Gradually, the Tasman Sea comes into view from beneath the dense cloud cover. This enormous body of water separates New Zealand from its big brother, Australia. Our destination, Auckland, is a whopping 2,150 km away from Sydney, Australia – as far as Brussels from Istanbul. No wonder …
There may not be much difference between the two largest islands of New Zealand. That's the impression one gets when looking at them fraternally side by side on the map, separated only by Cook Strait. In terms of size, they are evenly matched, with the North Island being four times the size of Belgium and the South Island five times. Yet, there is a fundamental difference. To put it figuratively …
Generously, the morning sun casts its russet rays into the hotel room. How much sunshine will remain once we're a thousand meters high on the volcanic plateau is still uncertain. Yet, we are hopeful because …
The delightful autumn sunshine has disappeared, replaced by pouring rain. No more sweeping views of valleys and volcanoes; mist limits visibility to a few hundred meters. We were fortunate to have clear weather yesterday. It's half past eight when we reach the sunny town of Ohakune at the foot of Ruapehu. Where adventures begin, …