Category: Oceania
Papua New Guinea: The Country I Didn’t Plan For
Papua New Guinea was country #54! With zero expectations, it turned out to be a highlight of my time in the region. Read more →
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Australia & New Zealand, Fifteen Years Later
Fifteen years after a solo sabbatical through Australia and New Zealand, I came back — same part of the world, completely different journey Read more →
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After the Three Capes: A Weekend in Hobart
My sister and I finished Three Capes Track hike on Thursday afternoon and hopped on the Gray Line bus back to Hobart. I booked it mainly because the departure time lined up perfectly with our early return to Port Arthur, but the bonus was that the ticket included two stops: a chocolate shop (always welcome)… Read more →
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Hiking the Three Capes Track with My Sister
At the end of November 2025, my sister and I finally set foot on the Three Capes Track in Tasmania. It was her first time backpacking—real backpacking, with everything on her back for multiple days—and something we had been quietly working toward for months. The planning unfolded in phases. First came the big question: could… Read more →
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New Zealand by Train: The TranzAlpine and the Northern Explorer
I’ve always loved traveling by train: its enforced slowness enables me to focus on the journey, lost in my thoughts as I watch the scenery unfold, mile by mile. New Zealand gave me two chances to experience slow travel aboard KiwiRail’s scenic trains. One trip cut through the Southern Alps, which I shared with Chris.… Read more →
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A Weekend on the Routeburn Track
The day after our trip to Port Douglas, Australia, Chris and I caught the first flight out of Sydney to Queenstown, New Zealand. I’d been eager to see this small town with a reputation for big adventures. With only a weekend to spare, hiking the Routeburn Track was the main event, though we squeezed in… Read more →
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Port Douglas: Where Rainforest Meets Reef (Revisited)
I returned to Far North Queensland at the end of October, the day after our Great Ocean Road drive, stepping off the plane in Cairns into the familiar hot, thick, tropical air. Fifteen years had passed since my first visit to Port Douglas, and it felt like a real treat to return—this time with my… Read more →
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Our Great Ocean Road Adventure
We set out from Melbourne on a rainy day—not exactly auspicious—but that didn’t dampen our spirits. Our goal: a 3.5-day drive along one of the world’s most scenic coastal roads, the Great Ocean Road. Along the way, we were lucky enough to spot kangaroos, koalas, platypus, and little penguins. You can watch all our wildlife… Read more →
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Barefoot in Fiji: From Shark Dives to Manta Rays
From the moment I knew I’d be traveling to Australia for my sister’s wedding, I was looking at a map, trying to determine how many unvisited countries I could squeeze in. Booking via Fiji Airways and taking a long layover on one of the islands before heading to Melbourne seemed like an obvious choice. Several… Read more →
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2021 Farewell from French Polynesia
Bora Bora, Moorea and Papeete over the holidays — we splurged on an overwater hut and every penny was worth it. This is how we made French Polynesia work. Read more →
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