The top 13 photos I took in New Zealand
My favorite photos of the ones I took in New Zealand, in order. 1) Derek, Megan and Lee stop to take in the view – and grab a picture – during our September hike...
NZ, Vol. 17: The night I (almost) Occupied Christchurch
I first realize how popular Christchurch hostels are when I try to get a spot in one a few days before flying down to the city from Auckland. It was hard. One place has an...
NZ, Vol. 15: Cycling from Christchurch to Orari, NZ
Stats: 90 miles My flight from Auckland gets into Christchurch a little after 3 pm, and I hop on a city bus that runs from the airport. About 3/4 of the way to my stop,...
The official guide to The Grandest Tour: New Zealand by bike
Starting December 10, 2011, I’m biking around New Zealand’s South Island for 11 days in what I have dubbed “The Grandest Tour.” This is the central...
The Grandest Tour: Introduction and Route
In August 2010, I rode my bike from New York’s Long Island to Durham, New Hampshire in late August. I rode 375 miles in 4.5 days, it rained pretty much the entire time...
NZ, Vol. 14: Tracking the elusive Hochstetter
In a situation similar to when you walk into a dark room and it takes a couple minutes for your eyes to adjust to the lack of light, you have to star directly at a Hochstetter’s...
NZ, Vol. 13: That time we went snorkeling at one of the top ten dive sites in the world
It was probably the best day of class ever. Maybe it was the schools of blue maomao you saw every time you swam under the arch, or it could have been the moray eel I spotted...
NZ, Vol. 12: “How much money does New Zealand really save by building one-lane bridges?” and other thoughts from driving around New Zealand
The coolest part of Ecoquest is the substantial amount of travel that the program entails, so exploration isn’t limited to how far you can get in a weekend. And there...
NZ, Vol. 10: In the shadow of Doom, or why I love Mordor
Frodo had it easy. All he had to carry into Mordor was a ring. With our packs full of warm clothes, tents and sleeping bags, we have a little more as we prepare for two days...
NZ, Vol. 11: I watched New Zealand win the Rugby World Cup at a bar in Ohakune
For the past two months, my time in New Zealand has coincided with the country’s hosting of the Rugby World Cup, a grand affair that brought 20 nations to play 48 games...