As my time in NZ comes to a close (actually it closed on the 10th) I thought I’d right more practical stuff. For those interested in traveling to New Zealand, 3 weeks is not nearly enough time. I suggest a minimum of 3 months or longer. If you want to see both islands, you will spend most of your time in a car and in a different place every night if you choose a shorter stay. You’ll have to limit your tramping (hiking, not prostituting yourself) to 1 or 2 hours treks. It truly is an outdoor enthusiasts paradise. There is no shortage of trails, sails, or rails on both islands. From bungee-jumping, sky-diving, hot-air ballooning, horseback riding…I can keep going but I’m sure you get the picture.
The best way to see NZ is to hire a campervan (check out Escape's gallery), which there is absolutely no shortage of. As a matter of fact I think NZ’s economy depends on these little gems. I counted at least 12 different companies before I gave up. Hired vehicles here are like clothing. They have one for every shape, size and need. If you want to travel slowly but comfy you can get one of the larger campers, that have it’s own toilet and shower. If you want more of the hippy look you can rent from Escape, all come with their own cool custom paint job (photos to be posted of these ones soon), and are a little more rustic. Picture a VW van from the 60’s. Or you can do what Carolyn and I did and rented the Super Value, which was almost the same size as me. Our little Toyota Starlette was a super little bug that fit the two of us and out gear perfectly. Unfortunately we didn’t have enough room for hitchhikers though. Most hitchers are tourists on a very tight budget and safe to pick up. We ran into a Canadian couple at the Lazy Cow Hostel that were even hitch-hiking carrying an inflatable kayak! Yep on a Canuck would buy a boat before renting a car.
Accommodation…If your traveling on a budge and don’t want to rent a camper (petrol, like everything else in NZ is outrageously expensive…NOTE…if traveling to the glaciers fill up in Franz Joseph instead of Fox. Fox has the most expensive gas in the country, usually 30 cents more than anywhere else), and decide to see a few places, hostels are the way to go. Even if you want your own private room it’s still cheaper than your average hotel/motel. Plus you have the option of cooking for yourself. On average, including breakfasts, your looking at minimum $20 a meal. Multiply that by at least 2 times a day and you’ll seriously go over your intended budget. Not only is the food expensive, it’s not that great. The places we did eat out were average or below. Even most local agree with the lack of good restaurants.
Back to the hostels. The average price for a 4 dorm (4 people per room) is around $22 to $28 a night. You don’t see much of your roommates as most people are out and about. I never had any problems with people yet in any of the hostels I’ve stayed in. Most have lockers that you can store your stuff in as well so you don’t have to worry about things being taken. I was actually amazed at the number of older people staying in hostels.
I joined the YHA (Youth Hostel Association, don’t let the name fool you) for $40 as being a member reduces the rates by about $5. If you know your going to be staying in hostels it’s a good thing to do. Plus it’s international so you can use it anywhere in the world for a year.
Most hostels we stayed in where small and very family oriented. Most travelers, unless staying for more than 3 nights, are not partiers, so you don’t have to put up with drunken young people. At least I didn’t. Before traveling I had a very negative image of hostels. Partly because of the name, also because narcissistically, I thought I was above and beyond them. I’m sure there are not so good ones out there, however, my experience of them has changed my way of thinking of them. I’m grateful they exists. Plus you get to meet really cool people and find out where all the good places to visit, eat and sleep are. They are a wealth of information.
Must see places:
Bay of Islands on the east coast. Don’t go though unless you like being on the water. A sailor’s paradise. You can only get a true sense of the islands unless your amongst them. If you don’t have your own boat, I suggest a smaller company with a smaller boat. We sailed with She’s A Lady. Only 10 of us with a very intelligent, witty, and very sexy skipper. As it’s a small vessel, your often asked to help out. Don’t worry about experience…I had none and I was able to assist, albeit I couldn’t keep the boat straight, however I did discover I love sailing.
Tongariro National Park. Who doesn’t love volcano’s. Beautiful landscapes and hiking trails. I would have love to have done the crossing, but time, didn’t permit it, which is why if I go back to NZ I will be more than happy to spend at least 4 days there.
LakeTaupo: Again, beautiful terrain, lot’s to see and do there on the lake.
Also the most northern tip of the island. Only because I didn’t get to go there and heard it’s stunning.
Wellington…Much hipper than Auckland. A very artsy, crafty and very hilly city. It has a good vibe and tons of stuff to do. The rather annoying thing about Welly, actually New Zealand as a country, is that everything closes very early. Like 5 to 6 pm early. Most of the time it’s not an exact number, usually on the shorter side of the designated closing time. When someone says their closing at 5, they mean they are at home by 5. Unlike North America where 5 usually means still working at 7:30. God knows how anything gets done in NZ.
Definitely Arthur’s Pass. The main reason is it’s the only place I felt some form of life there. Or perhaps it’s because it reminded me of home. I’m not sure. There are things I would love to do there especially the Cave Stream. Hiking for 30 minutes through the cave in sometimes waste deep water seems very appealing.
Takaka and Able Tasman’s National Park…is home to the worlds longest spit due to the severity of the low tides and the blowing sand that is making it larger by the minute. Farewell Spit is 27 kms and growing. If you look at a map of the South Island, it looks like a very long talon extending into the Cook Straight. Plus the Whangunui Inlet is a stunning beach surrounded by lovely sand dunes. Word of warning…if it is windy, be prepared to literally be sand blasted. I’m still picking sand out of unseen places.
We didn’t make it to the far south so by default Milford Sound/ Fiordland National Park make the list. As well as Stewart Island.
We didn’t make it to Queenstown either. I would love to go there for the hot air balloon festival to see the land from above.
New Zealand is truly an outdoor enthusiasts paradise if you love the outdoors your sure to love the land of Kiwi’s. Just be prepared to pay for it. I would definitely like to go back for at least 3 months and camp my way through it spending a little more time in each place. I’m grateful though that I got to see more the island than I intended to. And I’m glad to leave wanting to see more.
