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Family Gap Year Post #31: Settling into the Tasman Region of Aotearoa New Zealand (Jan-Apr)
Description
We lived in Richmond, New Zealand for three months. Richmond is approximately 15 minutes away from Nelson at the north of the South Island. We picked this area because it reportedly has some of the best weather in the whole country (lots of sunshine!). It also has easy access to the ocean and mountains.
We ended up in Richmond—a suburb of Nelson—because the housing was more affordable (although still expensive). We specifically wanted to be near a larger city, so the boys would have access to activities like fencing and ninja classes.
Knowing the area better now, we might have picked to live in Motueka, which is a rural … Read More
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Stress Reduction Hack: Using Bookmarks
If you’re anything like me, you find it stressful to have a zillion tabs open on your browser. And if you’re like me, you always have a zillion tabs open anyway because you want to have your pages right at your fingertips. Enter my new stress reduction hack.
I started bookmarking my most frequently referenced pages and documents so I can close something when I’m not immediately using it but quickly open it back up when I want to use it.
I always keep two separate internet browsers running at a time. I use Chrome for my personal gmail account and Firefox for my professional gmail account.
That way, I … Read More
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Family Gap Year Post #30: Road Trip Around the South Island of New Zealand (Dec 2022-Jan 2023)
Description
From mid-December through mid-January, we road tripped around nearly the entire South Island of New Zealand.
Our family’s personal “road trip formula” is that we have to spend at least three nights and two full days in a place to feel like it’s worth it. So that’s what we did in the following towns:
- Kaikōura
- Christchurch
- Akaroa
- Oamaru
- The Catlins
- Stewart Island
- Manapoura
- Wanaka
- Okarito
- Hokitika
- Arthur’s Pass
Highs
What a spectacular country! You truly feel like you are at the edge of the world.
I loved traveling to a different little town every couple of days. Every place was so different.
I loved reconnecting with our friends’ family … Read More