Central Volcanic Plateau, North Island, New Zealand

  Again this morning, rain spilled down onto King Country, shrouding conical volcanic hills and serrated ridges. Mist rose from copses of trees, and the Whanganui River ran higher and browner tha...

Ohinetonga Scenic Reserve, North Island, New Zealand

After a brief  morning soak in the hot pools at the Opal Hot Springs campground, Vilis and I travelled south from Matamata, our destination Owhango and the rainforest of the Ohinetonga Scenic Reserve...

South of Auckland, New Zealand

This morning, Vilis and I revelled in the blessed coolness of 18°C in Auckland, the weather a far cry from the circa 30°C temperatures and high humidity we had experienced in Townsville, North Queen...

Farewell to Oz

At 4:30 a.m., the tropical summer night featured stars sprinkled among wispy clouds tinted orange by Townsville’s lights, bush stone-curlews wailing, spangled drongoes squeaking, and black flying fo...