Latest blog posts

14th July 2025 at 12:59 - Damian

West Indian tufted airplant. Perhaps.
West Indian tufted airplant. Perhaps.
Christmas lichen. Perhaps.
Christmas lichen. Perhaps.
Some kind of orchid? It's tiny so probably has a relationship with a bee-sized insect.
Some kind of orchid? It's tiny so probably has a relationship with a bee-sized insect.
I don't know what these are but they look fake.
I don't know what these are but they look fake.

14th July 2025 at 12:54 - Damian

Sally and fox(?) statue in Parque Arví.
Sally and fox(?) statue in Parque Arví.

14th July 2025 at 10:26 - Damian

Grumpy-looking tiny frog in a bromelia(?). I don't know the name of either but will update when I do.
Grumpy-looking tiny frog in a bromelia(?). I don't know the name of either but will update when I do.

14th July 2025 at 10:18 - Damian

Some butterflies. It would really help to have better than a phone camera at times like these!

Epiphile epimenes. https://inaturalist.nz/taxa/487403-Epiphile-epimenes
Epiphile epimenes. https://inaturalist.nz/taxa/487403-Epiphile-epimenes
Cloud-forest catone. https://inaturalist.nz/taxa/513824-Catonephele-chromis
Cloud-forest catone. https://inaturalist.nz/taxa/513824-Catonephele-chromis
Another Cloud-forest catone. Apparently. Looks quite different to the previous one.
Another Cloud-forest catone. Apparently. Looks quite different to the previous one.
Graphita. https://inaturalist.nz/taxa/607229-Graphita
Graphita. https://inaturalist.nz/taxa/607229-Graphita

14th July 2025 at 10:00 - Damian

Today we took a couple of gondolas up to Parque Arví which is to the north and east of Medellín.

We didn't have high hopes but got to see a lot of nature. I need to submit a heap of photos to iNaturalist to see if I can get some identifications but will follow this up with a bunch of nature pics.

A black caterpillar. Running. (I'll give its proper name when I find out. A variety of Hypercompe, perhaps? https://inaturalist.nz/taxa/63030-Hypercompe)

13th July 2025 at 08:10 - Damian

The Metro [1] system which opened in 1995 in the midst of the cartel troubles is the pride of Medellín. Not a single bit of graffiti or litter.

There are two lines and they're well used with 210 million rides per year. We purchased casual travel cards and a trip anywhere on the metro costs NZ$1.60 regardless of where you get off. It's cheaper if you have a personal card. Really easy to use.

You can also use your card to pay for bike hire and at supermarkets, etc.

The metro connects with busses as well as a series of cable cars and gondolas (these were critical to inclusion for the poorer neighbourhoods on the hills). We're going to use these tomorrow when we visit Parque Arví.

1. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medell

At the end of the B Line at San Antonio everyone disembarks one side of the train while the other side embarks for a quick turnaround. It's efficient!
At the end of the B Line at San Antonio everyone disembarks one side of the train while the other side embarks for a quick turnaround. It's efficient!

13th July 2025 at 07:55 - Damian

A note about Pablo Escobar. It's not easy to discuss the topic in Medellín as there are too many strong feelings about him. It's still too raw.

It seems anyone who lived through the time absolutely hates him and everything he stood for. They hate the destruction he brought and many people were personally affected by the huge number of murders and collateral damage.

There is a younger generation that have only been exposed to the 'history' of it through Netflix and see him as a bit of a cool renegade. This isn't helped by the fact that it's a bit of a taboo topic so they only get the Holywood version.


13th July 2025 at 07:46 - Damian

This morning we went on a walking tour of the centre of Medellín [1]. Really excellent information on the history (generally negative) and future (generally positive) of the city and region.

Some interesting lessons on the unintended consequences of prohibition and economic protectionism and the dangers of both the extreme left (FARC) and extreme right (paramilitary).

