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In the morning, we will head back to Santa Monica one last time. The famous pier extends slightly into the Pacific Ocean, and at the end, we even catch sight of a few dolphins...

There is a lot of traffic on the highway even on Sundays at 08:00. We are on our way to San Diego, about 2 hours of driving on 4 to 8 lane highways (of course per direction!). I...

The next morning, we first visit the landmark of Los Angeles, the Hollywood sign. We take a narrow road through a residential area (nice houses) to the Hollywood Reservoir, from...

Upon landing in Los Angeles, we decide on the spur of the moment to rent a car right away. This is actually a mistake, as cars booked online are always cheaper, but this way we...

The last day in Hawaii, at sunrise I move the rental car, the last available spot near the hotel was yesterday by a construction site and must be free again by 06:30. We use the...

Today we will visit the northwestern part of the island. The Nuuanu Pali lookout offers a great, windy view of the island's western side. In Kailuna, we return to the sea, where...

The morning begins with a magnificent view of Waikiki. After a quick breakfast, we stroll along the beach once more before we can pick up the rental car at 11:00. For the first...

Early in the morning, we land in Honolulu on Oahu, the third-largest island in Hawaii. First, a coffee, then we load a bus route overview with the airport's shaky WiFi....

On Saturdays, we take a trip to the market, again by bus. We buy some fruit (pineapple and mango for 5.50 €), some local fast food; somehow, the sparrows here are larger than...

Today I want to do the Cross-Island Walk, a trail that crosses the island. To do this, I need to get to the starting point in Avarua, the `capital` of the island, which, thanks...

Unusually early the alarm goes off, at 03:45 we have to get up to catch the first flight from CHC to Auckland. Duncan takes us to the airport, and the farewell is hard for me;...

At the parking lot, we encounter 2 Kiwis who are on their motorcycles. We chat for a bit, and kindly they offer to help us and call for assistance in case the engine doesn’t...

Unfortunately, we will only be able to stay in Awaroa for 2 days; it could easily be 2 weeks (at least with access to the workshop). Nearby, there are more holiday homes; the...

A good, cozy breakfast, then we trundle along towards Nelson for shopping and refueling. The timber trucks aren't any faster; here, forests are being felled, and broom is...

We start early in the morning; after 20 minutes, there's a laundromat with a shower in the next town, providing a fresh start to the day for $6. With the revitalized engine, we...

The next day, we actually want to head north along the west coast towards Nelson. However, during the test run, the engine problem occurs again. I change the spark plugs on...

Stewart Island, a small island south of New Zealand's South Island, is our destination for the next few days. We have booked a room in a small hotel and want to explore the...

The holiday apartment is truly impressive, featuring 4 bedrooms, a huge living area, and a 120m² terrace, making it a very comfortable stay. In the evenings, neighbors come by,...

Today we are heading south on the island to Wanaka to a holiday apartment. After 60 km, we meet Ian, Duncan's brother, who kindly invited us on a tour with his jet boat. Unlike...

The morning begins with a breakfast coffee, just like every good morning. I set off comfortably and drive back to Christchurch. Elisabeth is coming today; we are taking the...

I had actually expected a great starry sky in such a remote location, but unfortunately, the full moon was too bright at first, and later clouds rolled in. For breakfast, there...

Unfortunately, the bus is not nicely oriented towards the east this time, so I can only see the sunrise over the headland from the beach. While brewing coffee, I receive a...

In the morning, I wake up with the dawn, open the tailgate, and enjoy the sunrise. I doze in the bunk until eight, but then it's time to go. The breakfast coffee is made quickly...

After 2 weeks, I'm finally hitting the road today. I want to take a small circuit before reinforcements from back home arrive on Saturday. Off we go heading north, where Hanmer...

In between, Duncan and I also take a little trip to Akaroa, about 1 hour from Christchurch. I was here for the first time in 2018 (back then I was also at the old cemetery), and...

Next stop: New Zealand. As I depart, Hong Kong bids farewell with a dazzling display of lights that glimpses through the clouds. 10 hours later, land is in sight – Kia Ora New...

The view from the window on the 23rd floor suggests a beautiful day. After checking out, I take the hotel shuttle to Central Station and look for connections to Lantau Island....

The next day, I take the escalator down to the pier. I cross over to the mainland with the Star Ferry and take the first bus of the blue line to the district of Mong Kok. A few...

Here we go .. New Zealand is waiting, and as always, I have more than enough to do until my departure. The kids are briefed once more; from now on, they can handle everything on...