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The Dardanelles, Turkey
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Today I motored down the Dardanelles, along the Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey, one hundred and five years after my relative John (Jack) Gibbs arrived at ANZAC Cove.
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Bay of Islands, New Zealand
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Paddling the Bay New Zealand’s Bay of Islands is located on the north-east coast of the North Island. Maori called the Bay Ipipiri, however Captain Cook re-named it the Bay of Islands in 1769 on account of it being a bay of islands. Paddling the Bay’s intricate coastline promised a unique perspective on this beautiful…
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Te Paki Coastal Track, New Zealand
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‘Round the Cape The Kiwis refer to Northland, the northernmost region in the north of the North Island, as ‘The Winterless North’. Now I’m here to tell you that winter in The Winterless North is still bloody cold, however it is just marginally warmer than the winter in The Wintermore South. Searching for every extra…
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Searching for Kiwis
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A quest to find New Zealand’s unofficial faunal emblem I’ve always found it interesting how many state and national faunal symbols are either extinct or on the brink thereof. The animals are often loved and revered today, after having been persecuted fervently in the past. And to be honest, if the species is still around,…
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Ever tried an oatcake?
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Oatcakes are a Scottish savoury biscuit traditionally made of oats, lard and water. Legend has it that oatcakes are called ‘oatcakes’ because oats are the main ingredient, though perhaps the real origin of the name has been lost in the mists of time. That aside, the whisper round the croft is that oatcakes have been…
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Mt Taranaki National Park, New Zealand
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‘Round the Mountain I’ve spent the last four days completing the ‘Around the Mountain Circuit’ walk at Mt Taranaki (Mount Egmont) National Park. The Mt Taranaki volcano is impressive to say the least, and dominates the landscape in the inevitably named Taranaki Region. Its last major eruption was over 150 years ago, and Geonet (those…