February 2014 – THE GRAPE BELT

The End Of The Road

Once we arrived in Nelson, we had only a few days left before it was time to head for home. We had begun to feel the tug of the familiar but were determined to squeeze the last few drops of fun out of our time away. We still had to get over to Marlborough to […]

by Tom Riley

North To Nelson…The Scenic Route

Our original plans called for us to make the one-hour flight from Queenstown in the south to Nelson in the north, but after some “what the hell are we thinking” deliberation, we decided to rent a car and drive. A little bit of research and some chatting with the locals in Q’town convinced us that […]

by Tom Riley

A Mad Dash Through Central Otago

One of our main objectives to visiting New Zealand, apart from enjoying the wild splendor of the south island, was to visit the heart of Central Otago and learn as much as we could in the little time we had. So, I polled some social media connections in the States, Australia, and New Zealand, and […]

by Tom Riley

No Place To Hide

Well, the jig is up. Thanks to the kindness of Jessica Yadegaran of the Bay Area News Group, there is no more flying under the radar. I’m taking this pleasant bit of serendipity as encouragement to publish more blogs, ratchet up my freelance work, and, in general, continue the progress I’ve made in the past […]

by Tom Riley

Queenstown — Our Kind Of Adventure

Queenstown, situated in the southwestern corner of New Zealand’s southern island, attracts adventurers from around the world. Bungy jumping, mountain biking, parasailing, white-water kayaking, and rock climbing are just a few of the activities that draw young and old from all points on the planet. That’s all well and good for some folks, but we […]