Most itineraries for independent travel are by car/recreational vehicle. We will travel by bus, plane and train with accommodations pre-arranged for us. Time of travel February, March or April for 3-4 weeks.

Is this a good itinerary? This was a suggested driving itinerary in a travel book I found interesting and modified. It is just a start.

We would take side trips or overnight trips as needed. My main interest is not in details but if this journey is an interesting one (if it's do-able by train, plane and bus).

Thanks.

THE NORTH ISLAND
Auckland
Northland & Coromandel
Rotorua, Taupo & Tongariro National Park
Gisborne
Wellington

SOUTH ISLAND
Christchurch
West Coast & the Glaciers
Queenstown & environs
Milford Sound
Dunedin
Southland & Stewart Island

Thanks.

This looks very doable to me, Michi, though you won't spend a lot of time in each spot unless you eliminate a stop somewhere. You said you're not into hiking, so you might think about eliminating Stewart Island.

Lee Ann

Hi ElendiPickle

Nice to get your thoughts. If we eliminated an area, do you have a suggestion?

Hi again ElendiPickle

I meant to say öther than Stewart Island, do you have any other suggestions for areas that might be left out.

Hmmm...that's difficult because I haven't been to the South Island and would love to go all the places you mentioned! Someone who is more familiar with the whole country might have better suggestions.

Lee Ann

Michi -

I traveled around South Island last year to all the places you listed except Stewart Island. I bought a bus pass that gives you a certain number of days of bus travel. There are also passes that include train and airline travel within NZ. I found the busses to be great - mainly geared for tourists, with drivers that give some commentary along the way and stop at photo ops. Try the following websites: intercitycoach.co.nz and travelpass.co.nz for information. You can get their timetables and make reservations in advance for all your trip legs.

Martha

Michi
You're on the road, again! Have fun!

Thanks to those who have answered questions on this forum about Australia.

Yes Margo, we're on the move in February. We've decided to postpone trip to New Zealand this year because of the cost and will satisfy ourselves with memories of Australia for the time being. We hope we'll be in NZ in the next year or two.

We''re off to Argentina in February on an exceptionally reasonable 18 day seniors tour. We will be in Buenos Aires plus spend 10 days at a resort; a special value for $3500 pp that includes absolutely everything: Air Canada return (great for points), hotel + resort, all meals except lunch, medical and trip cancellation insurances, all gratuities, touring and taxi pickup from home to airport and back.

It's a seniors package and although we prefer to travel independently, with this one going to only two places Buenos Aires and Mar del Plata (resort area). This suits us since we'll stay put and can be very independent while being looked after. Because of arthritis I'm wearing orthotics, knee braces and hand splints at this stage, but I am hoping to be in better shape come February. So the ease of travel will probably work well for this trip.

Argentina is recovering from a period of turmoil and travel is very economical with Argentinian money being about half the US$.

So again thanks to those who have taken time to answer my questions.

I meant to say thanks to those who answered my questions here and elswhere on this forum for questions on New Zealand and not Australia.

I should also add that while I seem to be bound up in all sorts of contraptions, the good news is that I don't have to wear them all at one time but it makes a good Halloween costume. Otherwise I am in great shape for my age.

Hi, michi,
You lucky people visiting Buenos Aires. We were there in December 1997/ January 1998 for just over a week either side of a 3 week stay in Uruguay. A wonderful historical city which we thoroughly enjoyed exploring on our own, and so want to return to.
We were able to locate Eva Peron's family tomb - the cemetery is worth a visit. Try to get to a Tango evening - great spectacle and music.
Just watch out for the very clever thieves who offer to clean you up because you have had birds drop their business on you. Make sure all excess funds are left in the hotel security.
We also had an overnight stay at Iguazu Falls, which defies description.
Which hotel are you staying at in BA?
I am green with envious. Have a wonderful time.

Hi Dotty

Nice to hear from someone who has been to BA. The hotel will be the Hotel Kempinski (or similar quality), shown as 4* but who knowsm at the price we're paying (regular Air Canada airfare at that time shows $2300CD!! It seems there are three or four of these hotels in BA - do you remember anything about them? This is a Senior Tours soecial value in Canada and is highly reputable so we are hoping for the best.

