Two Women Wandering the World
As we traveled among islands in Indonesia’s remote Raja Ampat region in February and March, we felt like we were leading a strange existence, far removed from even our out-of-the-ordinary life. In exchange for uncomfortable bathrooms, sweltering nights under mosquito nets, bumpy or tedious transport in motorboats, and little variety of food or drink, … Read more
It’s always dicey coming back to a place you love after a long absence. Will it be the same? Better? Worse? During our long 2014–2015 trip around Southeast Asia, we spent a few memorable weeks in Penang, a largely urban island off the northwestern coast of the Malaysian peninsula. We returned in 2016 for a … Read more
We’re on the North Island of New Zealand now. And although we’re only about 350 miles from our last stops on the South Island, the landscape makes it feel like we’re on a completely different planet. Whereas much of the South Island was sculpted by glaciers, much of the North Island was formed by volcanoes. … Read more
Whirlwind travelers (those trying to see all of New Zealand in a couple of weeks) rarely make it to the South Island’s west coast. That’s a shame because the west coast is beautiful in a way that is different from anywhere else on the island. Parts of the Fiordland area that we loved so much, … Read more
As you’ve probably gathered by now, the South Island of New Zealand is full of mountains. None is taller, more iconic, and more sacred than the peak that the Maori call Aoraki and that European explorers named Mount Cook. Rising 3,724 meters (12,218 feet), Aoraki stands near the center of the Southern Alps—the great mountain … Read more
The mountain town of Queenstown on the South Island is the adventure capital of New Zealand. Want to jump out of an airplane, leap off a bridge with a bungy cord tied to your ankles, careen through a forest on a zip line at a zillion miles per hour, or swing on a giant rope … Read more
Each year, nearly 1 million people visit Milford Sound in Fiordland National Park, one of the most popular tourist destinations in New Zealand. We joined them in early April, taking an overnight cruise on the fiord run by RealNZ Adventures. Same Park, Different Experience Our Milford Sound cruise was similar in some ways to our … Read more
The South Island of New Zealand is full of beautiful scenery. (The North Island may be too; we just haven’t been there yet.) The most breathtaking landscapes we’re seen so far are a pair of fiords in New Zealand’s largest wilderness area, Fiordland National Park, on the rugged southwestern corner of the South Island. We … Read more
[Apologies to J.K. Rowling for the title] Our route from Lake Tekapo to the east coast took us past the village of Duntroon, home to a tiny museum called Vanished World. The staff person, happy to have interested visitors, told us all about the strange fossils in the museum. They had all been found in … Read more
What drew us to New Zealand was the beautiful scenery. We got our first taste of that after leaving coastal Christchurch and driving three hours into the interior of the South Island to Lake Tekapo. The area is famous for bright blue water, hot springs, and dark skies. It’s also the site of a new, … Read more
Flipping through old notebooks recently, I found a list of “must see” countries that Melissa and I made back in 2008. One of my contributions to the list of dream destinations was New Zealand. Now, 15 years later, I’m finally here! Melissa provided the impetus when she registered for an international conference of Urban Sketchers … Read more
Switzerland may be Melissa’s and my favorite country to visit. Nowhere else is the scenery so consistently stunning. (It helps that we both adore mountains.) And it’s so easy to get around. Switzerland has a vast, well-synchronized network of trains, buses, and cable cars that can take you almost anywhere—even to tiny villages or remote … Read more