Guest Post: An Italian Love Affair by Jessica Shaw
Welcome to the first guest post on Love Affair Travel. While at a family dinner, I got to speaking to Jessica and she started talking about her amazing European adventure. I was blow away by how excited she was. I told her she needed to write a book and she offered to at least write...
Warner Brothers, Movie World – Gold Coast, Australia
Let me start this off by saying that I’m TERRIFIED OF ROLLERCOASTERS. Therefore, this was the worst place I could come to spend an afternoon. There are no spoilers in here. You can read this in preparation for the trip. But I had to try to look cool in front of Veronica…. Stunt Driver Show...
2 – Preparing for a Journey – Waiheke Island to Auckland: Car Ferry
This post is a continuation from the pervious post No Rest For the Wicked Upon arrival around noon, I learned that our travels were to commence immediately. Despite having landed on a 13 hour flight from San Francisco to Auckland, immediately boarding an half hour long bus and then a hour long ferry, followed by a hitch hiking...
1 – Landing in Auckland – Airport to Waiheke Island
Monday Did Not Exist After landing in Auckland international, I sat down. It was supposed to be Monday, but it was Tuesday. Flying west over the international date line deletes a solid calendar day off your life. Do you lose the day? Are you just saving it for later? What happens if you continue around...
The French Market in Auckland, New Zealand
Weekend Fun in Parnell The best farmers market in Auckland can be found on the weekends in Parnell. Here you will find the highest quality boutique goods in the area while enjoying a beautiful morning in one of the best neighborhoods in Auckland. Parnell is a upper class luxury area to enjoy. Obviously I was a...
Snow Planet – Auckland (North Shore), New Zealand
Indoor Snow Sports in a the Northland (No Snow) When people think of New Zealand they think snow. The truth is, the North Land doesn’t have lots of snow. Actually, the Northland of New Zealand has no snow, except in the SnowPlanet warehouse. The Lads and the Yank At Snow Planet A Strange Feeling –...
The Inescapable Working Lull
I’m working again. My work/play life pendulum swings with mighty, inescapable momentum. To the left it’s travel, wanderlust, elation and new experience. To the right it’s hard labor, long hours, feeling incapable and repetition. These are the hard working traveler blues: The highs are astronomic. The lows are tough and dirty. Inevitably, that fun pendulum...
Driving the California Passes: Sonora Pass
All I could think was, “…wow… I love this drive.” I was driving over the Sierra Nevada mountains on California State Route 108. Driving through California mountains is a privilege. The views are utterly astounding and the road is reclusive and wild. It’s a turbulent road that seems to be on the losing end of...
Shantaram: Gergory David Roberts
I spent long days picking apples while living in the Australian mountains. A departing French guy gave me a giant, beat up, old novel that was partially being eaten by black mold. This novel changed my life. It’s called Shantaram. Every evening after tremendous days of fruit picking, I would pull my lawn chair from...
Long Term Travel: Get a Little Dirty
When I left the USA bound for the Southern Hemisphere in late 2009, my goal was to develop a greater understanding of where things come from; especially food. Most of my life had been spent in the suburbs of Northern Nevada either working in an office or building houses/home remodels. It troubled me that I...
Auckland, New Zealand: Auckland Domain
The Auckland Museum is packed full of good stuff. Obviously there is a huge, beautiful Marae (pronounced: Moorai) and lots of engaging Maori artifacts. The bottom floor is dedicated to the people of the pacific (those indigenous to Hawaii, Easter Island and New Zealand.) The second floor is dedicated to the natural history of...
Australia Get on Your Feet Quick
9 Steps to Getting Straight on your Australia Working Holiday Feet Touch down in Australia with a decent sum of money. I landed in Australia with about $6,000 AUD. This small sum dried up really quickly. Everything costs an arm and a leg. From the taxis, to the phone calls, to the cheapest kebab places;...
