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7 Secrets for Planning a Truly Amazing Picnic

There are few people who don’t like picnics, especially when the weather is nice. Not many things are better than enjoying nature in company of those you love, with fine and carefully prepared food and drinks.

Unlike those from the past, present-day picnics don’t feature furniture, silver cutlery and servants running around in an attempt to please their masters. Everything is less formal, but that doesn’t mean that it’s less enjoyable. Even if you don’t have much time to organise every single detail, you can still have a great time.

Several things can turn a picnic into a memorable event and here are some tips you might want to consider when planning your own picnic.

Choose location and company

Two of the three most important elements of every picnic (the third one being food and drinks) are most definitely the venue and people you’re planning to invite. You need to start from choosing a suitable, if not perfect, location and those you’d like to keep you company. Your choice when it comes to these two element has profound implications on the food and drinks you’ll be preparing.

As we said, most people simply love picnics, which means that you’re not likely to have your invitation turned down by anyone, especially friends. Now, when it comes to location, you can choose anything from your not-so-inspiring backyard or a slightly-more-inviting local park to the-most-popular beach or a mountain campsite.

Depending on your company, certain solutions might be preferable to others. For example, if you’re planning to have a lot of young kids, you need to find a place with enough toilets or secluded places where they can do their business. Some people insist on having running water in the vicinity of their picnic spot, which really narrows down the options.

Carefully choose the time

Depending on the time of the day you choose, you’ll need to bring different clothes and some other gear. For example, if you want to have breakfast, you can count on a chilly morning, but you can expect the temperature to rise. On the other hand, if you start in the afternoon and plan to continue late into the evening, you might need to light a fire or grill to warm up or prepare some camping food for everyone.

Try to please you guests

Your guests are likely to be happy to have been invited, but their delight doesn’t have to end there. Namely, if you take their needs or penchants into account, you may pack various things to help them enjoy the event even more. For instance, an elderly guest is likely to appreciate a folding chair, while kids can never have enough of various balls, hoops, or almost any toys for that matter.

Sitting is important

A lot of time is spent sitting during a picnic, which is why you need to bring a beach towel, old tablecloth, mat or blanket. A woven mat is particularly convenient if you’re picnicking on a beach, since it keeps the sand out of the food. Of course, if your car is big enough, folding chairs are an excellent option, too. If you are looking for other seating options, check out this interesting piece.

Food

The number of people and their preferences are the most important factors influencing the decision regarding the food you’ll bring. Generally speaking, you need some food that you can easily eat from a plate you’re keeping on your lap or out of a wrapper.

Desserts are usually not a problem, especially if you choose pies or tarts from a bakery or homemade cookies. Sandwiches are another popular option, but their popularity is contested by the increasing popularity of salads. Whatever you choose, you don’t need to complicate too much.

Drinks

This is an extremely important thing to get right, since if you are somewhere far from any store, you might have problems if people don’t have enough of their favourite drink. And in case you feel like experimenting, you can even throw a genuine cocktail party. Here are some picnic-friendly mixes to tickle your fancy.

What you mustn’t forget to pack, though, is water. Bottled water is getting more expensive, and since you’d be needing plenty of it, using a good water filter and filling your water bottles is not only more convenient, but also much cheaper and earth-friendly than buying bottled water.

Other things to pack

Since you’ll be spending time in nature, you need some sort of insect repellent, sunscreen, napkins, matches and hand sanitisers, to mention just a few items. Those more prepared also pack a first-aid kit with bandages and plasters.

Also, you need to collect all leftovers, paper or plastic plates and cups, since you don’t want to leave any food behind. For that purpose, you need to bring enough plastic bags and aluminium foil or containers with lids. Wet wipes are useful for cleaning hands, while garbage bags help you clean the whole place up and leave no mess behind.

So, if you follow these tips, you’re likely to have an amazing time. Sure, there might be some insects attracted by your food, annoying passers-by inspecting the content of your basket, or Frisbees ending up in food after they knock over several bottles or cups, but, on the other hand, there might be none of that, but just a group of loving people, enjoying their time together.

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Exploring New Zealand on the Cheap: The Ultimate Backpacker’s Guide

If you are an avid backpacker looking for a genuine summer adventure, New Zealand is the perfect destination for that. The land of scenic landscape, rocky mountains and lovely beaches will leave you speechless the moment you arrive. Since it has so much to offer, you should put on a backpack and start exploring. For a truly unique experience, you need to be prepared and informed, so here’s what you need to know.

