New Zealand has some spectacular train trips. One of the best is the Overlander. I took this a few years ago from Auckland to Wellington and that was the day that I changed my mind forever about the beauty of the North Island. You travel through the ski towns of National Park and Okahune, and continue on through farmlands and stunning river gorges. The best part was something I didn’t even know about…the famous Raurimu Spiral, an engineering wonder through a beautiful gorge. Something I will never forget. If you want more information, go to www.tranzscenic.co.nz for more information. The trip to Wellington took a whole day, but it was a day well spent. With the added bonus of ending up in Wellington, one of my favorite cities in New Zealand. More about Wellington later.

If you need someone to take care of your pets, bring in your mail and in general look after your house while you’re traveling, call Deb Brightstar at 520-490-2221. You can visit her website at www.doggiedivapetcare.com. Isn’t Doggie Diva a great name? Deb’s motto is “We take care of your pets and home as if they were our own”, and she means it.