Posts by Elisabeth Sowerbutts
Packing for Cold Weather in China – Carry On Edition
Packing for a trip to China’s Western Sichuan province has been challenging. Most of the trip will be at altitudes over 3000m – in mid-late October the temperatures are looking at zero to mid teens centigrade. Not warm at all. Plus I want to carry just my carry-on sized 45l backpack and a smaller day…
Read MoreBest Currency Card for Travel
UPDATED August 2019 Often living in a small country at the end of the world is advantageous. But not when you are looking for a great deal on cards to use when travelling. Americans and Europeans have heaps of options for cash-back, point-hacks etc etc. New Zealand not so much. Until very, very recently we…
Read MorePlanning a Silk Road Itinerary – 3 Months Travel Along the Silk Road
UPDATE Well our Silk Road trip is over – 8 days after landing in Shanghai – we were landed in an emergency room of a hospital in Lanzhou – a city I never planed to overnight in… When your partner collapses on a bus to Xiahe you learn some stuff. I didn’t panic – a…
Read MoreVietnamese Visas for New Zealanders
My Vietnamese visa issued on arrival at SGN Short answer – yes you need a Vietnamese visa if you travel on a New Zealand passport. (If you are a dual citizen of the UK or some European countries – you can fly in (not a land crossing) for 15 days without a visa). First Things…
Read MoreWhat Happens To Tourists in New Zealand After An Earthquake
Earthquake Damage, Lyttleton, New Zealand As I write this we are tidying up after a massive 7.6 magnitude earthquake in New Zealand. The sensational reported by both local and overseas media makes it hard for tourists to get a real view of what’s happening here. So I’m writing this to add some reality to the…
Read MoreSouthern Vietnam: Costs of Independent Travel
We’ve just returned from a short 2.5 week trip to southern Vietnam. Given that Vietnam seems suddenly being promoted to New Zealanders (thanks to the many more options of flying there) I thought I’d keep a record of our expenses on the ground to give you some idea. The Travellers My partner and I are…
Read MoreRoad Tripping in the Eastern USA – From an Australian/NZ Perspective
We drove 4300 miles over 4 weeks from Philadelphia and back via the Atlantic Coast, northern Florida, New Orleans and the Appalachians. It was quite a different experience – and because much of what is written about American road tripping is from an American perspective, I thought it might be fun to write from a…
Read MoreThe Real Costs of a USA Road Trip
The short version – travelling the USA for 4 weeks in a hire car cost us around $800 for the car – plus US$240/day for all costs for 2 adults. To see where we went see my Road Trip Plan post. Note these costs do NOT include the far more expensive cities of Philadelphia, New…
Read MoreEast Coast USA Itinerary – Well an Outline Anyway!
Starting to get excited now – I know living in the “now” is a big thing is some corners of the Interwebs – but I love to dream and plan! It’s a cold, wet and miserable Maundy Thursday as I write this, and we will be locking the door behind us on Easter Sunday –…
Read More7 Tips for Stress Free Travel Flying – For Those of Us Who Can’t Afford Business!
This is a bit of a rant disguised as useful information – I just read a well-known travel blogger’s take on stress-free travel. It all sounded very chill so long as you can afford priority access through security, lounge access and business class. Back in the real world, I don’t waste money of flights, I’m…
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