New Zealand

[KYSBF]

Hi guys, the cook and I are heading to Sth Island of NZ next month for a fortnight. Anyone got any ideas on what we can see or do, aside from the normal touristy-type activities the missus has already lined up.

thanks

[Kowalski]

Have a look around Dunedin, (Larnarch's Castle etc).
Tieri Gorge Railway, dunedin (spelling?)
Get out onto lake TeAnu
Head up the west coast to Franz Joseph Glacier, make sure you do the helicopter ride to the glacier.
Warbirds Over Wanaka air museum at Wanaka. WW2 fighters, SE5a etc, often see some of them in the air.
Spend a day deep water fishing off Stewart Island (Invercargill/Bluff)
Antarctic Center at Christchurch airport.
There's heaps & heaps of things other than just the obvious Q-town etc.

[My poor XF]

Are you going to Hanmer Springs? Great geothermal springs. That and fishing in the sounds.

[Scott]

I hear Christchurch is having a bit of a facelift at the moment...

[KYSBF]

Originally Posted by Kowalski

Have a look around Dunedin, (Larnarch's Castle etc).
Tieri Gorge Railway, dunedin (spelling?)
Get out onto lake TeAnu
Head up the west coast to Franz Joseph Glacier, make sure you do the helicopter ride to the glacier.
Warbirds Over Wanaka air museum at Wanaka. WW2 fighters, SE5a etc, often see some of them in the air.
Spend a day deep water fishing off Stewart Island (Invercargill/Bluff)
Antarctic Center at Christchurch airport.
There's heaps & heaps of things other than just the obvious Q-town etc.

Cheers. Where did you find all this info dude? We've never really done any touristy stuff before so don't know where to start looking for things to do.
Any suggestions on whether we would be better off hiring a car and motelling it or hire a camper be a snail for a fortnight....

[sgt_doofey]

Originally Posted by KYSBF

Anyone got any ideas on what we can see or do

You could start here: My NZ photos thread

Originally Posted by KYSBF

Any suggestions on whether we would be better off hiring a car and motelling it or hire a camper be a snail for a fortnight....

Motorhome for sure. Did it for a week ourselves at the end of our trip. I doesn't matter how dodgy the facilities are at the holiday park, you know what your bed is like. Also, splash out and get the next size up with toilet and shower. I.e. for 2 people, go for the four berth van. Toilet and shower is a just in case or if you're too cheap to pay the $2 for showers in some of the holiday parks like we were
For us, we were over there for three months for work, so had the luxury of asking locals what to do. As for planning our holiday at the end of our stay, we sat down with Google Maps NZ and figured out where we wanted to go, what to see, and how long it would take to drive there. And don't think that you can cover 300-400kms in a few hours. Most of the driving is on winding roads, so can take a lot longer than expected if you're not careful.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by KYSBF

Cheers. Where did you find all this info dude? We've never really done any touristy stuff before so don't know where to start looking for things to do.
Any suggestions on whether we would be better off hiring a car and motelling it or hire a camper be a snail for a fortnight....

There are more tourist info centres that you can poke 8 sticks at.

I have been there many many times. I did not like the campervan as it was a pain in the bum having to be packed up in the morning before you go and being "stuck" once you arrive and settle down.

The last couple of times I have just hired an XR6 and blasted about. You can go almost anywhere including dirt 4WD tracks and dont have to worry about a giant shoebox full of pots and pans bouncing all over the road.

In Dunedin the tourist info is just up from the octagon and has lots of info for both free and pay.
Do a hill start in Baldwin St and no one can ever say you can't drive.
Invercargill is fun and if you go to Hayes Hardware store you can see the worlds fastest Indian (the real one as well as the movie one)
The Cattalan Coast is scenic as are all the mountains.
Drive from Queenstown to Wanaka over the range and see what REAL mountain driving is.
Mt Cook is good as is Akaroa and ChCh is lots of fun (well was until the earthquake, hope it is sorted soon)

Everything is cheap, the people are nice and fun is encouraged.

Be warned though......

You may find in confusing to not be constantly nannied, treated like an adult and be actually responsible for your own actions.

[ebxr8240]

Originally Posted by flappist

There are more tourist info centres that you can poke 8 sticks at.

I have been there many many times. I did not like the campervan as it was a pain in the bum having to be packed up in the morning before you go and being "stuck" once you arrive and settle down.

The last couple of times I have just hired an XR6 and blasted about. You can go almost anywhere including dirt 4WD tracks and dont have to worry about a giant shoebox full of pots and pans bouncing all over the road.

In Dunedin the tourist info is just up from the octagon and has lots of info for both free and pay.
Do a hill start in Baldwin St and no one can ever say you can't drive.
Invercargill is fun and if you go to Hayes Hardware store you can see the worlds fastest Indian (the real one as well as the movie one)
The Cattalan Coast is scenic as are all the mountains.
Drive from Queenstown to Wanaka over the range and see what REAL mountain driving is.
Mt Cook is good as is Akaroa and ChCh is lots of fun (well was until the earthquake, hope it is sorted soon)

Everything is cheap, the people are nice and fun is encouraged.

Be warned though......

You may find in confusing to not be constantly nannied, treated like an adult and be actually responsible for your own actions.

Aha yea and don't mention anything about rugby.. Lol...

[KYSBF]

Originally Posted by flappist

Be warned though......

You may find in confusing to not be constantly nannied, treated like an adult and be actually responsible for your own actions.

You're kidding me man!!
Here I was thinking I was going on holidays.....might just stay home.....are they aware it's 2010 and nobody should be responsible for their own actions?

[KYSBF]

Originally Posted by ebxr8240

Aha yea and don't mention anything about rugby.. Lol...

I've only just bought myself a new Wallabies jersey, might leave it at home hey..

[My poor XF]

Originally Posted by KYSBF

I've only just bought myself a new Wallabies jersey, might leave it at home hey..

I wore mine around Nelson. Got some looks but nobody said anything. Was after our last word cup win though.

[blackjack74]

We travelled around the North Island 3 years ago in a Mercedes sprinter campervan. The turbo diesel was NOT slow even through the mountains. You can only take 2 minute showers before the hot water ran out- that was the only complaint I have about the motorhome. Partially plan your trip beforehand the rest sort out when you get there. Great place for a holiday. We're planning to do the south island in the next year or two. "Everything is cheap, the people are nice and fun is encouraged." x 2. You can even buy beer at the supermarket.

[Jimmyd]

Did the East Islands cruise a few months back - did the rent a car & hotel option cause I could not get the Broad of Control into a campervan.
Pros - great roads to drive, real beds, didn't freeze my extremities off (was there in middle of winter...)
Cons - more expensive (but the average 4 star room cost less than $100 aus), less flexibility.

Itinerary I followed is listed here, really want to get back there soon and finnish the lower south island...

"Everything is cheap, the people are nice and fun is encouraged." x 3 Great people, great service, great food - however if you are a caffiene addict either pack your own or be prepared to punish your taste buds; in my expereience NZ seems to be only just starting to get its head around what coffee supossed to taste like....

Cheers

James

[ebxr8240]

Originally Posted by blackjack74

You can even buy beer at the supermarket.

Sheesh that'll get plenty interested !!!
That's better than "where the bloody hell are you"...Aha...

[buggerlugs]

You'll love the South Island, Make sure you try Wanaka Beer ( which I bought in the supermarket !! )..................