand is known for its green lipped mussels, so I decided mussels would make a great topic for a TT. Thirteen Factoids about Green Lipped Mussels 1. Their scientific name is perna canalicula. 2. Mussels are native to New Zealand and are found all around the...
This is one of our native trees – the pohutukawa tree. It’s an evergreen and bears these gorgeous scarlet flowers around Christmas. Our local council has planted these trees all down our street and in some of the neighboring reserves. They make for a pretty picture. I...
Today I’m playing hooky and going on a wine tasting tour on Waiheke Island. The island is a short ferry ride from Auckland city. Here are a few photos from a day trip my husband and I did around this time last year. Waiheke has a slightly warmer climate than Auckland...
As a New Zealand author, I’m afraid I’m a bit of a trial to my editors. I keep slipping Kiwi speak into my manuscripts, mainly the contemporary and paranormal ones. When I get my edits back there are comments about “head scratching” and lots of question marks. Here...
New Zealanders and Australians celebrated ANZAC day today – the day where we remember our fallen soldiers, and in particular, the soldiers who lost their lives at Gallipoli during World War One. At this time of the year I like to bake a batch of ANZAC biscuits. It’s...
