Meg

Hello to those who know...<BR>We (my husband, my 8yr old son & myself) do like our creature comforts; real beds hot baths, good coffee and cuisine. Would we be rash to think we could enjoy tooling around New Zealand or even Australia for 3 weeks in a motorhome? Dec 2002 -Jan 2003 Let me know your suggestions.<BR>Thanks.<BR>Meg

LizF

Yes, being that it will be summer and most of the good site will have been let. A nice airconditioned car would be in order I would think although that or a Motorhome would not effect your ability to have good coffee and nice cuisine.

Royd

Traveling in a motorhome is not really giving up anything since they come fully equipped with everything you could need. You will have the convenience of always having a bathroom handy and a place to fix a quick lunch or snack and good coffee (your own!). As for real beds, the ones in a motorhome are not too bad and are very handy if you decide to pull over and have a nap. The hot baths (showers) are found in the many good campgrounds located through out the country.<BR> My wife and I spent 10 days last April driving a campervan around both the North and South Islands of NZ and enjoyed it very much. We easily found good campgrounds each night without making any reservations and many of them had ammenities such as swimming pools or spas. Every one had a community kitchen loaded with every appliance you could possibly need to fix a meal if you did not want to fix it in your motorhome. And the most wonderful part was spending time rubbing elbows with the Kiwis who were on holiday. We found them to be very open and warm and friendly. We might not have had the same experience if we had stayed in hotels.<BR> The roads in NZ are mostly two lane but that is rarely a problem since there is very little traffic and they are very adequate. When you do decide to eat out be prepared to pay about half of what a comparable meal would cost stateside.<BR> As for suggestions, be sure to get a motorhome with automatic transmission, since it is awkward trying to shift with your left hand. Don't forget to bring along some of your favorite coffee because tea is still the favorite national hot beverage there and coffee is sometimes hard to in the smaller towns.<BR> So I would heartily recommend traveling by motorhome in NZ and would expect it to be very similar in OZ.

LizF

Royd: They are coming in our long 6 - 8 week major school holiday season,in summer, when ALL good holiday accommodation has been booked since the previous year and the year before that, and the year before that.<BR>As for coffee in Australia - you can get anything, anywhere and even our own very, very good home grown coffee ( and tea) and I would not suggest that you bring any coffee into Australia or NZ because of the strict customs/quarantine regulations in each country. No food is to be brought in from anywhere because Australia and NZ are free from many of the pest and diseases that occur in other countries - and we would like it to stay that way.

Royd

LizF:<BR> I only suggested that they bring along their favorite coffee since that seemed to be important to them. I know that it isn't a problem since we did last April. We told the customs agent that we were bringing it and he assured us that coffee was OK. Since virtually all American coffee comes from abroad (except for Kona coffee) there are no "pests" that could possibly be brought in and the Kiwis are smar enough to know that.<BR> As for all the good vacations spots being booked one to two years in advance is pretty hard for me to believe even if it is in the middle of summer. The are litterally hundreds of campgrounds and many of them can even be booked in advance via the internet. Since they have one year lead time that leaves plenty of time to book virtually anywhere they want.<BR> I was suggesting that they could go ahead and rent a motorhome and with some advance planning expect to have a lovely time.

LizF

Royd: New Zealand is not Australia and I can tell you that most Australians spend most of the Christmas school holidays at the same beach as they did the year before. <BR>You went to NZ in April and let me assure you that NZ is not anything like Australia in or out of the school holiday season. You cannot get anything good in the school holidays at any beaches in Australia, period. NZ is not renowned for its beaches or its climate for swimming - its not what they do- skiing yes, beaches no.<BR>Also if you bring in ANY food into Australia ( and that includes coffee) you will have to declare it and it will be conficated if customs think fit - run the risk if you like, this is an information forum and I am giving someone some information that may help them.<BR>Finally, where it may have been nice trotting around NZ in April in a motorhome with short distances, that would not be the case in Australia where distances are further and when there are more cars on the road than at any other time of the year it would be a PIA, especially as they are not used to driving on our side of the road.

