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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....

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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...

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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...

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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...

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Muriwai Gannet Colony

From August to March each year, visitors get a ringside seat to the goings-on at the gannet colony. There are nests with chicks and busy adult birds feeding their offspring. We watched the birds for ages as they flew back and forth, rode the air currents, and...

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The Scarlet Macaw #research #travel

One of seventeen species of macaws, the Scarlet Macaw is becoming increasingly rare. In Costa Rica, Central America, we visited the Natuwa Macaw Sanctuary where they rescue, breed, and release the Scarlet Macaw. I was very excited at the thought of seeing macaws. When...

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The Adorable Sloth

Before our visit to Costa Rica, my knowledge of sloths was limited to the Ice Age cartoons. I thought of sloths as adorable and a little clumsy but with a great deal of charm. The Natuwa Macaw Sanctuary is a refuge for other animals as well as the Red Macaw, and this...

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The Waitakere Ranges Regional Park, New Zealand

Whenever we have friends visiting from overseas, we take them to the Waitakere Regional Park. A short drive from the inner city and you're in the middle of nature. The views from the visitor center are gorgeous, and it's an interesting place for kids of all ages! This...

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