Details of our NZ trip
An overview -
We enjoyed our trip for many reasons, not least the hospitality of our 3 hosts.
Christine at Hapua Lodge (Auckland), Tim & June in Cambridge, Noeleen & David in Christchurch.
We found all the other people we dealt with very friendly and helpful and in short NZ is a delightful and interesting destination.
We are based in UK and so "english speaking" and "driving on the correct side of the road" make things very easy.
We found many either low cost or free sites to camp. This suited us as we do not like "big camps"
The 2 Islands are quite different so we really had 2 holidays. One month is a good time but it would be easy to spend 1 month on each island. We chose to do less travelling on NI knowing that we would need to travel more on SI.
Will we return ? ... Maybe in 3 or 4 years
We enjoyed our trip for many reasons, not least the hospitality of our 3 hosts.
Christine at Hapua Lodge (Auckland), Tim & June in Cambridge, Noeleen & David in Christchurch.
We found all the other people we dealt with very friendly and helpful and in short NZ is a delightful and interesting destination.
We are based in UK and so "english speaking" and "driving on the correct side of the road" make things very easy.
We found many either low cost or free sites to camp. This suited us as we do not like "big camps"
The 2 Islands are quite different so we really had 2 holidays. One month is a good time but it would be easy to spend 1 month on each island. We chose to do less travelling on NI knowing that we would need to travel more on SI.
Will we return ? ... Maybe in 3 or 4 years
Daily log
Wed 15th Jan
Bangkok to Auckland Thu 16th
Hapua Lodge B&B Friday 17th
Hapua Lodge B&B Tue 21st
Lake Okareka (DOC) Wed 22nd
Whakatane Carpark Thu 23rd
Tuapiro rd (Kati Kati) Fri 24th
Simpsons beach Sat 25th
Simpsons beach Sun 26th
Coromondel Car park by Police Wed 29th
Little Waipa Fri 31st
On Coach to Wellington Mon 3rd
Lake Mapourika (DOC) Wed 12th
Rakaia Gorge Fri 14th
Mount Pleasant Sat 15th
Hapua Lodge Sun 16th
Hapua Lodge Mon 17th
Bangkok |
Long overnight trip. 1st leg delayed so we missed our connection in Sydney
Arrive AKL just before midnight. Big queues at Immigration/Customs.
Airbus and Taxi arrive in B&B about 2am Day in Auckland, Parnell area walk to Centre. Check PO cashcard. Local bus to Newmarket and walk to Parnell. Meal in Thai restaurant.
Bus from Auckland to Hamilton arriving 3pm. June met us and took us to their house in Cambridge to collect their Motorhome. Quite similar to ours in many ways.
Nice Drive to Taupo, Visited Huka Falls and Hot springs nearby with Maori village.
Raining so shopping in Taupo.
Easy drive stay by Trout Stream at Waiteti Trout Stream Holiday Park. Nice camp Shopping again (Rain). Visit Maori village at Whakarewarewa. Excellent display of Maori culture dancing singing and the HAKA
Nice seaside town/harbour. Look round and relax.
Pleasant enough stayin carpark Tourist info centre helped with this. Lovely area but very very windy.
Kati Kati nice little town. Very very hilly and twisty drive North
Whitianga lovely town Glass bottomed boat cruise to Cathedral cave. Many fish. Water very clear rocks interesting.
Campsite $5 minimal facilities. Drizzle but really nice road over the top of the peninsular to Coromondel and on to Colville (end of the earth). Coromondel like an "Old Wild West" Town and 1 lovely bar
Driving Creek Railway...Excellent, good commentary by driver. Lovely day. Lovely views.Then drive south. Tapu creek excellent little campsite with swimming in creek.
Southwards to Thames and then flat land to Paeroa. Visited old goldmining area at Karangahake.
Back towards Cambridge. Country road by lake Karapiro.
Lovely camp Leisurely day driving round the area.
Really good camping at Hora Hora. Ranger visited...very friendly Again leisurely day. Return motorhome to June & Tim. Talked with them for a couple of hours before they took us to Hamilton Coach Station for the overnight to Wellington
Arrive Wellington early. Transfer to ferry for 3.5 hour crossing of Cook strait.
Then long coach journey to Christchurch. Coach journey interesting. Met Noeleen and Dave. They took us to "Alpine View Camp" to stay in their Motorhome. Lovely day and drive over Arthur's pass to Greymouth. Kea bird stole a backpackers lunch. Scenery quite like Skye. Handy wild camp in Greymouth
Visited Hokikita. very nice little town. Drive down coast nice, quiet, wild.
Ottos camp DOC very good Raining / misty so no view of Glaciers. Road very twisty and hilly. Met Travis a USA cyclist near Bruce Bay. Chatted with him over tea and then on to Haast.
Lovely drive along the valley and then over the pass to Lake Wanaka.
parking Ok but no camping here. Talked to a German woman driving her motorhome sent from Germany. She was looking for Diamond lake. However we found it On to Queenstown over "Crown Ridges" again lovely day and road. Stopped in centre and got Tourist info for "MOKE".. Went up the gondola for excellent views all round. Camping near the Ben Lomond Horse trekking
Long drive from Queens town via Te Anau to Cascade creek.
Link shows route to Milford. Do not arrive too late very busy. Up early for 1 hr drive to Milford Sound. 2 hr boat trip with "Orange". weather a bit misty but very good cruise. Scenery Dolphins good commentary. Then drive back to Te Anau and then on to Gore
On toward Dunedin Lots of sheep.Nice coastline here.
Dunedin Ok then on via "Shag point" with seals to near Oamaru. Lovely harbpour area in decent sized town. Stayed at Lodge just south. Used kitchen washing machine etc a touch expensive but good for 1 night
Leisurely morning in Oamaru. Some shopping
Varied drive on to Rakaia many deer and of course sheep. Good fish and chips in Geraldine
God camp in Rakaia gorge Drive to volcano area outside Christchurch. Roads very steep as we climb the crater and the descend to the coast at Akaroa. Interesting little town. Stayed at nearby bay
Over the volcano again and then Dyers pass to Mount Pleasant Christchurch. Stayed with Noellen and Dave...Very very hospitable and pleasant.
10am Jetstar flight to Auckland all OK. Airport bus to Centre and Taxi to Hapua.Lodge
Walk and bus to Remuera shopping centre and Thai meal. Bus to Auckland Ferrry Terminal and bk oat to Devonport. Leisurely shopping and beer.
Back to near Hapua Lodge for Fish and Chips Airport bus to catch plane.. ALL OK but long arrived in Bangkok just after midnight. Taxi to Stable Lodge
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So all in all excellent ......we liked
Maori experience / Hot Springs / Scenery / Good camping / Friendly people
Fish and chips also Meat Pies / Good roads / New World shops / Milford Sound
Maori experience / Hot Springs / Scenery / Good camping / Friendly people
Fish and chips also Meat Pies / Good roads / New World shops / Milford Sound