Introduction:
Kia Ora! Five weeks to explore New Zealand – Aotearoa – in the native, Māori-language. Two weeks on north island, with camper van; two weeks on south island, with BMW motorcycle. Island nation is vibrant; people are kind. Join me for six months of un-glamorous, world travel.
Some elements of the trip appear in “The Daily” including a mishmash of topics. Photo gallery has trip images, captions available when viewed in slide show mode.
TUE 26 December: five-hours, three trains to Newark Airport. Start of the journey is like stepping into a cold shower, shocking at first; saying goodbye is never easy.
WED 27 December: two aircraft maintenance delays; United Airlines arrives in Los Angeles; five-hour layover compressed to one hour. Fifteen minute brisk walk, through narrow corridors, that resemble dirty basement, but, eventually, appear in the modern Tom Bradley International Terminal, without having to re-clear security.
Air New Zealand to Auckland, sleep for duration of the flight, except for dinner and breakfast. Arrive Friday morning, clear customs, eVisa on-line, express bus to city center. Hostel allows me to check-in early; city is sleepy, with many locals away, and many businesses closed for the holidays. Home to 5-million people, 75% on north island, 25% on south island; 70% European, 15% Māori, and 15% Asian-Pacific.
SUN 31 December: looked forward to rent camper van, new experience. Consistent with most experiences in life, starts out underwhelming; try, fail, and reiterate.
2010 Nissan Caravan, with canister toilet; qualifies as self-contained, and eligible to freedom camp at any available campsite. Campervan has custom paint job; in the style of Mexico calavera skeleton; resembles an advertisement for Espolón Tequila.
Drive on left-hand side of the road; concentrate at intersections and traffic circles.
Watch gas gauge drop; wonder if the van has a fuel leak. It doesn’t; 17-gallon tank, fuel economy 20-mpg. Gasoline costs $7 USD per gallon. Right now, feel mostly foolish.
Drive along Coromandel Peninsula; enough twists and turns to make a Billy goat puke.
New Year’s Day, drive to Tauranga to hike Mount Maunganui; no parking, lost patience.
Drive to Rotorua, noted for its volcanic, hot sulfur springs; step out of camper van in the morning, greeted by overwhelming stench of rotten eggs.
There is an entire “van life” sub-culture, “tribe” of sorts; people who choose to live in campervan, motorhome, or converted car; converge annually in January, at Quartzsite Arizona. Some people pursue out of independence, others, are forced to live in such a manner, noted in the movie, Nomadland (2020), which earned three academy awards.
Try to arrive at campgrounds by 3:00pm; sites are often full by 6:00pm. Many sites are strict about how many vans may park in the area; definitely slower pace of living.
Van may sleep two full-size adults, maybe three, if that’s your thing. Van has black-out shades; slept comfortably each night, and awake well-rested.
Drive south to Taupo; hike Huka Falls; watch kayakers drop down the rapids; at the campground, gentleman played bagpipes, upon request, Scotland the Brave.
Speed limits are for tourists; pull over, and allow locals to pass. Drive along Lake Taupo, to Tongariro National Park; hike 10-miles, including Silica Rapids and Taranaki Falls. Snow-covered Mount Ruapehu is shy, and hides behind the clouds; 9,200 foot stratovolcano, largest active volcano in New Zealand, last erupted in 2007. Stay overnight at Whakapapa Holiday Park, nestled inside the national park.
Drive north, past Auckland, and overnight at a small beach community in Orewa; walk along the beach and sandstone cliffs; fall asleep to sounds of ocean surf.
Continue north to Whangārei, hike around local waterfalls, and kauri tree groves.
Drive through Waipoua kauri forest; overnight at hostel in Waimamaku; three small cottages, flower gardens and fruit trees; hot shower, shave, and clean laundry.
Drive north to Ahipara; dramatic view of Opononi Sand Dunes; Highway 1 is closed north of Mangamuka Gorge; many one lane bridges in rural New Zealand.
Drive north to Cape Reinga, where Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean collide.
Drive south, overnight at hostel in Whangaroa; last evening on the beach at Ruakākā.
SAT 13 January: return campervan in Auckland; drove 1,300 miles, 100-miles per day; grateful to not blow a tire or breakdown at side of road. Campervan with diesel engine likely more efficient; diesel often less expensive than petrol, too. Economics favors rent versus own; maintenance and depreciation likely prohibitive.
Check into hostel; haircut, shaved bald, like Lex Luthor; visit Domain Wintergardens.
MON 15 January: two-mile walk to Auckland train station; tourist train to Wellington, New Zealand’s capital; 400-mile journey, 12-hours, dramatic terrain, but, slow travel.
Sunny, temperate day in Welly; steep hike up Mt. Victoria, birds-eye view of harbor and city; visit several art museums, but mostly, low-key day; often drained and grumpy following all-day travel; gave myself space to do nothing.
WED 17 January: walk two-miles to ferry terminal, grateful to not play a round of “Frogger.” Morning ferry to Picton, on south island; arrive mid-day; many people continue onward, 1:30pm train to Christchurch. Town is mostly underwhelming, but, enjoyed hiking to Bob’s Bay.
THU 18 January: afternoon train to Christchurch; city lies on an active fault zone, convergence of Australian and Pacific plates; earthquakes in 2010, 2011, and 2016 (7.1, 6.3, and 5.7 magnitude). Allow myself to sleep-in, wake up at sunrise (6am); visit art museum and botanic gardens; if you are a “foodie” Riverside Market offers a cornucopia of food and drink.
