A Week in Japan at Christmas by Ian Collier
Japan is certainly a ‘hot’ destination for Discover Travel presently, with unprecedented levels of interest in this most fascinating of countries since they dropped all restrictions in April 2023. My last trip there was in April 2019 when I walked the Nakasendo Trail, so I jumped at the chance to… Learn more
3-night Disney Magic at Sea Cruise out of Auckland by Peter Dunne
I recently embarked on a 3-night Disney Magic at Sea Cruise out of Auckland with my family. I thought who better to get some feedback from then my daughters Lily and Charlotte – it is Disney after all! I had an incredibly thrilling and delightful time on the Disney… Learn more
A family holiday in Samoa by Juliet Davis
With a 3 hour direct daily flight from Auckland and their time zone just 1 hour ahead, Samoa has proven to be a fantastic holiday destination for our family (with children aged 8 and 10). Our 12 days away was a mixture of time in Apia, Lalomanu Beach on the… Learn more
A week in Northern Spitsbergen in search of pack ice and polar bears. by Ian Collier
A few years ago, I wrote a short piece about how much I enjoyed my 2 day ‘digital detox’ aboard the Rocky Mountaineer train in the wilds of British Colombia. Disconnected from phone and internet does provide an increasingly rare opportunity to focus entirely on your surroundings and so a… Learn more
Whirlwind 50 hours in Barcelona! by Ian Collier
We really packed it in, on Sunday afternoon we wandered the Gothic Quarter, jumped on the hop on / hop off bus ‘red’ route and strolled along the beach. On Monday we did the bus ‘blue’ route, went to Sagrada Familia and Park Guell, the Camp Nou stadium and explored… Learn more
Exploring San Sebastián & the Basque country by Ian Collier
After our sprint around Barcelona, we elected for a change of pace and a short flight from Barcelona to stay in an apartment for 4 nights in the old town of San Sebastián. This is truly a foodies paradise, with hundreds of excellent restaurants and the famous charming pintxos (tapas)… Learn more
Armchair Travel: Backroads’ Favourite Recipe for Spanish Tortilla! by Discover Travel
What do you remember most about the best trip you’ve ever taken? Aside from the people you shared it with, it’s probably the food. Great dining is an adventure—from exotic dishes to quirky restaurants and friendly waiters, it’s one of the best ways to experience a foreign place, even as… Learn more
Walking Japan’s Nakasendo Trail by Ian Collier
Japan is very popular for Kiwi visitors; with the Rugby World Cup last year and the Olympics upcoming in 2020, the country’s profile has never been higher. So many visitors to Japan use the impressive Japan Rail network to hop at Shinkansen (bullet) speed from one big city to another… Learn more
Antarctica on board Greg Mortimer! by Janine Hay
Arriving in Ushuaia with the anticipation of boarding The Greg Mortimer Ship the following day, I was buzzing with excitement. With a morning to spare before meeting my fellow passengers, I decided to explore on foot. It became obvious very quickly around the shore who my fellow passengers were. Everyone… Learn more
Greetings from Albania & Macedonia by Peter Dunne
As a child growing up in the UK in the 70s and early 80’s, the Cold War was alive and well and the Iron Curtain still divided East and Western Europe. I would listen of an evening on the family wireless to midweek European football games involving teams with names… Learn more
A Circumnavigation of Iceland in Springtime by Ian Collier
Keflavik Airport in Iceland has come a long way since I first passed through it twenty years ago. It’s certainly a lot bigger and grander than I had remembered, which is perhaps explained by the recent incredible increase in popularity of this tiny island nation for overseas visitors. Iceland is… Learn more
4 Days in Buenos Aires by Linda Weiss
Buenos Aires is a fantastic City in which to spend a few days. The cosmopolitan capital of Argentina is rich in history and culture, displays an eclectic mix of Architectural Styles and is home to several iconic neighbourhoods just waiting to be explored. With Air New Zealand now operating direct… Learn more
