The Cardrona Hotel is one of New Zealand’s most beloved historic landmarks. With its vintage character, mountain backdrop, and deep roots in local history, it’s a place that captures both the eye and the imagination. Next to it is a red vintage petrol pump, windows of a red phone booth and charming old cottages. I…
Category: Travels
Sit & Knit
Spotted these two red chairs in the town of Te Anau, NZ—right by the lake and just too cute to ignore. Te Anau’s known as the gateway to Fiordland, but honestly, it’s got its own quiet charm that makes you want to stay a little longer. The chairs had a little sign that said ‘Sit…
London in Monochrome
There’s no set theme for this week’s Monochrome Madness Challenge, so I’ve decided to feature monochrome shots from my travels. Monochrome scenes of London adds mood and timelessness to the city’s iconic sights. The London Eye stands still against a moody sky, while Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament glow in contrast. A red…
Quiet Hours
This week, SH is our Guest Host for the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, and the theme is “Quiet Hours” It’s a gentle reminder to pause and notice the stillness—whether it’s a quiet sunrise by the sea, an early walk through empty streets, or a mountain view that leaves you breathless. These are the moments that ground…
Hungary in Monochrome
This week, Sarah is leading the Monochrome Madness Challenge with the theme “Beginning with an H”—and for me, it was an easy choice: Hungary. I visited Budapest, the capital of Hungary, a few years ago, and it instantly became one of those cities that stayed with me long after I’ve left. For this post, I’m…
Kia Ora Aotearoa
TRAVEL DIARY: DAY 14 QUEENSTOWN The Māori are the Indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand (Aotearoa). They first settled the islands over 700 years ago. In New Zealand, “kia ora” is a common Māori greeting meaning “hello,” “goodbye,” or “thank you.” More than a phrase, it conveys a wish for well-being—“have life” or “be well.”…
Strolling around Te Anau
TRAVEL DIARY: DAY 12 TE ANAU On our 12th day, the rain poured nonstop. Luckily, we had this extra day to stay in—it would’ve been too difficult to drive. So, it turned into a Netflix kind of day. TRAVEL DIARY: DAY 13 DRIVE FROM TE ANAU TO QUEENSTOWN What a surprise—the sun came out just…
Chinese Settlement in Arrowtown
Let me take you back to Arrowtown, New Zealand—this time, in the opposite direction from the main street I shared earlier. The first thing that caught my eye was a historic cabin nestled against a forest backdrop. It is the old Police Hut in the Chinese Settlement of Arrowtown which is a favourite among photographers….
Tuesday Streetart: Giant Spray Cans – 92
Before the earthquakes hit Christchurch in 2011, street art was mostly seen as graffiti or vandalism. But after the quakes, the damaged buildings gave artists a chance to turn the city into something more colourful and creative. In 2017, these giant spray cans were set up as a way to give artists a proper space…
Coach Tour to Milford Sound
TRAVEL DIARY: DAY 11 MILFORD SOUND Our day started with a 9 am walk from our hotel, passing through the Te Anau Botanical. Such a peaceful walk especially during this time of the day. Met the rest of the tour group at the town centre in Kea Cafe. Got our lunch voucher from our tour…
Drive to Te Anau
TRAVEL DIARY: DAY 10 DRIVE FROM QUEENSTOWN TO TE ANAU This drive felt exciting—we knew that tomorrow we’d be heading to Milford Sound, the highlight of our entire trip. But today’s journey was simply about getting to a small country town where we’d be staying. When we finally arrived in Te Anau, the town turned…
Reflections
There’s something calming about reflections. It lets us see the world from another angle. On my travels, I’ve come across many beautiful moments where water turned into a mirror—showing not just what was there, but something more quiet and poetic. Here, I’m sharing some of my favourite places where reflections made me pause, look twice,…
Day Trip to Arrowtown
TRAVEL DIARY: DAY 9 DAYTRIP TO ARROWTOWN Arrowtown is a small town near Queenstown on New Zealand’s South Island. It began as a gold mining town, and you can still see that history in its old cottages and stone buildings. Many of the houses were built in the 1860s, when Chinese miners and European settlers…
Wordless Wednesday – 38
GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM, BILBAO
Tuesday Streetart: Antarctic Gateway City – 90
RIVERSIDE MARKET, CHRISTCHURCH This awesome mural was created to celebrate Christchurch’s special role as a gateway to Antarctica. You’ll find it just outside Riverside Market, right on the corner of Cashel Street and Oxford Terrace. This is the third week in a row I’ve featured street artist Dcypher—clearly a favourite! This piece was a team…
Windows in an Arrowtown church
This is the charming St John’s Presbyterian Church in Arrowtown, New Zealand. It’s a small stone church with a peaceful presence, quietly nestled among trees and layers of history. Above its entrance is a beautifully shaped stained glass window that immediately caught my eye. I felt drawn to it, so I wandered down to the…
Tuesday Streetart: DCypher – 89
As with my last week’s post, this is another mural by artist DCypher, and this time you can see it on Gloucester St, Christchurch. This is in conjunction to the Flare Ōtautahi Street Art Festival in 2023.
