http://www.downtheroad.nz/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.downtheroad.nz en-us Thu, 16 Apr 2026 15:39:17 +1200 Rocketspark http://www.downtheroad.nz/blog/post/129917/top-tips-for-a-couples-winter-break-in-northland/ Unless you're a snow-loving ski or snowboarding enthusiast, winter in New Zealand is often a time to 'hunker down' and let the shorter, chillier days drift by without much reprieve from the daily grind. Some will punctuate the darker days with a short sun-filled break to the islands, but we also think there's a great option to satisfy those wanderlust cravings right here in the northern part of NZ.Northland is often referred to as the 'Winterless North', and for pretty good reason. While the reg... Mon, 10 Jun 2024 10:46:00 +1200 http://www.downtheroad.nz/blog/#post129917 http://www.downtheroad.nz/blog/post/70950/outdoor-baths-with-a-diy-difference/ I don't know about you, but when we search for a local holiday spot if there's a spa, outdoor bath or a pool on offer, that's a place which will catch our eye. For ages we've wanted to add something like this to our little guesthouse in the North and this year it became a reality. The cottage was relocated here by the property's previous owners, it started life as the Whangarei croquet clubrooms and has had many uses since then, a Sunday School, family getaway, I've even heard from locals w... Mon, 30 Aug 2021 10:59:51 +1200 http://www.downtheroad.nz/blog/#post70950 http://www.downtheroad.nz/blog/post/68137/does-the-list-life--the-good-life/ Are you a list maker? I guess it crept up on us but we can easily confirm these days that we're definitely in the list-lover camp. Very little happens around here without a list (or multiple lists) guiding our progress. It's sometimes been a bit of a love/hate thing. Those days when you're looking around the place and all you can see is jobs on top of other jobs that are all equally vying for attention.  But we often remind ourselves that 'Rome wasn't built in a day' and there seems to be s... Mon, 05 Jul 2021 10:14:56 +1200 http://www.downtheroad.nz/blog/#post68137 http://www.downtheroad.nz/blog/post/65768/10-top-spots-for-dog-friendly-adventures/ Over the last few years we have seen a huge increase in the number of furry companions travelling with their people. It didn't occur to us when we opened the Orchard Cottage guesthouse over 6 years ago now, that this would be a thing, but our own four-legged family member Ben has made us understand exactly how important dog-friendly holiday options are. I was just reading a post from 2015, less than a year after we adopted Ben, reflecting on the shock of puppyhood and my initial reluctance ... Wed, 12 May 2021 09:56:24 +1200 http://www.downtheroad.nz/blog/#post65768 http://www.downtheroad.nz/blog/post/62072/a-search-for-happy-and-the-journey-home/ 2021 signifies a new chapter for us, as it may do for many after the turbulence that 2020 threw into the mix. Before I go on however, I should probably warn that this post may be longer than usual, I feel like there's a bit of ground to cover so it might be best enjoyed with your feet up and a cool beverage in hand...🥤... Tue, 09 Feb 2021 15:10:53 +1300 http://www.downtheroad.nz/blog/#post62072 http://www.downtheroad.nz/blog/post/53440/The-Silver-Lining-of-Lockdown/ It's been another eighteen months since my last entry, hard to fathom really but life since the Eatery has been about recovery, rebuilding and re-imagining. Writing has been my main earner, being behind the scenes has suited me and I guess that's why the stories from Down the Road have been on hold. Midway through 2020 - the year that stopped us all in our tracks, literally. Commentary about Covid is everywhere so I don't feel any desire to contribute with another online opinion piece here,... Sun, 31 May 2020 11:20:14 +1200 http://www.downtheroad.nz/blog/#post53440 http://www.downtheroad.nz/blog/post/33589/Reflections-from-a-Heart-felt-Venture/ It's been a year and a half since my last blog. Eighteen months that have been nothing short of life changing. In what ways those changes will manifest I'm not entirely sure yet, but I have no doubt at the very least, this will be a time we'll look back on and share countless stories, laughs, and tears over. When we came to this quieter, sunnier part of the country we knew we were searching for that magical 'work / life balance'. But as we're just knocking on mid-life, we also came with som... Thu, 11 Oct 2018 17:30:10 +1300 http://www.downtheroad.nz/blog/#post33589 http://www.downtheroad.nz/blog/post/16004/Local-Tourists-Super-Spots-so-Close-to-Home/ Before we knew we would end up settling in Northland we would often talk about the concept of 'local treasures'. The idea that no matter where you found yourself in this beautiful country, you often don't have to look very far to discover a wonderful bounty. Whether it's stunning sights, adventures to be had, fabulous food grown or created, or inspiring individuals with unique perspectives and stories to share. Previous to house hunting around Whangarei, I have to be honest and admit that I... Wed, 01 Mar 2017 16:11:01 +1300 http://www.downtheroad.nz/blog/#post16004 http://www.downtheroad.nz/blog/post/15425/Local-Tourists-Northland-Gems-for-Summer-Fun/ It's been a while since my last blog post but time definitely flies when you're having summer fun! I sit here on another extremely warm Northland day, ice cold water at hand and doors swung open but there's barely a breath of wind. I've switched on a large newly purchased fan and the breeze it creates, while not aircon-cold is an absolute triumph! I thought we'd be in the swing of the seasons here by now, it's our third summer but this one has been unlike the others. We haven't had rain sin... Tue, 07 Feb 2017 15:51:43 +1300 http://www.downtheroad.nz/blog/#post15425 http://www.downtheroad.nz/blog/post/13873/Northland-s-Flavour-I-DDo-We-Have-One/ With travel, it seems more and more we are seeking out not only the sights and experiences of a place but the unique flavour and taste of the location we discover. As fellow travelers and now hosts, we have these conversations often. On a broader scale, the questions are around what flavours do we consider as quintessentially New Zealand, do we have a 'national dish', or signature flavour? It's always quite an entertaining conversation because, and I think many Kiwi's would agree, there's not r... Fri, 25 Nov 2016 16:22:11 +1300 http://www.downtheroad.nz/blog/#post13873