planning a vacation
 

Hi! My 24 year old daughter and I are planning a vacation in Australia and New Zealand. We want to spend 4 days in Adelaide with her friends and then 8 or so days in New Zealand. We're coming between the 8th and 21st of December 2007. Any imput on tours vs roaming, places to see etc. will be greatly appreciated.

With only eight days in New Zealand, I would pick one island and stick to it. Even then, your time is very limited. What are your interests?

Lee Ann

We would like to do some hiking, biking, boating. Not very interested in shopping or cities.

It does seem a little rushed and crazy not to spend more time in Australia. No sooner do you get over the jet lag than you have to leave. I'd stick to one country. From Adelaide, you could spend time on Kangaroo Island, then do the very scenic Great Ocean road to Melbourne, among other things.

Righto, but she's seen Australia and wants to see NZ.

I agree that you should concentrate on only one island if you have only 8 days to devote to NZ. We did a great 3-day semi-guided hike on the South Island a few years ago on the Hollyford Track. The scenery was fabulous; the guides and other hikers were so friendly and it was a highlight of our trip to the South Island. We also did a 3-day self-guided hike on the Kaikoura Coast Track on the South Island on another visit. It was amazing to be out in the middle of NZ all by ourselves. Again, the hosts at the evening stops were amazing and so friendly.

It seems strange to me going to a far awar country for hiking, biking and boating since for such things one country is often pretty much like another.

West coast of South Island below Greymouth is very rural, in fact a little too much so in places with few settlements.

kaneda - you cannot be serious.

"since for such things one country is often pretty much like another."

Are you honestly telling me that hiking
the Milford Track is the same as the English Lake District is the same as the red landscape of the Australian Centre, is the same as the rice paddies and day-glo green of Laos; is the same as the tiny terraces of Himachel Pradesh or Northern Pakistan with snowcapped mountains all around.

Mate, I don't think so.

I think for Kaneda, a treadmill is pretty much the same as hiking the Routeburn Track.

I agree that, with the time that you have available, you should look at spending it in either the North or the South Island. It would be too rushed to try to have a look at both. Unfortunately, you can't fly direct from Adelaide to Christchurch, so that might point you towards the North Island which, I believe, would be a pity. Both the east and the west coasts of the South Island have coastal drives with scenery to die for and, in between, the alpine scenery is just as good. With "8 days or so", you could fly into Christchurch and drive down the Inland Route to Queenstown, through the Haast and up the West Coast to Punakaiki (Pancake Rocks and Blowholes -- spectacular on the right days), cross one of the alpine passes back to the east coast and then finish off with a day or so in Kaikoura before returning to Christchurch. That will give you plenty of opportunity to indulge in as much hiking, biking and boating as you want. At that time of year, the school holidays will not have started, so you should have no difficulty in getting accommodation.