Advice needed for New Zealand road trip

[Darryn]

One tip

 

If you love lamb chops like me don't plan to eat it in NZ.

 

Apparently all the best chops are for Export only.

 

You should have seen the disappointment on my face.

 

The only time I was more disappointed about food was when I was in Sri Lanka

 

an my host asked me what I wanted to eat and said Sri Lanka crab. My host told me

 

he loves it too and its not available in Sri Lanka and he has to eat it when he comes to Singapore.

 

You will still get excellent lamb roast.

And beef

Captains mistake is good if still around.

One of my school friend is award winning chef...must look up the restaurant.

Good value is cobb n Co.

 

If want Chinese joyful is good...Can Google.

 

Is one hong Kong dim sum opposite the uni. Creyke road.

[F355]

Stick to the 100 kmh speed limit , plenty of speed trap. But then again the scenery is so beautiful , you wouldn't want to drive fast .

 

 

I like their crayfish ; and their big juicy mussels available from supermarts at around $4 a kg.

[Kb27]

First time I go there ...maybe 20 yrs ago, rented a campervan for 6 people.

Everyone try to save some money, plan to sleep inside, shit inside...blah..blah.

About the only thing we did, was make some hot drinks there.

 

We make a mistake of stopping the van anywhere and sleeping there.

Yes, there's heater at night for sleeping, but you need to plug into AC for the heater, which means you need to find a camping ground, not stop "anywhere"

 

By the 2nd night, no one wants to sleep inside campervan. Everyone check into a motel with proper bed.

 

And the van can hit 80km/h max, the pedal was already on the floor.

 

If you ask me, DON'T rent campervan.

 

NZ is a big place, you can hardly cover both islands in 14 days.

 

Running around both islands within a short period is really not good idea.

 

Better to just plan for south island...and Milford Sound...watchout for hungry sandflies.

Edited June 25, 2015 by Kb27

[Darryn]

Mmmm...

 

Pottles of mussels from the supermarket - yummy, got different flavours!

Other must eats...

1. Twisties
2. Burger Rings

3. Bluebird Chips - green onion, bacon, salt n vinegar

4. Biscuits - sultana pasties, mallowpuffs

5. Sweets (lollies) - Jaffas, Pineapple Lumps, Eskimo Men, Bananas, Fruit Puffs

6. If can find - eat some "lolly cake"

7. Custard Squares from a cafe

8. Go to fish n chip shop --- Deep fried mussels mmmmm

9. Mini Donuts with Caramel

10. Donut from Fish n Chip shop - also hotdog

[Lala81]

I usually avoid the fish dishes in NZ.

No offence but kiwis don't know what to do with perfectly good fish even in restaurants who specialise in fish.

 

Lamb is great though. Ate tons of it there.

 

The food is more hearty rather than great.

 

Loved the beers/ciders. Unfortunately everything comes in pack of 4 or 6. quite difficult to guzzle by yourself.

 

Edited June 26, 2015 by Lala81

[Darryn]

I usually avoid the fish dishes in NZ.

No offence but kiwis don't know what to do with perfectly good fish even in restaurants who specialise in fish.

 

Lamb is great though. Ate tons of it there.

 

The food is more hearty rather than great.

 

Loved the beers/ciders. Unfortunately everything comes in pack of 4 or 6. quite difficult to guzzle by yourself.

 

Depends on the fish - but you are unlikely to find anything with a head :-)

 

From the fish n chip shop is good - but yeah, much else dun bother - it will be better here -

you lamb and beef will be excellent in NZ - and way cheaper for equivalent quality than you'll find here

 

the beers - a 6 pack is no problem to finish - the weather is different, and ales are different to drink than lagers ...

[Kb27]

I remember the milk.

 

It was so plentiful that it's free at the motel we stayed.

[Shibadog]

I remember the milk.

 

It was so plentiful that it's free at the motel we stayed.

 

 

I remember buying lime flavoured milk fm the supermarket. Yep, it was green in colour. Tasted a bit weird to me LOL.

[Darryn]

 

 

I remember buying lime flavoured milk fm the supermarket. Yep, it was green in colour. Tasted a bit weird to me LOL.

Mmmmnnm... spearmint FM. Yummy!

[Lala81]

I remember the milk.

 

It was so plentiful that it's free at the motel we stayed.

 

every motel has free packet of milk complimentary everyday or at the start of the stay. Aussie also i think.

[Johnc]

i used "transfer car" when in NZ.

 

Essentially you're helping the car rental companies drive the rented cars to their base...and the best part is it's FREE, and they give you 1 full-tank petrol. And even pay for the ferry crossing.

 

Eg. i drove a Honda CRV from ChCh-AKL for 5 days FOC, and i asked for an extra 2 days which they charged minimal. They reckon that's cheaper than sending a driver down to drive the car back to base.

 

There's a portal/aggregator that's available for you to book the dates, etc...i think it called transfercar.co.nz (or similar)

 

Caveat: you have to plan your trips in advance, yet be flexible about arrangements (that's what travelling is about, isn't it?). Cars are also not the "new" fleet, probably Tier 2 & 3 rental companies.

