Courtney Jo | Courtney Lohmann | Travel Blog

Page 9 of Courtney Jo Travel Blog Posts

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Otago » Dunedin December 7th 2005

Well, Te Anau was a wonderful place to stay for three days and do some relaxing. I know it's going to sound silly, but I was a little tired from the pace I was trying to keep. After spending two days out in the rain forest and cold and then more rain, I have found myself a very nice cold - stuffy nose/ears and all. I'm sure all the fish and chips and bad food I have been eating hasn't helped either. If it's cheap, I eat it. Oh well...back to the jouney... Te Anau sits on the fourth largest lake in the country. It's 60 KM long and beautiful. Right now, it's calm and sunny so the mountains are reflecting off of it. I'm going to try and get a picture of that. My hostel ... read more

All rafting guides to the rescue...

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Fiordland National Park » Te Anau December 2nd 2005

Courtney Jo

So, I left off with heading out to celebrate my birthday. As it turns out, Wednesday night is not that exciting in Queenstown. I met up with a couple of other girls from the hostel and we headed out for dinner and drinks. One girl moved on to another bar with me and we had quite a few rounds. Met some other travels at the bar and headed back to the hostel around midnight. Nothing overly extreme. The next morning I woke up and decided to stroll around town some more. I took some great pictures of the steep surrounding mountains and the homes set in the hill side. The city sits on a lake and I also walked around it. Then, I decided to finish my Christmas shopping...mission accomplished! Dad, I have your gift. The ... read more

Well...I have survived the worst adventure...

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Otago » Queenstown November 30th 2005

Courtney Jo

Hello all! Let me pick up where I left off. After recovering from the sea sickness, I boarded a bus the following morning to Punakaiki. Now, most people make this a quick 40 minute stop over, but I decided to stay the night. As you read, you will understand why. This was my vacation from my vacation. First of all, the bus ride was again amazing. The roads curve and cut through the mountains and forests and you see rivers and waterfalls along the way. It truly is breathtaking. Even when I know I have a full day on the bus I am excited to see the countryside. I just can't get enough! We pulled into Punakaiki and I didn't realize how small it was. There were three buildings in town - a cafe, art gallery ... read more

I've made it to the south island

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Glaciers November 28th 2005

Courtney Jo

Well, it has been quite a while since I last wrote. Internet keeps getting more and more expensive, so I waited until a reasonable place. I'm currently in Franz Josef Glacier. It's a cute little town. Tomorrow I am doing an all day hike. This should be interesting. The city is very pretty. It sits in the foothills of the Southern Alps. Snow capped mountains all around. I love my current hostal. Very cozy... So, back to where I left off. From Napier I went to Wellington. I was pretty tired on the bus and ended up sleeping for part of the trip. Most of it was grey and raining anyway. I woke up when we were coming into Wellington. This is another unique city. It sits on the edge of hte mountains and next to ... read more

It just keeps getting better...

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Hawkes Bay November 23rd 2005

Courtney Jo

Seriously...for those of you that may have thought about coming here, stop thinking and book your ticket. Just one town/city/location makes is all worth it. Currently, I'm in Napier. The Art Deco city of the South Pacific. It's beautiful. Sits right on the Hawk's Bay and the beach is magnificant...not a sand beach, but black rock and sand...I think from the earthquake that happened here, but not entirely sure. I don't have much time to write, and I took a tour of wine country today...so I'm a little bit tispy...sorry for any missing/misspelled words, but really it should be expected. The wineries here were great. Several wines at each one. I was with a local guide and we had some unique access to the wineries. Bought another X-mas gift (John, get excited) and a little treat ... read more

It's wonderful so far...

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Bay of Islands November 19th 2005

Courtney Jo

Well, I'm not quite sure where to begin. I have only been here three days and I feel like so much has already happened! So, here we go...from the beginning... I flew into LA a day before my flight. I wanted to give myself plenty of time. As it turns out, my flight was delayed more than nine hours. It was crazy and I was all messed up with sleep. So, I finally arrived in Auckland on Thursday, Nov. 17th around 6 p.m. I ckecked into my hostel and found a little cafe to have a quick dinner. I spent that evening trying to catch up on some sleep and realize what happened to Wednesday! I have to say, with all the research I have done on this country and all the people I have talked ... read more

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Courtney Lohmann

Courtney Jo

Travel is embedded in my heart and soul. I think the more I travel, the more addicted to it I become. I know, this is a common problem! I think the best part about traveling is opening your eyes/mind to new experiences, people and outlooks on life. If you go into a country with an open heart and an open mind, you find a warmth in everything around you. In so many ways, the world is so similar and in so many ways, each place I've been is incredibly unique. Traveling has changed my approach to most things in my life. And with every trip I take, I look forward to the next that much more. ... full info