Boots, Bikes and Border Crossings
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Special Chicken lunch…..
Marilyn and the girls were very busy this morning while I was outside feeding the lambs. There was plucking, cleaning and general chicken activity going on, and I thought, Perfect … we’re restocking the freezer. Maybe, just maybe, we’re having a beautiful chicken lunch today! Well… lunchtime arrived, and my chicken dreams came crashing down…
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Once a Pet Lamb Girl, Always a Pet Lamb Girl
Growing up in the little farming community of Karaka in South Auckland, I went to a country school where Calf Day was a very big deal! Each year we’d take our carefully trained pet lambs or calves to school, along with our pikelets, cakes, flower arrangements and whatever else we were entering into. There were…
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Goose Chicks & a Cat with a Gift
Up early this morning with a very wholesome plan — study a little, practise the ukulele and generally be productive. Then the ranch provided its own entertainment. First came Mumma Goose, proudly parading her two fluffy chicks around. Then there was Kitty. Despite having a bowl of fresh, warm cow’s milk, apparently she felt she…
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Ranch Life: Never a Dull Moment
Ranch life this week has been a bit like a Mexican soap opera — only with more sausages, sewing and livestock! Sunday night brought German guests, waffles and German sausages. Monday brought Jan from Sweden — and, thankfully, English! When everyone else switches to German or Spanish, I now have someone to talk with. There’s…
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One Religion, Two Very Different Expressions of Faith
After the relaxed, joyful women’s retreat, my Sunday morning at the German Mennonite church was quite a contrast! Everyone was polite, but the faces were very serious—even when the young band started playing. I thought, Great, some lively music! But nobody sang, clapped or even moved. Two young girls three pews ahead gave a tiny…
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The Pathway Through Closed Doors
I arrived at the Brilla Women’s Retreat with an open mind and almost no knowledge of religion or the Bible. It simply wasn’t a path I had ever wandered down. But sometimes the paths we least expect can leave the deepest impression. I couldn’t understand most of the words during the singing, but I didn’t…
Visited Countries
Interactive World Map
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Route Plan (Eastern Europe)
Here’s the planned route PDF. Download below.
Route Map
About Me
Happy, grateful, and full of joy – that’s how I see my life. Growing up in the small country town of Karaka, New Zealand, I was a curious little girl who dreamed of seeing the world. At 14, I took my first trip overseas to Fiji, and since then I’ve explored 66 countries, each adventure filling me with wonder at new cultures, unexpected moments, and the thrill of discovery.
I’ve leapt from planes, dived into unseen depths of the ocean, pedaled across borders, and roared through deserts on motorbikes. From crossing the Gobi Desert on two wheels to cruising down to Antarctica, from riding through roads less traveled to moments that took my breath away, I collect memories, not possessions.
Contact Me
Have a question or want to collaborate? Drop me a line.