About Matt Long
Who am I? I am a typical Gen-Xer and recovering cubicle-dweller who has a passion for all things travel. My site brings a unique perspective that is hard to find online. I am not a backpacker, nor am I...
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Visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Sites
11 April 2013 11:55 PM | 14 Comments -
20 Things Every Smart Traveler Should Know
11 March 2013 11:55 PM | 33 Comments -
Five Foods You Must Eat in Europe
12 November 2012 8:10 PM | 23 Comments -
Five Reasons to Stop Dreaming and Travel Now
16 April 2012 11:55 PM | 44 Comments -
So What’s Reykjavik Really Like?
28 February 2012 11:55 PM | 30 Comments
As Seen In:
South Pacific/Hawaii Archive
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Kings Canyon Death March, er, Hike
Posted on October 4, 2011 | 4 CommentsI have a confession. I have never been on a forced march, made to do hard labor in a Federal penitentiary or been indentured to a life of servitude. And yet, all of these feelings came to the forefront as we began the Kings Canyon... -
Finding the Best Hotel For Your Visit to Uluru
Posted on October 3, 2011 | No CommentsEven though I enjoyed every moment of exploring the Northern Territory’s Red Centre, the real star of course was Uluru (Ayer’s Rock). If you travel to Uluru, you will necessarily be a guest of the Voyages Ayers Rock Resort, namely because they’re the only game... -
Travel Mystery – Why Australia Will Never Have Burger King
Posted on October 2, 2011 | 21 Commentsphoto credit: Sweet One I love bizarre societal quirks. Little details that many may miss and travel guides never address. I was confronted with one such oddity on a recent trip to Australia. I noticed a lot of restaurants that looked like Burger King, they... -
Queenstown, You Let Me Down
Posted on September 29, 2011 | 20 CommentsI wanted to like Queenstown. Everyone said I would like Queenstown. There didn’t seem to be a reason not to like Queenstown. That’s why I was confused as I sat in the Queenstown airport departing for home after a week in New Zealand. I was... -
Travel Itinerary – 48 Hours in Sydney
Posted on September 28, 2011 | 4 CommentsOur first introduction to Australia came at the end of a fifteen hour flight to Sydney. Our Australian schedule was a busy one and we only had two days to spend exploring this great harbor town. I knew it wouldn’t be enough time, but I... -
Voting for the New Seven Wonders – A Case for Uluru
Posted on September 26, 2011 | 3 CommentsA couple of months ago I wrote about the New 7 Wonders of Nature competition that is currently underway. The effort follows on the heels of the New 7 Wonders project that, while somewhat flawed, was very successful. One can argue about having a voting... -
Desert Oasis – Kings Canyon Resort Experience
Posted on September 26, 2011 | 8 CommentsI’m not going to lie, getting to Kings Canyon from Alice Springs was a bit of an event. I guess I’m just a soft city mouse, but the two hours of driving on corrugated, teeth shattering dirt roads was a bit much. But that introduction... -
River Journey through Wanaka – Exploring the Misty Mountains of New Zealand
Posted on September 25, 2011 | 6 CommentsSue was right on time picking me up from the Edgewater Hotel and asked if I’d bundled up enough. I hadn’t planned well for New Zealand’s South Island. Intellectually I knew that it would be winter, but for some reason I never processed that this... -
Boat Tourism – Seeing the Other Side of a City
Posted on September 22, 2011 | 5 CommentsI love exploring new cities; finding hidden alleyways and cool shops are some of the best travel experiences anyone can have. One of the best ways to learn more about a city though is by leaving it, sort of. Exploring a city from the water... -
Part II – Off-Roading in Australia – My Campervan Road Trip Through the Red Centre
Posted on September 20, 2011 | 1 CommentContinued from yesterday Part II It wasn’t just the lack of paved roads that scared me, it was the uncertainty of the condition of the roads on which I knew we would have to drive for several hundred kilometers before we reaching the Kings Canyon... -
Off-Roading in Australia – My Campervan Road Trip Through the Red Centre
Posted on September 19, 2011 | 2 CommentsPart of the condition of my trip to Australia’s Red Centre was that we travel around in a Britz Campervan. The idea was to replicate the trip Andrew Evans, the world famous travel writer and digital nomad, took around the Northern Territory. Since I won... -
