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Hackett Travels Life's about the journey, not the destination

Hawkes Bay

NEW ZEALAND | Sunday, 21 Jul 2013 | Views [507]

We had planned a leisurely drive up to Hawkes Bay from the ferry but as it ended up leaving Picton about 3 hours late we didn’t get into Wellington and get the car unloaded until after 4:30pm.  At least we did get to see the Marlborough Sounds ... Read more >

Tags: art deco, ferry, wine


North of the South

NEW ZEALAND | Sunday, 21 Jul 2013 | Views [480]

After we left Franz Josef we had a couple days of driving, mainly in the pouring rain, to get up to the north coast of the South Island.  We stopped in Greymouth on the coast and then up to Motueka ready to visit Abel Tasman National Park. ... Read more >

Tags: boat, ferry, national park, seals


Franz and Fox

NEW ZEALAND | Tuesday, 16 Jul 2013 | Views [502]

The day we left Queenstown actually started as a lovely day, we drove up past Lake Wanaka and through the Haast Pass and Mount Aspiring National Park.  The scenery was just stunning, so many beautiful lakes and mountains everywhere you looked! ... Read more >

Tags: glacier, hail, helicopter, hiking, power cut


Sounds and Fjords

NEW ZEALAND | Tuesday, 16 Jul 2013 | Views [519]

Milford and Doubtful Sounds are the most accessible of many fjords in the south western part of the South Island in Fjordland National Park.  It’s a pretty remote, pristine area that makes you feel very small in comparison to the natural drama ... Read more >

Tags: boat, fjord, rain, seal, waterfalls


Queenstown

NEW ZEALAND | Tuesday, 16 Jul 2013 | Views [530]

Queenstown is a pretty cool place, sandwiched between lake and mountains with a relaxed vibe, we really enjoyed our few days there.  It helped that we were staying in a beautiful apartment with lake views, we actually ended up staying an extra night.... Read more >

Tags: gondola, jet boat, queenstown, rain


Mountains and Lakes

NEW ZEALAND | Monday, 8 Jul 2013 | Views [472]

From Christchurch we drove to Twizel in the Southern Alps.  This is where the New Zealand of the adverts and Lord of the Rings began for us!  We didn't have to get far out into the countryside before we were surrounded by snow on the ground! ... Read more >

Tags: lakes, mount cook, mountains, stargazing


Photos: Christchurch

NEW ZEALAND | Friday, 5 Jul 2013 | Photo Gallery


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Quake City

NEW ZEALAND | Friday, 5 Jul 2013 | Views [531]

Christchurch is a bit of a city in limbo at the moment.  It may be over 2 years since the Feb 2011 earthquake that destroyed the heart of the city but that event still defines life in the city and probably will for a generation, until the memories ... Read more >

Tags: antarctic, churches, earthquake, kiwis, memorial


Sea Lion pups!

NEW ZEALAND | Thursday, 4 Jul 2013 | Views [564]

Also at Kaikoura, Jodee tipped us off about a waterfull just outside the town where the seal pups hang out inbetween feeds with their mothers.  There's a rocky stream that leads up from the sea and the road runs along the coast so its only a few ... Read more >

Tags: babies, sea lions, waterfall


Photos: New Zealand

NEW ZEALAND | Thursday, 4 Jul 2013 | Photo Gallery


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Wine and Birds

NEW ZEALAND | Thursday, 4 Jul 2013 | Views [477]

The reason for stopping in Blenheim is that it is Marlborough wine country!  We booked on a wine tour but Rupert had written us a list of some of his favourite wineries all over New Zealand so when the driver asked if there was anywhere in particular ... Read more >


Welly!

NEW ZEALAND | Thursday, 4 Jul 2013 | Views [629]

We started our travels in New Zealand with a visit to Jodee and Rupert in Wellington (for those that don't know, Jodee and I worked together at PwC in Cambridge before she took a secondment to Wellington and never came back!).  We arrived on Sunday ... Read more >

Tags: ferry, moon, museum, views, wellington


Quokka spotting

AUSTRALIA | Thursday, 27 Jun 2013 | Views [3873]

I'm a little behind as the last few days have been a bit hectic but thought I should close the chapter on WA. The couple days after we left Coral Bay were pretty uneventful as we were just driving back down the coast.  Some very long straight ... Read more >

Tags: bay, brisbane, lions, quokka, rottnest island, sea


Whale shark encounter

AUSTRALIA | Tuesday, 18 Jun 2013 | Views [669]

We've spent the last couple of days in Coral Bay - a small beachside village in Northern WA and pretty high in the running for my favourite spot in WA.  The Lonely Planet says population 190, though there's a lot more tourists than that, mostly ... Read more >

Tags: beach, coral bay, humpback whale, reef, snorkel, sunset, whale shark


Shark Bay (oo-ha-ha!)

AUSTRALIA | Saturday, 15 Jun 2013 | Views [584]

Just a quick one before we head to Coral Bay as I'm not sure we'll be able to get online up there. Thursday - the early bird catches the fish!  We went to watch the pelican feeding and only one turned up so she (we think) got all the fish!  ... Read more >

Tags: dolphins, rain, shells, stromatolites


Heading North

AUSTRALIA | Wednesday, 12 Jun 2013 | Views [513]

No internet access yesterday so I'm catching up on 2 days again. Yesterday we drove north from the edge of Perth and visited The Pinnacles on our way up to Geraldton.  The best way to describe this place is hundreds and hundreds of tall, slim ... Read more >

Tags: gorge, national park, pelican, sunset


Photos: WA Misc

AUSTRALIA | Monday, 10 Jun 2013 | Photo Gallery

Various pictures from our trip
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Happy birthday to me!

AUSTRALIA | Monday, 10 Jun 2013 | Views [972]

Thanks to the R&D team's generous 30th birthday present of experience vouchers I got to tick something off my bucket list this morning - we got up very early to get to Northam airfield for a hot air balloon ride over the Avon Valley!!   Luckily ... Read more >

Tags: ballooning, beach, sunrise, sunset


Always take the weather with you...

AUSTRALIA | Sunday, 9 Jun 2013 | Views [650]

What I realised today is that you can be in the most beautiful place but if its grey skies and torrential rain it still seems desolate and miserable! Back to that later as I've got a couple days to fill you in on! On Friday we went wine tasting ... Read more >

Tags: caves, cheese, chocolate, lighthouse, rain, wine, york


Perth Mint is mint!

AUSTRALIA | Thursday, 6 Jun 2013 | Views [525]

Today is Chris's birthday!!!  Its been a bit hard to make it birthday like apart from opening some cards this morning but we're heading out to have a nice dinner tonight. This morning we visited the Perth Mint.  It was set up in 1899 as ... Read more >

Tags: birthday, coin, gold, mint


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