Latest blog posts

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!

27th March 2025 at 13:36 - Damian

This morning on the way through Taupo we paddled from Acacia Bay to the maori rock carvings. A nice 10km paddle with perfect weather.

Now for an ice cream!

The carved rock face
The carved rock face
Setting off from the floating jetty in Acacia Bay
Setting off from the floating jetty in Acacia Bay
Route from Acacia Bay to the carvings and back. 10km
Route from Acacia Bay to the carvings and back. 10km

26th March 2025 at 18:04 - Damian

Today we fed some Little Penguins at the National Aquarium in Napier. They're so cute and each has a distinct personality.

Sally feeding a shy penguin
Sally feeding a shy penguin
It's kind of cool when they stand on your feet to be fed.
It's kind of cool when they stand on your feet to be fed.

25th March 2025 at 17:59 - Damian

Our Bluebridge crossing was cancelled (reason given was "engineering issues lol") so we crossed 12 hours later and arrived in Wellington late. We ended up parking on the road near Evans Bay to sleep.

This morning we drove to Mākara for a 7.5km walk along the cliffs to the gun emplacements and one of the wind turbines, Ōpau Bay and back along the shoreline.

After that, drove to Tawa for an excellent pie from Nada Bakery and on to Palmy where we visited Wildbase (wildbaserecovery.co.nz/).

Gust The Redeemer. These wind turbines are HUGE! We love them. Silently generating electricity dotted over the hills. They look fantastic.
Gust The Redeemer. These wind turbines are HUGE! We love them. Silently generating electricity dotted over the hills. They look fantastic.
View looking north toward Mana Island. Note the wind turbines on the hills.
View looking north toward Mana Island. Note the wind turbines on the hills.
Graffiti in one of the bunkers
Graffiti in one of the bunkers
Our route walking the cliffs near Mākara.
Our route walking the cliffs near Mākara.

23rd March 2025 at 17:34 - Damian

We're finishing up our two-month top of the South kayaking trip. It's a great time of the year to explore the area being outside of the school holidays and the weather has been brilliant.

All up we kayaked 235km over 16 trips. No aches or injuries. If the weather is right it's a lot faster than tramping and we can carry more gear. We found that we averaged around 6km/h paddling and we weren't in a hurry.

Sally's favourite was Queen Charlotte Sound and mine was Able Tasman.

The van looking all sunsetty and kayakey at Marfell's Beach (where we didn't actually kayak).
The van looking all sunsetty and kayakey at Marfell's Beach (where we didn't actually kayak).

22nd March 2025 at 13:57 - Damian

For our last two nights in the top of the South we're back at Momorangi DOC campground. It's our second-favourite DOC campground in the South Island.

On Monday we cross back to the North Island and meander home with a stop at Lake Karapiro to watch the finals of the Maadi Cup (go Charlotte and Andy!).

Our digs for the next two nights.
Our digs for the next two nights.

21st March 2025 at 15:24 - Damian

We've based ourselves at Nikau Cove DOC campsite near Portage in the Marlborough Sounds.

Today we paddled to Te Mahia for coffee and a slice. 20km all up.

Near Portage there's The Gap which we were able to drag our kayak through saving a few kilometres paddling.

I dragged a line with a hex wobbler and snagged 6 small kahawai but kept none of them. I'm not great at fishing and my heart's not really in it.

"The Gap" shortcut between Portage and Nikau Cove
Map of our route between Nikau Cove and Te Mahia. To the right is a little blat we did when we first arrive to check out a mussel farm.
Map of our route between Nikau Cove and Te Mahia. To the right is a little blat we did when we first arrive to check out a mussel farm.

19th March 2025 at 19:13 - Damian

After Marahau we stayed a night at a POP between Riwaka and Motueka before crossing the Whangamoa into Rai Valley and stayed three nights at the Pelorus Bridge DOC campsite.

The best DOC site we've visited so far: nestled in a native bush reserve with river swimming, kitchen facilities and even free hot showers.

From there to Elaine Bay with the intention of kayaking but stymied by the weather. Beautiful spot to spend a night though.

Waterfalls on one of the bush walks in the Pelorus Bridge scenic reserve
Waterfalls on one of the bush walks in the Pelorus Bridge scenic reserve
View from the top of the Trig K walk at Pelorus Bridge. 6.2km
View from the top of the Trig K walk at Pelorus Bridge. 6.2km
Our parkup for the night at the Elaine Bay DOC campsite
Our parkup for the night at the Elaine Bay DOC campsite
Beach at the end of the Piwakawaka walk near Elaine Bay
Beach at the end of the Piwakawaka walk near Elaine Bay

14th March 2025 at 14:47 - Damian

Another overnighter to Bark Bay on the Abel Tasman. This time from Marahau north. Similar distance to last time at ~19km. Beautiful weather and plenty of interesting coastline to poke around in.

We've loved every minute of the Abel Tasman area and this time of year just past peak season is perfect.

Sally getting into the kayak after a stop at Anchorage in Torrent Bay. Nice clear water
Sally getting into the kayak after a stop at Anchorage in Torrent Bay. Nice clear water
A cave that we couldn't get through in the kayak. Pretty sure we left some plastic scrapings in there though.
A cave that we couldn't get through in the kayak. Pretty sure we left some plastic scrapings in there though.
Map of our path there and back. About 4km shorter coming back in a more direct route.
Map of our path there and back. About 4km shorter coming back in a more direct route.

12th March 2025 at 15:42 - Damian

Kawaupaka (Little Shag) in Marahau at the start of the Abel Tasman track
Kawaupaka (Little Shag) in Marahau at the start of the Abel Tasman track

11th March 2025 at 11:16 - Damian

Yesterday we returned over the Takaka Hill to Marahau. Caught up with Viv and Brent (and his brother and wife) for lunch.

This morning a quick 11km jaunt in the kayak to Kaiteriteri and back taking advantage of the high tide and glassy conditions this morning.

It's looking choppy the next couple of days but we intend to do another overnighter to Bark Bay when conditions improve.

A nice little archway south of Kaiteriteri
A nice little archway south of Kaiteriteri
Split Apple Rock with the morning sun behind it.
Split Apple Rock with the morning sun behind it.
Route from Marahau to Kaiteriteri
Route from Marahau to Kaiteriteri

9th March 2025 at 18:35 - Damian

Although it's nice to explore off the beaten track the state of the van causes me 24 hour anxiety. I long for a water blaster!

A very dusty van.
A very dusty van.

9th March 2025 at 18:24 - Damian

Maps of our paddles today in the Whanganui Inlet and Lake Otuhie.

10.5km paddle at high tide in the Whanganui Inlet
10.5km paddle at high tide in the Whanganui Inlet
4km paddle up the Kowhai River to Lake Otuhie.
4km paddle up the Kowhai River to Lake Otuhie.

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Maps and more

Link to map of NZ travels New Zealand 2021-
Link to map of European travels Europe 2019-2020
Link to map of Scandinavian travels Scandinavia 2017
Link to blog of our UK travels UK/Europe blog 2017-2020