I'm planning a 3 week self drive holiday on the North Island of New Zealand next March. (only 6 months away).

The idea of this thread is for experienced travellers to share their mistakes with the rest of us.

What do you wish you had packed? What do you wish you had left at home? What was invaluable?

Please give a newbie traveller some hints and the benefit of your experience. No tip is too small.

Thanks

I wish I'd packed LESS...anything you need can be purchased along the way. Take your own medicines and firstaid supplies. Some things that you get over the counter in US are not available same way there.
Hairdryers are available in motels etc. so leave that at home.
Binoculars were great to have in addition to camera

Hi, Bushtail
We took a 3 week trip to New Zealand this past Feb/March (2 weeks on South Island, 1 on Noth Island)and know you will have a great time.
Wish we had known ahead of time:
1) Jasons guide to motels, motor lodges, and apartments in New Zealand. We were given a copy when we traveled by car on the South Island. If we had this excellent reference guide before we left the US, our "hotel" reservations would not have been made. For those of us travelers with needs for accessible rooms, this guide lists accomodations to meet needs. The book lists a web site you may want to try - www.jasons.com
2) We stayed in motels where we could and they are nothing like many of us may expect from travels in the US. The ones in which we stayed were all very clean, bright, cheerful, full kitchens, including tin foil,paper towels, dish soap, etc. Blow dryer in every place we stayed if that matters to you.
3)Every motel or hotel in which we stayed had milk in the frig and it was replenished daily for those of us who enjoy a drop in our tea or coffee which they also have in the rooms. If you like "good coffee" you may wish to bring some or buy there as the instant is pretty bad.
4)Every hotel or motel - except in Wellington and Auckland - had modern coin operated laundry facilities - another reason to pack light!
5) In Auckland there is a laundry (Clean Green Laundromat )at 18B Fort Street close to Queens Street. You can do your own or leave it with Michael Lee who will wash, dry, fold - or iron at a slightly higher charge - while you go shopping on Queens street or have lunch. VERY inexpensive and an opportunity to shop which I otherwise would not have had time.
6) Wish we had purchased a cooler and those ice packs which you freeze right away. It's nice to have cool drinks, cheese, etc. and be able to pack to travel.
7) We were also given a great touring map of both islands by Holiday Accomodation Parks which shows approximate travelling distances and lists their locations - www.holidayparks.co.nz
8) AA Visitor Guides for various regions were also given to us - www.aatravel.co.nz.
9)All of the printed information we received while in New Zealand would have been great to have in planning out trip. I would strongly advise that you try to obtain in advance.
10) Bring lots of film as the country is so incredibly beautiful you will want to capture the unspoiled nature at every opportunity.
11) As JIW said, binoculars - wish we had brought with us.
The most important thing to bring with you is your sense of adventure and openess to cultures and experiences. One of our delights in travel experiences is "talking story" with locals. People all over New Zealand were helpful, kind, friendly, and delighted to sit and "talk story." Enjoy planning and your trip which you most certainly will!

another suggestion if I may...a digital camera with lots of memory instead of camera w/film. No rolls of film to carry around...I shot about 30 rolls of 36 exp and it cost a lot to get developed when i got home. Husband had his digital and his pics were just as good and better and no developing costs.

Thanks for some great tips. When you say pack less.....how much do you take?

Thanks in advance

I hope i'm not too presumptuous but we were there for a month last year Feb-March. Pack light!! I had a small overnighter case (maybe 21 or 22 in) and carefully packed it held 5 pairs shorts, two pair slacks, 3 shirts, 5 tee shirts, undies, and necessities. Laundry was no problem there at all - we could get clothes washed at each hotel or motel. As posters said all motels that we stayed at were very clean (except one at Franz Josef). We just pulled out little bag around each time we continued on. Prescription medicines need to be in their original containers (as per coming into their country). Hair dryers operate on a different current so leave yours at home and use theirs. Internet cafes are all over - you can stay in touch with family/friends for $1-2 dollars a sitting. Food is quite reasonable. We also took their transportation on the South Island from Queenstown to Franz Josef and on up to Greymouth and we had an extremely comfortable bus with a nice driver.

Have a great time - we can't wait to get back!!

We just did 7 weeks in NZ in Dec and Jan. We packed very light. Both of us had 3 pair of zip off(made into shorts) quick dry pants and three shirts. Each had a sweat shirt and did just great. Laundry facilities are everywhere and very good.

I wish I had known about the wonderful accomodation in the Top 10 Holiday parks. They have everything from tenting spots to fully self contained motel rooms. All these parks were spotlessly clean and wonderful people running them. We met so many people from all over the world that I just wish we had found the a week earlier. They do have a web so look into it and I hope you have a great trip. Wendy

This may seem weird, but you did say "no tip is too small"...

Not so much a mistake as a learning experience..

We're coffee drinkers and very much crave that first cup of coffee in the morning. We found that most NZ motels/hotels provide instant coffee and/or a French coffee press and tea kettle. We took our own ground coffee (100% Kona coffee from Hawaii - we're hooked!), but didn't care for the result from a coffee press.

Soooooo, this year we're taking our Kona coffee and a one cup Melita drip coffee contraption to try out. If it works, we plan to buy a few more for future use.

A mistake...

Not taking enough time to thoroughly enjoy the incredible scenery and laid back atmostphere. Take your time!