From Lake Tekapo to Queenstown
TRAVEL DIARY: DAY 6 ON THE ROAD FROM LAKE TEKAPO TO QUEENSTOWN We loved our stay at the AirBnb but we had to move on. It was a bit overcast when we left for our day. Driving through Lindi’s Pass felt like stepping into another world — endless golden hills, quiet roads, and that feeling…
Tuesday Streetart: Dcypher – 88
CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND Spotted another epic Dcypher piece on Colombo Street! This one’s a collab with the Flare Ōtautahi Street Art Festival and features Athena and Minerva in this wild, cosmic scene. I’m not sure what the exact story is, but the colours and details totally pulled me in—feels ancient, futuristic, and kind of magical…
Playful Windows
For Monday Window Challenge Photo taken at The Giants House in Akaroa, New Zealand.
Colourful Benches
I don’t know about you, but there’s something about colourful chairs and benches that I find so irresistible. Maybe I’m just a vibrant kind of gal—drawn to bold murals, splashes of public art, and anything that brightens up a space. Haha! Here are benches for Jude’s Bench Anniversary Challenge which I found on our trip…
The Mirror Lakes
The Mirror Lakes are small lakes in Fiordland National Park on New Zealand’s South Island. When the weather is calm, the water is very still, and it works like a mirror. You can see the Earl Mountains clearly reflected on the surface. I am sure that this Iphone photo really suits the Reflection challenge. I…
Wordless Wednesday – 35
HIGHLANDS, SCOTLAND
Tuesday Streetart: Takahē – 87
Meet the Takahē—a rare, flightless bird found only in New Zealand. Once thought to be extinct, it was rediscovered in 1948 in the remote Murchison Mountains. With its bright blue and green feathers and chunky red beak, this native is a conservation success story and a true Kiwi treasure! And a Public Art in Te…
Roadtrip from Christchurch to Lake Tekapo
TRAVEL DIARY: DAY 4 On the Road from Christchurch to Lake Tekapo Ever heard that New Zealand has more sheep than people? I used to think that was just a running joke—but it turns out, it’s absolutely true! In 2023, there were about 24.4 million sheep roaming the country, compared to just 5 million humans….
Tuesday Streetart: Trades People – 86
CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND Murals with the central themes of construction and labour. The artwork is filled with diverse figures, each doing different types of work, capturing the energy and variety of the building trades.
Night time in Christchurch
TRAVEL DIARY: Day 3: CHRISTCHURCH at Night Nestled in the heart of Christchurch, New Regent Street is a charming pedestrian lane where only the trams can pass. By day, it’s a delight with its beautifully restored buildings in soft pastel hues. But come nightfall, the street transforms—bathed in colourful lights, it becomes even more magical….
Serenity found Outdoors
Being outdoors brings a kind of peace you don’t find anywhere else. There’s something really calming about a misty day. Sometimes it’s in the rustle of trees as the wind moves through them. Other times, it’s the stillness of a lake, or the soft ripple of water as ducks glide by. Even clouds drifting slowly…
A Day in Akaroa
TRAVEL DIARY: Day 2 AKAROA I don’t know how it always happens—no matter how much I plan for a relaxing trip, I end up packing in so much! This was especially true on our second day in Christchurch, when we found ourselves heading out to explore even more places, including the beautiful town of Akaroa….
Wordless Wednesday 32: Do you know what these are?
LAKE TEKAPO, NEW ZEALAND