Tag Archives: New Zealand

Aliciouslyvegan: Travel food

“And what are you going to eat?!”, was definitely one of the questions I heard the most pre-departure (along with “And what did you eat?!” post-arrival). Since I switched to a plant-based diet earlier this year, people have been afraid I might not get enough to eat and waste away. More than that, many people cannot imagine how eating only plants and mushrooms can fill someone up – especially a good eater like myself. Continue reading Aliciouslyvegan: Travel food

Alicioustravels: Auckland

I had insisted on spending a whole day in Auckland rather than arriving there the day before our departure to give us some rest. We stayed at Verandah, the hostel where I spent my first Christmas away from home in 2006, and I still cannot recommend this place enough. Campbell, the owner, had his place extended but it’s still a lovely place to hang out in one of the coolest areas of Auckland, Ponsonby. Continue reading Alicioustravels: Auckland

Alicioustravels: Coromandel

On my past trips I’d never made it to the Coromandel Peninsula and since everyone who had been there was raving about it, I made it my chosen destination on our recent journey (everything else I let Mr A pick). There were two places I wanted to visit: Cathedral Cove (a beach best known from the last scene in The Narnia Chronicles: Prince Caspian) and Hot Water Beach, where at low tide you can dig out your spa due to thermal springs underneath the sand. Continue reading Alicioustravels: Coromandel

Alicioustravels: Tongariro Winter Crossing

The Tongariro Crossing had been in my head since we contemplated travelling to New Zealand. I completed what’s allegedly “New Zealand’s finest day walk” on my first trip in 2003 and was mesmerized by the surreal landscape. You walk between two – sometimes more, sometimes less – active volcanoes, pass beautiful lakes, almost accompanied by the smell of sulphur. Continue reading Alicioustravels: Tongariro Winter Crossing

Alicioustravels: Northbound

The Cook Strait is notorious for being one of the bumpier crossings in the world – similar to the Tasman Sea, the Cape of Good Hope and the Bass and Foveaux Straits, however, our crossing was relatively pleasant. For myself, because I’d taken my sea sickness tablets, not so much for others that kept the ever-patient staff busy handing out and collecting paper bags. Continue reading Alicioustravels: Northbound

Alicioustravels: Abel Tasman National Park

Getting more sun hours than pretty much any other part of New Zealand, the Nelson area is always busy. Or so we thought. In winter, we found out, it’s as laid back and quiet as any other place we went to.

Mr A had specifically wanted to go kayaking in Abel Tasman National Park and because I had such fond memories of doing this on my very first trip to NZL back in 2003, I immediately agreed to make it a priority on our (mental) to do list. Continue reading Alicioustravels: Abel Tasman National Park