Melissa5

mlgb: Since my brain lacks an internal compass entirely, it is fortunate for my husband that I didn't have to figure out which was the west side of the plane, but I bet gtnz07 can figure it out!

Honestly, mlgb, it would be a lot easier for me to orient myself in the world if only things would stay in one place, and wouldn't keep moving about like they do. The world is like a merry-go-round to me. There isn't any use in pin-pointing the location of anything, because it will just move, like horses on the merry-go-round.

That is why my husband and I make a great travelling pair. He has an excellent internal compass. But he doesn't like all the little details of planning and researching a trip. So I plan the trip, and when we arrive, he drives and makes sure we don't get lost!

mlgb

I understand about getting disoriented. When I am in Palm Springs I am always flipped around because I expect the big mountains to be to the north, not the south!

Melissa5

mlgb: Those big mountains do have a bad habit of getting up and moving about on you, when you aren't looking...That is the trouble with Palm Springs.

Senga

Melissa: Thanks for all the wonderful information. We are going in December and, once I actually study our itinerary and your review, I'm sure I'll be back with specific questions. Do you have your pictures posted online?

Melissa5

Senga, I would be happy to help in any way that I can, when you are ready to post your questions and itinerary. I hope my trip report helps. I found it very helpful to read other people's trip reports when I planned this trip. It really supplements and updates the info in the guidebooks. Plus I like to get the inside story.

I will be posting my New Zealand photos on-line, but it is a new process for me. My son is helping me by setting me up so I will understand how to post my photos. Hopefully they will be ready for posting soon!

Meanwhile, luckily for you all, I will NOT be posting all 700 photos that I took with my digital camera while in New Zealand! So far I have deleted a few and am down to only 534 photos! You gotta understand, it was my first digital camera and I couldn't be sure if I was taking good photos so I decided to take a lot! I will choose the best few and post them.

Senga, enjoy the planning process...it is the beginning of your journey to gorgeous New Zealand! Whatever you think you can fit in...write it down...then chop it ruthlessly in half...you'll be glad you did in the end!

dotty

Melissa5,
I have so enjoyed your trip report, with your great turn of phrase making everywhere sound so interesting.
I am a NZer who is very familiar with many of the places you visited, and your enthusiasm mirrored my own for this area.
We visited Jackson Bay in January, the 2nd time in 40 years for my husband, the first time for me. What a quaint little place. We too had a wonderful meal of fish and chips at the Cray Pot -our fish was Blue Nose - which just melted in your mouth. We were staggered by the sight of the two huge and beautiful pohutukawas covered in flowers that were on the foreshore just along from the Cray Pot.
Did you notice the way the trees lean on that stretch of road from Wilderness Lodge to Jackson Bay? Definitely worth several photos!
Thanks again for your report.

Melnq8

Okay, Melissa and Dotty have managed to pique my interest in Jackson Bay, which I'm completely unfamiliar with. Where exactly is this gem?

garymey

I have taken so many notes from Melissa5's reports . Thanks. We leave in 3 weeks and are at wits end trying to figure out driving times and how to fit it all in. We plan to spend 7 nights in South Island (Queenstown, Milford Sound overnight, Fox Glacier or Lake Moeraki (long drive from Milford Sound), maybe Karamea next, Abel Tasman and Nelson or Blenheim.

Then 6 nights on North Island to Wellington for 2 nights, Napier, Roturua, Waitomo Caves and Auckland (just to be there for morning flight back to San Francisco.

We are probably jamming too much in but I think driving from Queenstown to Milford just after arriving would be crazy so we figured 2 nights there to adjust. But it does mean a very long drive from Milford to wherever we stay north of Queenstown. Trying to decide between Mt. Cook or the West Coast. Can't really do both as too much back-tracking. Thoughts?

Thankz

Melnq8

garymey -

Check out this site for help with drive distances and times:

http://www.accommodationz.co.nz/distances2.html

Regarding your proposed SI itinerary - WAY too much. There's just no way you can do all that in 7 days and actually enjoy yourselves.

Suggest you scratch Karamea completely - not much there - just the start of the Heaphy Track, which you'll have no time to walk and the Honeycomb caves.

