Author - Cindy Collins

The Top 12 Things to Do on the Coromandel Peninsula

Last Update: September 2026 If you’re planning a North Island road trip, the Coromandel Peninsula is an absolute must. Think wild beaches, emerald-green hills, waterfalls and jaw-dropping coastal lookouts. The kind of place that has you pulling over every five minutes just to say “WOW”. Beautiful views everywhere! Located in the Waikato Region, the Coromandel...

How to Spend a Day on Waiheke Island?

Last Updated: October 2026 Waiheke Island is Auckland’s most popular day trip, and for good reason. It offers stunning wine tastings, incredible beaches, delicious food, and adventure activities, all just a short ferry ride away. You can easily visit for a weekend if you have more time, but most visitors to Auckland only spend a day. That’s what we did at the...

Hiking the Warrie Circuit, Springbrook National Park

Last Updated: September 2026 The Warrie Circuit is another hike that has been on our hiking wish list for years. Every time we’ve visited Springbrook National Park in the past, the trail was closed, either from heavy rain, storm damage, or ex-cyclone recovery. But persistence pays off, and after almost five years of waiting, we finally got to experience it for...

Carnarvon Gorge: Queensland’s Hidden Canyon Adventure (Totally Worth the Drive!)

Last Update: September 2026 Carnarvon Gorge has been on our “one-day” list for way too long. You know those places that always sound amazing, but are just far enough away to make you say, “Maybe next year”? Well, this was that place but no longer. At about 9 hours’ drive from the Sunshine Coast/Brisbane, it’s not your average weekend getaway, but that’s also part of...

O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat: Things to Do & Weekend Guide

Last Updated: October 2026 Ever since exploring the stunning Binna Burra section of Lamington National Park, I’ve been itching to visit the park’s lush Green Mountains section. While both areas are part of the same national park, visiting them in one weekend is quite a trek so despite our best intentions, it took us a while to finally make it to O’Reilly’s. Life has...

3 Days in Chitwan National Park: The Perfect Wildlife Itinerary

Last Update: September 2026 After having to cut our Everest Base Camp trek short due to a nasty bout of altitude sickness (thanks, thin air), we found ourselves with an unexpected extra week in Nepal. Changing our international flights wasn’t an option, so the question was—what now? Thankfully, our amazing trekking agency, Nepal Hiking Team, came to the rescue yet...

How to Spend 48 Hours in Kathmandu

After a year of planning our Everest Base Camp trek, we were finally en route to Nepal to turn a long-held dream into reality. Our first stop: Kathmandu — the bustling, vibrant capital that offers a sensory overload in the best possible way and is well worth exploring before heading into the mountains. Following a long, chaotic journey from Brisbane (complete with...

Chasing Altitude: Our Epic Trek to Everest Base Camp

Let’s be honest — I’ve got some pretty wild dreams on my bucket list. And trekking to Everest Base Camp? That’s been right up there, screaming for attention for years. There’s just something magnetic about the Himalayas — the crisp air, the towering peaks, and of course, standing in the shadow of the legendary Mount Everest. Trekking along the Everest Base Camp Trek...