Weird New Zealand – Staying at the Hobbit Hotel
Posted on September 18, 2011 | 15 CommentsWeird Hobbit Hotel I’m in love with New Zealand, from the rolling verdant hills of the North Island to the soaring peaks of the Southern Alps, I love it all. But it’s not just the natural beauty that draws me in, it’s the unique,... -
Light, Shadow and Rock – The Changing Faces of Uluru
Posted on September 15, 2011 | 3 Comments -
Discovering the Sydney Opera House
Posted on September 13, 2011 | 8 CommentsMajor landmarks can be a letdown sometimes. Either they’re not as impressive as you thought or after a lifetime of dreaming about THE moment when you actually get to see the famous wonder, the reality is a bit of a letdown. With this in mind,... -
Finding Hidden Travel Secrets – The Med Market in Wanaka
Posted on September 12, 2011 | 2 CommentsWhere can you find the winners of both New Zealand’s best sausage and ice cream? Fancy restaurant, boutique hotel café? Nope, these and other world class foodstuffs call the unassuming Mediterranean Market in Wanaka their home. Originally the Mediterranean Market, or Med Market as locals... -
Five Ways Australia Surprised Me
Posted on September 11, 2011 | 23 CommentsBefore our trip to Australia, I thought I generally knew what to expect: koalas roaming the streets, free beer and lots of shrimps on the barbie. I was surprised though when confronted with the reality, but here are the things that surprised me the most.... -
Wanaka in a Day – Water, Wine and West Coast Flair
Posted on September 8, 2011 | 2 CommentsMy first introduction to Wanaka was at night after a long drive along State Highway 6 from Franz Josef. I actually made the drive much longer than it normally is, I just couldn’t resist stopping every few miles to observe some of the most breathtaking... -
Quirky Australia – The Great Ned Kelly Debate
Posted on September 8, 2011 | 5 CommentsA lot of things confused me about Australia. Paying $4 for a 20oz. Diet Coke, the nonchalant attitude towards the myriad poisonous things that can cause instant death just to name a couple. But what really threw me for a proverbial loop was the admiration... -
Facing My Fears on the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb
Posted on September 7, 2011 | 11 CommentsI don’t like heights. Well, not at all heights. My phobia is unpredictable and usually irrational; I have no problem flying, but a three foot ladder makes my legs wobble. That’s why I wasn’t sure if I could actually tackle the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb.... -
Dinner and a Movie Wanaka Style – Enjoying a Night Out at Cinema Paradiso
Posted on September 5, 2011 | 3 CommentsWanaka is a strange little town. One of the great vacation destinations on New Zealand’s South Island, Wanaka still retains a small town vibe making it a great place to explore. It seemed as if there was something a little strange and always unique tucked... -
Three of the World’s Best Walking Tours
Posted on September 5, 2011 | 12 CommentsEven though I love unique and sometimes unusual ways to experience new travel destinations, one of the best ways to learn about a new place is through a classic walking tour. Organized tours can highlight a neighborhood or entire city, while self-guided walks offer precious... -
Getting Back to Nature in Victoria
Posted on September 2, 2011 | 4 CommentsEven though we still had dust in our shoes from our adventure in Australia’s Red Centre, we were eager to explore some of the best natural sites in the state of Victoria – Healesville Sanctuary and Phillip Island. We rented a car for the day... -
Falling in Love with Melbourne – Lanes, Arcades and the X-Factor
Posted on September 1, 2011 | 4 CommentsGetting to Melbourne was a chore pure and simple. We were on the road before dawn, leaving Uluru behind us and pointing the car towards Alice Springs. Five hours, several hundred kilometers, four kangaroos and a singing dingo later we boarded the first of our... -
How to Experience the Best of Lanai in a Day
Posted on August 31, 2011 | No CommentsMost people who visit the Hawaiian island of Lanai stay for a few days or even a week or more, taking time to relax and enjoy the unique features that make this tiny island a popular vacation destination. Many more though travel to Lanai from... -
Experiencing the Sacred and Sublime at Ayers Rock – Exploring the Northern Territory
