About ExpatKiwi

I grew up in New Zealand — the kind of place where the scenery is so beautiful it almost tricks you into staying forever. But I always had this pull toward somewhere else, somewhere I hadn't been yet. So I left.

What started as a gap year turned into a life. I became an expat, then a serial expat, moving between countries and collecting the kind of experiences that don't fit neatly into a suitcase. I've navigated foreign bureaucracies, learned to order coffee in more languages than I can count, and discovered that the best restaurant in any city is almost never the one in the guidebook.

ExpatKiwi started because I kept getting the same messages from friends: "Where should I eat in Lisbon?" "Is it worth visiting in winter?" "How do I actually get from the airport to the city centre without getting ripped off?" I realised I had answers — real, tested, opinionated answers — and a blog seemed like a better format than replying to group chats at 2am.

This isn't a highlight reel. I write about the places that genuinely moved me, the meals that changed my understanding of a cuisine, and the practical stuff that saves you time and money. I also write about the awkward bits — getting lost, making mistakes, the days when travel feels more exhausting than exciting. Because that's part of it too, and pretending otherwise doesn't help anyone.

If you're planning a trip, living abroad, or just daydreaming about your next move, I hope you find something useful here. And if you ever want to argue about the best croissant in Paris or the most underrated beach in Southeast Asia, I'm always up for that conversation.