Oceania is the smallest continental grouping. It includes Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and small island nations like Fiji and Vanuatu and a bunch of other countries that most people have never heard of.  My interest in going to that part of the world is centered around New Zealand. I grew up in the seventies, and I read some Tolkien when I was young, so of course, I would love to check out the Hobbiton set on the North Island close to Auckland. Aurora Australis on the South Island is my big reason for wanting to go to that part of the World. If you are traveling to other side of the world to see something, its best to set aside some time to see what else is nearby while you’re there, because  it’s likely you won’t be back soon. Anywhere in the southern hemisphere is a great place for me to travel, because it gets me out of the North East U.S. during winter, when its summer down there. My research is only just beginning, but the optimum window for viewing the Southern Lights (Aurora Australis) is March through October, so it looks like the best time for me to start my travel would be late February and then schedule the South Island visit for the end of the trip in March when I can catch the lights. Leading up to that I would like to make it to Sydney and Melbourne while in the area in February, and maybe some interior (Outback) adventure. Most definitely, I will have to get my fill of the flora and fauna photos: ‘roos, wallabies, koalas and maybe a perentie – with the telephoto.