New Zealand's Top Travel Lifestyle Blog

A Series of Unpleasant Challenges.

I went to the doctor today as I was literally unable to breathe without gasping with my mouth wide open, which, looks odd but also induces bouts of coughing that make me feel like little pieces of my lungs are flying up my oesophagus and out of my mouth. I’m sick of being sick.  I didn’t leave with the antibiotics I was …

New Zealand's Top Travel Lifestyle Blog Reusable Produce Bags

Home – Easy Eco-Friendly Product Switches

Reduce, reuse, recycle.  Who would ever have imagined that Bob the Builder – a beloved children’s show – would be so ahead of its time?  With sustainability and environmental issues ramping up in importance and public awareness every day, the onus on individuals to increase responsibility as both consumers and caretakers of the land is becoming a more widely accepted …

New Zealand's Top Mummy Blogger Parenting Travel Blog Family Teen Milestone high School

Milestones: 13.

I’m in a real ‘adulting’ mindset at the moment.  I’ve had a meeting with an insurance broker, we are getting Dave’s citizenship underway, our mortgage is up for renewal so I’m in full planning mode around refinancing and I’m really consciously trying to make our house and home work for our family without falling into the trap of obsessing about …

New Zealand's Top Mummy Blogger Parenting Travel Blog Family Summer Tip Top Ice Cream

Recipe for Summer – Fruit and Ice Cream

Waitangi Day is the line in the sand when it comes to New Zealand summer I reckon.  The big stuff all happens ‘Pre-Waitangi’; the massive 6 week school holiday kicks off for the kids, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, road trips, tropical cyclones…………. Come Feb and the return to school – ‘Post-Waitangi’ summer kicks in. It’s just my opinion but …

New Zealand's Top Mummy Blogger Parenting Travel Blog Family Japan Nara Park

Family Travel Japan: Nara and the Great Buddha

Nara was added to my Japan To-Do list pretty early on as I felt it was an easy combo of culture, religion and cool stuff for the boys, ie lots of roaming deer lol.  Oh and this place is ancient! The boys and I were on our own (which is always slightly terrifying for me at the moment because…..Nixon!).  Dave …

New Zealand's Top Mummy Blogger Parenting Travel Blog Family Japan Tokyo Tokyo Kyoto Shinkansen

Family Travel Japan: Tokyo > Kyoto on the JR Shinkansen Bullet Train

Lord have mercy bullet trains are freaking amazing.  Pure Japanese innovation and technology designed to increase the efficiency of people moving between Japan’s two biggest cities.  Of course, the Shinkansen trains now run the full length of the country and with the amazing Japan Rail pass you are free to use Shinkansen at will. When we planned our multi-stop itinerary; …

New Zealand's Top Mummy Blogger Parenting Travel Blog Family Japan Tokyo Ueno

Family Travel Japan: Day 3, Ueno Park

After declaring it an anime-shopping-free day, we decided to make the most of the beautiful weather in Tokyo so headed for Ueno Park.  In Cherry Blossom season, this is one of the spots to be in Tokyo, however, as we are visiting in winter I was willing to take a gamble and have a wander.  Home to many museums and …

New Zealand's Top Mummy Blogger Parenting Travel Blog Family Japan Tokyo Ikebukuro

Family Travel Japan: Day 2, Ikebukuro

In my fast and loose ‘Mind Itinerary’, I had pencilled in Monday for a trip to Sea Disney in Tokyo.  However, after one day on the ground, what we really wanted to do was simply see and experience more of Tokyo. So, we ditched Disney and saved hundreds of dollars.  The kids did not care and Dave and I were …

New Zealand's Top Mummy Blogger Parenting Travel Blog Family Japan Tokyo

Family Travel Japan: Day 1, Tokyo

Lord.  Japan is far, far away from Auckland, New Zealand.   And I mean far. But that is what makes it so amazing. After two great Jetstar Flights (thanks Jason for the attention you gave the boys on the long Gold Coast – Narita leg!), we landed on Saturday night at 6.30pm at Narita Airport.  It felt heaps later of …

New Zealand's Top Mummy Blogger Parenting Travel Blog Family yarns Kiwi Kids

Raising Kiwi boys – the good, the bad and the muddy

Karicare Toddler is about as Kiwi as the kids that are we are raising here in New Zealand. As a Mum to a couple of Kiwi boys, Karicare Toddler asked me to have a think about what it means to me to be a Kiwi mum.  Made right here in New Zealand, Karicare Toddler have been committed to using the …