New Zealand

Auckland is a truly beautiful city, I could so live here. Spent a day travelling up the east coast, some amazing beaches and coves.

Left Auckland today and made our way down south to Taupo via all the volcanic activity at Waitopu - words can't describe it, you will have to wait for the photos.

First night in our motor home tonight (read basic converted Toyota HIACE) so we will most likely freeze. At least I will since I have wet feat after just stepping into the pool.

running out of internet time
cheers

Travelling through NZ by camper van is a good and affordable option. There are many camper / caravan parks in all areas throughout both the North and South islands, but do yourself a favour and only stay at the Top 10 resorts (your camper van people should give you a map of all these resorts). Should only cost you between $25 - $32 for a powered site plus 2 people per night. We only stayed in Top 10's, but what we have seen (did look at another one) and heard from other travellers, they are by far superior.

Also get yourself a Top Ten Card on your first night; costs $30 but gives you 10$ discount at each Top Ten resort as well as other attractions in each location. Most importantly the Top Ten Card will also give you 10% discount on the ferry crossing between the islands which can cost anything up to $300. Book your ferry crossing as soon as you can as the price goes up all the time the closer it gets to your date of crossing.

There are lots of camper van providers in NZ. We used Eazy Rentals, but I would not recommend them or use them again. They basically have an ageing fleet of converted Toyota HIACE's, the problem being the ageing. The performance is really bad and as a result the fuel consuption is nowhere near what it should be (or promised), which more than negates the fact that they are the cheapest. Also the bedding provided is nowhere near adequate for the temps in NZ, we would have seriously frozen if we had not also brought along our own good quality sleeping bags (I highly recommend this regardless of who you use).

In addition the service was not very friendly, which is very abnormal for NZ, and we had to push them to meet some conditions they promised on their website and within the contract.

It all feels a little surreal; I have just taken an amazing shower at the airport and now I am sitting in a luxury lounge drinking cooldrinks on the house as I overlook the rooftop Sunflower garden.

Ok, so maybe we are behaving like soft spoilt brats forking over R120 each to spend 5 hours in a quite and comfortable lounge. But consider that for this we get to shower, use free internet (but then free internet is available throughout the airport) and drink and eat as much as we like. The food; fruit salads, pastries and cakes, sandwiches and cocktail stuff. And it's not like we can't afford it considering the city tour we went on this morning through Singapore, including a boat trip on the Singapore river, with a tour-guide giving us the rundown and history was free. A rather amazing place this and truly beautiful, they go to such trouble with the landscaping and layout.

Besides, we have gotten tired of the free massage chairs at gate E10 of terminal 2. But don't worry we wont do this on the return trip, for that we will be better prepared - we will bring our swimming costumes. For only R40 each we will spend the return transit in the rooftop pool of terminal 1 (if I can get Marie out of the spa baths that is).

We have been out onto two of the three public rooftop gardens at the airport and although truly amazing it is just too hot to be out there if you are not standing under one of the mist sprays. Mugy it is, but over and above the temp. is also high today.

Anyway, need to go and spoil myself - only have 4 hours left before the 10 hour or so leg to Aukland.

later

I think we got a bit excited a little bit too early, which has really made the time drag till now – but the day is here and tomorrow we fly.

I think how this is meant to work is that we regularly post updates here of where we have been and what we have seen, in order to make you all jealous. Being nice people though (and not wanting to hurt your feelings) I can’t promise that we will do this – internet cafes just aren’t going to be high on our list of must see places - and anyway it is just 3 weeks. We will however try to at least give you 1 or 2 entries; and maybe a photo if we are feeling especially mean.

later

Ok, can’t guarantee that we will stick to this but this is the plan anyway.

North Island
Friday 21st July - arrive Auckland and spend the weekend there with friends
Monday, travel around Taupo, including Wiatomo and Rotorua
Tuesday, visit Tongariro National Park
Wednesday, head on down to Wellington

hello beautiful South Island
Thursday 27th July, enter the Able Tasman National Park for 2 days
Saturday, travelling down the wild cost spending the night at Hokitika
Sunday, play on some glaciers on the way to Wanaka

let the snowboarding begin
Monday, Cardrona ski fields by day, Wanaka by night

continue with the South Island
Friday 4th August, make our way to Te Anau for the night, to be closer to Milford Sound for the next day
Saturday, Milford Sound and back to spend the night in Queenstown
Sunday, play on the slopes of Mt Cook
Monday, arrive in Christchurch
Tuesday, fly out from Christchurch with a short stop-over in Singapore to arrive in Cape Town on Wednesday 8th August