plant_girl's VirtualTourist Home Page

I grew up in Auckland, New Zealand, where I have lived most of my life. Studied ecology at Auckland University, which I graduated in 1998. Then moved to Christchurch to do a Masters degree at Lincoln University. Lived there for 3 years, then headed back to Auckland (got a job there). Have been back in Auckland for nearly 5 years now.

Have travelled around my home country extensively - I think it is important to know where you come from! And I love NZ - offers me most of what I want (food, wine, outdoors!).

So far... Have travelled to Australia a few times - had grandparents who lived on the Sunshine Coast, friends in the Gold Coast, and then more recently my partners brother and father who live in Melbourne. Plus the obligatory trans-Tasman hop to Sydney.

Have also done the Club Med thing in Tahiti (don't laugh - I was 16 and with my family )- in fact Club med style holidays are a good idea in Tahiti as the cost of EVERYTHING is soo high - all inclusive holidays are a good idea.

Other family holidays included a trip to 'the motherland' - England (actually litterally the motherland as my mum was born there!). Went via San Fransisco, LA and Hawaii. Need to go back as I was only 12 - think I may appreciate the historic aspects of England a touch more now!

When I was 17 went to the USA on a school trip - LA, Washington DC and New Orleans. Would love to go back to New Orleans, but wonder if it will be the same now?

Then the travelling wasteland - I became a uni student and couldn't afford to travel across town let alone overseas!! Now I have been working for a few years....

Back from the first Europe trip - still can't believe 6 weeks went so fast.
Had an amazing time. Arrived in Europe in Frankfurt, (via a 2 day stopover in Dubai - Wild Wadi was great relief from the heat!) but headed straight to Ruedeshiem am Rhein. Had a wine soaked couple of days there before heading for a night in a castle on the middle rhine. Then spent the next day cruising slowly up the Rhine river to Cologne. Spent a couple of days in Cologne (the Dom was amazing - 'won' best church exterior on the trip!), then headed further north to a small town near Hamburg for a friends wedding. Then over to Sweden meet my partners relatives (and family friends) in an assortment of Swedish towns (Vaasteras, Gavle, and Jaadras). After a week with reles we had one fantastic evening in Stockholm - a city I would very much like to visit for longer!!

Then we travelled onwards to Italy. Started in Venice (which we arrived in on the night of Il Redentore) where we took in plenty of churches, the Peggy Gugenheim and the Acadamia, the Dodges palace and St Marks, and Murano and Burano islands. After Venice we travelled on to Bologna, for a couple of nights, then to Florence. Managed to explore Tuscany somewhat from Florence with day trips to Pisa, Lucca, San Gimignano, Certina and Siena. Also went to the Galleria del'Academia (amazing gallery!!), and saw plenty of Florence itself!

From Florence we headed south to Rome, which was the highlight of the trip. Like stepping into a time machine- from the historical ruins of the Forum and the Colleseum, through to the Trevi fountain and the Vatican City!! Also managed to catch a free summer concert - Billy Joel and Bryan Adams playing live outside the Colleseum - Awesome.

After a packed 4 days in Rome headed south to Sorrento - stayed a little out of town, so spent a fun filled 15 minutes dodging traffic each day! But was beautiful (Europe was still the the grasp of a heat-wave), and the beach was well recieved. Visited Pompei and Positano. From Sorrento headed out to Ischia Island in the Bay of Naples - lured by the promise of beaches and hot springs. Found a fantastic bay, Sorghetto, where hot springs ran into the sea, forming hot rockpools. Spent a day lounging between the hot water, the cold water and the cafe/bar!

Unfortunately, the trip was over far too soon - the 4 days in Bangkok on the way home flew by and before we knew it we were back in NZ (in winter too!).

The big question. During Europe Trip 1 my partner I decided we have the travel bug. The current plan is to head back to Europe next year, with a view to working in France (me on a WHV and him on his UK passport!) at a ski resort. Then on to.... who knows!!