Also suggest you choose between the south of the SI or the north of the SI. Drive times and distances are too great to do it all. NZ looks small, but it's long and the roads are narrow and winding with many, many places to stop along the way.

Scale back and you'll have a much more enjoyable trip.

If I can be of any help, feel free to contact me at [email protected].

Melissa5

dotty: Nice to hear from a Kiwi! What a gorgeous place you live in! Yes, those leaning trees between Lake Moeraki and Jackson Bay are quite striking. Wish I was close enough for more fresh fish and chips from the Cray Pot...now I'm spoiled.

Melnq8: Jackson Bay is on the west coast of the South Island of New Zealand. Driving south from Lake Moeraki, it is as far south as the coastal road goes. Many folks probably haven't ventured as far south as Jackson Bay as it is even further south than Haast. It is NOT a Must-See destination at all...it is one of those refreshingly untouristed out-of-the-way spots you like to run across when you are in the area. We had 3 nights at Lake Moeraki, which was enough time to explore the southwest coast a bit. I wouldn't suggest you go out of your way to find Jackson Bay, but if you spend a few nights somewhere between Haast and Lake Moeraki, do drive down to Jackson Bay and have fish and chips at the Cray Pot (a trailor on the bay.) We enjoyed seeing the unique coastal rainforest in this area, with Tree Ferns. On a return trip to New Zealand I would like to look into some more of the walks on the SW coast area which we didn't have time for.

garymey: Melnq8 is right, you cannot fit it all in. I agree with her suggestion to choose either the northern half or the southern half of the South Island. The South Island is magnificent, and the going is slow. The roads are winding, one lane in each direction, with lots of scenic stops, plus you often get stuck driving behind a huge camper or truck which refuses to pull over.

Relax, garymey...the good news is you can't see it all no matter how much you try to cram in...so you might as well slow down and enjoy 13 nights in paradise...I recommend you choose either the North or South Island. 13 nights is enough time to enjoy half of one of the islands! One of the things you may not realize is that New Zealand is just packed with breath-taking sites that take you by surprise...they just take your breath away, and you won't want to move on. Do just one-half of one island. Use flights to get back to Auckland when you need to fly home. With the pace that you are thinking of planning, you would be having a drive-by vacation...but New Zealand entices you to stop, get out of the car, take a walk, snap dozens of photos, enjoy some unique wildlife, chat with friendly folks from NZ and all over the world...

I love both Mt. Cook and the West Coast. You say you are trying to choose between them. One thing that may help you...if the weather is good, you can have views of Mt. Cook from a distance without actually driving all the way up to Mt. Cook. For example, from Lake Matheson on the west coast, on a clear day, Mt. Cook is beautiful in the background.

You have 13 nights. I would focus on 3 main areas. Spend 3 nights in each of your 3 main areas. Choose an accomodation to use as a base with a good location in each of your 3 main areas. Use the extra nights to stay near the airport at the beginning and end of your trip, or to string together your 3 main areas with an overnite stop, in case they are too far apart to drive in one day.

Some questions to ask yourself:

Q: Am I drawn to wilderness areas, where there is only nature for miles around me?
Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki, west coast, is in a natural, peaceful area. Haast on the west coast is also a middle-of-nowhere sort of area, and although I can't recommend a particular accomodation in Haast, you would be able to drive to see the coastal rainforest nearby, if you like wilderness areas. You can look into various hikes in the area near Haast and also near Wilderness Lode Lake Moeraki. (We didn't find the town of Haast particularly interesting, but it is well-located for anyone who likes to be within driving distance of uncrowded natural areas.)

Question: Am I drawn to drive all the way up to the top of the mountain, as far as the road goes? Even at the risk of having bad weather obscuring my view of the mountain? Does the mountain call to me?
Mt. Cook village is the end of the road...it calls to me, and I love it...I will return again...but for some people, seeing the mountain from a distance is just as rewarding and not so out-of-the-way.

