Hi from Palmerston North, aka Palmy!

Well my friends! It’s been almost 10 days since I’ve been away and it feels like forever! I had a nice time over the weekend at Coromandel with my family and the weather was beautiful. We had fresh fish everyday and I took as much time to read at the beach as possible. It’s lovely here but I can’t help but miss home, I miss everyone, my bf, my house, and even the snow. I’m grateful but it’s been a bit hard.

I’m in Pamerston North now which is about 6 hours south from Auckland in the North Island. The air is warm and the air here smells fresh and clean. I love the smell of new Zealand. Yesterday I met some of my cousins for the first time and we shared laughs and stories at a cafe called Baristas.

We’re staying with a friend of mum’s, like a sister, and she is so incredibly lovely. An artist who is all about positive energy with a garden full of monarch butterflies, apple & lemon trees, grape vines, and green grass. She also has 5G wifi and I’ve got my own room, so, about as good as it gets!

Travelling with a parent is kinda stressful and if you have any tips please share. Stayed at a great Airbnb at Lake Taupo yesterday and then drove to our next destination Palmerston North. We visited my nana yesterday, mum’s mum, who isn’t doing that great and tbh don’t think will be around much longer. I’m glad I was able to bring mum to see her but just the weight of it all is heavy. I’ve cried a lot the last two days.

Beautiful New Zealand, it looks like this almost everywhere once you leave the city/town.

It’s kind of weird being here because a lot of it is familiar from my previous trips but so much is different. I’m taking it one day at a time but knowing in the back of my mind that nana could go at any minute is hard to ignore. This afternoon we’re planning to go to the beach if the rain holds up. I’m sitting outside at a cafe drinking a flat white and using wifi outside. I found a yoga studio and am planning to pop by for a class in about an hour.

CUTE CAFE. GREAT WIFI!

Sending sunshine from New Zealand!
I’ll be home in 11 days!

Happy New Year from Coromandel, New Zealand!

G’day from down under! Haven’t had great wifi the last couple days and it’s actually been quite lovely! We’ve got a small cabin at a park on the beach about 2 hours north of Auckland. I was 12 when I was last here.

It’s so great to spend time with my cousins and family. Today we’re having a New Years Eve H?ngi, a traditional M?ori method of cooking for special occasions. Instead of cooking it in the ground, uncle Donald and Linda are cooking the food all day in a beer keg! How cool is that? Luckily they remembered to remove these Custom tap handles for your beer keg which they picked up when they bought the keg, beer and all.

Today I went fishing w/ my cousin and caught this big snapper!

Being out on the water was incredibly beautiful and HOT. My god the sun here is brilliantly warm and sun block is essential because there’s a hole in the ozone layer. I’m going for safe gradual tan and we’ve still got 2 weeks to go.

Tomorrow we drive to Taupo and stay in a farm house Airbnb for one night. Next we head to Palmerston North for a couple days then out to the coast near Masterton for the weekend.

Sending love and sunshine from the future (18 hours ahead of Toronto)!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Land of the Long White Cloud

Land of the Long White Cloud

Some photos from our first full day here in Auckland. We went to the beach, the mall, had a meat pie, and a nice visit with my auntie, mum’s sister.

Mum and her sister Robyn

This is the Best Travel Accessory EVER.

This is the Best Travel Accessory EVER.

Mum and I arrived in New Zealand earlier this week and the flight was pretty great. I was a little nervous about driving in NZ on the other side of the road with a right-hand drive car but it was totally ok.

I was super alert after sleeping half of the flight from San Francisco to Auckland.

NOT A GOOD TRAVEL PILLOW

Everyone knows the travel pillows below but they’re bulky, not that stylish, and don’t really hold up your head.

Well, do I have the best travel accessory ever for you! 

I ordered the Trtl pillow from Amazon and when mum came over before we left, she was like “ok I need one of these too”. So now I have ordered two. It was an absolute lifesaver for the journey here. It wraps around your neck like a scarf and the plastic bit under the cover holds your head up. I slept 5 hours on the 11-hour flight, incredible! 



I picked up a few other things for this trip and they’ve already come in super handy. We’re in Auckland this week and driving up to the Coromandel Peninsula tomorrow to spend some time at the beach with some family on my dad’s side. I love it here so much.

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With love from New Zealand!

2018: Do What You Love, Do It Now

2018: Do What You Love, Do It Now

Don’t waste time. Don’t stay in a job you hate or a love you don’t have.
Do what you love. Do what makes you happy.

Whatever you truly want is out there waiting for you to grab on and take it for a ride.
Find it. Build it. Break it. Make it. Bring it into your life.

Find your happiness and take it everywhere you go. Share it around and it will spread.
It’s contagious in the best kind of way.


If you don’t want to do something find a way to change it. Don’t feel bad about staying home or changing your mind. It’s ok to change your mind, realize you don’t want something anymore. Make lists and cross things off. Do the thing you have always wanted to do.

Do what makes you happy. Find a way to make it your life.