South Island In this brief trip to the South Island, we were unable to do many things we had hoped to do. Instead, we discovered interesting local history and people who have endured disastrous events and have shown amazing resilience and determination to make things better after life-altering setbacks. For us, this was the type … Continue reading New Zealand and Australia Part 4
Author: wfridae
New Zealand and Australia Part 3
A trip to the north included visits to an alpaca farm, a tree canopy walk in Rotorua, a visit to Hobbiton, the amazing Hamilton Gardens, Matakana Estates winery, and visit with Winters friends in Auckland before heading back to Wellington.
New Zealand and Australia Part 2
This post tells about the authors' initial experiences in New Zealand, starting with historical details about the Māori culture and their arrival, the Treaty of Waitangi, and the author's arrival at Wellington Airport. The author meets old friends, explores Wellington, visits a nature preserve, and experiences a Māori Marae, providing a rich and authentic introduction to New Zealand.
New Zealand and Australia Part 1
In "Fridaes' Adventures," the blog focuses on people over places, favoring serendipity over planned experiences. The authors, traveling primarily with Airbnb, emphasize mingling with hosts to learn about the local culture and history. Their Fiji journey exposes them to the island's rich history, diverse culture, and warm, welcoming people, leaving a lasting impression.
Our Sister City
Our sister city, Almogía By Woody and Rebecca Fridae (Note, for those who are following our Vietnam series, it will be posting soon. We're doing some deep dive research on it while we travel, so keep tuned!) “Sister cities,” “twin cities,” call it what you like, but Winters, California and Almogía, Spain have had a … Continue reading Our Sister City
Tale of Three Cities (interlude)
You can't be in Vietnam without becoming fascinated with the motorcycles (and bicycles).
A Tale of Three Cities Part One
"It was like a chess game, and we were the pawns."
Why Vietnam?
Why Vietnam? No matter what your views of the Vietnam war may be, it was a touchstone for our generation.
Bangkok Part 3
As our week drew on, Rebecca and I got more comfortable venturing out on train, subway and bus. We met Big when he was free to see places wth us, and explored on our own when he had to go to a meeting or just wanted to meet with his buddies somewhere and have a … Continue reading Bangkok Part 3
Bangkok Part 2
In many ways, we had waited for fifteen years for this. Big arrived in the United States when he was just fifteen years old, on the biggest adventure of his life. He seemed confused, bewildered by our habits and eating customs, and he was thrown into a high school senior schedule with little English. His … Continue reading Bangkok Part 2
Fridaes' Adventures 