 

On accomodation, i prefer to check out the location & premises before booking. If you're there at peak-shoulder period, it should be ok to get the deal onsite, and sometimes even at much cheaper rate if you negotiate (say at 6PM, and you tell them you won't wreck their place, and don't cook curry).

 

 

 

 

 

[Bluepica]

Your trip also don't seem to accomodate how u want to go Arthur's pass.

Tekapo-Mt Cook are all on the east side of the mountains.

Arthur's pass is the pass north of christchurch.

Plan to take Kiwi rail to Arthur's pass and bus back to Chc.

You could go Christchurch to Queenstown, come up the Westcoast to Greymouth then through the Lewis Pass which will hook you back up to Arthurs Pass - up to Nelson then back down the East Coast via Kaikoura

 

Up in Nelson take the Whangamoas through to Collingwood - a very pretty drive -

Wow... this is almost round the island.... 9 days not enough lei...

I tend to do everything south of Chc only...going to spot yellow eyed penguin and hectar dolphin at the south-eastern tip.

Chc - (rail to Arthur's pass and bus back to Chc - Tekapo - Mt Cook - Oamaru - Dunedin - kaka point- Slope point - Invercargill - Te Anau - (coach to Milford) - Queenstown - Fly to Akl and home

I remember the milk.

 

It was so plentiful that it's free at the motel we stayed.

 

I thought every motel got a cow for your to milk fresh milk everyday

 

every motel has free packet of milk complimentary everyday or at the start of the stay. Aussie also i think.

 

oh dear... I'm lactose intolerant...

[Lala81]

coach to milford sound?

Why do that. drive yourself since you're already in te anau?

 

Unless u r doing it in winter time.

But the road itself is ok all the way to the milford sound ferry terminal,

 

Drive yourself man.
When u're driving back from milford sound, stop along the roads and take in some of the best scenery in the world.

Edited June 26, 2015 by Lala81

[Darryn]

Plan to take Kiwi rail to Arthur's pass and bus back to Chc.

Wow... this is almost round the island.... 9 days not enough lei...

I tend to do everything south of Chc only...going to spot yellow eyed penguin and hectar dolphin at the south-eastern tip.

Chc - (rail to Arthur's pass and bus back to Chc - Tekapo - Mt Cook - Oamaru - Dunedin - kaka point- Slope point - Invercargill - Te Anau - (coach to Milford) - Queenstown - Fly to Akl and home

 

I thought every motel got a cow for your to milk fresh milk everyday

 

oh dear... I'm lactose intolerant...

If you want to - there are places you can go hand milk a cow as part of the experience

 

BTW - the "sheep show" at Rainbow Springs is well worth while

If you are in Rotorua the Marae experience MUST not be missed

Pages Road in Christchurch also has one - but I don't know what it's like

coach to milford sound?

Why do that. drive yourself since you're already in te anau?

 

Unless u r doing it in winter time.

But the road itself is ok all the way to the milford sound ferry terminal,

 

Drive yourself man.

When u're driving back from milford sound, stop along the roads and take in some of the best scenery in the world.

Agree - the Train - WORTHWHILE - you will see things you can't see from car.

But I would rather drive than bus -

 

EXCEPT - do a tour into Skippers Canyon (Queenstown) by a local operator - this road used to be banned to rental cars - too dangerous

coach to milford sound?

Why do that. drive yourself since you're already in te anau?

 

Unless u r doing it in winter time.

But the road itself is ok all the way to the milford sound ferry terminal,

 

Drive yourself man.

When u're driving back from milford sound, stop along the roads and take in some of the best scenery in the world.

Agree - the Train - WORTHWHILE - you will see things you can't see from car.

But I would rather drive than bus -

 

EXCEPT - do a tour into Skippers Canyon (Queenstown) by a local operator - this road used to be banned to rental cars - too dangerous

[LiuDeHua]

I will be going to South Island in Nov.

 

Landing at Christchurch and be driving. My destinations so far are :

Christchurch
Hanmer hot spring

Greymouth

Hokitika
Franz Josef

Wanaka
Arrowtown

Queenstown

After Queenstown, I will need to head back to Christchurch. I reckon I will have 1 more night to spend somewhere en-route for 1 last bit of fun. Where would be recommended? Oamaru or Timaru or anywhere else?

 

Kindly advise.

[Volvobrick]

Shouldn't miss Milford Sound - that is the highlight of South Island really. Perhaps sacrifice Wanaka
or Arrowtown. After landing you can head straight the Hammar Springs (about 2 hrs plus).

 

On the way back to CC, Tekapo could be considered. I din find anything interesting around Oamaru or Timaru.

Edited October 1, 2015 by Volvobrick

[Darryn]

Oamaru and timaru not much to see. I believe there's hydro damn tours down south if that interests you...

One spare night?

Swim with the dolphins in akaroa or spend a not in kaikoura and go whale watching.

Is a very short detour if you are going to Hanmer

[Volvobrick]

Yeah Kaikoura is nice. Don't miss the Green Dolphin restaurant!