Visiting New Zealand helped me realise one of my life’s dreams. And that was to see and interact with Kea and Kākā parrots.

The Kea "Nestor notabilis", is the world’s only true alpine parrot, and is renowned for their cheeky disposition and high intelligence. Beautiful, graceful and full of life, these parrots have been the subject of my curiosity and love ever since my mother told stories of them to me when I was very little, and the “horrors” they enacted on the hire car on my parents honeymoon. (They mobbed the car and stripped the window sealing from the doors haha).

It was an honor to finally see them in person, if only at zoo’s and wildlife parks. Now, I must head to the other island and see them in the wild!

Taken at Auckland zoo