New Zealand's South Island

[UFO]

We are in New Zealand's South Island. 15 nights in a CV and then another 15 with daughter and family in Airbnb's in Queenstown, Wanaka, Twizel and Te Anu.

We flew into Queenstown from Heathrow via Singapore and Sydney. We hired a van through Camplify, private owners rent their vans, about half the price of hire companies. Not a lot of choice in Queenstown (we were meeting our daughter and family there after our CV trip). The van we ended up with, converted by the owner, was not well designed and built, but we managed.

Our CV route - Queenstown, to the West Coast at Haast, north via Fox and Franz Josef glaciers, Kumara Junction, Arthur's Pass (weather on the coast and at the pass was not good and forecast to get worse). Christchurch and south along the coast to Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula, back to Queenstown. Weather since Christchurch has been very good - mid 20s most days. Two nights each in two campsites, the rest Freedom camping - not so easy on the west coast but lots of opportunities on the east and inland.

We did 3 weeks in the North Island in 2018, a CV swap, so we have seen a lot of NZ but could easily do another 4 weeks filling the gaps.

 

[Sharon the Cat]

Love the pic with the kids.

 

[jagmanx]

We borrowed a van fron Christchurch and drove to Greymouth.
Then Haast etc to Queenstown next Te Anau and Milford Sound.
Dunedin then back to Christchurch and Akaroa.
Wonderful !
There was talk of a cable car from Queenstown direct to Milford.
Being NZ I suspect the conservationists will have prevented it !
Interesting discussion as it would save lots of vehicle fuel ?
Residents of Te Anau opposed it as it would affect their tourist income.

 

[izwozral]

@UFO. Great pics. We thought we had pretty much covered NZ in 6 months. Not a chance!
Currently in Wanganui, North Island where we had previously visited most of the main tourist hotpots, its the none touristy bits we are visiting now and we are enjoying them just as much.
Yup, the Spring has been pretty wet but we still managed to get out and about. NZ can boast some of the best museums in the world, great on a very wet day. Maybe not to the kids liking though?
Enjoy the rest of your travels.

 

[GMJ]

I did my one and only bungee jump from the Kawarau Bridge near Queenstown.

Now that was an experience I can tell you...

 

[izwozral]

I did my one and only bungee jump from the Kawarau Bridge near Queenstown.

Now that was an experience I can tell you...

Are you mad?
It must be old age. My mate Brian, him with the Pink Floyd Birthday cake shown in a previous post, is doing a sky dive next week as long as he passes a medical.
Why? I asked.
Why not, he replied.

One tab too many methinks.!

 

[GMJ]

It had to be done as we were there.

 

[AMcQ46]

It had to be done as we were there.

We’re not long back from a month doing NZ in a motor home. Same as @GMJ, if you are in Queenstown, you have to do a bungy jump!!!!

Sounds like we got a bit better weather than @UFU, we had 60% dry, 40% wet.

 

[Okta]

When I visited South Island the owner of a petrol station told me to visit Doubtful Sound (not Milford). He said it was the most beautiful place on the planet, there might be other contenders for this accolade but as yet I haven’t been able to prove him wrong. Stunning.

 

[izwozral]

When I visited South Island the owner of a petrol station told me to visit Doubtful Sound (not Milford). He said it was the most beautiful place on the planet, there might be other contenders for this accolade but as yet I haven’t been able to prove him wrong. Stunning.

It really is a toss up between Doubtful and Milford. I think it depends on your mindset at the time maybe? Milford just edged it for me for various reasons, each to their own I guess.

 

[Stanski]

Hi All in this message. So jealous of your exploits, this will ignite desires for a future trip.

POLITE REQUEST - for ease of finding.
Could this information be repeated/transferred to the International forum area so others like ourselves can easily find the knowledge in future planning searches.

 

[Tim120]

Are you mad?
It must be old age. My mate Brian, him with the Pink Floyd Birthday cake shown in a previous post, is doing a sky dive next week as long as he passes a medical.
Why? I asked.
Why not, he replied.

One tab too many methinks.!

Medical?
No medical required when I did mine, 12000 and 15000, a few years apart, just looked and 18500 now an option so maybe the reason for the medical, be interested to find out how thorough it is.
Loved the attitude, if you want to do something, not necessarily sky diving, hell yeah let's do it.
Now that's an adrenaline rush. Deliberately was playing in my head, Hendrix, May This Be Love....
Beautiful, just beautiful.

 

[izwozral]

Medical?
No medical required when I did mine, 12000 and 15000, a few years apart, just looked and 18500 now an option so maybe the reason for the medical, be interested to find out how thorough it is.
Loved the attitude, if you want to do something, not necessarily sky diving, hell yeah let's do it.
Now that's an adrenaline rush. Deliberately was playing in my head, Hendrix, May This Be Love....
Beautiful, just beautiful.

Not sure what height he is doing Tim. Age could be a factor?

 

[REC]

When we travelled in NZ with our sons, one did the bridge bungee in Queenstown and the other (eventually) found a skydive which would take him. As he is 6'9" the tandem partners were not happy with his height as when he landed they did not touch the ground! The bungee was fun as they miscalculated his height/weight (shorter @6'5") and he was dunked to mid thigh ....there was a bit of a rush to get the boat to him as he was swallowing a lot of water . Not for us, Dave went in the plane as a passenger though.

 

[char21]

When I visited South Island the owner of a petrol station told me to visit Doubtful Sound (not Milford). He said it was the most beautiful place on the planet, there might be other contenders for this accolade but as yet I haven’t been able to prove him wrong. Stunning.

Having done both, objectively, Milford is more wow. Doubtful feels a little more remote as there’s less infrastructure and fewer people. Neither will disappoint.