campervan New Zealand
 

What company would you recommend? I am not interested in the Britz as it is
way over priced when you look at what else is on offer on the net.
Thanks

campervan New Zealand
 

What company would you recommend? I am not interested in the Britz as it
is way over priced when you look at what else is on offer on the net.

We used Apollo in OZ ..were very satisfied with prices and equipment.
Here's their NZ website

http://www.apollocamper.co.nz/

campervan New Zealand
 

I'd recommend renting a car - $29 to $39 NZD per day for a good quality
medium sized used Japanese vehicle.

Motels - which always (outside Auckland) include fully equipped kitchens -
from $69 to $100 NZD per night.

That's either cheaper or marginally more expensive that a campervan - and
fuel costs will be less. Food costs exactly the same. - and driving and
parking so much easier!

We've done it that way many times - most recently in January/February this
year - and would do it no other way!!



"Kathy and Steve" wrote in message
...
What company would you recommend? I am not interested in the Britz as it
is way over priced when you look at what else is on offer on the net.
Thanks

campervan New Zealand
 

On Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:15:09 +1200, lid wrote:

On Sun, 07 Jun 2009 07:02:50 GMT, "Kathy and Steve"
wrote:

What company would you recommend? I am not interested in the Britz as it is
way over priced when you look at what else is on offer on the net.
Thanks


Whatever you hire, please please DO NOT drive along our woefully
inadequate and poorly maintained roads - be they "highways" (a joke)
or "roads" (another joke) - casually looking at the scenery without
keeping a eye on the rear vision mirror to see all the vehicles stuck
behind you.

Don't be a jerk and pull over to let them pass. Locals DO NOT like to
be held up by inconsiderate tourists. After all, we're the ones paying
for the roads and, frankly, we're bloody sick and tired of
inconsiderate guests.

Although seaeagle sounds pretty snarly there is some truth in the
post. New Zealand is a country of incredible beauty, but the roads are
often narrow and twisty. Camper vans and trucks are a particular
nuisance as they tend to block traffic and make driving a headache.

The suggestion to go with a car and motel makes sense-parking in the
cities will be easier and getting ofver the mountains and around the
curves much less work and more holiday.

campervan New Zealand
 

[Default] On Sun, 7 Jun 2009 20:41:34 +1000, " A Mate"
offered the following words of wisdom:

I'd recommend renting a car - $29 to $39 NZD per day for a good quality
medium sized used Japanese vehicle.

Motels - which always (outside Auckland) include fully equipped kitchens -
from $69 to $100 NZD per night.

That's either cheaper or marginally more expensive that a campervan - and
fuel costs will be less. Food costs exactly the same. - and driving and
parking so much easier!

We've done it that way many times - most recently in January/February this
year - and would do it no other way!!

In late March, early-April we enjoyed a two week road trip from
Northland to Wellington and return to visit the Impressionists'
Exhibition at Te Papa.

Other than our hotel in Wellington (The Museum Hotel across from Te
Papa) we made no other advance bookings and stayed in motels at places
that appealed to us.

In some cases, we landed at motels we weren't sure about, but we never
had a problem asking for a look around the unit before we booked in.

Most of the units had mini-kitchens (small fridge, microwave, sink)
and some had full kitchens. But in Cambridge (on the way down) and
Hamilton (on the way back) we encountered motels that had no food
preparation area other than a small beer fridge and we treated
ourselves to takeaways.

In both cases we'd left it too late to try and find another motel and,
in Hamilton, we were lucky to get the last unit on the afternoon of a
major Waikato Chief's match against South Africa.

Before we checked out we discussed the kitchen issue with one of the
motel owners and he told us that more and more new motel units were
being designed without kitchen facilities because: one, they were
cheaper to build ; two, because the guests they were catering to
didn't need a kitchen when they travelled (eg: takeaways, restaurants,
family, friends, business associates, etc): and three, because they
were cheaper to build.

So my advice would be to get a current copy of either the AA or Jasons
accommodation guides for descriptions of the motel facilities before
you get there, or, like us, ask the proprietors for a look around
before you commit.

It's a little embarrassing when you say, "Thanks, but it's not exactly
what we're looking for." But some of the places we checked out were
not up to a standard we'd be comfortable with and it was a good thing
we looked the unit over first. On the other hand, we found a place in
Oakura (on our way back) that was so comfortable that we stayed three
nights instead of one.

(BTW - we travel with an "Eskimo" electric refrigerator that plugs
into the cigarette lighter and carries essentials like beer, wine,
dairy products, fruit and veges. So we save the cost of buying
breakfast regardless of where we stay.)

campervan New Zealand
 

[Default] On Sun, 07 Jun 2009 08:50:48 -0400, Joseph Coulter
offered the following words of wisdom:

On Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:15:09 +1200, lid wrote:

On Sun, 07 Jun 2009 07:02:50 GMT, "Kathy and Steve"
wrote:

What company would you recommend? I am not interested in the Britz as it is
way over priced when you look at what else is on offer on the net.
Thanks


Whatever you hire, please please DO NOT drive along our woefully
inadequate and poorly maintained roads - be they "highways" (a joke)
or "roads" (another joke) - casually looking at the scenery without
keeping a eye on the rear vision mirror to see all the vehicles stuck
behind you.

