Bring back the magic of snail mail and ignite a passion for travel. Photo / Getty Images
Bring back the magic of snail mail and ignite a passion for travel. Photo / Getty Images
Each week in Reset Travel, we check out some of the latest happenings from Aotearoa and beyond to inspire your next adventure.
Takeaway, not throwaway
It's estimated that in New Zealand we throw away 295 million single-use cups every year. Hands up if you left your keep cup on the sink again! The good news is there's an app for that. Download Again Again to find your closest cafe taking part in a container lending service. Operating much like a library, pay a $3 deposit to borrow a coffee cup from a participating cafe and return it within a certain time period (to any establishment on the app) for a refund – or simply reuse it and go again. Learn more at againagain.co/
Again Again is a container lending system and app. Photo / Getty Images
Looking for something different to do in Queensland this summer? The Chinchilla Melon Festival is exactly that. Taking place from February 16-19 in Chinchilla, roughly three-and-a-half hours by car from Brisbane, it's the world's biggest melon festival. Experience everything from melon skiing to melon throwing. Certainly don't miss the melon chariot racing and pip spitting contest. Visit westerndownsqueensland.com.au
The Chinchilla Melon Festival takes place from February 16-19. Photo / Supplied
When Barbara met Peter
In a world first, Peter is getting a girlfriend. Peter being the skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex currently residing at Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland Museum. On display from December 2, Barbara - one of only three pregnant female T. rex ever discovered - will be joining Peter for their first date in 66 million years. This will be the first time, in any place around the world, that both an adult male and female T. rex have been exhibited together. Be part of something remarkable: free with museum entry from December 2, for a limited time. See aucklandmuseum.com
Barbara the T. rex, on display at Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland Museum from December 2. Photo / Supplied
Looking for a Christmas present to inspire a pint-sized traveller? Letters From Afar brings back the magic of snail mail with monthly delivered letters from Isabelle, a fictional globetrotter. Sign up for a subscription and receive a beautifully illustrated letter each month, detailing the sights, sounds and tastes of far-flung places. See lettersafar.com
As seen on Screen
You watched: Down to Earth, on Netflix Go to: Australia
The new season of Netflix's Down to Earth starring Zac Efron and Darin Olien premiered on November 11, with a focus on Australia's sustainable travel offerings.
Zac Efron on Down To Earth Down Under. Photo / Courtesy of Netflix
If Zac has successfully put you in the mood to explore more of Australia while keeping eco-friendly experiences front of mind, head to Queensland's Cooya Beach for a Kuku Yalanji Cultural Habitat Tour. Forge a path through beach, mangroves and coastal reef with this Aboriginal-owned guided tour company, while learning to throw a spear, hunt and gather medicinal plants.
Head to Queensland's Cooya Beach for a Kuku Yalanji Cultural Habitat Tour. Photo / KY Habitat Tours
In New South Wales, the Blue Mountains Adventure Company leads intrepid guests on all manner of adventures such as canyoning, abseiling, hiking and climbing while respecting the flora and fauna of the mountains.
Or, if you're a foodie on a mission to future-proof the planet, Atiyah Food Culture in Melbourne is Australia's first carbon-zero kitchen. Food is fresh and comforting, with the picnic boxes a must-try. Pick at baba ghanoush and mixed olives, safe in the knowledge you're nourishing much more than just your stomach.
Atiyah Food Culture in Melbourne is Australia's first carbon-zero kitchen. Photo / Supplied
