• Wild About Canada

    Wild About Canada

    I am a regular visitor to Canada, and I rate the wildlife as exciting as anything you might encounter on safari in Africa.  Whales, deer and wolves aside, you can’t ignore the impressive stature and variety of Canada’s bears.  As they hibernate in winter, summer is obviously the time to go! Aloof and charismatic, fiercely…

  • Meerkats and more

    Meerkats and more

    It’s been on my bucket list for ever! For as long as I can remember, I have harboured a strong desire to visit Tswalu, a private reserve in the Kalahari. This year, the dream became a reality. The meerkats have been calling me for years, but I soon realised that it was much more than…

  • In Good Company

    In Good Company

    “A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles”, said renowned travel writer Tim Cahill, and we couldn’t agree more. You could say the best thing to pack for your journey is a friend! Someone to share the excitement of arriving in a new country, to savour a delicious meal with, or to help…

  • ‘Mora Mora’ in Madagascar

    ‘Mora Mora’ in Madagascar

    The best advice I can give anyone considering a trip to Madagascar can be summed up in the local phrase of ‘mora mora’. The closest literal translation is ‘slowly slowly’ but, depending on the particular situation, it could mean slow down, take it easy, be patient, or relax – things will happen when they happen.…

  • Luxury in the Wild

    Luxury in the Wild

    It’s the crack of dawn in the middle of the African wilderness and there’s a tap on my door.   Strong coffee and a quick chat with the rangers later, and we’re off into the bush to spot the wildlife at their most active. The expert guides and trackers have a sixth sense of where to…

  • The 3 Best Ways to Experience the Amazon

    The 3 Best Ways to Experience the Amazon

    The Amazon is one of the most unique and precious places on earth, but deciding where and how to best experience it on what is usually a once-in-a-lifetime trip, is a challenge. The Amazon River is 6,400 km long, with tributaries coming from eight countries.  Home to immensely diverse flora and fauna, this veritable Garden…

  • Top 5 Reasons to Holiday in Vietnam

    Top 5 Reasons to Holiday in Vietnam

    With a tumultuous history and a promising future, Vietnam is bursting with energy, and a great place to visit.  Why?  The food, the beaches, the history, the culture and welcoming locals are plenty to go on, but now you can also fly there direct from New Zealand.  The real question is “Why not?” EDIBLE VIETNAM…

  • How to make a Mazurek Easter Pie

    How to make a Mazurek Easter Pie

    The mazurek cake  is said to be a variation on a Turkish recipe, and has been a firm element of Polish Easter tradition since the 17th century. ‘Mazurek’ is also the name of a traditional dance, and Mazury (Mazuria in English) is a region in the North-East of Poland, green with forests and blue with…

  • On the Right Track

    On the Right Track

    There’s something refreshingly traditional about travelling by train, and often the rail journey can be a destination in itself!   What’s not to love about train travel – dining cars with full-service meals, uniformed wait staff, fascinating off-train excursions and more! To get you on the right track, we’ve gathered together our top 6 “Great…

  • Rejuvenate for the New Year!
    ,

    Rejuvenate for the New Year!

    Feeling refreshed from your summer holidays and eager to take on the New Year? Or anything but? It’s around this time that a lot of people get in touch with us, wanting the truly relaxing getaway that a frantic Christmas followed by a rainy week at the bach just didn’t provide. Travel can rejuvenate the soul…

  • Postcard from Patagonia

    Postcard from Patagonia

    “Patagonia, how fabulous!” This was the most common response when I mentioned my recent travels to this area. The second response then followed … “Where exactly is it again?” Patagonia lies on the Southern end of South America – mainly in Chile but sharing a border with Argentina. It is a starkly beautiful and wild…

  • African Discovery

    African Discovery

    The first of many African countries to gain independence from England in 1957, Ghana is today the most stable and successful of the West African nations. By African standards the country is diminutive at around 80% the land area of New Zealand, albeit with a population of some 27 million. However, what it lacks in…