Category Archives: Travel

Antique Antique Shop Owners of Japan

Off The Top of My Head By Paul Murray A few years ago, I was exploring the back streets of the old Japanese city of Kamakura, which was the de facto capital of Japan during the Kamakura Period (1185–1333). The … Continue reading

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Posted in Antiques, Art, Business, Economics, Funny, Gifts, Hilarous, Historical, Humor, Japan, Marriage, New Zealand, Paul Murray, Photography, Social Commentary, Tokyo, Tourism, Travel, Uncategorized, War | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Aotearoa AWOL at Osaka World EXPO

Murray Family’s Quest to Locate MIA New Zealand at Expo 2025 Off The Top of My Head By Paul Murray My family and I recently flew to Tokyo on our annual pilgrimage to visit my wife Sanae’s parents. This year. … Continue reading

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Posted in Adventure, Australia, Bureaucracy, Children, Economics, Education, Entertainment, Hilarious, Hilarous, Humor, Humour, Japan, Karamea, Media, Money, New Zealand, Parenting, Paul Murray, Photography, Politics, Product review, Social Commentary, Tourism, Travel, West Coast | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Kudos for the Karamea Summer Holiday Programme     

Off the Top of My Head      By Paul Murray      With financial support from the Community Led-Development Programme (CLDP), local volunteers have provided Karamea kids with a wonderful schedule of exciting, intellectually stimulating and practical activities this summer. From cooking, Stand … Continue reading

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Posted in Artist, Children, Community, Community-Led Development, Education, Entertainment, Environment, Fitness, Health, Heaphy Track, Kahurangi National Park, Karamea, Karamea Radio, Mountain Biking, Music, New Zealand, Oparara, Oparara Basin, Oparara Valley Track, Parenting, Paul Murray, Social Commentary, South Island, Sustainability, Sustainablity, Tramping, Travel, West Coast | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Murray Family Life in Sunny Karamea

Anabela Rea, Oct 24 2023: STUFF NZ From Tokyo to Karamea: The Start of the Road at the End of the World’s Longest Cul de Sac. Sanae and Paul Murray say life is sweet in this remote town of 700 … Continue reading

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Posted in Artist, Cheese, Children, Environment, Environmentally Responsible Business, Food, Gardening, Health, Japan, Kahurangi National Park, Karamea, LivinginPeace Project, New Zealand, Oparara, Paul Murray, Photography, Property, Rongo, Social Commentary, South Island, Sustainability, Sustainablity, Tokyo, Tourism, Travel, West Coast | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How Tourism Sustains Life in Karamea  

Off the Top of My Head  By Paul Murray  The idyllic rural community of Karamea in the Buller District at the the top of the West Coast, is possibly the most remote on Mainland New Zealand in terms of its … Continue reading

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Posted in 107.5 FM, Art, Artist, Arwen Dyer, Community, Community-Led Development, Conservation, DOC, Economics, Education, Environment, Environmentally Responsible Business, Food, Heaphy Track, Kahurangi National Park, Karamea, Karamea Radio, Karamea Radio 107.5 FM, Mining, Money, Nature, New Zealand, Oparara, Oparara Basin, Oparara Valley Track, Paul Murray, Photography, Radio Karamea, Real Estate, Restaurant, Social Commentary, Social Equity, South Island, Sustainability, Sustainablity, Tourism, Travel, West Coast | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

West Coast Wearable Art Show WOWs All Comers

Karamea’s Creative Couture Transcends All Expectations   Off the Top of My Head   By Paul Murray   WOW! The World of Wearable Art came to the small rural community of Karamea at the top of the West Coast of the South Island … Continue reading

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Posted in Art, Artist, Buller District Council, Community, Community-Led Development, Culture, Education, Entertainment, Environment, Funny, Karamea, LivinginPeace Project, Nature, New Zealand, Paul Murray, Photography, Property Brokers, Tourism, Travel, Uncategorized, West Coast | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

In for a Penny, Out with a Pounding

Off the Top of My Head  Book Review: “The Last Front Line: Building the Paparoa Great Walk” by Brendan O’Dwyer  By Paul Murray  It’s a long way from Tipperary to the wilds of the Paparoa National Park on the West Coast of the South Island … Continue reading

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Posted in Adventure, Book Review, Brendan O'Dwyer, DOC, Environment, Historical, Karamea, Mining, Mountain Biking, MTB, Nature, New Zealand, Paparoa, Paul Murray, South Island, Tourism, Tramping, Travel, West Coast | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Singapore Airlines Article on Karamea/Nelson/Collingwood

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Posted in Collingwood, Environment, Heaphy Track, Kahurangi National Park, Karamea, LivinginPeace Project, Nature, Nelson, New Zealand, Oparara, Oparara Basin, Oparara Valley Track, Photography, Rongo, Rongo Backpackers & Gallery, South Island, Sustainability, Travel, West Coast | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Karamea Food-Branding Initiative Gathers Momentum

Off the Top of My Head By Paul Murray Buller Community Development Facilitator Peter Howard recently presented information at the Karamea Bowling Club about a proposal to establish a “social enterprise” in Karamea to bolster the local economy, create employment and … Continue reading

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Posted in Agriculture, Australia, Buller District Council, Business, Economics, Education, Efficiency, Environment, Environmentally Responsible Business, Gardening, Health, Kahurangi National Park, Karamea, Money, Nature, Oparara, Oparara Basin, Oparara Valley Track, Paul Murray, Permaculture, Photography, Social Commentary, Social Enterprise, Social Equity, South Island, Sustainability, Travel, Uncategorized, West Coast | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Worldly Gentlemen Gather in Honour of the Big Man

Off ZZTop of my Head By Paul Murray A wide range gentlemen from all parts of the Earthisphere arrived at Rongo Backpackers & Gallery on a spectacular Karamea evening to celebrate the end of Master Brian “Big Man” Thomson’s bachelorhood. Yes Ladies, … Continue reading

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Posted in 107.5 FM, Big Man, DJ Crap, Entertainment, Environmentally Responsible Business, Funny, Hilarious, Hilarous, Humor, Humour, Japan, Karamea, Karamea Radio, LivinginPeace Project, New Zealand, Parody, Paul Murray, Peace, Photography, Rongo Backpackers & Gallery, Social Commentary, South Island, Travel, Uncategorized, Wedding, West Coast | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments