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It had been years since Jelley was in California, and slightly fewer years since Luke was last in his hometown, and we were happy to be here - a little older, wiser and even more appreciative for every chance to spend with family and friends. It was also still technically Covid times when we last visited, so it felt like a totally different lifetime. We landed and went straight to Stinson Beach to catch up with Luke's Mom. Stinson Beach had become our home base when traveling

Leaving New Zealand is never easy, but saying goodbye this time around hit a little differently. We felt incredibly grateful for all the quick summer catch-ups and quality time with loved ones, and knew we would be back again later in the year. Adventure was calling! A Kiwi and a Cali were officially back on the loose and ready to explore the world properly again! Our first destination was a big Aloha to the islands of Hawaii, serving as the perfect sunny stopover before head

After the whirlwind of living and working in Sydney, we were super duper ready to escape the urban hustle, head out to the Aussie outback, and finally decompress and unplug. Jelley had spent weeks researching a few different options around Australia, trying to figure out where we could get the best dose of nature. Unfortunately, we happened to be traveling right around the Easter school holidays, which meant most of the usual hot spots like the Great Barrier Reef and Tasmania

After the absolute whirlwind of living and working in Japan, we were excited to point our compass back toward the Southern Hemisphere. Our first stop was back to Christchurch for a friend's wedding, which was such a highlight. It was the first time we had seen the majority of our NZ friends since our own wedding, so it felt like one giant, joyous reunion. Stepping off the plane, it was an adjustment going from Japanese culture back to life Down Under. The culture shock was re

There is a specific kind of magic in enjoying a holiday highlight reel, but nothing compares to the quiet realisation that you have actually moved somewhere new. It is the moment you stop being a tourist and start weaving yourself into the fabric of a different country. For 10 months of 2025, we traded the slow travel rhythm for a full-on working life in Osaka, Japan. We feel incredibly lucky to have been able to call Japan home in 2025 and it was absolutely worth cutting out

After the initial rush of being back on New Zealand soil, we dove straight into a summer of adventures with some of our favourite people. It felt incredible to be home, and we wasted no time booking in some trips to celebrate being back in the Land of the Long White Cloud. First up was a big one for the Jelley family as we headed south to attempt the Routeburn Track one of the famed “Great Walks” down in Fiordland (bottom of NZ). On the drive down, we were lucky enough to cat

After over year of bouncing around Asia, Europe and North Africa, we were finally ready to make our way back to New Zealand to set off on our biggest adventure yet, getting married! As much as we loved the chaos of the road, we were both buzzing with excitement to get back to New Zealand. We knew the second our feet touched the ground in Christchurch, it would be a non-stop sprint of wedding preparations and catching up with everyone, but we were more than ready for it. Getti

Arriving at Marrakech airport was an instant shock to the senses. It was so busy. Something like 17 flights landed within the space of an hour, and passport control (customs) clearly was not built for that kind of chaos. Jelley was pretty relaxed since she knew what to expect, but Luke was feeling a bit more on edge. Brand new country, brand new culture, and a whole lot happening at once. Still, underneath it all, we were both buzzing with excitement about what Morocco had i