New Zealand: General Information from 2006-7
See: New Zealand: Cyclotouring for biking-specific information.
When To Go
We scheduled our 4 month trip from the first of November
'til the first of March. Ideally, a 4 month stay should probably be shifted a
month, starting in December to avoid the wild spring weather. We had more than
our share of wild winds and rain that can happen in November but aren't
expected. And December wasn't much better--warmer but still wet. March is suppose to be better than November, so December through March
would likely be a better interval. The Kiwi's refer to the late summer weather
being "more settled," which sounded less optimistic that "good" but better than
what we had been experiencing.
The downside of arriving in December is that December and
January are the peak of high season, making it a difficult time to get oriented
and line up reservations for lodging and other activities. That being said, when
in the Milford Sound area of the southwest South Island, we were told that
February and March were the absolute busiest times and on the east side they
said they could be packed into April. Others have said that the
very busiest interval is for about 2 weeks after December 26.
Visas
US citizens get a free 3 month visa upon arrival in the
country. For our 4 month stay, we sent our passports to LA for a special though
free visa. It only cost us the express mail fees and a little fretting over the
forms. We should have been able to apply for an extension while in the country before our automatic 3 month visa expired, but it was too hard to
decipher the rules while in Portland so we opted to get extension in advance.
Don't Leave Home Without
-Sun Protection-
An essential item (that I have yet to find) is a wide brimmed hat
for sun protection that both stays on in the wind and has a brim
stays down in strong winds. The UV hazard is among the world's highest as New
Zealand sits under a hole in the ozone layer. The UV exposure can be 40% greater
than in Europe, according to 1 source we heard. Most days the UV index was 11 or
12--we didn't know the scale went beyond 10. The wind is relentless and a chin
strap is essential. Baseball caps stay on well but more all-round coverage is
helpful.
Bring your favorite high SPF sunscreen with excellent UVA
blocking. You of course can buy
sunscreen in New Zealand, but the prices are high and the selection is low. We didn't find
any of our favorite US or European brands in New Zealand.
-Bug Products-
We had no biting bug problems on the North Island, but
began to get nibbled on as soon as we crossed to Picton. The worst of the bugs
was by far was from Franz Josef Glacier to Haast on the west coast of the South
Island. We didn't have trouble with the occasional mosquitoes we
saw, but the more stealth sand flies and other bugs were a problem. And unlike
some mosquitoes, dabbling a little repellent here and there won't keep them
away. We both got bites on our Achilles tendon areas from incomplete smearing of
the repellent on the backs of our ankles. My old standbys of Claritin and
hydrocortisone ointment helped but didn't eliminate the swelling and itching
from the sand fly bites.
-Hiking Gear-
Boots are good for the volcanic rock hiking on Mt Tarawera at
Rotorua and might suit you for the all day Tongariro Crossing south of Lake
Taupo. Day packs, water bags with drink tubes and walking sticks can be useful
and are expensive to buy once in the country.
-Mosquito Netting & Tape-
If you will be traveling to the southwest coast of the
South Island to see the glaciers, consider bringing a 3' x 4' piece of mosquito
netting and a small roll of masking tape. The sand flies were terrible and
window screens seemed to be unheard of where we stayed. It's a chronically damp,
moldy area so being able to open up your motel room to fresh air is very
compelling except for the rush of hungry sand flies that are ready to jump in.
Being able to install our own temporary window screen on even 1 window in a room
would have been a delight in many of our rooms. (Mosquitoes, however, were never
a problem.)
-Checking Your Health Insurance-
If any fantasies lurk in the recesses of your mind about
doing edgy sports like bungy jumping or skydiving, check your health insurance
before you fly. Adrenalin sports are highly visible and aggressively marketed in
New Zealand, so you may find yourself fulfilling the dream unexpectedly. But it
appears that liability issues in New Zealand tend to favor the the defendant,
not the plaintiff, so if things don't go perfectly, you'll likely be footing the
bill yourself. Some health insurance policies exclude higher risk
activities, so you may want make a phone call or 2 before traveling.
Things Not to Bring
There were several items we consider either essential or
highly useful when cyclotouring in Europe that we didn't need in New Zealand:
-Yellow Marking Pen. It's a very small item that is very useful in Europe for
marking the day's biking route on the map. It helps Bill find the route at a glance on
the road and is even more valuable when soliciting directions from locals as
they can see where we are headed even if it seems unlikely to them or our
pronunciation is baffling. In New Zealand, the trusty marking pen was totally
unnecessary as there was never any other road to take to where we were going
than the one we were on. As long as we made the proper turn out of the motel
driveway in the morning, we were pretty well set for the day.
-Our "Hotel Bag"-
Our hotel bag is a light weight carry-on bag. We treasure our flimsy
duffle bag that folds down to the size of a paperback book but expands at the
end of the day to hold our helmets, water bottles, and groceries. It keeps us
from looking like a train wreck on the sidewalk as we unload our bikes at night
and prepare to haul everything up several flights of stairs. It makes us
look more presentable, keeps us better organized and gives us a convenient place
to stash soggy accessories on rainy days. In New Zealand, the Hotel Bag rarely
saw the light of day as we invariably stayed in single-level motels and hostels
and we sometimes rolled the loaded bikes right into the room.