Posted on August 31, 2011 | 5 CommentsAyers Rock, or Uluru, is a well oiled machine. Not the rock of course, but the resort and National Park complex. We got our first taste of The Rock the night before while enjoying a dinner under the stars at the Sounds of Silence experience,... -
Kings Canyon, Ayers Rock and Everything In-Between – Exploring Northern Territory
Posted on August 30, 2011 | 2 CommentsWe woke before dawn, the sounds of the nocturnal desert coming to a slow end as prepared ourselves for the Kings Canyon Rim Walk. I’m not going to lie, it was hard, but like most things it was worth it in the end. The six... -
Exploring the Northern Territory – Alice Springs and the Red Centre Way
Posted on August 29, 2011 | 1 CommentAfter our brief stay in Sydney, it was finally for us to fly to Alice Springs and start the Northern Territory portion of our trip. It was the Northern Territory that brought us to Australia in the first place, and I was eager to explore... -
Exploring Sydney – The Rocks, The House and The Climb
Posted on August 26, 2011 | 7 CommentsAfter more than 24 hours of planes, airports and really bad food, we touched down in Sydney, Australia. Neither of us could really believe it, Australia was the stuff of movies, novels and old reruns of Facts of Life. For both of us it... -
Learning to Love the Spa – A Global Journey Through Thermal Springs and Pools
Posted on August 25, 2011 | 1 CommentBeing American as I am, I always thought the term ‘spa’ referred to a place where people go to receive massage treatments, facials and pedicures. Once in a while I would notice people calling their Jacuzzi a ‘spa’ but I quickly dismissed it. It wasn’t... -
Visiting Rippon Winery – The Most Photographed Vineyard in the World
Posted on August 23, 2011 | 3 CommentsI first heard about Rippon Winery at dinner my first night in Wanaka. The manager had stopped by to see how my meal was going and was shocked that I hadn’t tried any wine from nearby Rippon vineyards. I really didn’t know what to say,... -
On the Road Again – Franz Josef to Wanaka on the Great West Coast Drive
Posted on August 21, 2011 | 10 CommentsMy trip to New Zealand was a blur of sheep, gorgeous views and of course roads – lots of roads. I recently wrote about my first day driving on the Great West Coast Road of New Zealand’s South Island, but it was the second day... -
Hot Pools, Kiwis and Glacier Hikes – How to Spend a Day in Franz Josef
Posted on August 18, 2011 | 4 CommentsI can safely say without exaggeration that I loved just about every moment of my trip to New Zealand. There’s a spirit to the country that seemed to capture my own. In spite of my Kiwiphilia, there were highs and lows, just as on any... -
Exploring Australia – The Itinerary
Posted on August 18, 2011 | 17 CommentsEarlier this year the Northern Territory of Australia, in conjunction with the amazing National Geographic travel writer Andrew Evans, hosted a contest asking people to name the reason why the Northern Territory is the place they would most like to visit in Australia. Entries were... -
Five Things I Wish I Knew Before Visiting Hawaii
Posted on August 17, 2011 | 10 CommentsI had wanted to visit Hawaii since I was ten years old when I ravenously digested the novel Hawaii by James Michener. There was just some intangible quality about the way in which he brought to life the history and traditions of the islands that... -
The Great West Coast Drive Experience – Greymouth to Franz Josef Glacier
Posted on August 16, 2011 | 3 CommentsWest Coast Drive NZ Part I I was looking forward to exploring the West Coast region of New Zealand’s South Island, even if it meant a lot of driving. I enjoyed driving around New Zealand, in spite of driving on the left-hand side of... -
New Zealand TranzAlpine Scenic Rail Experience
Posted on August 14, 2011 | 11 CommentsI recently wrote about four travel styles that are so iconic that everyone should really try them at least once. High on that list for me personally was an epic train ride, which I finally experienced in New Zealand when I boarded the famous TranzAlpine... -
How to Explore Christchurch in a Day – Penguins, Punts and Cheese
Posted on August 11, 2011 | 2 CommentsChristchurch in a Day Christchurch has an international reputation for being a vibrant, fun community with a lot of English flair. It has also traditionally served as the gateway to many other tourist destinations on the South Island including the gorgeous West Coast. The... -