Where to Start?

The most breathtaking beauties of New Zealand are at the South Island, which means that you should save the best for last. Therefore, start exploring the land of many unspoiled areas from North (the Coromandel Peninsula and the Bay of Islands, to name a few) to South. This way you can cover everything and leave the highlight of your trip for its ending. As you slowly progress towards the South, you will feel your excitement building up, so imagine how you will feel when you finally experience the best of the best that New Zealand has to offer.

How About a Free a Car?

You’ll have a lot of places to visit and a variety of activities to try out, so if you find it hard to keep up with the bus or train schedules or you are not particularly keen of hitchhiking, now there’s an option for free one-way car rentals in New Zealand, allowing you to go wherever you want and whenever you want. You can visit some secluded areas which you wouldn’t be able to reach otherwise, and you’ll have a completely different experience if you’re behind the wheel, not having to organise your trip to someone else’s schedule, but create one that actually works for you.

Where to Stay?

There’s a variety of different options when it comes to accommodation, but you should keep one thing in mind – stay away from the chain hotels. These hotels aren’t budget-friendly, which means that you’ll spend a lot of money and be broke by the time you reach the middle of your trip. Instead, you can find motels, hostels and resorts with self-contained accommodation, both in North and South, that are much more affordable, but equally comfortable. You can also go for AirBnB, which is a great opportunity to save money, and meet new and interesting people who can give you tips on which places to visit.

Buy a New Zealand Sim Card

While exploring New Zealand, you should use one of their operators to cut down on the roaming expenses. You should find the one with the best offer when it comes to the international calls and the Internet packages (assuming that you’ll keep in touch with your friends and family). You can inform yourself prior to your travel, pick one of the three operators and not worry about it when you arrive to the country.

Try Bungee Jumping

If you’ve always wanted to do something daring and exciting, New Zealand is the perfect choice for you. You shouldn’t miss the opportunity to do a bungee jump while you’re there, so make sure to put this on your to-do list. Since you’ll probably arrive in Auckland, you won’t have to go far for such experience. Just visit the Auckland Harbour Bridge, take a deep breath and jump! Your heart will be racing, you’ll be afraid and you’ll love it! Since it’s summer, you can try a jump with a river dip – you won’t be cold! And if you are looking for a more private experience, Kawarau Bridge in Queenstown is what you are looking for.

Don’t Miss Mountain Biking

It won’t be difficult to find mountain track where you can try this activity, but Rotorua, located on the North Island, is the centre of the mountain biking in New Zealand. It’s really simple – just rent a bike, and take a day to explore the trails in the Whakarewarewa Forest. This is a great opportunity to enjoy the scenic landscapes and get yourself in shape!

Summer time is the perfect period for exploring the natural beauties of New Zealand. Instead of retreating to your home, pack your bags, get your free car and go on the trip of your lifetime.

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New Zealand’s Secret Havens for Dreamy Summer Getaways

This time of year is perfect for exploring the scenic landscapes of New Zealand, the land of majestic mountains and sandy beaches. Whether you’re looking for an adventure of a lifetime, or you just want to unwind on a secluded beach, New Zealand certainly won’t leave you disappointed. Here are some truly amazing off-the-beaten track destinations to help you in your summer quest.

Earnslaw Burn

Although this alpine region is among the most popular destinations in New Zealand, you can still get off the beaten track and enjoy it in solitude. Located on the Glenorchy, 40 kilometres from Queensland, Earnslaw Burn is a glacier and one of the locations where The Hobbit was filmed.

After a challenging hike of four to six hours, you’ll have an opportunity to admire beautiful waterfalls that the glacier has created and retrace the footsteps of Bilbo and his company. In addition, there’s a variety of activities that you can try, including horse-riding through river crossings and unspoiled beach forests, paragliding in the Glenorchy area, and kayaking in some of the most beautiful waters of New Zealand.

Himatangi

The coastal climate providing plenty of sunshine, high temperatures, beautiful sun-drenched sandy beaches, and almost no rain will welcome you to Himatangi. You can get to know the small local community, learn how to surf among the waves and explore the coastline that was once a Maori gathering place.