-Electric Cooking Pot (Maybe)-
We cook our evening meal of pasta and a vegetable
virtually every night while we are traveling by bike in Europe for the enhanced
nutrition, economy, and time efficiency it delivers but it was unnecessary most
of the time in
New Zealand's North Island where accommodations with private or shared cooked facilities
were
extremely easy to come by. Pots and pans are standard and extras like microwave
ovens and toasters are often available. We would have mailed our cooking system
home had postage not been so expensive but were glad we hadn't when we arrived
on the South Island.
Cooking facilities in motel rooms weren't as reliable on the South Island,
even when we had understood the tourist info folks to have booked us a room with
a kitchen.
-Jeans-
Don't rely on denim jeans for your outdoor pants in New
Zealand as their use is strongly discouraged for many activities, presumably
because they are so slow drying and are cold when wet. The odds of getting
wet while doing summer sports like kayaking and hiking are very high. And the
weather changes quickly, bringing both unpredicted downpours, sudden temperature
drops, and fierce winds.
Electrical
220 volt like Europe but special plugs that work in
Australia too. Bring your own adapter as they can be hard to find.
Arriving in the Country
New Zealand takes their biological protection rules
seriously, as is prudent for an island environment, and its best to plan your
packing for the inspection. Cluster all of your food items together in your
bags, even if you have some both in carry-on and checked luggage. Perhaps
relieve the strain on your brain by making a list of the food items as you pack. And
pack them near the top so you can quickly pull them out when the sniffer dog
identifies you as an importer.
Food products of all kinds must be discussed with the
inspector at baggage claim. We were allowed to keep our commercially packaged
sunflower seeds and nuts, as well as the macaroni and cheese mix. Had the
cheese not been powdered and packaged, I am sure it would have been confiscated.
Any fruits and vegetables that we hadn't finished off were taken--we couldn't
even eat them while waiting for our baggage. The few olives that we emptied out
of a refrigerator jar on our way out the door in Portland raised eyebrows but
were allowed. We were repeated asked about meat products, which we had none.
Besides the food, the other items we carried that were of
concern were our bikes and boots. Stating that our bikes were road bikes, not
off-road bikes, probably saved us a lot of trouble. I suspect mountain bike
boxes get opened up by the inspectors. We had to dig out our hiking boots for
visual scrutiny. Mine were fortunately in an outside pocket with freshly
scrubbed soles, so it was little trouble for me. Bill was left rummaging to the
bottom of his duffle bag to produce his. Had we a tent, I suspect it too would
have been inspected. I assume the issue is hauling dirt into the country, so if
you are bringing sporting equipment or camping gear to New Zealand, wash it up
first.
Prices
-North Island Experience-
Lodging can be on the low side compared with the US and
Europe but everything else, including supermarket food is definitely on the outrageous side.
So "Bring It, Don't Buy It" if you can. I'd bring everything you might possibly
need rather than plan on picking it up along the way, including books and
accessories. Even little things that you might have to replenish like buying a
tube toothpaste and hand lotion can take a big bite out of your food budget.
As most places, lodging prices often didn't reflect quality
differences. We set an arbitrary target of $100NZ as our upper limit, about
$66US. Our cheapest place was a "backpackers" where we had a funky, small
private room with shared kitchen and bath with bedding included but not towels.
Dormitory accommodations in a similar place would run about $40NZ for 2. Our best
value was $60NZ at the Miranda Shorebird Centre where we had bunk beds in a
private 3-room arrangement with kitchen and bedding and a heater.
An upscale campground cabin we stayed at where lodging was
scarce was $65NZ for 2 with a kitchen but no toilet or shower. It was unheated,
which was a little brisk in early November. Outside of Auckland, lodging was
generally readily available under $100NZ for 2, though got a little more
expensive during the Christmas break on the South Island.
"Backpackers" are youth hostels and are a very popular
lodging option in NZ though after a few, we avoided them. Many have double rooms
and some have doubles with private bathrooms in the $60NZ and up range. Some
motels drop that low and we found them to be much quieter. Oddly, the motels
usually have a "Quiet at 10 pm" rule that is carefully observed whereas the
Backpackers we used had no such rule. Being light sleepers made that a major
factor in our "buy" decision, rather than the minor inconveniences of communal
kitchens and bath facilities. The Backpackers tend to be much more crammed
together, so anyone's noise becomes everyone's noise. And like anywhere, who
happens to be staying there that night makes all the difference. The Backpackers
guide books give customer ratings and are quite detailed in the availability of
free bikes, barbeque grills, kayaks, and washing machines but give no clue as
to a "good night's sleep" rating. The potential advantage of socializing at the
Backpackers didn't materialize for us, which would be another potential drawing
card.
We loved New Zealand's standard lodging, which was motels.
Usually there was no problem storing the bikes indoors and it was easy to load
and unload them at the door to our room. We were in heaven with their full and
partial kitchens. If you are chilly at night in a motel, check the bed for
controls and wiring indicating an electric mattress cover, as many had them.
