Living La Vida Loca

A Global Adventure

  • Glenorchy & Peaceful Hike to Lake Sylvan

    Andrew and I had visited Glenorchy and done this beautiful trail in 2019, and we loved it so much we decided to bring our fellow travelers there to enjoy it as well. Just 45 minutes from Queenstown, Glenorchy is nestled on the northern shores of Lake Wakatipu & is the gateway to hiking trails and… Read more

  • Stewart Island and Ulva Island Rain Forest

    As part of our overall south island itinerary we’d wanted to get as far south as we could to explore what the geography and habitats might be like. So we decided on an overnight trip that included a stay in Invercargill and an excursion to both Steward Island and Ulva Island – known for a… Read more

  • Doubtful Sound: Magnificent Silence

    On our trip to New Zealand in 2019 we were fortunate to be able to kayak in Milford Sound. That was an incredible experience as the majestic, still-snowcapped peaks surrounded us as we paddled around the pristine water. There was quite a bit of traffic in the sound – a couple of smaller cruise ships,… Read more

  • A Bit of Nearby Towns Exploration

    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… Read more

  • New Years Day: Lazy Lovely

    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… Read more

  • A Very Full, Very Fun, Very Everything Day

    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… Read more

  • Queenstown Redux

    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… Read more

  • Headed Back Down Under!

    Andrew and I loved our time in New Zealand and Australia so much a few years ago that we decided it was worth a revisit – this time to explore parts of both countries we didn’t see the first time around. We were smitten by the pastoral and at times, majestic, landscapes in New Zealand,… Read more

  • The Big Island Chill

    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… Read more

  • Oh Do I Wish for a Happy and Healthy New Year!

    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… Read more