Don't be a jerk and pull over to let them pass. Locals DO NOT like to
be held up by inconsiderate tourists. After all, we're the ones paying
for the roads and, frankly, we're bloody sick and tired of
inconsiderate guests.

Although seaeagle sounds pretty snarly there is some truth in the
post. New Zealand is a country of incredible beauty, but the roads are
often narrow and twisty. Camper vans and trucks are a particular
nuisance as they tend to block traffic and make driving a headache.

The suggestion to go with a car and motel makes sense-parking in the
cities will be easier and getting ofver the mountains and around the
curves much less work and more holiday.

Snarly is one way of looking at it. Another would be feed-up with
roadhog campervans driven by idiots.

We live in Northland in a rural-coastal area around a 35 to 45 minute
drive from Whangarei. Our local roads are narrow, winding and poorly
maintained.

To get stuck behind some fool in a campervan (or a convoy of
campervans) who won't pull over can add another ten minutes and a lot
of frustration to the journey and it's not as if we benefit in any way
from the influx of visitors to our area over a four or five month
period each year.

But we're willing to be good hosts to these uninvited visitors as long
as they are willing to be good guests. Unfortunately, many of the
Europeans who visit - especially Germans - treat local amenities and
residents as if they were created to serve them and their needs. And
they're noisy beyond belief.

campervan New Zealand
 

On Sun, 07 Jun 2009 07:02:50 GMT, "Kathy and Steve"
wrote:

What company would you recommend? I am not interested in the Britz as it is
way over priced when you look at what else is on offer on the net.
Thanks


Whatever you hire, please please DO NOT drive along our woefully
inadequate and poorly maintained roads - be they "highways" (a joke)
or "roads" (another joke) - casually looking at the scenery without
keeping a eye on the rear vision mirror to see all the vehicles stuck
behind you.

Don't be a jerk and pull over to let them pass. Locals DO NOT like to
be held up by inconsiderate tourists. After all, we're the ones paying
for the roads and, frankly, we're bloody sick and tired of
inconsiderate guests.

campervan New Zealand
 

On Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:04:33 +1200, lid
wrote:



Although seaeagle sounds pretty snarly there is some truth in the
post. New Zealand is a country of incredible beauty, but the roads are
often narrow and twisty. Camper vans and trucks are a particular
nuisance as they tend to block traffic and make driving a headache.

The suggestion to go with a car and motel makes sense-parking in the
cities will be easier and getting ofver the mountains and around the
curves much less work and more holiday.

Snarly is one way of looking at it. Another would be feed-up with
roadhog campervans driven by idiots.

We live in Northland in a rural-coastal area around a 35 to 45 minute
drive from Whangarei. Our local roads are narrow, winding and poorly
maintained.

To get stuck behind some fool in a campervan (or a convoy of
campervans) who won't pull over can add another ten minutes and a lot
of frustration to the journey and it's not as if we benefit in any way
from the influx of visitors to our area over a four or five month
period each year.

But we're willing to be good hosts to these uninvited visitors as long
as they are willing to be good guests. Unfortunately, many of the
Europeans who visit - especially Germans - treat local amenities and
residents as if they were created to serve them and their needs. And
they're noisy beyond belief.

I have been on those roads that you describe and fully sympathize both
as a tourist and one who has lived in tourist courntry.

My only regret about visiting your part of New Zealand, I didn't stay
long enough. (Had one of the best meals ever at A Deco in Whanerei.

campervan New Zealand
 

Phew thank goodness we arent going to Northland! I live in Far North Qld and
have to also tackle the "terrorists"in campers and caravans - but they also
bring money with them and that helps the local economy. When the tourists
dont come, this area suffers greatly.
We only have 4 1/2 weeks and plan to stay only on the south Island as we
love to bushwalk and cycle as well as DOC camp grounds so we are not really
interested in the cities and the motels. We did do a holiday in Tassie with
a small car and motels and hated it as we were restricted as to where we
could stay the night. Another long haul we did was through Canada but on
that occasion we took tent/camp gear and camped everywhere, brrr even in the
snow. Dont worry seaeagle, you stay out of the South Island and we will stay
out of Northland :P
Kathy

campervan New Zealand
 

[Default] On Mon, 08 Jun 2009 07:08:30 -0400, Joseph Coulter
offered the following words of wisdom:


I have been on those roads that you describe and fully sympathize both
as a tourist and one who has lived in tourist courntry.

My only regret about visiting your part of New Zealand, I didn't stay
long enough. (Had one of the best meals ever at A Deco in Whanerei.

There's a good reason A Deco keeps winning those Cuisine Magazine
"Best Restaurant" awards. We live on a hill just above Matapouri Bay.
It's all rained in today, but the views are still spectacular.