They were a great way to drive out the dampness and chill of stormy nights in
unheated rooms. But beware of tiny hot water heaters. Most of the units we
stayed in appeared to have a dedicated hot water heater and some were tiny, as
in drained after hand washing a batch of dishes. We often scouted around for the
hot water heater upon arrival to help determine how to stage showers, hand
washing, and dish washing to avoid the dreaded cold shower. Some places will
have a separate tank of scorching hot water for the kitchen sink and a much
cooler setting on the tank serving the showers, so don't be fooled by that.
And the "No Smoking in the Rooms" rule at most lodging
establishments was heavenly for us.
In addition to the motel format, another favorite New Zealand
standard was the ready availability of washing machines for laundry at
many campgrounds and motels. They ranged from free to $5, with many being $2NZ
or about $1.20US. Dries were never free, ranging from $2NZ to over double that
price. Usually a packet of laundry detergent was available for $1NZ but we opted
to economize by buying and carrying our own.
-South Island Experience-
We were on the North Island from early November until
mid-December and then hopped over to the South Island until the end of February.
Our shift to the South Island preceded the Christmas holiday by about 2 weeks,
but the prices jumped up nonetheless. I was never able to get a straight answer
as to whether the South Island was always more expensive or if it was just the
season. Nonetheless, we usually paid $70-80NZ for a pleasing motel room while on
the North Island and on the South Island we generally paid $110-$130NZ. We paid
$95NZ for a room with a private bath and no kitchen at a Backpackers at Fox
Glacier Inn. The room was moldy smelling and the kitchen was both ill equipped
and unclean feeling. A similar setting on the North Island ran under $60NZ. And
on the South Island, the motel rooms we thought had been booked with a kitchen
often had none.
Grocery Store Favorites
Unfortunately, it is a short list as there was little to
rave about in the food markets. But there were a few things that we sought out:
-Whittakers 62% Dark Cacao chocolate bars were the best of the dark chocolates
that we found in the markets. Load up when you find them as not many stores
carry that particular flavor. We were known to haul out 5 lbs of these bars when
they were on sale and we were in the boonies..
-Vogel Sliced Bread. My private joke is that "vogel" means "bird" in German and
this bread looked like it was made with bird seed. We bought the "Toast" variety
as the slices were thicker than the "Sandwich" type. It's a sturdy, flavorful
bread with chunky bits of seeds and grains in it that perked up our otherwise
ordinary tuna & bread lunches. Look for it in the supermarkets with the
other sliced breads.
Backpacker Buses
A 50-something US ex-pat that is now a New Zealand
citizen working in the camp grounds and rest areas carried on about 3 tour
companies that cater to young people: Kiwi Experience, Contiki and Magic. He said that locals referred to
their guests as "being on the piss." The stereotypical guest is a British youth
that is constantly inebriated and mildly destructive for his tour of New Zealand
on one of these buses.
A week later, we spoke with a disgruntled 30-something
British man who traveled the length of the North Island and much of the South
Island on Kiwi Experience and was disgusted with it. He looked like he might
tolerate the environment, but not so. Even though he'd prepaid for a package
tour and was on a tight budget, he forfeited part of the package.
So, do some careful inquiring before signing on with the
backpacker type bus companies. I am sure that the non-backpacker lines are just
fine. We rode short distances with a couple of shuttle bus companies and they
were traditional transportation arrangements.
i Site
Let Them Help
The tourist information offices are extremely helpful and
we highly recommend using their services. Most if not all of the offices are open
7 days a week and have a clear mission to be helpful. We always appreciated
their motel recommendations and the local offices knew were the better values
were, like spacious but somewhat dated rooms. They knew which ones would be
freer from traffic noise. And they were fearless in pursuing hosts about just
where they were going to stash our bikes. We quickly learned to press for
"indoors" rather than "secure" bike storage as "secure" could mean out front somewhere. The
info folks were persistent in making sure the storage location promised met our
needs. We did get booked into 2 regrettable places, but that's not bad for
almost 4 months of reservations.
We will take the 12 hour train from Wellington to Auckland our
last days in the country and found it best to reserve the tickets with the i
Site folks.
They had access to the online screens regarding bike fees and
reservations--information we couldn't access ourselves.
Magic Phrases
Forbidden Phrase: do not use the word "Recommend" in the
presence of an i Site rep. They are conditioned to withdraw and shut-up at that
suggestion. "They don't make recommendations" we were repeatedly told.
Thankfully, they usually made a stream of recommendations if you didn't use the
"R" word.
Key Phrase: "Will I be getting my feet wet?" is the proper
question way to ask if your glacier walk or water taxi ride will involve some
amount of wading. "Wading" must mean something different to them because I'd be
emphatically told we wouldn't be wading but that we definitely would be getting
our feet (and perhaps knees) wet.
Bookings & Vouchers
The i-Site's collect a 10% fee from the provider of
the bookings, which didn't seem to affect the price we paid for lodging. This
veiled fee did however exclude us from discounts that might be available on
activities. We accidentally learned that on our first activity booking in
Rotorua when we inquired about prices for the crater walk we did. The clerk
quickly volunteered that she would pass the potential 10% discount on to
us--something that would not happen at the i-Site. It seems that many activity
operators have bumped their prices up to cover the 10% fee and often by asking,
you can retrieve it for yourself. We had a Top10 Campground club card we
bought for $30NZ and it more than paid for itself in discounts, such as on the
Picton-Wellington ferry, the Franz Josef Glacier walk, and on one of the Milford
Sound tours. Be bold at a non-i-Site offices, ask if there are any discounts
available. We did, and were often given some tips.
Almost anytime i-Site booked lodging for us, we prepaid and
they gave us a voucher. We felt that we were pretty much stuck with the
reservation, but found that that is not always the case. The i-Site office in Te
Anau booked us a regrettable room in the village of Manapouri. The dark, old
cabin was furnished with a hodge-podge of second-hand furniture, smelled
slightly of mold, and the damp, wooded area was swarming with sand flies. We
left our bikes, walked back about a half mile to a well-maintained motel with a
stunning view of the lake and surrounding mountains and inquired about a room
and our situation. "No problem" the clerk assured us. She told us to go back,
tell the manager we were cancelling and ask for our voucher back. The manager
where we were booked cooperated, though was clueless as to how the paperwork
should be handled. We paid the folks at the second motel the $20NZ difference
and happily savored our fresh room without sand flies for what was planned as a
study afternoon. The first motel clerk was entitled to charge us a cancellation
fee that we expected to be about $10NZ, though she did not. So, if you don't
like your digs, its worth inquiring about cancellation fees if you have
somewhere better to go.
Officially, cancellations must be handled by calling the i-Site
with which you made the reservations. They then call the motel, cancel your
reservation, and credit your card with the refund minus any cancellation fee
they negotiate with the motel.
Motel Quirks
Duty Motels
We learned about the phenomena of "Duty Motel" the easy
way on New Year's Eve, half way through our New Zealand adventure. We had
lodging reserved for the next week but learned that in some towns the local
motel managers have a phone network to keep track of rooms available for the
night. In theory, a late traveler can stop in at a motel with the "Duty Motel"
sign out front and quickly be directed to motels with rooms for rent. We were in
Westport on the South Island and it was the sign just passed to our motel
operators was the first we had seen. In Westport, they maintained the network
only during the peak weeks but some cities provide the service all year round.
As our hostess answered our questions about the network, it
became clear that even if one is greeted by a string of "No Vacancy" signs as
you arrive in a town, it's worth inquiring. She told of a busy event weekend
where uninformed, stranded travelers were being lodged in the back room of her
cleaning lady's home and in an extra bedroom in her own home. It sounds like if
you are willing to accept informal home-stay circumstances, that the local "moteliers"
will try hard to bed you down for the night if it is late or the next town is
also full.
"No Vacancy"
We learned that a "No Vacancy" sign out front doesn't
necessarily mean that they are full for the night. Some apparently hang out the
sign when their office is closed for lunch, so if you are looking for a room
early in the day, it might be worth a second look later on.
Where to Go
The North Island
After being in New Zealand, it became clear that one way of
organizing one's sightseeing is to view the country in bands or zones that
roughly slice the country into regions going from north to south.
If you have a week or less in New Zealand and are only
sampling it as one of several stops in the South Pacific, visiting Auckland and
traveling south to Rotorua would be a good bet. Allowing most of a day at
Auckland's history museum and a few hours at the maritime museum gives one a
good introduction to the country, including the geology, the flora and
fauna, and the Maori. Going to Rotorua allows one to take in more Maori culture
in a dinner/dance show if you like and a chance to sample some of the geothermal
wonders of the region. You'd still have time for some 'adrenaline sports' that
are a specialty of the region or perhaps a 4-WD ride and then hike into the Mt
Tarawera crater.
With a little more time, one could travel farther south to
the Lake Taupo area to view the still-active volcanoes. If both the weather and
your fitness level permit, the all day hike on the Tongariro Crossing in the
national park would give another view of the country.
Between the Lake Taupo area in the middle of the North Island
and Wellington on the southern tip, there isn't a lot to seek out. Wellington's
museum is worth a visit if you are craving more details and the city itself has
another day or 2 of sightseeing to entertain one.
The South Island
Going to the South Island involves a bigger time commitment
if you've flown into the North. Crossing the Straits takes about 3 hours by
ferry. Be sure to allow an extra day to get back if you are flying from the
North Island as the ferries won't operate in heavy weather. The longest recent
lapse in service was about 3 days, though more typically only 1 of the several
daily departures is cancelled because of rough seas.
We hiked and kayaked in both the Queen Charlotte Sound and Abel Tasman National Park
though weren't dazzled by either. We enjoyed our full-day walk on
the Franz Josef glacier which we enjoyed, but of course, thought like many
things, was overly expensive. Our full day outdoor climbing experience with
Wanaka Rock in Wanaka satisfied us for about half of what it would have cost in
Queenstown. We opted for a Milford Sound excursion, though some recommended the
more expensive Doubtful Sound trip. We found the bus ride from Te Anau to
Milford Sound more interesting that the boat ride on the Sound, which was
primarily wowing the tourists by nosing the boat up towards the spray of the
waterfalls.
We dropped down to the southern end of the island, the
Catlins, and didn't see what the fuss was about. Things picked-up for us
at Dunedin, where we enjoyed the ambiance of the city, the Otago Museum, and our
half day outing with Elm Wildlife Tours. As often was the case in New Zealand,
we thought the Taieri Gorge historical rail line ride was over rated and didn't
think the Otaga Rail Trail was quite worth the rough riding in deep gravel.
We did enjoy being inland at 2 different times: first at
Wanaka and Queenstown and the second time around Alexandra and Twizel. Stunning
weather made our day hike in Mt Cook National Park an event to remember and we'd
highly recommend it if it looks like the weather will be cooperating.
Wellington
(southern tip of the North Island)
If you are traveling to Wellington on a weekend and are
willing to give up your motel kitchenette, the business class hotels run some
good deals to make up for the loss of their regular trade. Even arriving Friday
afternoon, we had a choice of 3 central 3-star hotels in the $115-120NZ price
range for a double. That included tax, a nice breakfast buffet with something
for everyone, and a morning newspaper. That was quite a bit more than we'd paid
elsewhere on the North Island but undercut the close-in motels in the city. You can check
the hotel prices and specials at
www.wellingtonnz.com or have the Wellington i-Site check them for you. We
did try to have the i-Site at Levin, about 100km north of Wellington, line a
room up for us but they didn't know how to access these specials.
Rotorua
(middle of North Island)
All of the activities are expensive and most overpriced.
We did the Kiwi Encounter which at $26.50NZ seemed like a rip-off, but the 45
minute tour was informative and we enjoyed the chance to see the kiwis up
close--both in an egg, as a hatchling, and as adults. You can take a shuttle bus
out there and back but study the limited schedule carefully.
We paid the $121NZ each for the Mt Tarawera Volcano 4WD
outing to walk down into the crater and were satisfied. Again, it was about a 45
minute experience in the crater for the price and the 4 hours round trip
required, but the guide was very informative. Do wear boots if you have them,
borrow a free walking stick regardless of what the guide says unless you are
experienced in scrambling downhill in scree, and wear a brimmed hat that won't
blow off.
We thought the Buried Village was a rip-off.
The town museum
is overpriced for what you see but does bring you up to speed on the local
information.
The Regent Motel is a great value at $69NZ for 2. Small and a
bit cramped, it looked like a real bargain as we headed south. The free wifi was
a real bonus to, as internet connection in NZ often runs $5-6NZ/hr of more. The
beds are good and there is plenty of hot water but everything else is a little
spare. The kitchen pots are small for much cooking and our room was small, but
we'd happily stay there again.
Tongariro Crossing (Lake Taupo area of the North Island) based on our
December 3, 2006 experience
Yes, the 10-11 mile hike in the saddles between a couple of
quiet volcanoes is worth doing but once is enough.
Which Direction
The info folks are very egalitarian and say you can go
either direction between the Mangatepopo car park and the Ketetahi car park, but
after doing it, going from the "M" place to the "K" place is the way to
go. We'd been told that was the direction of more favorable grades and indeed,
we did 1010m up and 1350m down going "M to K". The grades up from M are steep
but are through a rocky area that allows you to pick and choose your own foot
placement for the most part. From K, the steep grades are on a set path with
constructed steps that are sometimes huge rises--tall enough that even a few of
them would be tiring as they are out of the usual range of motion where most of
us have our leg power.
The last hour or so towards K is in a forest along a stream
that was welcome relief from the warm sun and drying winds and the several
benches were appreciated by many of us. Even on a rainy day, the shelter would
be welcome. The reprieve from the elements was a relief in that last hour when
most of the walkers, including us, were ready to be done. It's shelter, benches
and obscuring of the forest would be less appreciated at the beginning of the day when
one is fresh. There is no protection from the elements in the comparable area
near the M car park.
Shuttle Buses
Car thieves reign at the 2 car parks and all walkers are
urged to use the shuttle bus services that drop you off at one end of the
Crossing in the morning and pick you up at the other end in the afternoon. If
possible, stay at a place that has its own shuttle. We were left out on the
roadside for about 45 minutes on a very cold, windy morning waiting for 1 bus
for another hike in the area, and on our Crossing day, the nearby shuttle was
also late. If the bus is sponsored by your lodging establishment, you should be
able to wait indoors while they work out their unexpected problems. (We'd taken
4 shuttles in various areas at this point and none were close to being on time.)
Another plus is a shuttle service that has 2 afternoon
pick-up times, like a 4:30 and a 5:30 bus. Our shuttle was late in picking us up
in the morning but didn't adjust the afternoon pickup time, so we had less time
on the mountain. We would loved to have had the extra hour afforded by a second
at the top to fully take in the sights.
