This day we decided to explore a couple of the recommended nearby towns with some interesting history and character – Wanaka and Arrowtown. Each had it’s own unique aspects and this made for a lovely, relaxed day of exploration. Wanaka reminded me of Lake Chelan in Washington State. A large meandering lake for boating and … More A Bit of Nearby Towns Exploration
We opted for a lazy morning after the very full New Years Eve activities, and that was a good call. Once Andrew, Kathy and I got moving we decided to hike the nearby Jack’s Point trail. The very cool thing about New Zealand is that there are so many beautiful walk/hikes – or “tracks” as … More New Years Day: Lazy Lovely
New Year’s Eve in New Zealand! It’s pretty cool that we got to celebrate the coming of the new year a day ahead of most of the rest of the world….but as busy as Queenstown is I think most of the rest of the world is here! We decided that instead of following the crowds … More A Very Full, Very Fun, Very Everything Day
We have always had great experiences doing home exchanges – both in the US and internationally. It’s not for everyone as we get either an intrigued or horrified look from people when we explain how it works. To date we have exchanged in NorCal, St. George Utah, Sedona Arizona and a few others in the … More Queenstown Redux
We were so blessed to have the opportunity to share a week in the sun with Ruthie and Simon – on the Big Island of Hawaii. The timing could not have been better. Simon is in his third year of neurosurgery residency (4 more to go) and on rotation to LA Children’s Hospital. Ruthie has … More The Big Island Chill
For all our Jewish friends, tonight marks the start of the Ten Days of Awe – that start with Rosh Hashanah (Or “Head of the Year”) and ends ten days later with Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). This is a relatively solemn period in our annual cycle of life when we are supposed to reflect … More Oh Do I Wish for a Happy and Healthy New Year!
I am very thankful that despite the roller coaster ride that the COVID pandemic has been for all of us, Andrew and I have come to an agreement about the risk/return tradeoffs we are willing to make in terms of going about our life together as this strange “new normal” unfolds. We’ve chosen to be … More August 2022 | Banff: Natural Beauty and Time to Chillax
We were lucky to be able to set up a second home exchange right after our stay in Banff – in Victoria, BC. Andrew and I hadn’t been to Victoria since Ari was a tiny baby and other than the Empress Hotel I had little recollection of the city. It has no doubt grown over … More …On to Victoria, BC
Ok, so this will not be exotic…but boy, will it be fun! Simon Menaker has been part of Ruthie’s life for about a decade…her soulmate – met in Israel, courted in Charlotte/Chapel Hill, migrated together to Miami for Simon’s medical school stint, settled in LA for the next few years with his residency and her … More Heading to Santa Barbara…Ruthie & Simon Wed!!!
Never let it be said that Andrew and I let grass grow under our feet. Certainly the pandemic clipped our flying wings along with millions of other people, but we managed to do some exploring over the last year through home exchanges and a smattering of COVID-safe Airbnbs. We’d been toying with the idea of … More Let the Campervan Adventure Begin!
Living La Vida Loca 