How to plan a delightfully romantic honeymoon

Last week, I read a post over on Finding the Universe about the myth that explains how the volcanoes on New Zealand's North Island were formed. I love these sorts of stories. The Maori people have all sorts of myths and legends for how things in New Zealand came to be. They even have one for the country itself, in which a demi-god named Maui hooked the North Island and fished it up out of the sea. One of my favorite Maori myths, however, is a lesser-known one: the legend of Lake Wakatipu . Lake Wakatipu is a deep, S-shaped lake on New Zealand's South Island. The popular resort town of Queenstown sits right on its shores, and it's flanked by the aptly-named Remarkables mountain range. The lake was, in reality, formed by glaciers cutting through the Southern Alps 15,000 years ago. But I like the Maori legend of the lake much better. At the heart of the legend is Manata, the beautiful daughter of a local Maori chief, who was forbidden to marry Matakauri, the man she ...

T he view out of the small plane window was largely unremarkable as we reached cruising altitude above the foothills outside Wellington. The aerial view of the Rimutaka Range, the low mountains that force New Zealand’s capital city to hug the Pacific coastline, would likely have been stunning on that late winter morning. There may have been a few last traces of snow present on the first day of August, or perhaps the first hints of the prickly, yellow gorse bushes that would begin to cover the hillsides in spring. Both of these views — and any others in between — were made impossible, however, by the thick, low clouds that had settled right at the base of the Rimutakas. Crossing my fingers and hoping for clearer skies later, I settled for watching fat droplets of water condense outside the thick window pane as the New Zealand landscape slipped by beneath a soggy grey blanket. Fortune must have been looking favorably upon me that morning, however, because the skies began to ...

Of all the experiences I have whilst travelling for my work, I’m absolutely certain that a countryside getaway remains my favourite of all. Being able to spend more time outdoors and away for cities is as good as it gets in my books! During my time in New Zealand I spent the great majority of my time in lodges, with a countryside escape at The Farm at Cape Kidnappers being an unforgettable escape from reality. The Farm House at Cape Kidnappers If you love golf or luxurious getaways, chances are you’ve already heard about Cape Kidnappers on the East Coast of New Zealand’s North Island. Home to one of the best golf courses in the world, the lodge has a world renowned reputation (though, in all honesty, I didn’t at all visit for the golf course!) The lodge itself is idyllically set on a hillside, overlooking the ocean and cliffs of Cape Kidnappers. Each room is made to feel like a private oasis, which was warmly welcomed so I could spend some time on my deck ov...

I've been to New Zealand multiple times now, and yet I'm still constantly learning new things about it. Even though the country may not be as “exotic” as other destinations around the world, it still has characteristics and quirks that many people may not be aware of. Sure, you probably know that Kiwis (AKA New Zealanders) drive on the left, love rugby, and have a lot of beautiful scenery to look at. But do you also know they were the first to give women the right to vote, or that the country only has one native mammal? I didn't. So, allow me to shed some light on some things you may not know about New Zealand. First, here's a cool video from New Zealand: 15 Fun Facts About New Zealand 1. There are no snakes Much like Hawaii, New Zealand is an island grouping devoid of snakes. It also has no deadly spiders, killer jellyfish, or other creepy crawlies that are likely to kill you. Australia is home to all of those. (Edit: New Ze...