Also super interesting how good transport infrastructure can make a city more inclusive to the poorer communities on the outskirts and how a focus on education and civic spaces for everyone has a massive effect on reducing crime.

1. realcitytours.com/free-walking

The interior of the Centro Comercial Palacio Nacional. The place has a heap of galleries and knock-off sports clothing and shoe shops.
The interior of the Centro Comercial Palacio Nacional. The place has a heap of galleries and knock-off sports clothing and shoe shops.
Handmade passionfruit and mango ice cream (left) and my personal favourite, sweetened avocado ice cream (right).
Handmade passionfruit and mango ice cream (left) and my personal favourite, sweetened avocado ice cream (right).
Sculptures in Plaza Cisneros. Once a derelict part of town, now a bright square with huge community library and the headquarters of the education department.
Sculptures in Plaza Cisneros. Once a derelict part of town, now a bright square with huge community library and the headquarters of the education department.
A living building in the administrative area.
A living building in the administrative area.

13th July 2025 at 00:53 - Damian

A video slideshow generated by the cycle tour company. If you're ever in Medellín we recommend Turibike E-bike Tours. US$44pp all-inclusive.

13th July 2025 at 00:49 - Damian

After the wedding up in Guatapé we relocated to a hotel/apartment in Medellín in the Laureles district.

Very impressed with Medellín so far. It's got a real up-and-coming vibe to it and feels safer than many US cities we visited last year.

Yesterday we did a 4-hour guided e-bike tour along with Richard and Krista and two others. We got to learn a lot about the history of the place and ate fresh fruits as well as a bunch of different styles of fried foods and breads.

Waiting at traffic lights on the cycle tour.
Waiting at traffic lights on the cycle tour.

12th July 2025 at 01:54 - Damian

Colombian coffee plus empanada for NZD$3.10 (7500 COP)

Half-consumed coffee and empanada
Half-consumed coffee and empanada

11th July 2025 at 09:16 - Damian

On Tuesday (the day before the wedding) we took a taxi into Guatapé where we poked around and had lunch with a few of our fellow guests.

From there we hired a couple of tuktuks to visit La Piedra/El Peñol[1] which is a giant rock with stairs. 700ish steps made slightly harder by the thinner air at 2000m.

Richard and Krista had brought their own climbing gear from NZ and climbed the other side of the rock earlier that morning. It took them about two hours. They thought it was all ok to climb but found fresh razor wire at the top and were detained by police after being ushered back down the steps. No charges laid. They're nuts.

I managed to catch a cold at some point during our flights and it had kicked in on this day with lots of sneezing and insta-drip nose.

1. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Pe%

The 200 year old church in the centre of Guatapé
The 200 year old church in the centre of Guatapé
Umbrella street
Umbrella street
The rock from the car park
The rock from the car park
There are separate stairs for up and down traffic.  They follow a crack in the rock.
There are separate stairs for up and down traffic. They follow a crack in the rock.

10th July 2025 at 02:08 - Damian

The trip from Auckland to Medellín via Houston and Fort Lauderdale was arduous but reasonably uneventful. It took over two hours to clear immigration in Medellín.

From Medellín airport to our accommodation for the wedding near Guatapé we took a 1.5hr taxi ride. Remind me to never complain about NZ driving again.

The wedding venue is incredible with views over a lake and it was great to catch up with Yif and Millie as well as a few other familiar faces when we arrived.

Our separate unit with personal spa pool, fire pit and remote control blinds. Sally is bemused that I'm so fascinated with the blinds but, c'mon, REMOTE CONTROL BLINDS!
Our separate unit with personal spa pool, fire pit and remote control blinds. Sally is bemused that I'm so fascinated with the blinds but, c'mon, REMOTE CONTROL BLINDS!

6th July 2025 at 08:14 - Damian

Today we fly to Central and South America for a few weeks.