Planning
Keeping checking the twice daily forecasts for the area
to plan your hike in the best conditions:
www.metservice.co.nz. Depending upon who you ask, either 50kph or
60kph winds are the cut-off for a safe and pleasant experience. On our crossing
day, the winds at 1500m were predicted to be 40kph, at 3000m, 70kph, though the
Crossing peaks at about 1900m. I registered 40kph (25mph) gusts at both the low
and high point of our journey, with 10-15mph winds being the norm.
If you are in a spell of bad weather and are waiting for a
good day, I would not base at National Park village or Whakapapa Village which
are the closest clusters of humanity to the Mangatepopo starting point as there
is little there. The 1 market at National Park is spare and expensive and there
is little to do. Turangi to the north or Ohakune to the south would be better
places to tread water for a few days while you wait for a break in the weather.
The down side of either of those is the longer shuttle ride at the beginning and
end of your Crossing day, but it would be worth it if you were waiting for 2 or
3 days.
On your hiking day, take a map on which you have recorded the
estimated walking times between as many of the reference points as you can
locate in the prior days. Your shuttle driver will tell you what time you need
to be at the parking lot and when you should be leaving the last hut, but that
gets you down to the last 2 hours of an 8 hour day. You need reference points
along the way to judge if you can linger at lunch or not. (Our driver said to
allow 2.5 hours from Ketetahi Hut to the Ketetahi Car Park and other sources said
to allow 2 hours. We kept a brisk walking pace and stopped once for a sit-down
rest and made this leg of the journey in 1'40".)
Water
Take as much as you can carry. Bill and I each took almost a gallon
of water--a
little over 3.5 quarts and I drank every drop of mine. Bill typically drinks
quite a bit less than I do and did so this day, drinking about 2 1/2 quarts. It was about 60° in the morning when we
started and in the low 70's when we finished, but you are fully exposed to the
sun and wind for all but about 1 hour of 8 that you are out. The "K" hut near
the end had a sign for drinking water but the tap seemed to be dry that day, so
plan on bringing all that you need.
Food
We took our usual active day food stash of around
800-900kcal for lunch, plus some extra snacks and were fine. It wasn't real
strenuous and we weren't famished and didn't eat all of our extra food, it was
just a long day. You'll be packing out your garbage, so plan your food with the
garbage you'll have to carry in mind.
Toilets
There are toilets at the car parks at each end and
another 1-2 hours from each car park but bring your own paper for at least 1. We
needed a pee-break at our lunch stop at Emerald Lakes and the few bunches of
tall grasses were all that there were to aid in being discreet. It's swarming
with people, but it was the best coverage for a mile or more in each direction
so we seized the opportunity.
Footwear
"Strong shoes or boots" are recommended everywhere you
look. We say wear whatever you believe in. If high top hiking boots are the only
proper mountain footwear for you, wear them and you'll feel vindicated. If you
have aggressive soled, sport or hiking shoes that you love, you'll be satisfied
with their performance here too. And if you feel like an invincible mountain
goat in your sturdy sport sandals--go for it!
We wore our bottom of the line Teva "Hurricane" sandals for
the first half of the day, carrying our boots until we hit the scree at the
summit and did just fine. I descended part of the scree field in my sandals and
did surprisingly well as the rock was mixed with sand. Going straight down the
fall line and digging my heels in with each step worked as well in sandals as it
did in boots. I finally relented and donned my boots as I thought I could go
faster in them than sandals and one must keep moving to make it to the car park
to meet your shuttle bus on time. But the scree field from the Emerald Lakes
overlook to about Blue Lake is the only place I could imagine the boots offered
an advantage.
Of course, if there is snow on the track, you may want to
make different choices in your footwear. All of the reports we read said there
was no snow on the track, though we crossed two short stretches of it. It was
shallow and mushy, so footwear selection wasn't a consideration.
Hiking Sticks & Rental Equipment
We have learned to love hiking sticks and recommend them for this
hike. One is better than 2 as the track is often too narrow to be "poling" on
each side. But a telescoping stick is reassuring when descending down steps
designed for a giant and in the lose scree. A stick also allows one to keep
their tempo up in the more squirrelly footing areas and tempo is important
unless you have your own transportation.
Hiking sticks and other gear can be rented from some of the area lodging
establishments and shuttle services. Our shuttle driver offered loaner hats and
gloves to passengers as they exited and packs, poles, boots and jackets were
available to be rented if arranged in advance.
New Zealanders tend to be very helpful and I suspect that you could get help
in buying, renting or borrowing just about any item you lacked for doing The
Crossing.
Clothing
Believe it when they say to be prepared for anything as
they are right, the weather is wilding unpredictable and can change in a flash.
People die of hypothermia before the sun goes down on The Crossing in bad
weather. We hauled every bit of rainwear and cold weather wear with us despite
the lack of rain in the forecast and would do it again. Unexpectedly, it got hot
while we were hiking and the the excessive amount of water that we carried was
the right thing for that day.
The winds can be brutal and suck the heat out of your layers
of technical fabrics in no time. One bus driver commented that recently one
group of hikers were on hands and knees near the crest 'cause the winds were so
strong.
Wear a hat with a wide brim that stays down in 25mph winds.
