The Best Little Drive in Northland
Branching off of the Twin Coast Discovery Highway (an 800km circular touring route taking in both coasts of the Far North) is the rather innocuously named ‘Tourist Drive’. This approximately…
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Carl Rapson
12 posts
Carl and Justine live permanently in their motorhome so they can travel full-time around New Zealand. They blog about their adventures and how they make a living on the road at www.lifeontheroadnz.com.
A Camper’s Guide to Taupo
Taupo and its namesake lake are brimming with striking natural scenery, epic campsites and adrenalin-fuelled adventures for your next North Island getaway. The Big Bang Lake Taupo was formed around…
Karikari – The Paradise Peninsula
When you’re craving a dose of vitamin sea, look no further than the Karikari Peninsula, home to some of New Zealand’s most beautiful white-sand beaches. Doubtless Bay Sailing past the…
The Coromandel – is west the best?
This adventure to the Coromandel’s west coast takes in rustic towns, historic sites, bay-side camping and a heap of quirks and treasures along the ‘309’ Road. When you ask people…
An Ohakune Odyssey
Carl and Justine headed to Ohakune right before the ski season kicked off, ensuring a crowd-free adventure exploring the curiosities around town and stunning snowscapes in Tongariro National Park. The…
The Putangirua Pinnacles: Walking Amongst Giants
In the Wairarapa region of the North Island, the Putangirua Pinnacles make for a breathtaking hiking adventure. It was a moody, grey and drizzly day when we arrived at the…
The Mighty Hokianga
On the west coast of Northland sits another wonderful harbour, the Hokianga. Just like Whangaroa Harbour on the opposite coast, the Hokianga is a drowned river system, but was flooded…
Castles in the Sand
There are certain places that seem to become indelibly printed in your mind when you first see them in a photograph. Landscapes so awe-inspiring and magical that they cannot be…
Life Off The Road – Our 1967 Bedford Bus Renovation
While no full-time traveller ever wants to be told they have to stay in one spot, for Carl and Justine and their new fixer-upper, the weeks in lockdown have been…
New Plymouth – from the mountain to the deep blue sea
Located around five hours south of Auckland in the Taranaki region, New Plymouth is a playground for surfers and trampers alike. New Plymouth or “The Naki” as it’s affectionately known,…