We're heading first to Yif and Millie's wedding in Guatapé [1] in Colombia via Houston and Fort Lauderdale. After the wedding we spend a few days in nearby Medellín [2]. We travel to Quito [3] in Ecuador for another few days before heading to Galapagos [4] for a 9-day tour with Intrepid. A few days back in Cartagena [5] in Colombia before heading to Costa Rica [6] for two-week tour once again with Intrepid. After that I return home via Houston and Sally detours to NYC for a fortnight with Adrienne.

We've never used organised tour companies before so will be interesting to see how it goes. There's no other option for Galapagos. It certainly saves a lot of planning!

A map of Central and South America with markers showing the main places we'll be visiting.
A map of Central and South America with markers showing the main places we'll be visiting.

1st July 2025 at 06:30 - Damian

12 months ago we decided to attempt to walk 1200km over the period of a year. I'm pleased to say we've managed to exceed that with 1373km 🎉

We only counted walks over 30 minutes and we included kayaking kms.

We found it easy while on the road but once home we tended to flatline. I managed to find a routine with regular hour-long walks locally while listening to audiobooks.


4th June 2025 at 13:16 - Damian

A big shout out to Grant's Auto Upholstery in Wairau, Auckland for his outstanding job of restoring the flaking faux leather in the van's seats.

He's looking to retire so we might have to get a bunch more stuff done before that happens!

Before with flaking faux leather
Before with flaking faux leather
After with nice, new better-quality faux leather.
After with nice, new better-quality faux leather.

5th May 2025 at 12:43 - Damian

It's a nice, clear, calm day today so we've paddled on the incoming tide from Birkenhead wharf to Little Creatures in Hobsonville Point. 8.3km and 1.25hr each way.

Putting in at Birkenhead wharf
Putting in at Birkenhead wharf
Chelsea Sugar Factory
Chelsea Sugar Factory
Route of the paddle hugging the coast.
Route of the paddle hugging the coast.

11th April 2025 at 08:54 - Damian

Not totally travel-related.

Our 30A DC-DC converter that charges the LiFePO4 battery from the alternator was getting too hot. Fortunately we didn't need it with the solar over the last summer.

I've mounted a computer fan behind the heat sink along with a 50°C thermal switch and it works perfectly!

It took 20 mins of charging to get from 20°C to 50°C, the fan came on and cooled it back to 35°C in 90 seconds. It takes around 10 mins to climb back again. Rinse, repeat.

🤓

The board that the converter mounts to with the fan behind. The metallic round thing on the left is the 50°C thermal switch. It touches the surface of the heat sink and I smeared a bit of thermal paste on it before mounting.
The board that the converter mounts to with the fan behind. The metallic round thing on the left is the 50°C thermal switch. It touches the surface of the heat sink and I smeared a bit of thermal paste on it before mounting.
Testing in place with the passenger seat removed. The yellow thing is a temperature probe for me to monitor
Testing in place with the passenger seat removed. The yellow thing is a temperature probe for me to monitor
My notes of the timings, temperatures and battery charge level. I left the van fridge on overnight with the door open to drain the battery a bit for the test.
My notes of the timings, temperatures and battery charge level. I left the van fridge on overnight with the door open to drain the battery a bit for the test.

31st March 2025 at 10:14 - Damian

The numbers for our 51-day South Island kayaking trip trip for posterity:

3670km total averaging 9.4L diesel / 100km = $837 = $16/day (incl RUCs).

Accommodation = $546 = $11/day.
LPG = 137g/day = $0.55/day.
Food = $2600 = $51/day.
Other = $515 = $11/day.

Total = $89/day.

This time we cooked a lot more of our own meals which saved us around $50 a day compared to the last trip (mastodon.nz/@peterson/11377322). And was probably healthier.

travel.peterson.nz/nz.html

Map of our route for February/March.
Map of our route for February/March.

28th March 2025 at 13:13 - Damian

Homemade bread cheese toasties!


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