Month: October 2025

9 Day NZ South Island Road Trip

Reading Time: 14 minutes
An unforgettable journey through New Zealand’s stunning landscapes (Dec 2024)

For several years I had been dreaming of taking a trip to New Zealand’s South Island to enjoy winding roads, breathtaking coastlines, and world-class food and wine. Ten years earlier, we’d taken our children on a 9 day tour of the North Island, but I’d never visited the South Island before.

So in early December 2024, hubby and I embarked on a 9 day/ 8 night self-drive adventure filled with natural wonders and culinary delights. When planning our trip, I soon realised 9 days would not be nearly enough time to see all the South Island has to offer and we’d have to effectively cut the island in half, and plan a return for another time to do the other part. So many places to see, such little time!

Here’s how our South Island road trip unfolded.

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Mixing Mudgee with classic scooters

Reading Time: 14 minutes

ANCSR 2025 in Mudgee – Classic Scooters, Friends, and One Very Tired Liver

The October long weekend had been circled on our calendar for months — the Australian National Classic Scooter Rally (ANCSR) in Mudgee. Every year, the rally draws a devoted mix of riders from all over the country, descending on a new town to celebrate our shared obsession with vintage scooters. This would be the first national Steve and I had decided to join in quite a few years. Mudgee, with its vineyards, country pubs, and rolling hills, and only 272 kms from Sydney, promised the perfect setting for a long weekend of riding, laughter, and maybe a few too many drinks.

But of course, getting there was always half the adventure.

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Back to the Barossa: Because one day is not enough

Reading Time: 9 minutes
Barossa Valley, South Australia (Aug 2025)

Some places just stay with you. For us, the Barossa Valley was one of those. When we first visited a year ago, Steve and I tried to squeeze as much as we could into a single day—dashing between four wineries, popping into Maggie Beer’s, snatching a few moments in Tanunda, and wishing we had more time. We left promising ourselves we’d return at a slower pace, to savour what we’d missed.

So, we did. This time, I booked two nights in Tanunda, right in the heart of the valley, and gave ourselves the luxury of time when planning which cellar doors and places we’d visit during our two day stay. We wanted to revisit our new favourite, Hentley Farm, discover spots we had skipped last time, and simply let the Barossa unfold without the pressure of a ticking clock. And it turned out to be everything we’d hoped for and more.

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