Vacations-Away
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Introduction to Trip Map Survival Terms Links Bud (neighbor and friend) and I while out to dinner one weekend with our spouses, came up with the idea of taking a few weeks off and exploring New Zealand. Our wives graciously gave us leave to go ahead and in less than a week we had made our plans to travel over Easter. Two weeks evolved into three as we planned the details. We looked at the advantage of traveling at Easter: the weather was still good and fewer tourists meant no reservation hassles (October is also a great time as well).
My Favorite guide book to New Zealand became The Rough Guide to New Zealand (Rough Guide web site) New Zealand was first settled by the Maoris' around 1200 years ago as they traveled down the chain of Polynesian islands; they named it Aotearoa "the land of the long white cloud" (referring to the range of snow-covered alps). The population is 3.8 million in an area a little larger than Great Britain. 800,00 on the South Island and the rest on the North Island. Auckland is the largest city, Wellington is the capital, both on the North Island, and Christchurch and Dunedin are the two prominent cities on the South Island. We traveled over 3,000 kilometers by car and spent 1 week in the North Island, crossed the straight on a fast ferry and 2 weeks in the South Island, then flew from Christchurch to Auckland for our return flight home. We only encountered rain 2 out of the 21 days. Top
Follow us
through both islands
as we take you past some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Top
Chilly Bin - beer cooler, ice chest Bach (most of NZ) or Crib (way south)- Beach house, holiday home Jandals - Thongs, flip-flops Jug - Liter of beer Mauri - Life force or life principle Rapt - Well Pleased Stoked - very pleased Tapu - forbidden or taboo Yahoo - to be or act like a lout Good on ya - Encouragement Top
MAIN TOPICS
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After a
14 hour flight from San Francisco via Los Angeles, Bud & I arrived in
Auckland and loaded up our rented Toyota hatchback for the trip around the North
Island. We picked up another car on the South Island after crossing in the
ferry (the typical rental deal is to rent separate cars at each island through
the same rental company).
Links
to Travel Guides
