Te Ika-a-Māui, New Zealand

/
Te Ika-a-Māui, New Zealand

New Zealand or Aotearoa holds a special connection to most Australians, even if they have never been. Whilst there are countless rivalries between Australian cities, states and other countries, all pale in comparison when held up against the AUS-NZ relations. I am of the opinion (and am not alone) that this stems from the fact that, despite obvious geographic differences, the countries are very similar and moreover, are isolated from everywhere else. I had visited New Zealand for the first time in 2010 and loved every minute, so when the opportunity came to once again visit, I jumped at it. The opportunity was a Jetstar sale, so not a unique opportunity, but a very real one. For the sum of $504, Mia and I we were going to explore all things Te Ika-a-Māui, that is, all things North Island.

Read More

Swabia: Augsburg and Neuschwanstein

/
Swabia: Augsburg and Neuschwanstein

One of the most visited attractions in Germany and by extension, Europe, is the fairy tale-esque castle of Neuschwanstein. It is nestled in the Bavarian Alps in the south of Germany and sees scores of tourists flocking to the area to visit the thoroughly modern castle. The castle was built in the mid-19th century when castles had essentially lost their military value but were symbols of wealth and power. Ludwig II, the then king of Bavaria, commissioned the construction of the castle as his personal residence and was inspired (in part) by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc's restoration of le Château de Pierrefonds. In any case, with my time in Germany coming to an end, this was one big-ticket item that I was keen to see. It would turn out to be quite a mission for just a weekend trip, but ultimately a worthwhile mission.

Read More

Grenoble and Mont Aiguille

/ The Alps, France/
Grenoble and Mont Aiguille

With the festival of la Toussaint (All Saints’ Day) falling on a Friday, it seemed like an opportune time to sneak in a late autumn hike. I had seen a picture at some point of a very distinctive peak in the Alps and bookmarked it as an overnight hike, with the only problem being that getting there and away was a bit of a pain from Paris, due to a lengthy changeover in Grenoble. So with a long weekend providing the buffer day, we headed to the central Alps to explore the crown jewel of le Parc naturel régional du Vercors, le Mont Aiguille (Needle mountain)

Read More

Les Gorges de l’Areuse and Le Creux du Van

/ The Jura, Switzerland/
Les Gorges de l’Areuse and Le Creux du Van

The end of summer heralds the arrival of autumn, and a really nice time to be out and about. Due to the lack of deciduous trees in Australia, the display put on by the trees here is something that really captivates me. With colour beginning to bloom, it seemed appropriate to explore one of the lesser known regions of Switzerland, the Jura. The Jura mountain range is a really fascinating place which is often overshadowed by the neighbouring Alps. The range straddles the border of France and Switzerland in the north and then stretches into Germany, where the range is known as the Swabian Alps. It is much older than the Alps and in recent (geological-scale) times has been compressed laterally due to the rising Alps, resulting in long and very narrow peaks and often deep valleys. In addition, a longer life means a lot more wear and tear, which has resulted in many deeply carved canyons and caves. Here we explore one of the most famous canyons, that formed by the Areuse river, and a geological anomaly, Le Creux (the cavity) du Van.

Read More