Aces Go Places.
Holidaying in a motor home is something I had always wanted to experience. So when I decided to bring my family to visit my sister in New Zealand during the school holidays, I thought it would be the best opportunity to try it out. New Zealand is probably the best country in the world for first time campervaners. It is an outdoor holidaying supported by the government and the tourism industry. At every town or at some farms, there are campsites run both by DOC and private entrepreneur. You can even freedom camp, although there are areas prohibiting it. These are mostly town or residential areas and there are rules guiding freedom camping. While planning, I have the nagging doubt that it would be winter in New Zealand and being a first timer, would I have enough experience to drive a motor home on snowy conditions. There is also the worry that it might be too cold. But knowing that I would not be coming this way often and if I don't do it, I might not have that many opportunity and will never get around to it. So throwing all caution to the wind, I just went ahead and book my flights for my family and had my sister helped book my domestic flight to Christchurch.
There are many rental company, Maui, Britz, Apollo, Jucy and most of it comes under one national rental company. I had decided on KEA Campers because they only have new motor homes ( 1 to 2 years ). Even though it's on the high side, but being winter season, the rate for off peak is about 20 % lower. I paid
NZD 1,331.00 for a week rental all inclusive plus insurance. I did not want to take any chance. The one I booked is the biggest in it's fleet, 6KQ model which seats six person and and the bedding configured to sleep six. There are only 5 of us, so I invited my brother KC to join me for this holiday. He had been to New Zealand, also some 20 over years ago but had never travel the South Island before. He made arrangements for his leave and flew in from the states to join us. I am glad he did so. It takes some worry out of me knowing there is another co driver and navigator around. The campervan for six is classified as heavy vehicle and technically, Malaysian driving licence for private car is limited to driving vehicle weighing to a maximum of 3,500 kg load. I am certain most driving licence internationally have the same limits, some spell out on the driving licence, some did not. The campervan I drove is above 3,500kg. I'm not sure, but the rental company are easy with it, as long as you possess a valid driving licence, they do not stop you. Majority of the renters are like me, holding just a private car driving licence. Surely they do not expect holiday makers to have a lorry driving licence! I have mentioned, for me holidaying in a campervan is an ace as we can decide where to go and how long we want to stay while on the go. But having just a week, you really need to have an idea where you are headed for in that short time.
The other thing is DOC campsites are cheap, charging mostly about NZD 6.00 per head. But they only provide the bare necessities, a site, toilet and water from stream nearby. These are for real campers. Freedom camping is free, no facilities. Being a first timer and bringing families, I choose to use the private holiday parks. These are more expensive and the charge during off peak is NZD 25.00 per head. For this, you get to use a proper kitchen, hot shower facilities, toilet, reading room, powered site, dump station and pipe water. They are all well kept and very clean. Most important, travelling with a family with important documents in the van, the park is a more secured place.
Below are some of the places that we travel in our camper van.
Holidaying in a motor home is something I had always wanted to experience. So when I decided to bring my family to visit my sister in New Zealand during the school holidays, I thought it would be the best opportunity to try it out. New Zealand is probably the best country in the world for first time campervaners. It is an outdoor holidaying supported by the government and the tourism industry. At every town or at some farms, there are campsites run both by DOC and private entrepreneur. You can even freedom camp, although there are areas prohibiting it. These are mostly town or residential areas and there are rules guiding freedom camping. While planning, I have the nagging doubt that it would be winter in New Zealand and being a first timer, would I have enough experience to drive a motor home on snowy conditions. There is also the worry that it might be too cold. But knowing that I would not be coming this way often and if I don't do it, I might not have that many opportunity and will never get around to it. So throwing all caution to the wind, I just went ahead and book my flights for my family and had my sister helped book my domestic flight to Christchurch.
There are many rental company, Maui, Britz, Apollo, Jucy and most of it comes under one national rental company. I had decided on KEA Campers because they only have new motor homes ( 1 to 2 years ). Even though it's on the high side, but being winter season, the rate for off peak is about 20 % lower. I paid
NZD 1,331.00 for a week rental all inclusive plus insurance. I did not want to take any chance. The one I booked is the biggest in it's fleet, 6KQ model which seats six person and and the bedding configured to sleep six. There are only 5 of us, so I invited my brother KC to join me for this holiday. He had been to New Zealand, also some 20 over years ago but had never travel the South Island before. He made arrangements for his leave and flew in from the states to join us. I am glad he did so. It takes some worry out of me knowing there is another co driver and navigator around. The campervan for six is classified as heavy vehicle and technically, Malaysian driving licence for private car is limited to driving vehicle weighing to a maximum of 3,500 kg load. I am certain most driving licence internationally have the same limits, some spell out on the driving licence, some did not. The campervan I drove is above 3,500kg. I'm not sure, but the rental company are easy with it, as long as you possess a valid driving licence, they do not stop you. Majority of the renters are like me, holding just a private car driving licence. Surely they do not expect holiday makers to have a lorry driving licence! I have mentioned, for me holidaying in a campervan is an ace as we can decide where to go and how long we want to stay while on the go. But having just a week, you really need to have an idea where you are headed for in that short time.
The other thing is DOC campsites are cheap, charging mostly about NZD 6.00 per head. But they only provide the bare necessities, a site, toilet and water from stream nearby. These are for real campers. Freedom camping is free, no facilities. Being a first timer and bringing families, I choose to use the private holiday parks. These are more expensive and the charge during off peak is NZD 25.00 per head. For this, you get to use a proper kitchen, hot shower facilities, toilet, reading room, powered site, dump station and pipe water. They are all well kept and very clean. Most important, travelling with a family with important documents in the van, the park is a more secured place.
