Articles in ‘Travel’

We love to have fun in the sun, but it’s often human nature to visit the same tried and true holiday destinations every year. At elocal, we decided to come up with some great island hopping adventures that will give the family and friends a break, at the fraction of the cost of an island getaway overseas. Lucy Mullinger checks out some of the best islands to travel to around the…

We love to have fun in the sun, but it’s often human nature to visit the same tried and true holiday destinations every year. At elocal, we decided to come up with some great island hopping adventures that will give the family and friends a break, at the fraction of the cost of an island getaway overseas. Lucy Mullinger checks out some of the best islands to travel to around the…

The New Zealand Government still advises all kiwis with an ‘do not travel’ overseas advisory in the wake of the Covid Pandemic that has gripped the world since 2020. So just what are your options for the intrepid Kiwi traveller who has always had the hankering to broaden their horizons or complete that OE. The global situation remains complex and rapidly changing. While some…

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in medieval times? Lucy Mullinger found out what it was like during a recent trip to Fes with her partner Brett. From donkeys and mules carrying copious amounts of bags, leather or food items, through to the sound of looms clanking out home-made rugs and scarves - the world of Fes is a million years away from Auckland, which is…

Located in the Bay of Plenty region, Rotorua is a city on the Southern shores of Lake Rotorua which it takes its name. As a city that was built in the 1880’s, Rotorua is unusual in that is was neither a port, nor a farming community and has always been a town built for tourists who visited the lakes. As such, tourism still remains a huge part of Rotorua’s economy both…

The Nenet people of Northern Russia are nomadic reindeer herders that have lived in the Siberian Arctic since the 12th century. Through a yearly migration of over a thousand kilometres, these families move herds of up to 7,000 reindeer at a time. It is debated whether it is the reindeer that lead the people or vice versa. In such a challenging environment where temperatures…

Legend has it that a car’s insurance policy become instantly invalid for the time it circles the chaotic Arc De Triomphe. So far during our expedition Gunther has obtained 34 different insurance policies! Many countries along route require their local insurance by law to pass through. It’s been a huge unexpected cost and administrative challenge to the expedition for us. We’ve…

Situated in the far north of the country with beautiful sandy beaches, plenty of history and no shortage of land and water activities sits the popular tourist destination, Paihia. With Waitangi directly to its north, Russell across the shore by ferry and situated only 23 kilometres south-east of Kerikeri (the largest town in Northland) Paihia makes an ideal spot for tourists with…

Introducing our new Expedition Earth team member, a 2020 Jeep Rubicon Gladiator. Named after the Siberian who led us across the frozen tundra of Russia's Yamal Peninsula, we have called him ROMAN. While we wait for borders to reopen around the world, we will be using Roman for local adventures until he can join Gunther on global expeditions.

Karikari Peninsula is renowned for its amazing white sandy beaches and bays such as popular Maitai Bay.

On the northern end of 90 Mile Beach lie the giant sand dunes of Te Paki. Down the riverbed and behind the thick shrub, we found ourselves exploring landscapes we never knew existed in New Zealand. Te Paki was once its own island disconnected from the mainland. Over millions of years, sand built up from volcanic activity elsewhere in New Zealand, and the dunes were created.

With its rich limestone architecture, stunning views of the Pacific Ocean from its harbour and most famous for its blue penguin colony sits Oamaru, one of the largest ‘best wee’ towns in North Otago. Oamaru was laid out in 1858 by Otago’s provincial surveyor, John Turnbull Thompson whom named the streets after British rivers. In the 1860s the town discovered riches through…

Topher and I were lucky enough to be granted access by the local iwi to one of their hidden landscapes. It's an area only a few hours north from where Bridget grew up, but somewhere that very few in the area have had the opportunity to explore. Accessing the area involves driving 10 km up a beautiful white sandy subtropical beach. The beach access limits your time exploring, as…

Unlike how one may envision Africa, a dry desolate landscape, many areas of Botswana are the complete opposite! Botswana is home to the Okavango Delta, a river which works its way through Angola and Namibia, expanding into a giant swampland. Due to the abundance of water, the delta is home to a huge number of wildlife species. Botswana is also home to the Makadikadi Basin, where…

Most New Zealand's will know Andrew Bayly as a community man and a local MP, only a few will know the other side of his life, the Andrew Bayly who is an adventurer. He has climbed mountains, both here and internationally. Trekked to both the North and South Poles, a feat that gains him a place in an exceedingly small club, as he is one of only 140 explorers who can make this…

Famous for its long keeper onions, former champion rally car driver, Possum Bourne and its sports facility, Park Raceway, Pukekohe is a vibrant town with a rich melting pot of diversity, culture and plenty of things to see and do. Founded in 1880 with large areas of volcanic land, Pukekohe’s main rural activity is market gardening known for its large vegetable growing industry…

We reached Egypt after navigating our way north through Ethiopia and Sudan. Both countries were experiencing political unrest and civil uprising, so it was a difficult journey to say the least! During our drive, we looked at Egypt as our safe haven destination. However, the day we crossed the border at Wadi Halfa, there was a terrorism attack targeting a tourism bus. Our safe…

For Topher and I, 2020 has been a year covered in clouds with silver linings. If there wasn't a global pandemic, we would be somewhere in Malaysia right now, having spent the previous few months driving through the bustling streets of India. Instead, we were here in New Zealand waiting in anticipation for the borders to re-open so we can continue our global expedition. Although…

Over the following 8 months we weaved our way down the longest road in the world, the Pan-American Highway. It stretches from Deadhorse to Ushuaia, Argentina. We crossed the world's most dangerous road in Bolivia, witnessed civil uprisings in Nicaragua, and minefields crossing the Atacama Desert. Landscapes changed as much as the climate. We experienced temperatures fluctuating…

In late 2017, while on our second date, Topher and I had the idea to drive the planet. That evening we shook hands to agree that “one day” we would follow through with our big plan. In March the following year we arrived in Vancouver to pick up our Jeep Wrangler “Gunther”. On the 18th of April 2018 Gunther, Topher and I began one of the longest overland expeditions ever…