Trouble in Paradise – The Great Lanai Windmill Debate
Posted on August 10, 2011 | 3 CommentsI first noticed it on the drive from the airport into town. It was a homemade banner attached to the fence in front of a house and while simple, the message was clear. It was a photo of a windmill with a red line through... -
Exploring Antarctica in Christchurch
Posted on August 9, 2011 | 2 CommentsI thought I knew what to expect in Christchurch. I was going to tour the earthquake damaged city and report back on the current state of tourism. A glance at my schedule told me this also included a visit to the Antarctic Centre, but I... -
What’s that Smell? Defining the Indefinable at Lake Rotorua
Posted on August 7, 2011 | 5 CommentsI’ve written about the various tourist activities in this North Island travel destination, but there’s just something about the New Zealand lake town that I couldn’t quite put into words. Looking back on my time in Rotorua, I think it has everything to do with... -
Learning about Maori Culture at Te Puia
Posted on August 2, 2011 | 3 CommentsOne of the first things I noticed at the Te Puia cultural center in Rotorua, New Zealand was a sign with the daunting phrase, “Te Whakarewarewatanga O Te Ope Taua A Wahiao.” My brain hurt just thinking about how to pronounce it, but the guide... -
Shooting My Way Out of Lanai
Posted on August 1, 2011 | No CommentsI’m not a big gun person. I don’t have a problem with people owning them, well in concept, but I just don’t have a lot of experience around them. When I was younger my grandfather and I used to shoot down empty Maxwell coffee cans... -
Finding the Words for Christchurch
Posted on July 31, 2011 | 9 CommentsThe entire impetus for my trip to New Zealand was because of Christchurch. Earlier in the year, I participated in a remarkable project designed to promote New Zealand as a tourist destination after the earthquakes in Christchurch. New Zealand Tourism liked my posts, so they... -
How to Spend a Day in Rotorua – Sheep, Sulfur and Zorbing
Posted on July 26, 2011 | 6 CommentsLocated in the heart of New Zealand’s North Island, the Rotorua region is one of the country’s oldest tourist destinations, all because of some smelly water. The geothermal activity has made the lake area a spa destination for as long as there have been visitors... -
How to be a Cheesy Tourist in New Zealand – The Agrodome Sheep Farm
Posted on July 21, 2011 | 2 CommentsI’ve written a few times about my zeal for being a tourist. That’s right, I’m not afraid of the word so many others shrink from in fear. There’s a lot to be said for finding unique travel experiences, that is until you realize there aren’t... -
Black Water Rafting in the Glowworm Caves of Waitomo
Posted on July 20, 2011 | 7 CommentsWaitomo Glowworm Caves My first day in New Zealand was spent in the pastoral region of the North Island known as Waitomo. As I drove along State Highway 1 to the legendary home of the glowworms, I couldn’t help but think about the adventurous day... -
What is Zorbing – OGO, The Human Hamster Ball
Posted on July 17, 2011 | 9 CommentsWhat is Zorbing? The first time I heard the word “Zorb” was during a Twitter travel chat about Australia and New Zealand. After some research, I quickly learned about the Zorb phenomenon and I knew that I had to find a way to try the... -
Glowworms and Caves – How to Spend a Day in Waitomo New Zealand
Posted on July 13, 2011 | 6 CommentsLocated two hours from Auckland on New Zealand’s North Island, Waitomo is one of the country’s oldest tourist attractions. While the local Maori had known about the limestone cave system for generations, it wasn’t until 1887 when they first introduced the luminous caves to outsiders.... -
Reflecting Cook and Tasman – Getting the Perfect Photo at Lake Matheson New Zealand
Posted on July 11, 2011 | 8 CommentsMy trip to New Zealand, as part of the Blog4NZ Project, was a whirlwind romance. I was there for only a week, yet I visited both the North and South Islands and was never in the same bed twice. I know it’s not the ideal... -
Travel Spotlight – Koele Ranch Life, Lanai Hawaii
Posted on July 11, 2011 | No CommentsThe paniolo, or cowboy, has a long history in the Hawaiian highlands. Lanai is no stranger to this history, which is still honored today. Unlike many other Hawaiian islands, Lanai did not attract Westerners until relatively late in its modern history. The lack of a...