The Maori used to catch fish and shellfish there, and then they would leave the shells in piles known as middens, thus creating the archaeological record of the place. If you head inland, you’ll come across a series of lagoons and the oldest middens in the area. Other activities that you can participate in are hiking, fishing, whitebaiting, bowling, golfing, camping or just relaxing and sleeping.

Mokoia Island

The Mokoia Island, which is just 1.35 square kilometres large, is located in Lake Rotorua, on the North Island. You can access the Island only by joining a small boat tour group, since it’s considered sacred by the locals. The Mokoia Island has the reputation of the location where the most famous love stories have taken place.

This area is also renowned for its many natural wonders, including the eruption of a rhyolite lava dome approximately 200,000 years ago and many geothermal springs, one of them being the famous Hinemoa pool or Waikimihia, as the locals call it. You can go on a cruise around the island, soak in the Waikimihia pool and find out more about the Maori history.

Mount Hikurangi

Mount Hikurangi is located southwest of the East Cape, on the North Island and it’s the area of the highest non-volcanic peak of New Zealand. If you’re ready for an adventure, you can hike for seven hours following the Mt Hikurangi Track and reach its peak. However, keep in mind that this is quite an endeavour, so make sure to be fit and prepared for undertaking it.

Mount Hikurangi is considered sacred by Ngati Porou Maori, since they believe that it’s the resting place of Maui’s waka (canoe). While you’re in Eastland, you can explore the wild Urewera national park, known for many lakes and unspoiled forests, or enjoy panoramic views from the East Cape Lighthouse.

Waipu Caves

If you’re ready to try something daring, then exploring the Waipu Caves is right up your street. Since there aren’t paths and tracks in the cave that you can follow, you’ll have to go through water, mud, and narrow passages. Don’t worry about getting a bit dirty – there’s a cold shower waiting for you outside the cave. If you ever imagined what a cave would look like, the Waipu Caves will be just like that – stalactites hanging from the ceiling, bones of birds, bats, reptiles and amphibians lying around and pitch dark.

After exploring the caves, you can go bird, dolphin and whale-watching. Make sure to include a decent camera in your equipment to take some truly memorable pictures of the local flora and fauna at its finest. You should also take some time to visit the nearby Waipu town and discover the Waipu history at the local museum.

Rere Falls

Down the Wharekopae River you’ll come across the beautiful Rere Falls and the Rere Rock Slide, one of the main attractions in the area. The running water of the Wharekopae River has smoothed the rocks, thus providing tourists with the opportunity to slide on boogie boards and inflatable mattresses.

The picturesque Rere Falls are on the other side of the river and you can walk behind its cascading water. Afterwards, relax and enjoy the view by having a picnic next to the Rere Falls. While in the area, you should visit the New Zealand’s National Arboretum Eastwoodhill, where you can take a look at both the exotic and native trees, shrubs and other plants.

Summertime is the perfect period to pack your bags, get your free transfer car, and explore the secret natural wonders that New Zealand has to offer. This land of countless breath-taking sites won’t make it easy for you to choose some of them, but whatever choice you make, you won’t regret it. On the contrary.

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Snacks & Drinks for a Fabulous Summer on the Road

Summer is the time for adventures, so many of you might decide to engage in a fun road trip. Whether it’s a cross country trip or a short one, you will need something to keep you fresh and energized. That is why you should always be prepared and pack some snacks and drinks.

Nuts for Snacks

The most popular snacks are crisps, but they are packed with sugar,they help when you have cravings as any other safest appetite suppressant. For hot days on the road, you will need something that has more nutrients. Thus, nuts make a perfect snack for the road. They are travel-friendly, salty and can satisfy your daily cravings. Grab a few plastic containers or bags and make your favourite nutty mix with walnuts, peanuts, almonds and so on. You can even throw a few dried pumpkin seeds and raisins into the mix and have a healthy snack filled with the good stuff only. In case you need some inspiration, here are several great mixes.

Plenty of Water

Let’s face it – you will be stuck in a metal box for a good part of your trip. It is hot outside, but the AC might only cause more damage than good. You will be sweating a lot, therefore losing a lot of water and energy. That is why you really need to hydrate your body.

The best solution is water, of course. However, bottled water is quite expensive and it’s not really eco-friendly. That is why you should prepare your own water. You could use, for instance one of those reverse osmosis water filters with cartridges to remove the bad stuff and keep the water in a thermos or recycled bottles. This way you can save some money, since you will need plenty of water for the trip, and manage to stay hydrated and happy.