Question:
Do I like big towns with lots to do, or little villages near nature?
Queenstown is a busy town with lots to do in town and also many day-trips surrounding the town. Te Anau is a small town but it is closer to the fijords. Personally I enjoyed a stay in both Queenstown and Te Anau, but it is also a fine choice to choose one or the other.

Well I have been blabbing here long enough!

Garymey, I just love planning trips, travelling, and talking to trip-planners. One question I would suggest you ask yourself: WHY am I trying to cram in as much as possible? What am I afraid of missing? Where did I get the idea that travel means cramming in sites into my itinerary? Do I really want to see just a little bit of a LOT of places? Isn't it better to see a LOT MORE at just a few places?

That question wasn't just for you, Garymey, I threw it out there for anybody who wants to think about it. It is a common temptation to include everything and to have difficulty "giving up" something. Where do you suppose we get this idea that that is the way to travel?

If you read a lot of trip reports, very seldom if ever will you find somebody saying, I went there, and I went way too slow, I was bored, I shoulda gone faster. Show me that trip report! I don't think I've seen it.

Instead, you will read people saying...we needed more time here...we left there reluctantly...we wish we had skipped this place because we didn't even have enough time to enjoy it...we have to go back and spend more time in these places...etc.

What I have found is that the feeling that you are "missing" something important mostly happens in the planning phase. Resist the temptation to include too much. Once you arrive at your destinations, you are so thrilled on a well-planned trip, the places you "skipped" become a pale ghost, compared to what you are really seeing, and you have no regrets about "missing" the places you left out.

Melissa5

Garymey: Okay, one more thing I gotta say: of all my memories of New Zealand, on both of our trips, Fiordland is #1 for me...If I could only choose one place to go in New Zealand, and I had to spend a whole week there, there would be no contest. I would choose to spend a whole week in Fiordland. (So much magnificence...when I think of Fiordland, and forgive me if I have expanded the geographical area too much, but I think of Te Anau, Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound, Milford Road, Routeburn track, Queenstown, Glenorchy, and the drive to Paradise.)

Melnq8

Melissa -

Looked up Jackson Bay after I posted my question - sounds like my kind of place - the quieter the better. Always on the lookout for out-of-the way spots, so will be sure to check it out next visit.

Melissa5

Melnq8, we enjoy finding untouristed spots that aren't on anybody's Must-Do list, to add to our itinerary as well. One of the employees at Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki was talking to the manager about having had a swim with dolphins at Jackson Bay, which is what intrigued us. (NOT a tour, he just got in the water and swam with some dolphins.) We drove down to Jackson Bay, and just enjoyed being in a peaceful uncrowded area. We didn't see any dolphins however. But that was okay as we enjoyed the fish and chips at the little trailor, Cray Pot, which had been recommended. I hope it's still there for you! There are some walks you can do from Jackson Bay as well, but we didn't have much time there. It looked like one of the trails probably went to another isolated beach, but we didn't have time to get that far. Enjoy exploring! It's not just the Jackson Bay that is the attraction...it is the fact that to get there, you will drive through some nice coastal rainforest as well, especially if you are driving down the west coast. My favorite area of the west coast was between Lake Moeraki, near Monro Beach, and driving south along the west coast, all the way to Jackson Bay. There aren't too many places to stay in this area...which of course is part of it's appeal. The only places to stay would be either the Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki (great but expensive), and some places in Haast. I know Haast is kinda the middle of nowhere...like you said, a blip on the road sort of...but I think there are a lot of walks in this sw coast area, and I would like to return to explore some more! Most people won't have time to go south of Haast unless they are staying somewhere nearby. That's why I love the Wilderness Lodge, it really is in the middle of nowhere, a great place to be in my opinion! Beautiful area, kinda has a wild, untamed feel to it.

