Sometimes the best photo opportunities come when you're least expecting it. Yesterday Derik and I spontaneously decided to head down south and explore The Catlins, an area renowned for it's beauty. The day ended up taking a turn for the worse as the storm clouds came in and the rain (thank goodness it was a light rain) wouldn't let up. Although we forgot our rain jackets back home, we were bound and determined to go see some of the rumored 'best views in the country.' We had so much fun tromping around despite the rain, we decided to stay in the area overnight and try our luck the next day. Sure enough, as the sun went down the sky cleared. Just as I was climbing into my nice, electrically warm, comfy bed for the night, Derik burst ... Read More
Archives for July 2014
New Zealand Bucket List
I've always want to have a physical, tangible bucket list to cross things off on, but have never actually gotten around to making one. My husband and I have our 'top ten places in the world to visit' lists memorized, but I'm wanting something fun, semi-easy to accomplish, and that's documentable on this blog. Cue the New Zealand Bucket List! A few of these things we've already accomplished during our road-trip (as you'll notice they are crossed out), but I still wanted to note them just because they were things I wanted to do before we moved here. NEW ZEALAND BUCKET LIST (2014-2015) Glow Worm Caves Zorbing Cathedral Cove Milford Sound Doubtful Sound Gold panning in Otago Dog sledding in Wanaka Learn to Snowboard (without killing ... Read More
Travel Insurance with a Major Health Issue
Getting travel insurance is an issue almost all travelers go back and forth on. Derik and I hadn't ever thought about purchasing any until the beginning of this year when we went on our long trip in January-February. I couldn't be happier that we made that decision, especially since I had to take a trip to Urgent Care within our first week in Hawaii. I will be discussing more on our travel health insurance later next month. But what about travel insurance if you have a major health issue? To be honest I had no clue until a lovely company contacted me about doing a post on it. I think it's important to say informed on information like what is shared below, because you never know what will happen down the road; you may need to know this ... Read More
10 Little Towns In Europe You NEED To Visit
There are certain bloggers that come out of nowhere and truly make a name for themselves. Margo from Guten Blog Ya'll is one of these bloggers. I don't know how, but I hadn't stumbled upon her blog until she began sponsoring me this month. I can't get enough! Not only does she share amazing photographs (something I tend to zone in on), but her posts are well-written, informative, and fun. You'll be hearing more of Margo later this week when her sponsor spotlight rolls out, but for now, enjoy her fantastic post: 10 Little Towns In Europe You Need To Visit! -------------------------------------------------------- Hi guys, I'm Margo from Guten Blog Y'all. I currently live in Germany and after snuggling with my sweet Schnoodle, Stuart, ... Read More
Pros and Cons of Living in New Zealand (30 day edition)
We've officially been in New Zealand for over a month. The time has flown by, and we're bracing ourselves for the fact that we only have eleven months left now on our current visa. Yes, it seems like a lot, but if the months keep flying by like this last one has, it'll be over before we know it. In true expat form, it's time for a Pros and Cons list. I only ended up doing one list while I was in Korea, and I wish I had written more. Casey from We Took The Road Less Traveled on the other hand, is an expert at these. I'm determined to be better with my Pros and Cons, and I'm starting things off with thoughts on our first 30 days here. PRO: THE LANDSCAPE If you haven't noticed from my over-enthusiasm for posting Instagram pictures ... Read More
The Suitcase Designs (New Look + Premades!!)
I don't usually intermingle my web/blog design business with my personal blog, just because the two have nothing to do with each other. However, my design business has been my primary form of work for a few months since we began wrapping things up in Korea and moving here to New Zealand. Also, I've noticed I have quite a few new readers, so maybe it's time to introduce my business again? So here's a brief introduction: I started The Suitcase Designs the beginning of last year as a fun hobby and as a creative outlet. Throughout the year my business has grown and I've incorporated Wordpress.org, Wordpress.com, and Blogger designs, transfers, referral programs, and finally premades into my business plan. I've had an absolute blast ... Read More
6 of the best tropical destinations in Asia
Derik and I had a thing for taking tropical vacations while we were living and working in Korea. Although there were plenty of other places to visit that weren't all sand, sun, and cocktails, we rather enjoyed resting on the beach and spending a crazy amount of time in the water. A few weeks ago one of my lovely readers requested I write a post about our favorite beach destinations in Asia, so thank her for this post idea! Although there are countless other hidden tropical gems we never had the opportunity to visit, I'm so glad we were able to experience these six beautiful places! 1. Monkey Beach, Thailand: Not only is it quite the adventure to get to this little secluded beach, but once you get there the experience is just ... Read More
Why New Zealand?
I feel like I'm having to dust off the old cobwebs that have collected on this blog as well as my design site. I've been MIA for a while as Derik and I have been galavanting around New Zealand for a little less than a month. It's been a whirlwind adventure, and a bit of a refresher before we buckle down and make New Zealand our home for the next year. Thanks for sticking with me and my lack of...ehem...presence around these parts lately. I did such a great job in January and February with prescheduling 20+ posts for you all to make you think I was still around, and then this time I just dropped the ball. Truth of it is, the break was really nice. I missed seriously blogging and really getting into writing my posts, but during our trip I ... Read More
Not Captured on Camera
Wouldn’t it just figure that one of the most amazing and unforgettable experiences of our lives happens when we don’t have our camera? But isn’t that just how it works? It’s either your battery dies, your space is used up, or you forget the camera all together. I swear it’s some sort of karma which is forcing you to use your photographic memory and really absorb the ‘unforgettable experience’ without you sitting there fiddling with gadgets and missing the opportunity to envelop yourself in that moment completely. Our last day on the Big Island, Hawaii proved to be one of these experiences. We went snorkeling in Honaunau Bay, which we found out after talking to the locals, that this was the snorkeling gem of the island. I’m so mad at ... Read More
