New Zealand Adventure (2005 - 2006)

In answer to several questions we have received, we wanted to add a short overview of the trip (you would not want to see a long overview...) Also, as we were the experiencing the trip, we were caught up in the events and recording what we did, saw, ate, etc. It isn't until later, when you have time to reflect, that personal insights of the trip become clearer. Some of this information may be repeated in the trip journal.

The biggest question we have been asked--Travel time: About 20 hours of flight time, including U.S. flights. The connections, layovers, and time to clear customs were additional.

Also, you cross the International Date Line and lose a day going over. You gain it when you come back. New Zealand is 18 hours ahead of EST. To do the math easily, they are 6 hours behind--except it is tomorrow.

Our tour encompassed the South Island--something like 4 million people live in NZ and only about 1 million people are on the South Island--it is the less populated of the two. That probably means less industry more than anything and the Department of Conservation is taking over more and more land to preserve it. The South Island gets a lot of what they call FITs--Free and Independent Travelers. They fly to the island, rent a vehicle and drive and hike around the island. Since the most popular tourist things are really the outdoors activities, the locals are very accommodating to that kind of travel and it works well. The crime rate in New Zealand is very low and it is pretty safe.

New Zealand has a very young feel about it. Almost as if they are on the verge of coming into their own--maybe the feel of what the U.S. was like in the late 1800s. The idea of "standards" hasn't hit yet and so many useful ideas are still evolving--and surpassing what we have accepted here.

For anyone who is interested in environmental issues, they live it, not just talk about it. Water sources that aren't polluted, and beautiful glacier fed lakes and rivers that don't have heavy industry dumping into them. Most of the rivers and streams we were near are crystal clear with low bacteria counts so you can drink straight from them.

The country is very much a paradise for people who like the outdoors and are very active. New Zealand's residents are friendly, approachable, and have a deep sense of pride in their country. They really do love it and love to show it off--this is apparent in the patience and time they will take to answer questions and make recommendations about the areas.

The weather varies a lot by region, and 10 or 15 miles can make a huge difference. Before going, we made the mistake of only checking the beginning and ending points on the trip--Christchurch and Queenstown, ignoring the towns that were in between. As soon as you go west to cross the Alps, the temperatures drop and the precipitation picks up. For example, it is supposed to be about 78 degrees today in Christchurch (East Coast) and 80 degrees in Queenstown (Central Otagga Region), while the high in Haast (Alps) is 66 degrees, the high in Hokatika (West Coast) is 67 degrees. Basically, the weather fronts pick up water over the Tasman Sea and that comes in over the coast from the west. When it hits the Alps and the colder air--especially that coming off the glaciers--forces the water to condensate and fall as rain, soaking that region. (In Franz Josef, it rains something like 320 days a year.) The weather front dries out and warms up as it sweeps across the plains and bingo, warm, sunny skies towards the east. We were bound to hit some regional variation but weren't expecting that much. The rain also made it seem colder--especially when we were on the bikes. The temperatures changes summer to winter are less severe than where we live. If I remember correctly, it only gets up to about 80 degrees in Christchurch in the summers and down to about 30 degrees in the winters.

The place that really stands out in my mind as the favorite was the Lake Moeraki Wilderness Lodge. I would recommend it to anyone who goes there and enjoys nature. Even if you only take a day or two, it is worth the stay. The penguins are there only through the beginning of December so we missed them. Our host at that in, Swade, is a character and a wonderful host with endless stories and information to share. There are many, many hiking paths in the area to explore and any information you want can be provided by the lodge. To get a better idea of the wonderful opportunities, you can visit their website at: andlt;a href="http://www.wildernesslodge.co.nz/" target="new"andgt;http://www.wildernesslodge.co.nz/andlt;/Aandgt; Click on the Lake Moeraki section.

If you are thinking of traveling there, the country gets a lot of what they call FITs--Free and Independent Travelers. They fly into the country, rent a vehicle, and drive around, usually following the path we took, stopping to hike, bike, or whatever comes across their path.. (As opposed to taking tours as we did.) Since the most popular tourist things are mostly outdoors activities, the locals are very accommodating to that kind of travel.

andlt;Bandgt;Trip Companionsandlt;/Bandgt;: Nat and Catherine, Susan, Su and Doug, Dick and Linda, Bill and Marge, Cara, Dave C. and Ellen, Art and Jennifer, and Louise

andlt;Bandgt;Tour Guidesandlt;/Bandgt;: Wayne, Gary and Rick

andlt;Bandgt;Tour Companyandlt;/Bandgt;: andlt;A target="new" href="http://www.vbt.com"andgt;Vermont Bicycle Tours (VBT)andlt;/Aandgt;