Today’s Monday Escape takes you to Tongariro National Park on New Zealand’s North Island – about two hours south of Lake Taupo.
The Tongariro National Park was New Zealand’s first national park and is home to three volcanoes – two of which are the most active in the world. Mount Ruapehu erupted in 1995 and again in 1996. Throughout the park you find warnings posted which display the ‘lava flow areas’ and escape routes.
Mount Ngauruhoe
You might recognize Mount Ngauruhoe as it starred as Mount Doom in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy.
While you’re in Tangariro, consider walking the the Tangariro Alpine Crossing. New Zealand’s most popular day track takes you almost 20kms past hot springs, craters, and the remnants of lava flows. Depending on your level the fitness, the walk should take you anywhere between six and eight hours to complete.
The Crossing was closed during my time in Tangariro, so do your best to plan in advance depending on the weather forecast. The DOC (Department of Conservation) runs an excellent camp ground that includes sites for campervans, tents, and motel units.
Today’s guest post is written by Nicole Graham. Nicole recently graduated from Edinburgh’s Napier University and studied Tourism Management. Nicole’s travel experience includes mainland Europe, the US, Nepal, Australia, Peru, Kenya, Thailand, and New Zealand. She also happens to be my girlfriend and enjoys planning our next trip, reading, and exploring New Zealand in our campervan, Max.
Edinburgh is arguably one of the most vibrant, cultural, and beautiful cities in the world. Full of friendly people and fascinating history, Edinburgh is one of those places you just have to visit. If it isn’t clear already, I’m a bit biased – a proud Edinburgger and very glad to call Edinburgh home.
Edinburgh Sunset
If you find yourself in this wonderful city for a day (spare more if you can!), you can’t miss Edinburgh’s historic castle, a wander down the famous Royal Mile, and a pint and a dram in one of our many pubs. After getting these ‘must see’ sights out of the way, here are some other activities you can’t miss. Perhaps, a couple things only locals know …
First of all, I recommend getting to know the Edinburgh public transport system as it’s by far the easiest and cheapest way to get around the city. Lothian Buses run an excellent service all over the city centre and beyond. For just £3, you can grab yourself a day ticket and hop on and off all of their services. You can easily pick up a leaflet on where to catch the bus you need from one of their three stores in the city centre or online.
Lothian bus with Edinburgh Castel in the background
After you’ve gotten to know the double decker maroon buses, and you cant miss them they are all over, it’s time to hop on the Lothian Bus 41 and head to a wee place called Cramond. An old Roman settlement, Cramond is a historic and picturesque seaside village in the North part of Edinburgh. It takes about 25 minutes to get there by bus and you could easily stay half a day exploring its nooks and crannies. Take a walk along the river Almond and see the fishing boats and yachts bobbing in the water. If the tide is low, take a stroll over to Cramond Island and see some Roman ruins.
Cramond
A visit to the Cramond Inn is well worth a pint. A cozy little pub, this place serves up very cheap pints and decent pub food. After a couple bevies, head up the road towards Cramond Church and stroll around the gardens there.
If you like pretty, wee, boutique shops, a visit to the Bruntsfield / Morningside area of Edinburgh is worth your time. To get there you can either walk through the Meadows from Forrest Road or hop on the Lothian Bus service number 16, 11, 17, 15, 23 or 45. This is where a majority of Edinburgh’s students live, but feels very much the real Edinburgh. With its original New Town tenement buildings, pubs, bars, and cafes galore, this is a terrific place to get lost wandering around on a sunny day.
Arthurs Seat
For some stunning views of the city, try heading up one of Edinburgh’s seven hills. One of my favourites, Arthur’s Seat, is found just on the edge of Old Town Edinburgh. Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile, this 823 feet volcanic hill provides brilliant views of Edinburgh, the surrounding countryside, and the Firth of Forth. Arthur’s Seat is the centrepiece of Holyrood Park – a public park filled with steep cliff faces, small lochs, and the ruins of a chapel dating back to the 15th century.
After your walk to the summit of Arthur’s Seat, continue on down the other side and finish your day in Duddingston. This wee suburb is home to the oldest public house in Scotland. Finish your day with a pint at the Sheep Heid Inn – with its origins dating back to 1360.
With such a diverse range of cultures, architecture, festivals and the like, Edinburgh really does have it all, a wonderful place to experience as a visitor and an even better place to live.