JennyL

I wonder if Liz has ever been to New Zealand. We have wonderful beaches which are unspoilt and beautiful. Every summer New Zealanders also return to their favourite beach. Camping grounds do get very busy and booked over the summer holidays.

marg

Give it a go! For two or three weeks, it worth giving it a try. You may find it really fun. If it gets really unbearable, you can always have a night of luxury at a nice hotel or motel. There are two chains of caravan parks/camping grounds which will book sites ahead for you - look up www.toptouristparks.com.au and www.big4.com.au. Nearly all the parks have swimming pools, barbecues, camp kitchens, playgrounds etc. Your son will have other children to play with and you and your husband will meet lots of friendly people. Sure, it will be crowded in the main holiday period which is generally between 18 December and 18 January - gets a bit less crowded after the middle of January when a lot of people go back to work. A motorhome will ensure you have a bed to sleep in at night, somewhere to prepare your meals, it will be easy to pull off the road at picnic grounds etc for lunch. <BR>Don't bring any food - our customs people will jump on you - but one of the delights of travelling overseas is checking out the local supermarkets and trying new produce and products. Our coffee is pretty good too.

Daisy

Meg,<BR><BR>I think it would be fun. However.... can I ask for a bit more information? Does it HAVE to be December January? That's school holiday time in Australia and New Zealand, and a lot of families go camping. <BR><BR>Also, where are you coming from? Are you used to hot weather? If you are coming to Australia, it will be hot at that time. Where would you be looking at going, within Australia? The weather at that time of year would be slightly more bearable in the South, but if you went right up north (which takes days of driving) you'd be in the beginning of the wet season.<BR><BR>Don't want to rain on your parade (excuse the pun).... come and you will have a great time, but I think it would be more comfortable climatically at other times of the year, as well as easier to get accommodation. Although I think another poster's comment that every camp ground is booked out for years in advance is a little generalised to be entirely accurate!

Darren

I don't know where you are Daisy but I can tell you that for 15 years we have been coming to the same beach for the Xmas holidays and each year it is booked out from about April. Sure you will be able to get accommodation at out of the way caravan parks but if you want the beach or something nice then unless you are prepared to sit outside each day in the hope of someone moving out or having it booked well ahead of time you will be out of luck. I am in Northern NSW by the way. Perhaps its different in your neck of the woods. <BR>Also I have been to NZ as my family is originally from there and I agree with the previous poster that NZ is not renowned for its beaches - neither is the weather beach weather most of the time and the conditions in terms of accommodation and availability are quite different in the two countries. In the main NZ has better facilities for cooking in its Parks and in Australia you will find probably more parks with swimming pools and games rooms for the kids.

Joan

Yes right JennyL New Zealand has great beaches..........where? Are you talking about the North Island or the South Island. This is supposed to be a forum of information for overseas visitors and if you are going to say "New Zealand has great beaches" and they come here and see whats on offer they are going to be pretty disappointed not to mention that the weather is hardly beach weather most of the time - unless you are a member of the iceberg club. No, JennyL tell it as it is, we don't have great beaches for swimming like Australia BUT we do have fabulous scenery, fantastic lakes, fiords, snow capped mountains, hot springs and lots of other things that are worth seeing.

Royd

WOW!!! Isn't it interesting that the original poster hasn't even checked back in to this thread? Maybe it's because this has turned into a contest to see if Oz or NZ has the best beaches, something she didn't even ask about!!!

Mike

G'day Meg, <BR>are you any wiser now???? <BR>I'm with Royd. <BR><BR>Do your question: "Do we dare motor-home it? We like our creature comforts." <BR><BR>I assume that you live in the northern hemisphere? <BR>If so you have a summer there before your visit to our shores. Why not rent a Motor Home for a long weekend, better for a week and give it a go. <BR>If you like it then go for it. <BR>If not then it's obviously not for you. <BR><BR>What was said about most places in camping grounds beeing booked out long in advance is correct, however by sticking with the big ones like www.toptouristparks.com.au & www.big4.com.au and phone ahead each morning before leaving you will most likely be ok, at least in the southern states and up to about Boxing Day. <BR>At that time of the year you wouldn't want to be up north in any case. <BR>It doesn't really matter that much if you can't find a place in a camping ground real close to the beach - after all you would be mobile and it won't take you long to get to the beach. <BR><BR>Hope my message is of help. <BR>Enjoy - Mike.