SAT 20 January: walk to bus station, $1 bus to NZ Motorcycle ($30 Uber), rent 310cc BMW and safety gear, for 1,200-mile, ten-day riding tour of southern alps. Backpack fits into hard-side, top box behind the saddle. Motorcycle rides 100-miles per gallon on three-gallon tank; south island is sparse; not every petrol station accepts foreign credit cards; invoke “half-tank rule.”
150-miles to Lake Tekapo; weather front passes through; gusty winds; steady crosswind almost blows me into the oncoming lane of travel.
Sunday, 175-miles to Dunedin, at one point, have to stop riding and allow herd of sheep to pass; city’s art gallery exceeds expectations, both the architectural space, and art quality.
125-miles to Invercargill; in the Marine Corps, we performed march of same name by composer Alex Lithgow; often referred to the march as, “in your car grill.” Burt Munro lived in Invercargill; set multiple motorcycle speed records at Bonneville salt flats in Utah; his motorcycles are on display at local hardware store, E. Hayes and Sons.
Front passes through Monday night, rain gives way at dawn to blustery wind and cool temps; 100-miles to Te Anau. Ride secondary roads, to avoid traffic on Highway 6. No one on the road, but also, nowhere to seek shelter when rain creeps into the region. Arrive at Fjordlands National Park; pry stiff body off the motorbike.
Committed grave error in judgement with this motorbike road trip; as a new rider, nowhere near qualified to ride 1,200 miles around south island; deeply embarrassed at my reckless decision. At this point, four days in, only path forward is onward to Christchurch; learn when stretched outside the comfort zone.
100-miles to Queenstown, improved weather, and appreciate view of snow-covered mountains. City is dense and congested; hostel is located at edge of Lake Wakatipu, on the pedestrian mall; turn motorbike off, and push short distance to hostel; it lets me park overnight, outside the front door.
Equanimity is a dead motorcycle battery. Motorcycle would not start, fortunately, there is a motorcycle shop in town; tech dispatched to replace the battery (2019 factory original). Seven-hour delay, depart at 3pm. Strangely, it was breakthrough day, confidence, and enjoyment, after negotiating sharp, steep switchbacks on Crown Range Road. In flat light, pass Lake Hawea, Lake Wanaka, and many waterfalls; terrain changes to rain forest; ride under tree-lined canopy of Mount Aspire National Park. 135-miles, arrive Haast River 7pm, fatigued, and ready to dismount. Meet Dan from Washington DC, soulful traveler touring south island on his bicycle.
90-miles along west coast to Franz Josef; no wind, but heavy mist and wet road surface; visor fogs, and crack open to clear. Multiple one-lane bridges, blind approach with 90-degree turn; steep switchbacks lead to Franz Josef; New Zealand speed limits successfully set up the rider to safely enter and exit the turns.
Long-range weather forecast called for heavy rain, cancelled plans to ride to Punakaiki, stop short in Greymouth. Overnight rain gives way to sunshine in the morning, pleasant surprise. No wind, but roads are wet; ride slow, as surface dries. 100-miles; check into local hostel; town is mostly underwhelming.
No trash on side of the road in New Zealand. Interestingly, car wrecks are left on side of the road, perhaps, a deterrent. Enjoy riding through small villages, speed limit drops to 30-mph, downshift, and allow body to relax, break from wind and motorcycle noise. Ride over Lewis Pass, exit rain forest; 130-miles, arrive in Hanmer Springs.
MON 29 January: wake early, depart at sunrise; flat light, lazy sun hides behind the clouds; blustery wind, relentlessly blows me all over the road. Intimidated to ride into Christchurch, and, during morning rush hour; turns out that it’s a breakthrough day; skillfully negotiate congested traffic circles and busy intersections; 95-miles, and return motorcycle; local bus to Christchurch city center, check into hostel.
BMW G-310 GS is full-size motorcycle; BMW’s smallest adventure motorcycle, single cylinder, 310cc, six-speed manual transmission, top speed 92-mph (NZ speed limit 60-mph); mid-engine controls, rider sits upright. Intention was to ride not more than four hours per day; physically taxing on the body; practiced yoga every morning and evening to un-kink the body.
TUE 30 January: Tranz Alpine train to Greymouth via Arthur Pass, back to Christchurch; sunshine, scree-covered mountain peaks visible above the tree line; third train journey, not inexpensive, and consistently behind schedule.
Cost:
Cumulative travel costs, during past 37-days. Lodging was reasonably priced in New Zealand; petrol (gasoline) and food considerably higher than United States. Disappointed with campervan economics, not sustainable; some days, I have more money than common sense.
Lodging: $772 total | $21 day
Transport: $2,288 total | $62 day (plane | train | bus | ferry | taxi)
- Flight to New Zealand: $1,600 ($89 per flight hour | 18 hours)
Food: $71 total | $2 day
Other: $3,602 total | $97 day (FX | ATM | visa | tourism | RV & moto)
- Campervan NZ: $2,143 ($1,725 rental | $418 fuel)
- Motorcycle NZ: $1,360 ($1,256 rental with safety gear | $104 fuel)
Total: $6,733 total | $182 day | $66,400 annualized
Conclusion:
Likely best to visit New Zealand after mid-January; many locals go on extended holiday between Christmas and New Year. Pleased to tour with campervan, settled into the experience, but, likely should have rented hybrid car and hostel overnight. Enjoyed five weeks in New Zealand, stunning landscape and kind people. Haere rā!
garthmonroe 