Each Monday, I’ll post a travel photo with a brief description of the area. Through this feature, you’ll hopefully get a small taste of a fascinating destination.
Today’s Monday Escape takes you to Raglan, New Zealand – a small, surf community located about three hours south of Auckland. You’ll know you’re in a surf town when you stroll down Raglan’s main street with its surf shops, tanned and long hairs surfers, and barefoot people everywhere you look.
Raglan Sunset
Raglan is known the world around for its Manu Bay and the world’s longest left hand break. Manu Bay was featured in the 1966 film, Endless Summer.
Want a go at surfing? Check out Raglan Surfing School for lessons. Stay at the picturesque Raglan Backpackers. If you’re traveling in a campervan, avoid staying the night at Manu Bay’s car park – or risk waking to a $40 parking fine.
If you ever find yourself in Franz Josef Village, on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island, you’ll be there for one reason – and one reason only. You’ve come to see Big Franz – Franz Josef Glacier.
Franz Josef Village (population, 300) exists solely because of the glacier found just outside of town. It’s a great, wee tourist settlement with all the necessary
Franz Josef Village
bars, restaurants, cafes, and tourist shops. Franz has a nice, alpine village feel – so long as you don’t mind the massive influx of tourists that come every summer. If you’re here during the high season, be sure to book your accommodation well in advance.
A visit to New Zealand’s West Coast isn’t complete without a trip to one of the two glaciers found here – Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier. Located only 300 meters above sea level, nowhere else in the world do glaciers come so close to the sea at this latitude. Found in Westland Tai Poutini National Park, Franz Josef Glacier is the product of years and years of endless rain. The West Coast receives over 78 inches of rain each year. High above Franz Josef Village in the glacier’s accumulation zone, this precipitation falls as snow, which eventually forms ice, which in turn creates Franz Josef Glacier.
View of the glacial valley
Franz is one of the world’s fastest moving glaciers – traveling towards the sea at an astonishing average of one meter per day. About 18,000 years ago, Franz stretched all the way to the Tasman Sea. Since then, it has advanced and retreated and is currently found about 5kms outside of Franz Josef Village.
You have a number of options to see the glacier – one to suit every budget. If you’re short on cash, you can catch a lift to the car park outside of town. A 45-minute walk will take you within view of Franz’s face. An equally (if not more) impressive view is found by taking a quick ten-minute hike from the car park to the top of Sentinel Rock. From here you’re granted terrific views of the glacier stretching up the mountainside.
Franz Josef Glacier’s Face
To get the most out of your glacier experience, I recommend going for a guided hike onto the glacier with Franz Josef Glacier Guides. Located in the village, FJGG offers half day, full day, and heli-hikes. For the budget traveler, the half day guided hike is a must.
Franz Josef Glacier Guides sets you up with all you need for your glacier experience. They provide ice crampons, boots, warm and waterproof pants and coats, and transportation from the village. After being led to the glacier face, your group of thirty is broke down into groups of 10 – 12 with a guide for each group.
After donning your crampons at the edge of the glacier, about fifty steps cut into the ice bring you to the top of Franz’s face. Immediately, you’re greeted with unbelievable views of both the glacier valley and the glacier stretching up the mountainside. Your small group is guided up the glacier passing through caves,
On the glacier
past glacial streams, and around deep and seemingly endless crevices. Along the way, your guide ensures the path you take is free from the very real dangers of ice and rock falls.
The half-day hike takes approximately four hours and gets you almost two hours of ice time. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Walking around a glacier is an absolute surreal experience and well worth the money.
Thinking of taking a hike on Franz? Here are some details to get you started:
Where?Franz Josef Village is essentially in the middle of nowhere. The nearest large town is Greymouth, a good two hours north. Food, drink, petrol, etc. are significantly more expensive here in Franz. Plan accordingly. Book your accommodation well in advance – everything from four star to budget accommodation fills up nightly in the high season.
Franz Josef Glacier Guides are located on the high street in the village. There half day tours regularly fill up – book in advance.
How much? The Half Day Glacier Experience will cost you $105. The Full Day tour is $160. The Half Day tour gets you two hours on the ice – I felt this was plenty of time. Have some cash to blow? Check out their Heli-Hike Tour starting at $390. UPDATE: As the glacier has been retreating since publishing this post, there now is no longer the option of doing the half day tour for only $160. To actually get on the glacier, a quick helicopter trip is required due to unstable ice at the glacier’s face. The Franz Josef Ice Explorer is $325, but if you book through Planit NZ I can get it for you for $315 NZD. Book your Franz Trip here.
