Random and occasional musings from a down-under, sometimes-stroppy, travel-writer, photographer & nomad. I no longer write as the kiwitravelwriternoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Sun, 3 Aug 2025 03:51:53 +1200Blogger http://www.blogger.com202125http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/en-usnoRandom and occasional musings from a down-under, sometimes-stroppy, travel-writer, photographer & nomad. I no longer write as the kiwitravelwriterRandom and occasional musings from a down-under, sometimes-stroppy, travel-writer, photographer & nomad. I no longer write as the kiwitravelwriternoreply@blogger.comhttp://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2024/09/free-e-books-world-travel-suicide-grief.htmlFree ebooksfreelance writerHow to survive a suicidekiwitravelwritersuicide grieftraveltravel booksnoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Thu, 5 Sep 2024 14:25:00 +1200tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-8081374746195339181 The price of my three e-books are now $0.00 – on Amazon: "A Love Letter to Malaysian Borneo.", "Surviving Suicide" and, "Naked in Budapest: travels with a passionate nomad,". Enjoy my gift to you! A Love Letter to Malaysian Borneo Surviving Suicide Naked in Budapest                                   &0http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2024/09/maybe-i-want-to-come-out-of-retirement.htmlChristchurchNew Zealandsolo travelertravelwriter. Authornoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Sun, 1 Sep 2024 12:03:00 +1200tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-4329147509828089437A wee announcement  ... think I'll start blogging again. Not on Kiwitravelwriter but here on Blogger.  Here is a pics from Christchurch, where I've been for a week. Dogs waiting for their coffee drinking owners at The Boatshed0http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2023/01/announcement-ive-retired.htmlChristchurchkiwitravelwriter l.travelnoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Tue, 7 Nov 2023 10:55:00 +1300tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-4952521229459881915 After about twenty years of use, my Goddady WordPress blog (kiwitravelwriter.wordpress.com) is no more - that is sad, but now I can do other things. not sure what they will be I'm just exploring that one day at a time.Right now I'm thinking of writing a blog about my current trip to Christchurch It must be all the cruise ship passengers giving me the urge!0http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2019/07/looking-forward-to-heat-food-and.htmlbloggingCambodiaHong KongphotosSE AsiaTaiwanTravel talesVietnamnoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Thu, 4 Jul 2019 08:55:00 +1200tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-1170237147213297540 Want to follow my next travels (July & August 2019) here are your choices. My travel stories blog www.kiwitravelwriter.wordpress.com  ) sign-up to get an email when I publish a blog Travel photos as I go  https://www.instagram.com/kiwitravelwriter/ Regular updates about my travels https://www.facebook.com/TheTravellingWriter/ 0http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2019/06/hello-rugby-nz.htmlcrusadersNew Zealand rugby unionopen letterrugbynoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Tue, 18 Jun 2019 11:15:00 +1200tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-7577447622675865769 I sent this to the NZ Rugby Union Board 24th April 2019. The topic line said to the Rugby Union “Please forward to the Board Chair (Brent) and Crusaders (Grant) and all board members” To Brent Impey, Grant Jarrold and your boards, This is an open letter to you and other rugby fans.  I am 73-year-old All Blacks, Canterbury and Crusaders fan. I’ve been a one-eyed Cantabrian 0Canterbury, New Zealand-43.7542275 171.16372449999994-46.702627 166.00015049999993 -40.805828 176.32729849999996http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2019/03/climate-change-worldwide-protests.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Fri, 15 Mar 2019 14:45:00 +1300tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-1661172810617818282 The photos speak for themselves: repost as long as my copyright photos are acknowledged  :) 0http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2019/02/review-of-surviving-suicide-mothers.htmlbookbook reviewgriefHow to survive a suicidesuicide bereavementnoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Tue, 19 Feb 2019 08:41:00 +1300tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-2100783761328320425 Surviving Suicide: a mother's story  by  Heather Hapeta (Goodreads Author) Pip Adam's review  Oct 07, 2012 really liked it Like many people, suicide has been a part of my life from an early age. I found Surviving Suicide: A Mother's Story a very helpful book. Although, thankfully, it has been almost a year since the last suicide in our 0http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2017/09/tips-to-about-how-to-help-after-suicide.htmlHow to survive a suicidesuicide bereavementtips to helpwhat can i donoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Sun, 10 Sep 2017 08:17:00 +1200tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-7151894577182823471 How to help after a suicide death Remember, despite the headlines, suicide deaths are numerically small and the grief from this form of death is different, however, I know, and so do many, many others, it is possible to survive the pain. Here are a few suggestions learnt from my own pain and the experience of others’ when I was involved with the Canterbury Bereaved by Suicide Society: * Do0http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2017/03/apartment-life-and-apologies-to.