I shouldn't really pick 'shopping' as the activity category for Nelson but after Blenheim, it was exciting to see shops. And I figure, I may be doing regular expeditions to Nelson for its shopping potential. But first, I was a complete tourist and had to trek up the steep hill to the 'Centre of New Zealand'. The monument at the top was a little disappointing but the view was lovely. I spent quite a bit of time at the Saturday markets and bought up a week's wort...

Mountains, mountains, lake, mountains. I have more photos of mountains than I thought possible because every bend in the road around Queenstown bought another stunning vista. After just two weeks in the job, I was sent with a winemaker on some trade visits in Christchurch, Wanaka and Queenstown. Hard work - tasting wines, eating and drinking. Exhausting stuff. Thanks to a colleague, I also got a day off so I could stay in Queenstown for the weekend. Brilliant m...

Where to start to explain the past week and a half? When I left Australia it still didn't feel like I was about to leave the country again. Perhaps because I was going via Melbourne, so it had more of a holiday feel. Although the extra luggage should have been a good reminder. I spent two days in the Yarra Valley at Domain Chandon, having an induction of the Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton company. The reception from my new colleagues was amazing, and the induction...

After three and a half years in Margaret River, I am packing up my life again and heading to Marlborough, New Zealand.While a job has been the catalyst to get me to go, my feet have been itchy for the past six months of so - which suprised me because I have loved my time in Margs (after I survived the first winter that is). I have clicked with the community, got involved in new ventures, enjoyed my work, become a pet owner and bought into a house so it appeared o...