Seeking

I began my exploration of Tasmania by flying from Auckland via Melbourne to Hobart, Tasmania. 3 ¾ hours Auckland-Melbourne, 1 hour further to Hobart, Tasmania I flew from Auckland to Melbourne on Air New Zealand, in a rather new 787-900 plane with an interesting premium coach seat configuration that I think is a very clever and passenger-friendly idea: IMG 8963 from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo. I think I’m not in Kansas anymore! Locals call Tasmania Tassie or Tas. As Tasmania is not on most travelers itineraries, I’m putting more pictures and details in than usual. I began my Tasmanian hiking…

I think I’ve fallen in love. I vowed to be very cautious about forming new relationships in the aftermath of losing my partner of 44 years and leaving Hawai’i. I’ve been traveling most of the time for the past 14 months, and met many interesting people and seen some beautiful and unusual places. Yet I’m very aware that there is the phenomenon of ‘falling in love’ and that it is not the same as ‘being in love’. Jung is my main advisor on this topic. This leads me to be especially cautious about the exuberance and enthusiasm of new love.…

This post is a photo collage of Auckland and other North Island places I have visited. New Zealand is an exceptionally green place, which is due to rather frequent rains. It can rain any time of year, and does, sometimes more than once in a day. I soaked in a natural hot creek south of Rotorua with a group of German backpackers. [vc_row][vc_column][vc_masonry_media_grid grid_id=”vc_gid:1482480651610-3fd44b36-5c52-3″ include=”3916,3914,3917,3919,3920,3910,3911,3912,3913,3909,3908,3907,3906,3905,3903,3900,3898,3897,3896,3895,3893,3894,3892,3884,3882,3883,3881,3845,3843,3844,3842,3840,3839″][/vc_column][/vc_row] In 1982-83, we hosted a girl from Auckland for a year. We have visited them in NZ twice before, and this year I’m joining them for a ‘Kiwi Christmas’. Here, Katherine and family are sharing Christmas Eve…

Returning to North Island, I began my first explorations there. About 3 hours drive south of Auckland lies Matamata, a big lush green valley that is mostly farm pastureland. This area was the setting for The Hobbit movies, and some of those sets were preserved and now are the popular theme park ‘Hobbiton’. More than half a million people tour ‘The Shire’ every year. I like the books more than the movies, and decided to skip the rather expensive ($79NZD) tour. A hobbit-like playhouse in the yard of the lovely AirBnB place I stayed at Kaimai Sunset B&B. When I expressed an…

Heading even further south, I set about walking the Humpridge Track. You begin by hiking along the coast. These are BIG old Rimu trees. A Kiwi couple from Wanaka, South Island, that I met along the trail.   After 8 hours of strenuous climbing, I reached Okaka Lodge, perched high atop Humpridge. On the ridge top above Okaka lodge are some dramatic weathered rocks and tarns As you leave Okaka Lodge heading toward Port Craig, you descend through a gnarled forest area they call ‘The Magic Forest’ After dropping down off Humpridge, you walk along the railroad grade built during…