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Sat, 11 Mar 2017 12:03:00 +1300tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-396248201484154526Twice a year my windows are professionally cleaned.  Inside it's left to amateurs like me ... that's good as I'm on the 4th floor and am scared of heights. Sadly, for my fellow Wellingtonians, this means my street is converted to a one-lane throughfare for a few hours.  Sorry to have my windows hold you up every few months. Here's a photographic story of my street and window cleaners0http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2015/06/a-love-letter-to-malaysian-borneo-or.htmlAmazonebookseco. natureHow to survive a suicidekiwitravelwritermalaysiaMalaysian Borneosuicide bereavementtravel booksnoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Thu, 18 Jun 2015 09:48:00 +1200tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-8596209397949617034 A love letter to Malaysian Borneo, or, can this travel writer be green? By Heather Hapeta There’s no universally accepted definition of ecotourism, and there are considerable overlaps in the meanings. It’s perhaps the most over-used and misused word in the tourism industry - often deliberately misused for marketing purposes. Hapeta say "I’m a self-taught writer, not a journalist, or0http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2014/11/tppa-protests-in-new-zealand.htmlNew Zealand politicsNZprotestTPPAwellingtonnoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Wed, 19 Nov 2014 10:12:00 +1300tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-5976064379140543871 On the 8th November 2014,  Kiwis kick-started the global day of action against the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA). Many New Zealanders believe it poses an enormous threat to NZ’s ability to regulate for itself, and gives foreign investors and multinationals new rights to control NZ laws. The family-friendly march from the Bucket Fountain in Cuba Street to the Civic 0http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2014/08/cows-downunder-in-new-zealand.htmlcowsNZphotonoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Sun, 24 Aug 2014 09:50:00 +1200tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-353113572205402538 0http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2014/07/too-too-cute-baby-turtle-we-called-lucky.htmlconservationeco. natureMalaysian BorneoTurtlesvideoyoutubenoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Mon, 14 Jul 2014 09:32:00 +1200tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-709410714779097477 we called this little fella "lucky'" - hope he is the one in a many hundreds who actually are lucky Writing today about this little fella and it's 199 siblings and cousins. Check out my travel blog (www.kiwitravelwriter.wordprss.com) later to see more photos See the video of its solo trip to the sea. (the others had left in the middle of the night!) 0Sarawak, Malaysia1.8014609294680355 109.7314453125-2.2548085705319645 104.5678713125 5.8577304294680355 114.8950193125http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2014/05/annie-cute-red-headed-orphan.htmlAnniereviewSt James Theatretheatrewellingtonnoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Tue, 27 May 2014 07:57:00 +1200tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-7767726138270501906 Who wouldn’t love the cute red-headed orphan Annie? Attending as guests at the opening night of the UK production of Annie – one of the best-loved, family musicals I believe the two of us were the only people there without knowing a child in the cast – or one who had auditioned! Opening at the St James Theatre, Wellington, to rave reviews, some of which said: ‘What a show - slick, 0Courtenay Place, Te Aro, Wellington 6011, New Zealand-41.2934135 174.78118129999996-41.296396 174.77613879999996 -41.290431 174.78622379999996http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2014/04/cleopatra-eyes.htmlAlbatrossbirdskaikouranative birdsNew ZealandSeabirdsnoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Fri, 11 Apr 2014 09:15:00 +1200tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-1022379865675270670Check out the Cleopatra eyes on this Black-browed Albatross. #Kaikoura #NZ #Birds #seabirds photo by Heather - the kiwitravelwriter 0http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2014/04/new-zealand-week-in-malaysia.htmlMalaysian BorneoNew Zealandnoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Tue, 8 Apr 2014 11:17:00 +1200tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-7318655342219793771 Malaysia was recently full of Kiwis participating in New Zealand Week 2014 – seven days of activities and events exploring and celebrating the links between the two nations. The festival was entitled