Below are some of the places that we travel in our camper van.
Ms. Lei from KEA Campers giving us a guided tour on campers facility.
Eager to get on with it.
Pulling out from KEA Campers site at De Havilland Way, near the airport.
Callum nicely settling himself in the camper.
Utilising 3 parking space at Pak & Save supermart.
Utilising 4 parking lot when the other car pull off.
At Manchester Street, Christchurch city.
Ambers Holiday Park, Christchurch.
It's only 4 km from the city, but it's a nice campsite.
Kitchen faclity at Ambers campsite.
The boys helping out without being asked to do so.
It's Penang laksa noodle that we brought from home.
The laksa taste super in cold weather.
A view of the Amber campsite.
The seating area is turned into bed.
The cabin is big enough for two big size people.
The front section where the chairs are converted to bed for two.
The back section seating area is also converted to bed that comfortably sleeps two.
This KQ6 model has a kitchen, hood, kitchen cabinet, toilet and shower room.
See how it fits.
The morning after. Callum going for his shower at the campsite.
Preparing breakfast.
When you prepare your own breakfast, you can have anything.
Semua ada, toast bread, ham, eggs sunny side up, sausages, butter, jam, coffee...
You eat to your hearts content.
Washing up your own plates.
At Cashel Street, Christchurch near the Bridge of Remembrance.
On the road again.
Space allow you to sleep
In whatever angle you body dictates.
Having a another person as driver or navigator helps a lot.
Because you cannot drive fast, you learn to enjoy the scene along the way.
Certain bridges are narrow which allow only one car to pass at a time.
They miss most of the beautiful scenery.
At Farm Barn, about 50 km from Lake Tekapo.
You cannot miss the sheeps in NZ.
At Church of Good Shepard, Lake Tekapo.
Fill 'em up. Diesel cost NZD 1.50 per litre.
at Lake Tekapo.
Having a card game together.
It's a nice change without computers.
Valen is quite adapt at "angkat turun"
Lot 27, our powered sitye at Lake Tekapo Holiday Park.
It has the best location.
Breakfast at Lake Tekapo.
A picture for remembrance.
Quite a number of campers at the site.
Stopping at Lake Pukati.
A proper stop area at Lake Pukati.
This is an unscheduled stop.
Stopping at the highest road point at Lindis Pass
At Cromwell.
At New World supermarket parking lot. Again, have to utilise four parking space.
At Top 10 Holiday Park, Queenstown.
Preparing dinner at the campsiter kitchen.
Callum grilling the lamb we bought at Cromwell.
It gets dark at 5.00 pm
Callum and Valen warming themselves after dinner at the lounge.
A game of cards again.
Would you belive this is the common toilet at the campsite ?
It is as clean as any hotel.
These are conveniently located outdoor near the powered site.
The morning after.
Preparing breakfast
Nice coffee from home with bacon, toast and egg.
There are many campers even in winter. We met four Malaysian families here. They are all on campervan.
At the Chinese Settlement, Arrowtown.
At Kawarau Bridge, AJ Hackett Bungy jumpsite.
This used to be a gold mining area and some chinese gold miners made it good those days.
At Goldfields Jet.
Stopping by at Roxburg.
Roxburg.
Stopping at Lawrence for a cuppa.
Lawrence.
At Moray Place opposite the First Church of Otago.
First Church of Otago at the Octagon.
At Dunedin Holiday Park.
Dundin Holiday Park campsite.
Dump station.
Preparing breakfast.
Breakfast at the park's kitchebn.
Nice and spacious.
Cleaning up the dishes.
Valen having a feel at the wheel.
On the way to Christchurch.
Keeping themselves occupied with handheld games.
KC took over the wheel midway.
Filling up gas at Palmerston.
Approaching Timaru.
Stopping at Timaru.
Parking at Sophia Street opposite Elim Church.
After lunch at Noodle Canteen.
At North South Holiday park, Christchurch.
Taking 3 parking space at Burger King, near the airport.
Decide not to cook tonight as we had to return the vehicle early next morning.
Burger King taste good.
We choose this North South Holiday park as it is only 5 minutes drive to the airport and we had to be at the airport early the next day. We left the campsite just after 7.00 am and drove to the airport. By 7.30 am, we had already checked in our luggage and KC and I drove the van to KEA office nearby. Even though the office officially opened at 8.00 am, there were already some workers there. They attended to us 15 minutes later and gave us the thumbs up sign that everything is in order. They had a shuttle to transfer us to the airport and by late morning we were back to Auckland by Air New Zealand.
This is one holiday that all of us enjoyed. Because it is off peak season, I need not have to book ahead to reserved a powered site. It is always available and that just gives you a lot of flexibility. We had a few choices of powered site at each location. The other plus point is that none of my children had ever helped out in the kitchen. On this holiday trip, they not only help out voluntarily, but enjoyed doing so.
We had expected the worse of winter while on the road, but it turn out to be sunny all the way. The snow did not fall yet and this was a bit of disappointment. I was hoping that the children could enjoy some skiing, but none of the ski field was open as it was too early and there was not enough snow. The plus point is we were driving in very driveable condition and that's important for first timer.
A few days after we arrive home, we receive a nice postcard from Ms. Lei of KEA Campers wishing us well and hoping that we had enjoyed the holiday. It is a nice personal touch and certainly reminiscence of the postcard days. I prefer this anytime to an e mail wishes which can be computer generated.
No comments:
Post a Comment