New Zealand is suffering from a hole in the ozone layer and even on cloudy days,
we haven't seen a UV forecast for less than 10. A hat is good protection for
your eyes, good for your skin and is good to have in the changing conditions.
Queen Charlotte Sound (north end of the South Island)
We hiked about half of the Queen Charlotte Track:
backwards on the last 15 km from Ship Cove to Furneaux Lodge (15 km, 550m
elevation gain) at Endeavor Inlet
and the beginning 22 km from Torea Bay to Anakiwa (22km, 800m elevation
gain--both about 36-37m/km). Those were the most highly
rated segments by the tourist info folks. The forests of Ship Cove segment was
more interesting for the effort but we weren't overwhelmed with any of it. We
didn't find any of the views in the Queen Charlotte Sound to be
show-stoppers--pretty but by no means exceptional.
We aren't hikers at heart and prefer hiking above tree line
or in rockier lands vs forest walks. The boat shuttles cost us $90NZ ($62US) for
2 people on 1 day's leg and $130NZ ($88US) on the other. These were regularly
scheduled water taxi's that were making detours to drop off packages and shuttle
locals around too, not private taxi rides. The tourist industry folks raved
about these hikes but I must say that we didn't see any other tourists taking photos
and didn't hear any of them rave about the experience en route or at the end.
One can walk the entire track and camp or stay at lodges
along the way, thus only paying for the water transportation once at each end,
which is $90NZ per person.
I'm not sure it would be a net savings given the premium that would be paid on
food and lodging along the track. We opted to make 2 day trips, returning to our
motel in Picton each night which simplified bike storage and gave us access to
the biggest grocery store for miles. The water taxis will shuttle your luggage
or camping gear
each day (for a fee) so that you only have to carry day-hike supplies, which is a lovely
concept.
Abel Tasman National Park
(north end of the South Island)
We walked much of the main track, which was from Tonga (Onetahuti)
to Marahau. If you are short on time, the most interesting segment was from Bark
Bay to Anchorage. That's were the vegetation was the most distinctive. We
kayaked from Tonga to Anchorage and were disappointed in the trip. The friendly,
enthusiastic guide made for a pleasant social experience, but we primarily
paddled in the open water and not along the shoreline, missing out on the
close-up look at the birds, geology, and plant life that we had wanted to see.
We enjoyed our unguided kayak trip out of Anakiwa Bay near Picton much more
because we could cruise the shore at our own speed. I don't know if a different
company or a different guide within the company would have made a difference in
our experience out of Marahau.
When lining up water taxis, be sure to ask "Will we be getting
our feet wet?" Some taxis have elaborate gangplanks for clients use at the beach
landings, others expect you to wade in thigh deep water and waves. Knowing what to expect
helps in planning your footwear and pants. I enjoyed having a small viscose rag
along for wiping the sand and water from my feet and legs before donning shoes.
We finally settled on staying at Motueka instead of the
better situated Marahau and were very pleased that we did. Enough of the
water taxi and kayaking companies provided transport from Motueka at no extra
charge. We weren't as conveniently located for launching our activities but
being walking distance from the i-Site info office, supermarket, and other
services was well worth the inconvenience. (Some companies will also transport
you from Nelson into the park, though for a fee.)
We found the activities at Abel Tasman overpriced for the
quality of the experience. The cheapest transport (bus + water taxi) we found
for a day's walk in the Park was $52NZ per person. All day experiences with half
or all of it being kayaking with a group were in the $100-150 range, and an
overnighter with spare, indoor accommodations was around $250 per person. It's
not easy to spend less than these prices, though it is quite easy to spend more.
The Glaciers
(west coast of South Island)
We did the all day glacier walk at Franz Josef and were
pleased with the experience but not thrilled. It was cool to walk in the bottoms
of some ice crevasses but the whole event was a bit over hyped--the guide
admitted that the ice picks we were issued we just for show and had no utility
for us. At Fox, we settled for riding our bikes out on the 2 different access
and view point roads and walked part way to the foot of the glacier. The glow
worm dell at Fox is an easy and cheap opportunity to see the unusual sight if
you are at Fox after sundown.
Book ahead for lodging as the rooms fill-up quickly. Rooms
are expensive and overpriced, so you might want to "buy-up" a bit. We were one
pair of a number of middle-aged couples that ended up in much dodgier
accommodations that we anticipated at Fox Glacier (The Fox Glacier Inn.) The
small, dark rooms smelled of mold, the sand flies were numerous, and the
communal kitchen was very marginally equipped and a highly disagreeable place to
cook or eat.
Queenstown (central-southern South Island)
The i-Site folks in Wanaka confirmed that $130NZ was a
standard summer time price for 2 in a motel with a kitchen in Queenstown, so
Bill booked us online from Wanaka at the Grand Mercure Hotel St Moritz for
about the same price. Our room was upgraded upon check-in and we had a fantastic
room. The king-sized bed in the separate bedroom (instead of our usual studio
arrangement), a rare bathtub, a first-ever free washing machine/dryer in the
room, our 3rd place in 3 months with international news on the TV, new furniture
and tasteful decor, and a view of the lake--we were in heaven. They cheerfully
stashed our bikes in the locked ski room. We'd happily stayed a week but of
course the prices which vary each day would likely have gone up. So, if you are
going to Queenstown, its worth a look online to see what they are doing with
their prices: www.accorhotels.co.nz.
