Well, look what the cat dragged in... me! I have been so busy lately and I spend so much time on the computer as it is that any thoughts of updating this blog again have fallen by the wayside. Life back home is going a mile a minute. I successfully moved out to Kamloops, British Columbia in April, and ended up managing a guesthouse for the first ( Read more... )

Pakiri Beach Horse Rides is about an hour and a half north of Auckland. My friend Jenny worked here for several months last year, and talked a lot about how wonderful the place was after she returned to Canada. So, I just had to come and see it for myself! They operate both tourist horseback rides here (featuring rides along their white sand ( Read more... )

On March 25th, I promptly turned my car around and drove the 30-odd kilometers along Old Motu Road, back to the ocean and highway. My guide booklet had described the road as travelling "through some of the best rugged bush-clad mountainous country in New Zealand". Although I was retracing my tracks from the day before, I had driven most of it in ( Read more... )

On March 8th, I started driving north from Paraparaumu. I checked my email before leaving, however, and found a message from a host with the Help Exchange program I am a part of. She wanted to discuss the possibility of me helping with some young horses, and when I looked up her location on my map, I discovered Vaughn was only about 1.5 hours ( Read more... )

On the morning of January 28th, Jo trailered Kat and I down to the beach to ride Blarney and Ceili. Although I went on that beach ride on Magnetic Island in Australia, this was a completely different experience ( Read more... )

( Read more... )

While you all eagerly anticipate my post about the horses (one more Perth post + one Adelaide post and we'll be there!), check out this scary video of Icelandic horses falling through the ice and their subsequent rescue ( Read more... )

So. After being tested for explosives twice (in both Adelaide and Melbourne), patted down once, being incorrectly told I needed to buy a return ticket from New Zealand before being allowed to board the plane, having my flight delayed due to computer failure, having my bags fully torn apart and searched in the Christchurch airport, discovering that ( Read more... )

On January 12th, Juanita and I went to see her retired horse, Blitzen. He lives at a farm about an hour south of the city. Juanita saw Blizten the day he was born and he was her riding partner for 15+ years. A couple years ago, he developed arthritis and could no longer be ridden comfortably, so she did the right thing and retired him to live ( Read more... )

Location update: I flew the 2000km from Perth to Adelaide yesterday (as the crow flies... it's 3000km by road). I am staying with Jennie's (squidypoo's) mum, who kindly offered to host me with only 12 hours notice! I am staying here until Sunday, when I fly to Melbourne to meet my flight to Christchurch. Yes, I gave up on doing the Great Ocean Road. It ( Read more... )