Michelle Berridge
Michelle Berridge is our Auckland-based on-the-road correspondent. Passionate about travel and insatiably curious, some would say she’s a typical Sagittarius. She’d say she’s a somewhat philosophical hedonist in search of truth, beauty and a sublime glass of wine.Author Results
Café Culture in Mount Maunganui
Sunday, November 22nd, 2009One of the nicest things about visiting Mount Maunganui in the Bay of Plenty is the combination of two of the greatest holiday pleasures: relaxing at the beach and indulging in great food and coffee. There’s no shortage of cafés in Mount Maunganui, from a selection in the main street to beachfront cafés along Marine [...]
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Mount Maunganui Hot Salt Water Pools
Saturday, November 21st, 2009What could be nicer at the end of the day than soaking in a deliciously hot salt water pool? Right at the base of the Mount, by the camping ground at the northern end of Mount Maunganui in the Bay of Plenty, the Mount Maunganui Hot Salt Water Pools have long been a popular draw-card. [...]
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Million-dollar Views from the Top of Mount Maunganui
Saturday, November 21st, 2009I’ve heard so much about the fantastic walk to the top of Mauao – the ‘Mount’ for which this place is named – that I’m really keen to try it, and since I’m staying for the weekend, now is the perfect chance. Saturday morning at Mount Maunganui in New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty dawns perfectly [...]
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Exploring the Kaikoura Coast
Monday, August 24th, 2009On a Sunday morning late in August, I’m driving along the Kaikoura Coast, transfixed by the sight of a soft mist hanging over an ocean that’s as flat and shiny as a fifty cent coin. It’s an otherworldly atmosphere that makes it easy to imagine behemoth whales surfacing offshore and seals and dolphins cavorting in [...]
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Logan Brown Named New Zealand Restaurant of the Year
Wednesday, August 19th, 2009It’s official! One of Wellington City’s most enduringly popular restaurants has now been awarded the title of Supreme Winner in the Cuisine NZ Restaurant of the Year Awards 2009.
Even non-Wellingtonians will be familiar with restaurateurs Steve Logan and Al Brown. Since 2006 they have fronted three series of a television cooking show with a typically [...]
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What the?! Look what’s sprung up in Matakana!
Monday, August 10th, 2009If you’re driving through the holiday village of Matakana anytime soon, you’re sure to notice the unique sculpture that’s recently sprung right beside the roundabout on the main road. But this is no mere eye-catching decoration – this piece of art is supremely useful and will no doubt bring relief to many a traveller. In [...]
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Time Out in Thames
Monday, August 3rd, 2009If you’re heading for the beachside holiday resorts of The Coromandel region – Whitianga or Whangamata – set aside some time to explore Thames along the way. The main centre of the region, Thames is just a ten-minute detour from the main route between Auckland and The Coromandel’s east coast, and you’ll pass right through [...]
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Winter Wonderland in the Central North Island
Friday, June 19th, 2009What a treat it was to drive from Palmerston North to Auckland today! It’s been a chilly few days here in the southern half of the North Island, and the Desert Road was closed a couple of days ago when a wintry blast brought a dumping of snow, so I eagerly watched the Breakfast news [...]
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Whitford and the Pohutukawa Coast: Auckland’s rural treasures
Friday, May 1st, 2009Next time you’re visiting Auckland, don’t limit yourself to the urban areas – New Zealand’s largest city is surrounded by off-the-beaten-track destinations that are well worth a look. This morning, I headed southeast and after a drive of less than 45 minutes from downtown Auckland I arrived at the cute little village of Whitford.
With all the [...]
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A Lunchtime Stop at Warkworth
Tuesday, April 28th, 2009Picture this: you’re zipping up your cases and packing the car, checking out of your motel and pulling onto the road, negotiating the Auckland traffic and navigating your way onto the Northern Motorway. You’ve finally crossed the Harbour Bridge and now you realise that you’re in desperate need of coffee, at the very least, and [...]
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