Jake's Strong Ginger Juice

26/03/2026

Two weeks without Jake’s StrongGinger… and things are getting weird.

First, I’m flying at iFLY…
Then I’m hallucinating bees…
Then Kevin traps a bee under a glass… next to my 4-ounce Jake’s…
And I’m stuck deciding — do I grab the ginger… or risk the sting?

No bee.
No Jake’s.
Just dreams… or maybe withdrawals.

Then suddenly… Queenstown.
Fiery sunset. Aperol Spritz. Wood-fired pizza.
An Irish bar showing the Australian Open.

Peaceful walk along the lake…

Then — scream.
Splash.
Four girls jump in… and one realizes she just lost the bottom of her swimsuit.

Ann Marie looks at me and says,
“Okay… it’s time to go. I’m too old for this.”

Probably a good call.

Tomorrow… Milford Sound.
One of the most beautiful places on earth.

Sweet dreams… or at least… less weird ones.

Love.
Health.
Adventure.

TravelStory FunnyTravel DreamSequence VacationVibes TravelCouple ExploreMore BucketListTravel Wanderlust TravelHumor

25/03/2026

Only in New Zealand can you stand under a palm tree before a mighty glacier. Today, we head to Queenstown, roughly a 5 hour drive. A quick bite at the Cafe Neve, and hit the road.

The route to Queenstown is a nature lovers’ dream. Mountains, rivers, dense rainforests and Lake Wanaka nearly 30 miles long. The a dog in a pickup truck blocking traffic. Apparently, his master was retrieving a large bull that had wandered off his ranch.

Upon arrival, we took a nice stroll along the lake, enjoyed a cold beer and some seaside music by a young Frenchman who was playing a Chapman Stick, a wild instrument where both hands tap the strings to create bass, harmony, and melody at the same time.”

We ran into a few golfers who were so passionate about game, one had tattooed the geographic coordinate of his favorite course right on his leg! That called for a ginger beer which in New Zealand contains alcohol. Carleen, actually took a break from her Sauvignon Blanc to try it…and she liked it!

And then do you know what Ann Marie did? I caught her kissing a local kiwi for dessert. We had a good laugh, then took a walk along the lake for a little entertainment and shopping.

It was a short day, but we enjoyed it together. Just another great day of love, health and adventure!

20/03/2026

Palm trees… glaciers… and a sky so blue it hardly seemed real. Today we set our sights on Franz Josef Glacier.

Snow-capped peaks ahead, rainforest all around us. We drove the Franz Josef Highway singing our way to the Roberts Point Track, stopping for a quick healthy breakfast before the climb.

Soon the trail pulled us deep into ancient rainforest—clear lakes, mossy rock, waterfalls slipping through the trees.

The Roberts Point Track is steep and rugged, 7 miles there and back for a front-row seat of the glacier.

But the real thrill?
The swing bridges.

Long and narrow, swaying gently high above rushing glacial rivers. One of them—Rope Creek Bridge is the length of Lambeau Field.

About two hours up…the trail turned slick and steep, and Ann’s wrist had had enough. So we turned back while Kevin and Carleen pushed on toward the glacier.

Our walk down was slower… quieter… even a little romantic.

We regrouped at the Alice May Café—Monteith’s Ginger Beer for me, Sauvignon Blanc experiments for the others.

Another beautiful day in New Zealand.

For love.
For health.
For adventure.

16/03/2026

Sometimes the best moments on a journey are the ones you never planned.

A quiet Sunday morning in Nelson turned into something unforgettable — a beautiful Filipino farewell dance at the end of church, offered in gratitude to a priest returning home to the Philippines.

From there, the road carried us along New Zealand’s wild west coast… forests, endless beaches, and yes — the best outdoor shower I’ve ever taken under a waterfall.

The day ended at a place called The Landing with a little drink, a little dessert, and the anticipation of tomorrow’s climb toward Franz Josef Glacier.

Some days just have everything.

Love.
Health.
Adventure.

11/03/2026

Some days don’t need fireworks.
Just tired legs… and a full heart.

We started slow in Nelson—flat whites, cinnamon rolls, and sunlight spilling across a little café. Then wandered into a local art fair where woodworker Ian Johnson gave Carleen a quick lesson in wooden peg joinery. Turns out craftsmanship has a rhythm all its own.

Nelson has that feeling.
Not flashy. Just real.

Then north to Cable Bay. A bite of raw ginger for courage… and up we climbed. Sea level to nearly 1,000 feet. Steep grades. No shade. Just steady steps.

Ann Marie took a tumble—brave as always—and kept going. At the top: clouds like cotton, cobalt skies, green-blue bays stretching for miles.

On the way down, one stubborn bull reminded us that sometimes the wise path… is the wider one.

We ended the day at Tahunanui Beach with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and a little word game before dinner.

Nine letters.
The reason we climb.

Adventure.

Love the people.
Health in the climb.
Adventure in every step. 🌿

10/03/2026

07/03/2026

From Wellington’s foggy ferry crossing to sun-soaked Marlborough vines, today tasted like sunlight and sea air.

Sauvignon Blanc with electric freshness. Pinot Noir with quiet elegance. And one very patient sommelier teaching us how to say “Wairau” properly.

(Why-row. We’ve got it now.)

Travel is better when shared.
Wine even more so.

Love · Health · Adventure 🍷✨

02/03/2026

What if a city didn’t exhaust you… but restored you?

After four wild days in the countryside, we pointed the Kiwi Crew toward the capital—Wellington.

Fast bikes. Busy harbor. Hidden arcades.
All the movement of city life…

But none of the chaos.

Spotless cafés. Next-level breakfasts. Kind people.
Even the birds joined us at the table.

We rode the red cable car up from Lambton Quay—
one car rising as the other descends.
Simple physics. Beautiful balance.

At the top?
Sixty-one acres of botanical calm. Native forest. Roses in full voice.

A proper Kiwi meat pie for lunch.
Beach glass treasures thanks to Ann Marie.
Wine beneath the Wellington sign.
Italian dinner served with genuine warmth.

Sometimes adventure roars.
Sometimes… it just smiles quietly across the table.

Wellington — where city life feels like love, health, and adventure. 🌿🍷✨

28/02/2026

Not every adventure shouts. Some of them whisper.

32,500 steps through silver beech forests.
Across ancient lava shaped by fire and time. Mist on our faces at Taranaki Falls.
Turquoise silence at Lower Tama Lake.

Mount Ruapehu stood watch. The land felt alive. Conversation slowed. Hearts opened.

Sometimes power is loud like Huka Falls.
And sometimes it’s quiet — steady, grounding, renewing.

Walk long enough together and something shifts. Strength deepens.
Peace settles in. Love widens.

That’s the kind of adventure that stays with you. 🌿

23/02/2026

Some days the reset finds you.
Some days… you jump in. We heard it before we saw it — Huka Falls roaring where the Waikato River narrows and unleashes its full force. Impossibly blue. Thunder in the chest. Power strong enough to fill an Olympic pool in eleven seconds.

Then the trail softened. The Taupō RotoKawa path stretched quiet beside the river. And there it was.
Cold. Clear. Honest water. I stood there for a moment… thinking. Then I went for it. Haha!

Shock. Breath. Laughter. Reset. Too bad for the rest of the Kiwi Crew — they stayed dry. Lesson learned?
When in doubt… jump. Back to Waimarino for simple food, good wine, cold beer, and grateful hearts.

Because tomorrow we walk into Tongariro National Park —
toward Lower Tama Lake and the shadow of Mount Ngauruhoe.

Love.
Health.
Adventure.

Sometimes the bravest thing you can do… is step into the cold.