Trip-Friendly Fruits and Veggies

Fruits and vegetables offer a perfect light snack that hydrates your body. Berries, apricots, grapes, apples, peppers and tomatoes are perfect refreshments, but you can also eat most of them dried. You can easily store fruits in smaller lidded containers and keep them in a travel cooler, so your healthy snack will always be at hand. However, you might want to stay away from fruits that could cause a mess in your car, such as cherries and watermelon, since you wouldn’t know what to do with the pits.

Cooling Cocktails

If you are looking for some additional fun on the road, you can always rely on alcohol. However, never drink and drive; this type of refreshment is only suitable if you are going to park you campervan and stay somewhere overnight or if you are travelling by bus or a train. Mix a few of your favourite cocktails and put them in a thermos bottle or a flask to keep them cool. Whether you like them fruity and sweet or not, they will certainly cheer you up, hydrate you and make the heat and travelling more bearable.

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Energy Bars

Most of us turn to candy bars for energy while on the road. However, those delicious treats are packed with sugar and bad calories. So, whenever you are craving sweets on the road, you should turn to energy bars that have less sugar and more nutrients. You can pack a few granola bars to boost the protein and fibre intake or you can make your own energy bars. With these you will surely get the energy you lack during a hot summer day, but avoid the sugar trap.

Cheese and Crackers

For some extra boost during your trip you can turn to this classic combination. Cheese and crackers are filled with protein with whole-grain carbohydrates that will keep your hunger at bay. Prepare slices of your favourite cheese and some crackers and store them in a cooler. As soon as you start craving some food, take a few of those and you will be good for the rest of the trip. However, if you wish to combine them with something sweet, you can always throw a little peanut butter or apple slices on top.

Yogurt the Almighty

This dairy product can serve both as a light snack and a refreshing drink. Whether it is in a travel-friendly tube, mixed into a smoothie or combined with fruits and granola, it will be perfect for you and your family. It keeps you fresh, adds calcium and vitamin D to your daily nutrition and contains plenty of probiotics to keep your stomach healthy and prevent diarrhea. Just make sure to keep it in a cooler and you are good to go.

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Healthy Sandwiches

Sandwiches are one of the most perfect and favourite snacks, and they can provide you with enough protein and grains to keep you well-fed. Not to mention how delicious and satisfying they are. Depending on the ingredients you choose, you might have to store them in a cooler. However, you can opt for some peanut butter jelly combinations that will satisfy both your hunger and a sweet tooth, but you don’t have to keep them cooled.

Nearly everyone loves road trips, but making frequent stops to get some food and drinks can be expensive and tiring. In order to solve both of these problems, make sure you have some of these snacks and drinks packed before you start the engine of your free campervan.

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Summer Campervan Escapades in Australia

If you’ve decided to visit Australia in summer and have a trip of the lifetime, cruising across it in a campervan is probably the best way to explore this marvelous country. Once you set the dates for your visit, you need to take a look at the options for a road-trip that might prove to be an unforgettable experience for you and your companions.

As you know, Australia is a vast country, offering every landscape you can imagine, which means it’s only up to you to decide what kind of treat you’re going to be served. Let’s take a look at some of the most interesting routes before you get your free campervan and hit the road.

Great Alpine Road

All the way from Wangaratta to amazing Gippsland Lakes you have a great opportunity to enjoy the most amazing and breathtaking scenery that Victoria has to offer. If you’re looking for mountain ranges and valleys, stunning dense forest or vineyards covering hillslopes, this road is for you.

Although you can enjoy it all-year-round, summer is particularly attractive, since you can go hiking, fishing, cycling or even camping along the route. What you have to be careful about is driving, since the road is quite narrow in parts. Needless to say, even though you plan to drive in the hottest season, you still need to have plenty of warm clothes, because the temperature can quickly change in the mountains.

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Bass Highway

If your plan is to spend time in Tasmania, you should definitely consider heading along Bass Highway. It starts in Launceston and ends on the northwest coast. The most attractive features along the road are definitely the towns, such as Penguin, Burnie, Wynyard, Stanley and Smithton.

Yes, you’re right, there’s a town called Penguin and you can guess what kind of street installation dominates the place. So, if you have a thing for places with peculiar names or simply have children in tow, you’re bound to have a great time there.

Other renowned features include the juiciest and sweetest cherries in the world, according to the locals. Be prepared to pay a bit more than you’re probably used to, but everyone says you won’t regret it.

