Day 9 in New Zealand: First Look at Sumner

The past couple of days, most of our time has been spent learning the various neighborhoods, trying to decide where we want to live, and car shopping. Today, after spending the morning looking at properties for rent. We took a drive out to Sumner. It was a beautiful day for the beach. While there I started to think about how cool it would be to live … Continue reading Day 9 in New Zealand: First Look at Sumner

Day 5 in New Zealand: Our Arrival in Christchurch

Christchurch…today was our longest drive and we are exhausted but glad to be in our new home city. For the next month we will be staying in an AirBnB with our hosts Kay and Kevin in the Papanui neighborhood. After checking in and getting all of our luggage upstairs we took a stroll around the neighborhood. I strolled upon this sign and it felt very … Continue reading Day 5 in New Zealand: Our Arrival in Christchurch

Day 4 in New Zealand: First Views of the South Island

Entering the South Island…today we got on the ferry to get to the South Island. The ferry goes from Wellington on the North Island to Picton on the South Island. The ride is about three hours but it is a rather comfortable ride with lots of food and beverage options as well as some amazing views from the multiple levels. Here are a few pictures … Continue reading Day 4 in New Zealand: First Views of the South Island

Day 3 in New Zealand: Wellington

Today, we arrived in Wellington…and I LOVE IT HERE!!! Wellington has two of my favorite things in close proximity to each other…tall buildings and water. The drive from Taupo to Wellington was long so when we arrived we didn’t have much time for exploring…just dinner and a stroll. I am definitely coming back to Wellington at some point so stay tuned. The Eats: The seafood … Continue reading Day 3 in New Zealand: Wellington

Day 2 in New Zealand: Hobbiton

Today, we started our drive toward the South Island. We will be spending the night in Taupo but first a visit to Hobbiton. If you are a Lord of the Rings fan or a real estate enthusiast, Hobbiton is a-must-see. Here are a few pictures from our tour: We spent the night in Taupo, a resort town about 3.5 hours south of Auckland and about … Continue reading Day 2 in New Zealand: Hobbiton

Day 1 in New Zealand: We’ve Arrived!

Where did Thursday go??!!! After five hours from Charlotte to LA, then a three-hour layover at LAX, then a 13-hour plane ride, then sitting on the tarmac for an hour, then another two hours making it through customs and border patrol…we have arrived in New Zealand. Tonight we will be staying in Auckland at a Bed & Breakfast before starting our four-day drive down to … Continue reading Day 1 in New Zealand: We’ve Arrived!

New Adventure: We Are Moving to New Zealand

Nearly, seven years ago we visited New Zealand for the first time and fell in love with the landscape, the food, the people, and the culture. We left asking the questions, “what if we lived here?” Well… we are about to find out. In a few hours, we are boarding a plane heading to New Zealand. You can follow our journey (virtually of course) as … Continue reading New Adventure: We Are Moving to New Zealand