Kaipatiki Creek.

Take a look at an aerial map of Auckland and you’ll notice a prominence of natural reserves and green space, in particular just over the bridge on the North Shore (a.k.a.; Little South Africa, bra). While there are grander examples of green spaces in the world, having a natural reserve exist little further than one’s own backyard is nothing to be sneezed at. A great number of folks, however, will never have ventured in to see what’s only a stone’s throw away.

Case in point; Birkenhead Domain and the adjoining Eskdale Reserve which thousands drive by each day on Glenfield Rd. Heading in for only a few minutes will find you face to face with genuine bush, a torrent of a creek, and a waterfall which, while admittedly modest, is a waterfall nonetheless.

Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea.

Art and culture is the reason to be in Rome, but take note when planning your schedule if you’re a casual art lover: ‘modern’ is a relative term.

If you’re looking for modern art, don’t automatically assume that a place called the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art next to the Villa Borghese gardens is necessarily what you’re looking for. This place covers the 19th and 20th centuries which sounds positively ancient when the period coincides with the early days of the country you live in.

MAXXI Museo Nazionale delle Arti del XXI Secolo.

What you may be looking for is something more along the lines of MAXXI; the newest museum dedicated to 21st century art and architecture. Make your way to Via Guido Reni and look for the building that looks like a train station. Get in fast though. While they may have been able to escape a possible closure only 3 years after opening and have recently landed Hou Hanru as artistic director, wide ranging austerity cuts to arts funding linger on.