Lima Mata Ikan (meaning “five fish eyes”), and much was made of the fact that the Maori translation of this phrase is very similar: Rima Mata Ika. There were collaborations 0Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia1.530976 110.344219899999981.0230635 109.69877289999998 2.0388884999999997 110.98966689999999http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2014/03/travel-writing-means-living-dream.htmlMalaysian BorneoOrangutanphotoSabahnoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Mon, 17 Mar 2014 10:02:00 +1300tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-875986029096367150Yes, travel writing allows me to live the dream, and I also get to re-live those travels - in reality during the experience, then again as I write, and yet again as I search through my photos. This cute Mum and baby were at the Sepilok  Orangutan Sanctuary, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo and currently I'm writing about this state .. see more words and photos on my KIWI TRAVEL WRITER blog. 0Sabah, Malaysia5.4204043 116.796784900000031.3791658 111.63321090000004 9.4616428 121.96035890000003http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2014/02/orang-utan-baby-too-cute.htmlmalaysiaMalaysian BorneoOrangutanphotoSabahnoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Sat, 22 Feb 2014 12:16:00 +1300tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-2306404916582632686 Hanging on tight .. Sabah, Malaysian Borneo See more from this region on my travel blog or Facebook page0http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-kiwitravelwiter-tries-to-reduce-her.htmlborneoeco. naturefestivalkuchingmalaysiasarawaknoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Tue, 18 Feb 2014 07:20:00 +1300tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-5554612241615588042 TV cameras watch as my tree is planted. Kuching, Sarawak - at the annual Rainforest World Music FestivalSee more about the region on my Wordpress travel blog KiwiTravelWriter  or my Facebook Travelling Writer page  0Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia1.5732504482467975 110.346851348876951.5573779482467975 110.32668134887696 1.5891229482467975 110.36702134887695http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2014/02/old-reflections-in-new-quake-updates.htmlChristchurchearthquakephotonoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Sat, 15 Feb 2014 17:19:00 +1300tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-8583480201874836344 Victoria Clock Tower is reflected in a new building arising from an old buildings siteVictoria Street, Christchurch, New Zealand  0Victoria Street, Christchurch, New Zealand-43.5239897 172.63030379999998-43.5297462 172.62021879999998 -43.518233200000005 172.64038879999998http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2014/01/happy-new-year-kong-xi-fa-cai.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Mon, 27 Jan 2014 18:50:00 +1300tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-34799030040132524 Happy new year: Kong xi fa cai for the the year of the horse! 0http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2014/01/my-cat-keeps-close-eye-on-neighborhood.htmlcatwellingtonnoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Sun, 26 Jan 2014 17:44:00 +1300tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-6488005070109277817 Mista is the neighborhood watch sheriff from 4 floors up 0Webb Street, Wellington 6011, New Zealand-41.297609 174.77295559999993-41.3005915 174.76791309999993 -41.2946265 174.77799809999993http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2013/12/just-saying.htmlfunny signshumorhumourtipstravelnoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Wed, 25 Dec 2013 13:02:00 +1300tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-3533150469536055780 Just saying!  I bought his postcard at art galley in Amsterdam some years ago 0http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2013/10/festival-time-in-christchurch-new.htmlChristchurcheventsfestivalsnoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Tue, 8 Oct 2013 15:28:00 +1300tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-3324419227471472956 New Zealand Cup and Show Week is just a month away (8th – 16th November) and, as well as all the favourite action, several exciting new events have been added to this year’s nine-day festival. I'll be at the street party in the ReStart mall ... will I see you there? The info I was sent says .... Christchurch City Council Events Development Manager, Richard Attwood says New Zealand 0http://heatherhapeta.blogspot.com/2013/09/is-sarawak-malaysian-borneo-music.htmlfestivalsgolfjazzmalaysiamusicworld musicnoreply@blogger.com (Heather - the Kiwitravelwriter)Mon, 9 Sep 2013 06:54:00 +1200tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959412156629681660.post-4281208175065694948 SARAWAK HOSTING ANOTHER MUSIC ADVENTURE Asia Music Festival will feature musicians from India, Korea, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Brunei and Malaysia that will perform over the 2-days festival. As I sit down to write about the Rainforest World Music Festival in Kutching, Sarawak, (Malaysian Borneo) on my travel blog I receive this information about another music festival set to 0