The Perfect Tours

Imagine waking up in a village where the ground beneath your feet is alive. Steam rises from the earth. Hot pools bubble beside homes. Mud boils naturally in pools and the distant roar of a geyser suddenly breaks the silence. And then you realise something even more fascinating: people have lived here for generations, learning how to live alongside these powerful forces of nature. That was exactly what we wondered when we visited Whakarewarewa Living Maori Village in Rotorua, New Zealand, with our family in April. My husband, our two children and I had already experienced many beautiful places during our travels around New Zealand, but Whakarewarewa was completely different. Located in the heart of Rotorua on New Zealand's North Island, Whakarewarewa is far more than a tourist attraction. It is the home of the "Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao people", a place where Māori culture, history, everyday life and the extraordinary geothermal landscape are woven together. It wasn't...

Have you ever seen a beautiful place in a picture or on television when you were young and wondered what it would feel like to see it with your own eyes one day? Sometimes, certain places stay in our memories for years, even though we have never actually been there. For me, Mount Taranaki in New Zealand was one of those places. When I was a child, I knew this spectacular mountain as "Anchor Mountain" because it appeared in the famous "Anchor Milk Powder advertisement". The image of that perfectly shaped mountain became familiar to me long before I ever knew where it was. I remember seeing it in the advertisement and being fascinated by its beautiful shape and majestic appearance. At that age, I never imagined that the mountain I knew only from a television advertisement was a real place that I might one day have the chance to visit. As the years passed, that childhood image remained in my memory. I travelled, saw many beautiful places and experienced different lands...

New Zealand has a special way of turning an ordinary holiday into an unforgettable adventure. For our wedding anniversary, my husband, our two children and I decided to return to this beautiful country for our second visit. We had explored New Zealand’s spectacular South Island a few years ago, so this time we chose to discover the North Island, hoping to experience a completely different side of the country. Our North Island journey took us through beautiful cities, charming towns, breathtaking landscapes and many fascinating attractions. Among all the places we visited, however, one stood out as a favourite for our entire family: Hobbiton Movie Set. Our kids are huge fans of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit , so they were especially excited about visiting Hobbiton. Over the years, my husband and I have watched these movies several times together with our children, making the magical world of Middle Earth a familiar part of our family. That made our visit even more special. As we...

A Journey Back Through Six Centuries of Chinese History Some places in the world simply leave you speechless and "The Forbidden City in Beijing" is undoubtedly one of them. During our family trip to China in April, my husband, our two children and I had the opportunity to visit this magnificent palace complex. It was one of the highlights of our entire journey. From the moment we walked through its enormous gates, we felt as though we had stepped back hundreds of years into imperial China. The Forbidden City is not just another tourist attraction,it's a place where history comes alive. Every courtyard, golden rooftop, carved doorway and ancient hall tells the story of emperors, royal families, court officials and one of the world's greatest civilizations. As we wandered through the palace grounds, we couldn't stop admiring the incredible Chinese architecture, learning about the fascinating traditions of the imperial court and imagining what life was like for the e...