Paranormal Journeys had the privilege of having an article written for us by the Australian site Ghost Crime Tours. We are so excited to be recognised more not only nationally, but internationally! With so much going on, it is such an exciting time for the group!

Here is a copy of the article below. You can check out the original on the Ghost Crime Tours website here.

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You can also visit the main site here and have a look at the exciting things they've got going on as well.

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Paranormal Investigations in New Zealand

Ghosts. Spirits. Hauntings. Paranormal. What comes into your mind when you hear these
words? Does it make you shiver? Or does it make you curious?
For most people, ghost hunting might just be a hobby. But for the team in Manawatu, New
Zealand, it’s more than just going through dark spaces to catch ghosts. It’s about satisfying
one's curiosity and understanding the things around us that the naked eye cannot see. It has
become a passion and a way of relating to the other side of life.

Paranormal Journeys & Investigations was established in 2017. Though only a couple of years
in their field, they are already making a name as trusted paranormal investigators in New
Zealand.

Before forming her team, founder Tracy Aydon used to join ghost tours and paranormal
investigations with other groups. She was able to investigate Larnach Castle and had always
been fond of the supernatural world.

“We are a new team, only a couple years old. But, we have built ourselves from the ground up.”
She excitedly responded when asked about her team. “We love to help those in need and
educate them on what they are experiencing,” she continued.

The group is composed of very talented and passionate individuals. They have been to various
locations that are said to be haunted. Let’s take a look at what they have achieved in the past
years, what they’re up to these days, and what they’re excited for in the future?

Napier Prison Overnight Lockdown

In the evening of July 2017, Paranormal Journeys & Investigations went on their very first big
adventure as a new team. Though they were new and had limited equipment at that time, this
didn't stop them from going on an adventure together. Indeed, it was a very exciting experience
for the group as they had conducted an overnight investigation locked inside Napier Prison, the
oldest and the most haunted prison in New Zealand. To let you know how scary it feels like to
be locked inside, here’s a little background of the place.

Napier Prison was constructed in 1862. Aside from being a prison, it was used as an orphanage
and at the same time as a psychiatric unit until it was decommissioned in 1993. Four hangings
were conducted at the prison. Its most famous inmate is Roland Edwards, a mass murderer
who was convicted of murder by slitting the throats of his wife and four children. He was hanged
on July 15, 1884, but his spirit was said to continually haunt the prison. Reports of mysterious
footsteps, disembodied faces, unexplainable opening and closing of doors, and other
paranormal events are said to be more pervasive around the anniversary of his death.
During the paranormal investigation, one PJ&I member was pushed by an unseen force. The
CCTV cameras interfered with something indescribable and a whimpering sound was heard
from the women’s wing, which was the most active area as there were numerous orbs and
disruptions seen on the CCTV monitors.

After the investigation, the team concluded that it was a night well spent. It was exciting and
informative, and each member was fully dedicated in doing their tasks without any interruptions
from the outside world. What they experienced inside Napier Prison inspired them and had
given them a thirst for more paranormal investigations. They are planning to visit the prison
again within the year and do another in-depth investigation with more advanced paranormal
equipment and gears.

Speakesy Bar

In September 2018, the team also investigated Speakeasy Bar in Palmerston North. Their
dedication to their work helped them build a great relationship with the bar owners. In fact, they
were invited to conduct “showcases” at the bar and talk about what the team is about and what
they actually do. They were also encouraged to display the evidence they have acquired over
the last couple of years and hold a paranormal investigation that is open to the public. The team
was very excited about this. Too bad, Speakeasy Bar has now been closed down.

Home Investigations

Aside from the thrill of doing lockdowns and investigations by themselves, the PJ&I team feels
very blessed every time people contact them for help.

One family went to them because they were experiencing quite a lot of unexplained disturbance
at home. In one of the children's bedrooms, their child was hearing strange and heavy
breathing. While in their younger child's bedroom, she said she’s unable to sleep sometimes
because it feels like someone is always watching her. There was also a time when her closet
door would strangely swing open for no reason. Heavy footsteps were heard upstairs even
though no one was there. People had also seen figures looking out the window on the upper
part of the house. What made it scarier is that the window is inaccessible as there are no stairs
or floors to reach that part of the house.

Because of this, they asked PJ&I to investigate. Near the end of the night, the team had an EVP
session in the lounge and a K2 meter was used as a medium for the spirit to answer questions.
The K2 was going off constantly with high readings and the CCTV cameras caught an
unexplained mist at one point. During the session, the mother was asking questions about a
close friend who had died. Using the K2, the spirit answered that it was him, that he was
watching over her baby boy, and was also watching over her during a difficult time she had just
gone through.

After the team had reviewed all the recordings, the family photos, and after talking with the
family, they found evidence that the activity in the girl’s room was made by their grandmother
who died in the previous year.

Since then, paranormal activities inside the house have calmed down and the children were no
longer afraid to be in their bedrooms. During that session, they actually got to hear the
grandmother's voice during the EVP session. It was very reassuring to them and even brought
happy tears to their eyes. 

Moments like these give PJ&I the drive to do more investigations. This is why they want to get
their name out there—reach out to everyone and help more families.

Urban Exploration

PJ&I describes Urban Exploration as the historical interest and exploration of man-made
structures, usually abandoned homes, buildings and other infrastructures, and documenting the
beauty of it through photography.

In November 2017, Sophia and Tracey went to visit three abandoned homes in the Manawatu
region. Inside these homes were some things that were once valuable like old record players,
sewing machines, and push bikes. One house might have been owned by a musician since a
couple of music books were seen scattered around. Another house has a car and motorbike left
in the garage.

One home had a gloomy and unwelcoming feel to it. When the back door of the house was
suddenly slammed shut, they immediately knew that something didn’t want them there. They
hope to return with the whole team to carry out an investigation next time.

The activities that they have done together have inspired the team to do more paranormal
research and studies. They want to perform more ghost tours, especially in the Manawatu area
in New Zealand. They are hoping to put a book together regarding their adventures with the
photos they gathered from their urban exploration. The team is also open to charity
investigations and fundraisers to help community organizations in raising awareness of mental
illness in children and teenagers.

The team is excited about their upcoming project with a local radio station, Manawatu People's
Radio (MPR). They are currently planning to have a weekly radio show which will be
broadcasted live and will also be made available as a podcast, which will be available on PJ&I’s
website.

Contact us. It’s free!

There are so many signs of possible paranormal activities and it is very important to reach out to
professional paranormal investigators near you for help. If you feel certain strangeness or any
negative vibrations inside your house, contact Paranormal Journey & Investigations. They will
be happy to investigate and bring back the calmness of your home.

To know more about our services, check out our website or call us at 021 0893 2847 today!