Visiting New Zealand?

Go to as many areas as you can, depending on your time scale. You can hire cars or motorbikes what ever you are into, I used ''rent-a-wreck'' for a car, good used lower cost cars.

Buy a good road map. If you are looking to do as many miles/areas as possible and need accommodation, join the International YHA here before you go, so you can then use the Youth Hostels in NZ. They now do single/double rooms so you don't have to 'sleep' with the snorers!

One important thing to remember when you are driving, finding directions, don't go by the position of the sun i.e. miday south... wrong.. it goes the other way.. '' you are in the southern hemisphere down there, went B miles before it clicked with me!!!!

The south island gets a bit cold in the winter, so if you are planning to be/live there take this in to account.

I spent 2 years in Auckland and toured both islands,(by motorbike absolute heaven, with little or no traffic) and apart from a couple of 'winter mornings' were there was a frost, gone by 7-00am

the north Island is much warmer. If you are limited for time do some research for the places you want to visit, the roads are typically ''our A and B roads'', except where the tar-mac stops and you hit gravel, but it's no problem. Once out of towns there is very little traffic, I travelled over 400 mile on the south island from Greymouth, and never saw another vehilce all day.Weird!!!

Hope you enjoy, post us some mesaages when you get down there.

A.P.

Nelson - top of the South Island !

It has a mild Mediterranean climate. The region receives more than 2400 hours of sunshine a year and consistently rates as New Zealand's sunniest spot! The region boasts three of New Zealand's national parks, golden beaches, crystal lakes and picturesque towns.

Official Tourism website for Nelson is http://nelsonnz.com/ - gives you are great idea what's on offer.

On one side of Nelson you have Abel Tasman http://www.abeltasman.co.nz/ and Golden Bay, http://www.goldenbay.net.nz/en/guide.html and the other side Marlborough.http://www.destination.co.nz/marlborough - everything is not far away if wanting a change of scenery.

Close to everything, beaches, the countryside, ski fields, wineries, hiking tracks etc

Adventure stuff is centred on Queenstown. Christchurch is the only thing remotely resembling a city. Mt Cook and Twizel if you are into climbing. The West Coast (Greymouth or Hokitika) if watching rain fall amuses you. Anywhere at all if you like spectacular scenery. Kaikoura for whales. Picton and the Marlborough Sound area for wine.

Under no circumstance should you go anywhere near Westport.

YHA was my friend's and mine favorite hostel branch in NZ. If staying around the Dunedin area we liked this hostel called "On Top Backpackers"

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