Albion Gould
makes & travels
We ended our time in New Zealand with three days in Auckland. We had closed on the house, dropped off the pets, sold the last vehicle, and were ready to just have a couple of relaxing days. Sky City was our hotel of choice—not because the price was great or service was anything special, but …
Rotorua is a geothermal wonderland located on the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand. It was about a 40 minute drive from where we lived in Tauranga and we spent a good bit of time there–there was so much to do! Rotorua is underrated as a destination in New Zealand and it’s time that changed. …
New Zealand isn’t exactly known for amusement parks–in fact, you’d probably be hard pressed to find someone from outside the country who knew one existed. If you asked a Kiwi, though, they would most likely speak fondly of Rainbow’s End. There might be a bit of self-deprecating talk over the park being small or not …
I have a confession. I have a lot of preconceived ideas about what New Zealand attractions will be like well before I go. When my kids asked to go to the Auckland Zoo, I cringed. I imagined a cramped area with a few animals that you could see anywhere. I was also preemptively cranky because …
I have been missing Halloween in the worst way this year. I grew up with Halloween being an actual season–decorations, costumes, and neighborhood trick or treating. No one celebrates Halloween quite like North America. The United States took Irish traditions, massively commercialized them, and made them into something much bigger (and I love it!). Thanks …
While most people think summer is the optimum time to visit New Zealand, autumn may actually be the best season to explore the country. With slightly cooler temperatures than summer, and definitely less people, exploring New Zealand between March and May allows travelers to enjoy the vibrant colours of the leaves among other activities. Here …
