BIG QUESTIONS
You're maybe wondering how much the whole trip (Singapore included) cost. Flights and everything added up to £7950 (so just under £4000 per person).
Generally New Zealand was fairly expensive! Some trip experiences were very expensive. Most gift shops were pricey, which was a pity. Food definitely cost more compared to the UK. Entrance fees to attractions and eating out that wee bit more than at home. Cappuccinos, beers, wine and takeaways all roughly the same. Petrol was slightly cheaper, while the bargain buy was certainly the flight: Auckland to Christchurch only cost £43.50 per person.
While the motorhome, with petrol costs and camp fees seemed more expensive at the time, my calculations have found the car hire / Airbnb alternative (with food spend being higher) was not that different in the long run. More relaxing though and more of a holiday.
LIKES
⏮ New Zealand was very clean and tidy
⏮ People very friendly and laidback
⏮ The campsites were excellent
⏮ Toilet dryers always worked ! Yes, really
⏮ The eye-catching trees - Pohutukawa, Rimu, Norfolk pine, Kahikaka, Cabbage tree, Kauri
⏮ No deadly creatures (ok two spiders, but no snakes)
⏮ The condition of the roads
NOT likes
⏮ The truck drivers on those roads - they are dangerous
⏮ The guide books and maps underestimate the driving time you'll need
⏮ Roadkill, mostly possums, a major pest in New Zealand. Apparently there are 70 million of them !
⏮ The Christchurch shootings, that happened one week after we'd been there.
NOTED & LINKS TO
⏮ All Maori names end in a vowel. And trying to pronounce them is crazy. We gave up !
⏮ And the guide books and maps under estimate the driving time you'll need
Link > Bill's New Zealand beer blog
QUOTES
"The danger is that when people find out what an interesting place New Zealand is, they may come in crowds... I strongly advise you not to make too much of the tourist sights except for yourselves" GEORGE BARNARD SHAW (1934)
and The TIMES magazine (2019)
"Don't do travel for the 'gram. Geotagging Instagram hotspots cause copycat travel, social media travellers swarm to locations to replicate experiences and pictures. Remember: to hype a location is to threaten it with destruction. If you find somewhere nice, be discreet.
*This reminded me of the queue on Roy's peak for the scenic viewpoint. A prime example of the word getting out and crowds forming.
This blog is therefore me being discreet... not sure I succeeded though. (Photos don't fully do it justice - so that's under stated).
FINAL PHOTO GALLERY
Places not covered previously. On the road. Maori stories. Silly selfies. And family, friends and US.
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| The Pinnacles, Coromandel Peninsula |
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| Unreal Pohutukawa tree with air plants hanging from it. Coromandel |
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| Lovely Waitomu Beach Cafe, across from tree above. |
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| Weird road to folly: Chateau Tongariro at Whakapapa (pronounced 'fa-ka-pa-pa') |
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| Hokitika Beach sign |
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| Wonderful reflections. Lake Hawea |
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| Mount Cook from west side appears through cloud ring |
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| Chilly morning by Lake Te Anau. |
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| Christchurch: earthquake damage - (whole street corners were like post war sites). |
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| Impossible Maori name for Te Puia, Rotorua |
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| Pelaton up ahead. Lake Pukaki |
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| Live Juicy camper van. Very Green and highly visible |
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| Otira Hotel. Gollum on the roof |
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| Taupo McDonald's - the coolest they say? |
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| Lots of cows - we coined the phrase 'over cowding' ! |
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| Always lots of road cones |
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| One of the best cappuccinos (Lake Matheson, nr Fox Glacier) |
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| Margaret at the wheel |
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| Bill at the wheel |
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| Campsite Lake Wanaka |
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| Lake Taupo |
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| All the cousins night out |
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| Being silly - Billy |
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| A pro shot... ? Taken by an airbnb host |
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| Prefer this one. |
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| And this one too |
That's NEW ZEALAND (the big one)
◀ The End ▶
Lots of lovely photos of you two.W also thought the people were really friendly and that the campsites were top notch!
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