(We however declined the breakfast that would have cost almost $50NZ for the 2
of us per day.)
Riverton, near Invercargill (southern tip of South Island)
I can't imagine why anyone but cyclotourists would
stop 40 km out of Invercargill for lodging but we did and stayed in a wonderful
place. It is the Globe Motel Beach Retreat operated by the same folks who manage
the Globe Backpackers. For $95NZ we had a 2 bedroom cottage that was half of an
older duplex. Huge living room windows looked out onto an ocean view slowly
disappearing behind the trees on the sloping front lawn. Outfitted to sleep 6,
it was spacious and very tastefully redone in late 2002. They should have
replaced all of the plumbing, but it is a delightful place to stay with extras
like a boom-box for getting the local classical radio station and a free washing
machine in addition to the fully equipped kitchen. We didn't want to leave
because it was so spacious and bright.
We didn't know that we shouldn't have been able to pick-up
the key until after 4 pm at the Backpackers in town, which would have been
disappointing on our short riding day, but someone was in early to give us our
key. The "motel" is several kilometers out of town from where you pick-up the
key, and that's where the bigger grocery store is too.
globebackpackers@xtra.co.nz,
www.theglobe.co.nz, 0800-843-456.
This was one of our best values on the South Island were
prices were generally over $100, usually delivering less.
Dunedin (southeast coast of the South Island)
Dunedin was a highpoint for us. The hilly university town
of 120,000 had a welcome lively energy and no doubt the fine weather colored our
experience. The Otago Museum was well done and had sophisticated exhibits to
round out our New Zealand education. The visit to the Royal Albatross Colony was
interesting, though felt overpriced at $30NZ for 30 minutes on the viewing
platform. But our early February visit was perfect for seeing birds nesting on
their chicks and we were glad to have the experience.
The best of our Dunedin visit was the time spent with Elm
Wildlife Tours. They hauled us out to the Albatross Colony and then on to a
private conservation area they've developed with the farmer who owns the land
favored by the wildlife. There we walked on the beach between the sea lions, got
close looks at yellow-eyed penguins from hides, and looked down on several
hundred fur seals with their pups. Our guide, like most of their half-dozen
guides, was a master's level student in biology. His specialty was sea lions and
he was generous with his knowledge. He also happily answered all of our
questions, including clarifying that part of our misery on the road is that in
New Zealand that cars have the right-of-way over pedestrians and cyclists. Of
our half-dozen guided tour experiences in New Zealand, this was the cheapest at
$75NZ each and unlike all the others, felt under-priced for what we got. You do
have to be capable of hoofing it up several long steep hills on uneven ground to
access their wildlife areas.
www.elmwildlifetours.co.nz.
We stayed at the Allan Court Motel on George Street and were very happy with
our accommodation. Our 1 bedroom unit with tub and full kitchen was $125NZ per
night. Their beds are much better than most in New Zealand, it is quiet, and
about as close-in to the center as most of the lodging. Try for an upstairs,
corner room if you consider the view out your window as a part of your
space--the view out the window isn't anything special, but the light is nice.
Other Favorites
The Reed Field Guide to New Zealand Geology by Jocelyn Thornton
was the only geology book we found. It is more focused on looking at specific
rocks in specific locations than describing general formations, which is my
interest.. It's written to be technically
accurate and yet an easy read for motivated beginners. She even
includes a map of each of the 2 main islands with page numbers referencing
geological phenomena you can see from the roadside.
Nature Flip Guides to New Zealand Birds by Andrew Crowe is a delightful
fold-out flip chart to 95 New Zealand birds. The very high quality reproductions
of well illustrated birds make it easy for non-birders to get it right when it
comes to identifying birds.
The Miranda Shorebird Centre about 100 km southeast of Auckland at RD3
Pokeno is a
treasure of a place to stay for the night away from the campground scene.
Instead of being oriented inwards in the fortress style of campgrounds, the tiny Centre orients the
eye outwards to the horizons. We
were delighted with 1 of the 2 modest, self-contained units with kitchen and private bath for $50NZ
plus another $5 each for bedding. They also have dormitory rooms with kitchen
access that would run $35NZ for 2, plus linens if needed. Bring your own food to
prepare as the nearest market or restaurant are 7 km away. Their small
information center and friendly staff will quickly bring you up to speed on some
of New Zealand's natural novelties, like chenier shell banks, braided rivers,
and the bizarre salt water mangroves in addition to educating you about the
birds and their migration patterns.
www.miranda-shorebird.org.nz,
shorebird@xtra.co.nz, Tel: 64 9
2322781.
Departing
Be forewarned that you must pay a $25NZ departure tax upon
leaving the Auckland airport--a tax that may be raised soon to help pay for a
new rugby stadium that is on its way to being a debacle.