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Grand Pacific Drive

If you think that your road trip along the Californian coast will never be matched by anything like it, think again. Fabulous views of the ocean, amazing stretches of sandy beaches and rainforests are just some to the treats you can enjoy if your destination is New South Wales.

If you make the right turns, you can visit the Royal National Park or one of the word-famous beaches along the way. One of the highlights on this route is a walk along the Sea Cliff Bridge, suspended in mid-air between Clifton and Coalcliff. From there you can see Sydney in the north and Wollongong in the south. This route also gives you an opportunity to take a break on one of secluded sandy beaches and treat yourself to fish and chips.

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Alpine Way

Another option in New South Wales is this road leading from Snowy Mountains to Corryong in Victoria. This long and winding road passes through some parts which offer excellent opportunities for mountain biking and hiking. You’ll also see many people camping along the banks of the Thredbo River.

If you have a modern wireless trail camera with you, you might be able to capture some local wildlife, such as wallabies and wombats, since they are known to roam around the area. What you need to be careful about is the fact that a day pass for driving through Kosciuszko National Park costs $16 per vehicle. Also, it’s wise to get your fuel and food in Cooma, since the prices in Jindabyne are much higher, since it’s a popular tourist destination.

Landsborough Highway

If you’re looking to experience the outback, this might be just the thing for you, particularly the section between Longreach and Cloncurry. You can visit the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History, if you’re interested in fossils, or the Qantas hangar monument in Cloncurry.

As you can expect, one of the crucial things to remember is to bring enough water and fuel, since the temperatures can be extremely high and petrol stations are scarce in the outback.

Whichever option you choose, you are bound to have a whale of time. If you plan carefully enough, you might make the most of the offer along the road you take, which will probably be enough for everyone involved to remember this escapade for the rest of their lives.

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Summer in the Coromandel Peninsula

Thanks to its golden beaches, relaxed seaside villages and stunning coastline, the Coromandel is a favourite holiday spot for Kiwis over summer. Providing the perfect complement to the Coromandel summer is the fine local food and fresh produce. Artisan producers are dotted throughout the region – cheesemakers, brewers, and a few nice vineyards…

The east coast boasts the best white-sand beaches in the area, extremely popular with the people from Auckland. On the west coast we have quaint gold-mining towns, wetlands and stony bays that tourists seem to be a little less interested in, but definitely worth a visit. Right in the middle of the peninsula, there is a web of walking tracks allowing you to inspect the breath-taking nature.

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Accommodation

There’s plenty to choose from, ranging from campgrounds and holiday parks to luxury holiday resorts. If you’re looking for something more intimate, there are many B&Bs and self-contained apartments. We recommend you stay at Coromandel Town, Hahei or Whitianga, because they are perfect bases for any trips you wish to make around the area. For a comprehensive list of the accommodation categories available and reviews, please have a look at this.

Things to do

Depending on what you’re after, you might enjoy one of the attractive options, such as the Goldmine Experience (a walk through a mine tunnel, followed by you giving it a go at panning for gold), Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway (4.5 km along a disused railway line to the Ohinemuri River Waikino station, where you may take a vintage train to Waihi) or Lost Spring (a thermal complex consisting of a number of hot pools surrounded by lush, tropical greenery and an erupting volcano).

There is also the famous Cathedral Cove, whose stone arch is recognized worldwide. If you want to enjoy the natural waterfall shower, we recommend being there either early in the morning or late in the day to avoid crowds. Quite close to it is Gemstone Bay, a place great for snorkelling.

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Food and drinks

Since pretty much all locals have a boat, fish and other seafood are not only fresh and of exceptional quality, but you also won’t have to break the bank. You may try Coromandel Mussel Kitchen, Bistro at the Falls or Luke’s Kitchen for various types of food served in unusual and memorable environment.

When it comes to drinks, apart from the internationally renowned wines, New Zealand is famous for its craft beers and this region is no exception. Check out Hot Water Brewing or the Pour House to get a taste of what’s on offer.

For the most comprehensive and updated list of events in the area this summer, please visit this site.

New Zealand and the Coromandel Peninsula have been attracting millions of tourists every year. In case you have issues with financing your trip, it is good to know that now you can get a free transfer car there and redirect the extra cash towards something that could easily turn out to be the holiday of your lifetime.

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