Here are some of my notes....with race stuff mostly edited out.
Some answers to questions I've been asked a bunch of times:
* No, you can't do both NZ and Australia in three weeks. You'd be hard pressed to see the all of NZ in three weeks. It's a small country, but it's two islands and the pace of life is way kicked back (they have no freeways). It's so beautiful there and the North and South Island are like two different worlds. If you can, get to both of them.
* The people are the best.
* The food is quite good. Lots of beef and lamb and fish. The beer is AWESOME! Tui is my favorite, but Specht's is good too, as is Steinlager.
* Yes, they drive on the "wrong" side of the road and the car. It's not too hard to get used to generally. Actually, I have an easier time driving there. Maybe I'm driver dyslexic. And yes, you will race on the bike on the LEFT, staying LEFT. Learn to take a water bottle with your left hand.
* Jet lag: From the U.S. west coast, the time difference is only 3 hours (plus a day), so it's like going from NY to here or here to HI. No jet lag at all. You generally arrive early in the morning and it's a 4 hour drive to Taupo. Get a good night sleep the first night in NZ and you'll never know you are traveling. Coming home...different story.
Travel tips:
* Definitely bring some snacks and a big bottle of water for the plane. If you are on Air NZ, then most of the flight will be IM people, at least going over and it's fun to meet everyone. Coming home, it was the senior citizen brigade. They show you about 3 movies and feed you every few hours. Going wasn't so bad; coming home was a bear (but I was sick and the plane was packed).
* Money: What I usually do is to take $50 US and change that at the Auckland airport just to have some handy cash. Then, when I get to Taupo, I'll use my ATM card to get cash from the machines. Or, but as much as you can on plastic for better exchange rates.
My prior trips:
You know what, first of all, unless you are staying for a month or two, there is no way you can see both islands. Things are just too spread out to do in a short period of time (week to 10 days). Second, there are NO freeways, so if you are driving, you don't get anywhere very fast, especially on the South Island. Third, it doesn't matter where you go, it's all terrific. (Though I agree, pass through Hamilton on the drive down and instead stop in Cambridge--a great little town.) Which is why I'll be coming back for the fourth time in three years. Edit: I've now been 5 times and maybe a 6th trip in December.
First trip: 10 days, including race. Post race, we stayed in Taupo, using it as a base for day trips. I got sick right after the race, so the parental units saw more than I did.
Second trip: 3 weeks, including race. We drove down to Wellington after the race, took the ferry across to the So. Island, drove down the east coast to Christchurch, spending a couple of days there. Then, drove across to the west coast and down to the glaciers (excellent!), then back up the west coast to Greymouth (I'd go back and spend more time there), then back to the ferry and back up through the No. Island. Way too much driving.
Third trip: Hung in Auckland for a few days and did some sightseeing with the locals. Went to Taupo and hung out there, riding my bike and hiking around and doing a little race. I highly recommend the Leppin Half Ironman in December.
Fourth trip: About 9 days total. Went to the race, didn't race. Watched everyone else race. Drove back to Auckland and spent a couple of nights there with friends before flying home.
Where I haven't been, but want to: The coast up by Ohope, the northern islands, Fiordland--I'd like to do the Milford Trek, Mt. Cook (we saw it, but from Fox Glacier side). I'd spend more time in ChristChurch. I liked it a lot better than Auckland. I'd go back to Wellington and spend more time there. Auckland is a lot like San Francisco, so I'll go there just to see friends. And I do love Taupo. Someday I'll buy a house there, after I buy my house in France.
I have some specific B&B recommendations on the computer at work which I'll post later.
clm
clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm |
http://ironclm.typepad.com