Is it worth the money?Yes. You won’t fully appreciate Franz unless you get up on him. Go for the Half Day tour!
After spending nearly a year in Edinburgh, I came to realize a number of things about the Scottish – namely, the fact that they love to drink. Needless to say, I fit in well. One of the many things I miss about Scotland is the pub culture that exists within the Scottish society. The pub is a place to gather, to meet with friends, family, and coworkers.
I spent many an afternoon in dim, Scottish pubs reading the Scotsman and enjoying a pint or two of real ale. After work, I would unwind with my coworkers at various drinking holes chatting away about work, life, and whatever came to our minds. The pub was a place to celebrate birthdays, graduations, and promotions. The pub was where I began courting my now Scottish girlfriend. The pub was a place to meet old friends and make new ones. And often, the pub was a place to warm up and escape Edinburgh’s rain.
If you find yourself in Edinburgh – and you should, it’s a marvelous city – here are three Edinburgh pubs you can’t miss.
Deacon Brodies on the Royal Mile
1. Deacon Brodies (435 Lawnmarket, The Royal Mile) is one of Edinburgh’s oldest and most famous pubs. Located only minutes away from the stunning Edinburgh Castle, Deacons serves up some decent beer, okay pub food, and has an impressive selection of Scottish single malt whiskies. Located minutes away from the castle, it is often filled with a number of tourists and locals alike.
The pub is named after William ‘Deacon’ Brodie who lived two lives: by day, he was a respected Edinburgh council member and deacon of the cabinet makers guild – by night, he was a robber who stole to support his drinking and gambling habits. He was eventually caught and ultimately hung on the gallows he built himself – only minutes away from where the pub named after him now stands.
As you walk into Deacon’s, be sure to look up and notice the beautifully decorated ceiling. Found and renovated only 20 years ago, the ceiling features the flowers of the four nations of the United Kingdon: England’s rose, Wales’ daffodil, Ireland’s clover, and Scotland’s Thistle.
2. The Halfway House (24 Fleshmarket Close)is Edinburgh’s smallest pub and located just up the steps from Edinburgh’s Waverly Station. No bigger than the common kitchen, this great wee pub is a wonderful place to relax, chat with locals, and sample some of Scotland’s finest real cask ales. They feature regularly changing cask beers throughout the year. Stop by often, as the beers change daily. The Halfway House also serves up some of Edinburgh’s best haggis, neeps, and tatties. Call in yourself and find out why it was named Edinburgh’s Pub of the Year in 2009.
3. The Royal Oak (1 Infirmary Street) is one of the best places in Edinburgh to get a real taste for traditional, Scottish, folk music – featuring fiddles, wooden flutes, drums, and the odd pipe. A well lit pub, The Royal Oak features live music throughout the week.
Show up early on the weekends, or you’ll end up having to squeeze your way to the bar. Get yourself a pint of whatever real ale they have on offer, a packet of bacon fries, and get ready for a music filled evening. My guess is you’ll stay later than you imagined.
Edinburgh offers literally hundreds of pubs to choose from – all unique in their own way. Take a wander around the cobbled streets of the Old or New Town and you’re bound to find a pub that suites you well.
Do you have a favorite Edinburgh public house? Leave it in the comments section below! Cheers!
Kia Ora - I'm Matt. Adventurer, Instagrammer and New Zealand travel planning expert living in Queenstown, NZ. Founder of Planit NZ - New Zealand's largest travel planning & booking website.
Hello! I’m Matt. Thanks for checking out my blog. Be sure to follow me on Instagram for loads more New Zealand travel inspiration. Comment on one of my photos so I know you came from here!
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2. The Halfway House (24 Fleshmarket Close) is Edinburgh’s smallest pub and located just up the steps from Edinburgh’s Waverly Station. No bigger than the common kitchen, this great wee pub is a wonderful place to relax, chat with locals, and sample some of Scotland’s finest real cask ales. They feature regularly changing cask beers throughout the year. Stop by often, as the beers change daily. The Halfway House also serves up some of Edinburgh’s best haggis, neeps, and tatties. Call in yourself and find out why it was named Edinburgh’s Pub of the Year in 2009.
squeeze your way to the bar. Get yourself a pint of whatever real ale they have on offer, a packet of bacon fries, and get ready for a music filled evening. My guess is you’ll stay later than you imagined.
Backpacking Matt 
