#beyondoz

Magic hour at Queenstown. Definitely my favorite and one of the most beautiful cities I've been to. Not sure if it's the fresh air, cool weather, the way the light falls and make everything shimmer, the autumn trees, the snow-capped towering mountains, the clear skies and water, the prominent blue lake, the laidback lifestyle or the lilting voices of the locals... but staying here felt like living a fairy tale. 💙💞 : : #sunset #twilight #autumn #BobsPeak #TheRemarkables #LakeWakatipu #beautifuldestination #middleearth #mostbeautifulcities #Queenstown #NewZealand #beyondOz #NZadventure #nzmustdo #travel #ontheedge #happiness #ayinisms (at Bob's Peak, Queenstown NZ)

Dear Future Self, may you look at this photo and remember that, life may not be perfect, but it is amazing and good! You don't need much else. Live light and well 😘 : : #barefoot #happyfeet #beautifulday #perfectday #beach #islandgirl #HaheiBeach #Coromandel #NewZealand #beyondOz #NZadventure #beautifulbeaches #travel #ontheedge #happiness #ayinisms (at Hahei, Coromandel)

And if they like you enough, this is how the Maori welcome you to the tribe - a firm handshake and double nose tap. : : #maori #culture #TePuia #Rotorua #NewZealand #beyondOz #NZadventure #travel #ontheedge #thelostcontinent #happiness #ayinisms (at Te Puia - Rotorua, NZ)

I asked, "So what's with the repeated tongue protrusions and big, bulging eyes?" The guide, in all seriousness, answered, "To let you know you're good enough to eat, my dear." This is the Haka ("hulga" if i were to translate in Cebuano) -  the traditional war dance of the Maori people, the indigenous Polynesian warrior tribe of NZ. This was performed before a battle to invoke the god of war, and to challenge or declare war on their enemies. It might be quite effective, too, because even up to now, they still perform it during pre-games to challenge opponents in the field, especially one that everyone here is crazy about-- rugby! : : #haka #maori #culture #TePuia #Rotorua #NewZealand #beyondOz #NZadventure #travel #ontheedge #thelostcontinent #happiness #ayinisms (at Te Puia - Rotorua, NZ)

Mount Aspiring/Tititea. Still aspiring to land on that glacier someday soon since it's too windy today 😔💔 For now, let me just gaze at you and dream for a little bit. : : #MountAspiring #TeWahipounamu #WorldHeritage #SouthernAlps #glacier #glacialwater #LakeWanaka #Wanaka #QueenstownLakes #Otago #NewZealand #beyondOz #middleearth #NZadventure #nzmustdo #travel #happiness #ayinisms (at Wanaka, New Zealand)

Thoroughly enjoyed getting into hot water playing with sand in chilly Coromandel 🔥😎😛 : Read more about it on the blog. Link in bio! : #HotWaterBeach #Whitianga #Coromandel #NewZealand #beyondOz #NZadventure #nzmustdo #beautifulbeaches #Top10beaches #geothermal #travel #ontheedge #thelostcontinent #happiness #ayinisms (at Hot Water Beach)