Note: During our remaining time in New Zealand, we’ll be reposting photos from our previous stay, beginning in January 2016, when we were based in a far less remote location than where we are now in Kaiwaka, nearly a full day’s drive from most sightseeing destinations. This morning, while chatting with our dear friends Kathy and Don in Hawaii, Kathy, an avid and longtime reader of our posts, suggested we share photos from our last visit here. Thanks, Kathy, what a great idea! Of course, we’ll continue to post new photo moments whenever we encounter them while out and about. Here is the link to today’s photos.
When we began talking about our recent lack of local photos, it wasn’t said with disappointment so much as quiet acceptance. Where we’re living now on New Zealand’s North Island is peaceful, restorative, and exactly what we need at this stage of our lives. But it isn’t conveniently located near iconic sightseeing spots. There are no famous lookouts a short walk away, no bustling town centers begging to be photographed daily, and no dramatic landmarks calling out for constant documentation. And honestly, that’s part of the appeal. Still, we understand that photos help tell our story, especially for those who’ve joined us more recently.
So, rather than forcing something that doesn’t fit our current lifestyle, we decided to look backward for a period of time, to a time that still feels vivid, meaningful, and deeply woven into our love for New Zealand. Beginning now, we’ll be sharing photos from our first extended stay here, which ran from January 2016 to April 2016, ten years ago. It feels almost surreal to write that. Ten years. A full decade of life lived, countries crossed, lessons learned, and yet those memories remain so clear, as if New Zealand had imprinted itself on us in a permanent and gentle way.
For our newer readers, this will be a first glimpse into what initially drew us to this remarkable country. For our long-term readers, it will be a familiar return, a chance to revisit places you may remember us writing about at the time, perhaps when life looked very different for all of us. There’s something comforting about shared memory, even when experienced through words and images.
Back then, as now, we were living on the North Island, although in a completely different region. We stayed in New Plymouth, a coastal town tucked beneath the watchful presence of Mount Taranaki. Getting there today would require several hours of driving from where we are now, but at the time, it was our home base for an experience that still makes us smile without effort.
We stayed on an alpaca farm, an experience that sounds charming on paper but, in reality, was something far more profound. Each morning unfolded quietly, often with mist lingering over green fields and the soft, curious presence of alpacas watching us as though we were the entertainment. Their gentle hums, expressive eyes, and almost comical hairstyles added a lightness to our days that’s hard to describe without sounding whimsical, but it truly was magical.
That stay wasn’t about sightseeing in the traditional sense. It was about waking up surrounded by nature, breathing deeply, and feeling grounded in a way that modern life so often pulls us away from. We cooked simple meals, walked the land, and allowed ourselves the luxury of unstructured time. It was during moments like those that New Zealand quietly claimed a permanent place in our hearts.
Sharing these photos now feels timely and meaningful. They represent not just a destination but a chapter, one that has shaped how we travel, how we choose where to stay, and how deeply we value experiences rooted in authenticity. They remind us that beauty doesn’t always shout; sometimes it hums softly from a pasture, framed by clouds and carried by memory.
As we revisit these images, we’re reminded that travel isn’t only about where you are, it’s also about where you’ve been, and how those moments continue to travel with you. We’re grateful to share this part of our journey again, with fresh eyes and familiar hearts, and we hope these glimpses of New Zealand from years past bring you the same quiet joy they still bring us today.
Be well.
Photo from ten years ago today, January 6, 2016:
I loved your time on the Alpaca Farm! If I remember correctly there is a little Jessica alpaca that was born while you were there! So happy you are in a quiet beautiful place where you can rest and heal. You both are amazing and I have enjoyed traveling with you all of these years!
Thelma May, thank you, our dear friend, for your kind words. Your comment means the world to us. Hope you are doing well.
Much love,
Jess & Tom