We will be in Mar Del Plata at a smallish resort for 10 days. From my searchings I find that this area is the most popular for Argentines during the December-February and am wondering if we should take the March tour instead. I think it's about 200+ mles south of BA.

I see a lot about the lguaz Falls. How long did it take to get there from BA. My search seems to indicate 2 days are needed for such a journey so we might not get there.

Cheers!

Hi, michi,
Sorry, don't know the Hotel. We stayed in the Lancaster which was in Cordoba Ave, and was the sea end of town.
Iguazu is a 1 hour 40 minute flight north of BA, on the border with Brazil and Paraguay. If we ever manage to get there again we will stay two nights instead of one so we can visit the Brazilian side of the Falls as well! When we were there, around 2 January, it was 43 degrees Celsius at 9 a.m.!!
I know when we were in Punta del Este (Uruguay)in early January there were as many Argentinians as Uruguayans (and us!) there. Punta del Este basically closes down in March until November because all the tourists are back at work or school. I would opt for either February or March.
Will try to find my notes for some more 'bits of useless info'!
Dot

Dotty

I'm thinking of changing our leaving date from Toronto to March 6 instead of Feb. 20 since everything I read (travel books, travel comments, etc.,) say that Dec Jan, Feb. the resort town of Mar del Plata is overly crowded with Argentines and tourists and that beach and restaurant space are not readily available.

Being 72 & 78, we'll enjoy the beach but not sun worshippers, and our breakfast and dinner are provided but a less hectic time might be more enjoyable.

When we decided to postpone NZ this year (we were in Australia for a month in April), it never occurred to us to go to South America until I saw this Senior Tours special.

Being in only two places for 18 days is fine with us and leaves us plenty of time to explore BA and the resort area. Looks like the falls are out but who knows, maybe we'll get back some time.

Dotty, are you in the US? I'm in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I'm going to move this over to the South American forum under something like
ÄRGENTINA: Attention Dotty

if you should be able to provide more info. We will be seeing the tango and other visits.

Dotty

I should have said Latin America forum and not South America.

Your comments will be welcome but don't feel obliged.

Michi, I hate to put a dampner on your up-coming trip to Argentina but if you have not paid for your trip yet I really think that you can do a lot better by checking out some other sites.
I have spent a lot of time in the last 3 years in South America and in particular in Argentina, the last time was in May this year for 7 weeks. B.A. has gone down so badly in the last couple of years, it is dirty, smelly, more crime ( and lots of it, but not so much that you would see it).
The cost of hotels are at rock bottom and you can rent an excellant apartment in an apartment hotel for less than $50 day. Meals with cost you about $8. Taxi around the city about $1 and the return Airfares from say NY were advertised at about $800. I know that that would mean flying to NY but that would reduce the cost considerably.
If you could find a trip that goes to Iguasu falls AND/OR Bariloche ( wonderful country around there) Mendosa or Santa Fe for something entirely different then I would take that. Plata is nice but not overly so.
Please don't take me the wrong way, I love Argentina and the people and hope to get there again next year but with a bit of help from those in the know I am sure that you could do the same trip or much better for a lot less $$$$$$. By the way the Peso is about 1/3 of the US$ or about half the Canadian if not less.
If you would like I can give you some connections to websites which you can check out for accommodation or perhaps Melodie ( I hope its Melodie the Travel Agent in the US ) could check out prices from there for airfares.
Buying your internal airfares in South America is so much cheaper than buying them elsewhere by the way so getting an all in price from outside S.A is not always the best way.
Keep in mind that Argentina was once a first world country with the sophication and the infrastructure which is still there so there is no problem with hotels, travel and so on. It is just that it is in its death throws so to speak, which hopefully it will recover from sometime in the future. One of the most wonderful accommodation ideas is to stay for a time at an Argentinian Ranch, some of which looks like a French Chateaux. These are absolutely 6 star and give you full board as well. One I can think of will pick you up in B.A. and bring you back. Anyway I hope that I have not highjacked your post by putting my bib in on South America.