BostonGal

I've just started reading your report and it sounds absolutely wonderful!!
Can't wait to see what's next!

nevermind

I love all the detail of your report. My husband and I have decided on 10 days in NZ (South Island) as part of what had originally been planned as an Australia only trip (mid August - mid September). I'm so excited and have taken lots of notes from your report!

bellytoo

Hi Melissa5,
I have been reading your trip report of NZ with great interest - I love the way you write and your observations are excellent. My husband and I (I think) are a bit like you guys: we are both biologists and we love to travel. This year we are taking our kids (12 & 17) back to New Zealand for 14 days concentrating on the bottom half of the South Island. Must walk on those glaciers before they melt with global warming! Like you I thoroughly enjoy planning our itinerary way in advance (going in September), reading travel reports like yours really really help. Just a bit concerned of the amount of driving we will be doing each day (I agree: teenagers tend to zone out inside cars despite all the lovely scenery around, case in point, our Kakadu trip last year). One of the longest drive I think will be from Wanaka to Dunedin (1 day) then from Dunedin back to Te Anau (we will have to miss Invercargill I'm afraid, my husband does not fancy driving for 10 hours!). What are the roads like out there in Otago? I read in many reports about how they are so full of twist and turns and pretty steep in some places. A lot of the distance/time estimates provided in travel websites appear to be based on a speed of 100ks/hr, I don't think that is a sightseeing speed really. What speed did you guys do on your drives? Love to pick your brain some time when I get our itinerary sorted. Right now, I'm so awed by the amount of ideas just reading your report.

mlgb

For planning, I'd use 80 kilometers per hour. 100 is not realistic between slow moving campers on two-lane roads, as well as photo stops.

waggis

Melissa - Thank you for bringing back wonderful memories with your detailed and beautifully written trip report. It is fascinating to follow your itinerary and impressions. I enthusiastically share your love for the Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki. That's truly a magical experience! We were celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary there and felt the splurge was well worth it. Didn't have as "luxurious" a room as you did but the food and fellowship was great then, too.

We were there in 1993; in those days we were simply given flashlights and walked up the road with another couple to view the glo-worms. The starry nights - utterly unforgettable. Had a personal guided tour by the owner of the Lodge by kayaks, on foot and by car. I'll never forget the ferns and fauna in the rainforest. Of course, we never encountered another soul. That goes for the walk along Lake Matheson, too. What a serene spot. The bugs had a field day with us, though

We traveled by rental car, train, bus, boat and every possible puddle jumper while visiting both the North & South Island. My birth country (Switzerland) has some pretty neat scenery, but New Zealand blew us away. It's easily the most beautiful and diversified country I've ever laid my eyes on.

I wholeheartedly share your opinion of the village at Fox Glacier. Even in those days, a disappointment - the only one of the whole 3+ weeks - I may add. We stayed 2 nights there.

Again, thank you - you're a most gifted writer. What a joy to read of your trip to Paradise!!

Melissa5

nevermind: I have been busy this month and just popped on the forums to see what I have been missing. I'm glad you enjoyed my trip report, and I know I took lots of notes from other people's trip reports to help plan our wonderful trip! Enjoy an amazing country!

Melissa5

bellytoo: Ah, the southern half of the south island, a fantastic choice! Yes don't believe those driving times. You can't go too fast because the roads are only 1 lane in each direction and inevitably you get stuck driving behind a slow truck which refuses to pull over. Besides around every bend is a wondrous view and you have to keep stopping to take photos. Since you are biologists like my husband, you will also be stopping in places that no normal person would stop because you will spot some type of rare flora or fauna. So when you see those driving times, they are all wrong for bio-tourists. Yes New Zealand is a biologist's dream trip! I suggest you NOT plan to take a drive which is listed as longer than 5 hours in one day. For bio-tourists, a 5-hour drive becomes an 8-hour drive. If you decide to dawdle over a lunch stop, that could add an hour.

You ask how bad the roads are with all those twists and turns over the mountain etc. Well that depends on what you are comparing the roads to. Compared to Costa Rica Roads, New Zealand has fine modern roads. Ah but Costa Rica, there is another bio-tourism dream trip!

Really I thought the roads in New Zealand, during the New Zealand late summer (February) were fine...just slow and winding and narrow, but they felt safe. Now in winter with ice and bad weather, they would be scary to me, but I live in southern California so we don't have weather here!

I'll try to peek in here to see how your trip planning is coming. I'm planning 2 trips at once now...September 2007 and September 2008 family trips.