open mind, empty stomach

travel, food, and fun

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  • Bourdain For A Day

    It was only 5 years ago when I first read Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential and began my love affair/borderline unhealthy obsession with food. Prior to that, I was an extremely picky eater and wouldn’t even touch most of the food that I now adore. I’ve come a long way since then and food and travel…

  • Levin

    Oahu’s largest organic farm/non-profit/greatest thing to happen to the island, MA’O Organic Farms, is run by a Kiwi guy named Gary. He put me in touch with his brother, Brian, who lives in the small beach community of Waitarere, which is just outside of their hometown of Levin. Brian and his wife Blossom were kind…

  • Rotorua

    Due to its geothermic activity Rotorua has been permanently affixed on the tourist map. Located just about midway between the Bay of Islands and Levin, a brief stay in Rotorua worked out wonderfully for me logistically. I spent two nights and one full day in the sulfury splendor that is Rotorua and had a great…

  • Bay of Islands

    In going from the Coromandel to the Bay of Islands, I went from one popular summer destination to another (in the dead of winter). Luckily, the weather was as good as it can get in July and I had another wonderful HelpX experience. I Helped at the Ferry Landing Backpackers and spent some time with…

  • Coromandel

    When looking at potential WWOOF or HelpX hosts, I had always avoided those seeking assistance with hard, manual labor and opted for easy work instead. A good friend of mine from Hawaii put me in contact with Daniel, a Dutch friend of his who has been living in New Zealand for a few years. For…

  • Auckland

    My experience in Cairns led me to move up my flight and head to Auckland a week earlier than planned. Not that I couldn’t have had a great time had I stayed in Cairns, but I’m quite pleased with my decision. Auckland was my first time Couchsurfing on this trip and it reaffirmed my belief…

  • Cairns

    My one “must do” for Australia was the Great Barrier Reef, and visiting the Reef means going to Cairns. The climate reminded me of Hawai’i and I saw many plants that I see at home. The region is even a huge sugar producer like Hawai’i once was. Cairns also happens to be the backpacker capital…

  • Daintree Rainforest

    My dissatisfaction with Cairns led me to move my flight up and leave for New Zealand a week earlier than planned. This left me with a day each to see the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. I also wanted to visit Kuranda, but opted to go for Daintree instead. Since I was alone…

  • Great Barrier Reef

    Like most people, the driving force behind my visit to Cairns was the Great Barrier Reef. The week before I left home, it dawned on me that I wasn’t PEDI certified. Fortunately, I was able to get my Open Water certification the weekend before I left. Unfortunately, I perforated my eardrum and got a nasty…

  • Sydney

    Sydney was a great way to start this trip. I overcame some adversity, met some wonderful people, ate some great food, and enjoyed myself quite a bit in the short time I spent in the capital of New South Wales. A few weeks before arriving, I found a Couchsurfing host. I messaged her two days…