Darren

Wow Royd: Isn't is surprising that this has turned into a contest as you say, Yes if it had not been for you, who had taken a little trip in New Zealand in April making assertions on what conditions would be in a different country ( and argueing the fact with someone from Australia as well - not having been there yourself) it would have stayed an informative forum. No you had to have your say about something you know nothing about and people had to put you right. <BR>If you don't know what you are talking about please stay out of the forum because saying " its pretty hard for you to believe such and such" to someone in their country when you yourself have never been there smacks of you just being a smartarse. So never assume because you know what they say " to assume make an ass out of you and me!

Royd

Darren:<BR> Wow! Lighten up buddy! I was only expressing my opinion to which I am entitled. I never purported myself to be an expert. I never ever expressed any opinion about Australia and motorhoming there since I had not experienced that.<BR> I was only trying to give Meg an idea of how a fellow Yank felt being in what might be her shoes, something you could not possibly do being Austalian. And just for the record, I have been to Australia, but when I come back I hope I don't run into too many blokes like you!

Helen

Sorry, I just have to put my two cents worth in here - I just can't help myself! <BR><BR>In case there are readers out there that have been convinced that New Zealand lacks beautiful beaches and sunny/hot weather - WE DO, WE DO, WE DO!<BR>Just not the entire coastline, that's all - and the white sands are more common in in the top half of the North Island than the far south that's all - very handy if flying into Auckland don't you think?<BR><BR>OK, so we haven't had a brilliant summer this year, but our skin cancer statistics and my tan must be the result of our love of the summer sun surely! <BR><BR>There, I have had my say, just wanted to set the record straight <BR><BR>Helen<BR>

David

Hi Meg,<BR><BR>I have stayed out of this one, but have been an interested observer. Meg, my wife and I travelled around Australia for 9 months in a combie (read small, very small campervan) in 1989. It was great to see our own country and a great way to do it. We were in our early 20's. Now, with a family and in our mid 30's the van would need to be alot bigger, and not just because of the kids!!!<BR><BR>Campervaning is a great way to see a country. We have done it in New Zealand as well, but for a shorter period...3 weeks. In our experience it turns sour in the main due to two things;<BR>(a) Prolonged period of bad weather. Now that puts a dampener on any holiday but in a campervan you are in close confines. Also, to travel anywhere because of the waether you have to pack everything away and perhaps take an awning down etc etc....lets just say its not a simple matter of looking the hotel door and jumping in the car.<BR>(b) There is nothing worse than not being able to find a place to stay. Now, in our 9 months we occasionally had the missfortune of arriving somewhere, where that night/weekend or whatever that area was hosting an event. Things can turn nasty pretty quickly. You find yourself indulging in a spot of "freecamping" which includes zero creature comforts, let me assure you. Granted, the accomdation thing can happen under any circumstance but in Australia in December/January you can basically guarantee it.<BR><BR>Mikes advice is good i think. Why don't you try it for a week or so first but even if you like it the time you plan is wrong for Australia. If you have a vision of pottering up the coast staying at beach places that look nice when you get there you will be sadly disappointed. I'd do that in October or April.<BR><BR>I am unsure of availability in New Zealand at this time but I would "assume" that it is much the same. Certainly where we are in Auckland many people appear to be disappearing to the same beach holiday location as they have for years. <BR><BR>Recommendation;<BR>(a) Motorhome it but change your travel times to shoulder season. Weather is still good but you miss the crowds<BR>(b) Come in Dec/Jan, do not motorhome it, and book your accomodation and therefor settle your itinery well in advance.<BR><BR>Cheers<BR>David<BR><BR>