Tip and Tricks to Get the Most from Your Camper or Motorhome Vacation in New Zealand

New Zealand is a great motorhome vacation destination with lots to see and do on your travels although enjoying the freedom to pick your personal path. A little planning and these tips and tricks will aid you get much more from your vacation.

Prior to you come – having a bit of an concept about New Zealand just before you arrive along with what you would like to see and do will assist pull together an itinerary. Even if it’s sketchy, a rough strategy will maximise your precious vacation time. There are lots of on-line resources, which your favourite search engine will lead you to. An additional way if you would like to quit over and meet the locals is to get the Native Parks guidebook so you can make up an itinerary from the people and locations that catch your interest. Even though in New Zealand the local individuals are a excellent source for information about the surrounding location and swapping stories with other travellers will give you ideas too.

Acquiring on the road – your camper or motorhome ought to have ample space to shop your personal objects but they are not suitcase friendly. Bring bags that will fold down or if you will return the vehicle to the pick-up point ask ahead and see regardless of whether your rental company will retailer empty luggage.

Finding about – a very good road atlas assists and some will have camper friendly info and points of interest (try Hema New Zealand Touring Atlas). Not all rental organizations supply detailed road maps so it’s worth checking and if you can get one prior to landing in NZ it will assist with your trip planning. The open road speed limit is 100 km/hr, though don’t anticipate to cover considerably far more than 75km/hr and if you are stopping for pictures and such 50km/hr would be much more realistic. Even with a excellent road atlas it is feasible to get lost in large towns and cities, the very best alternative here is to take your time and head in the direction that you want to exit from. A compass is a huge aid, specifically if you are from the Northern hemisphere, as the suns position in the sky is opposite and can be quite disorientating.

Parking up – at evening you want your motorhome to be level, what may possibly seem to be flat throughout the day will be extenuated at night even though you’re in bed, especially if you are a bit head down. If you’re not certain an effortless check is to put a ball on the floor of your camper and see which way it rolls. The ideal issue is a glass marble and if your campervan is carpeted, as numerous are, put a book on the floor. If you like some shade in the morning you want to think about this when parking up, your compass will aid here too. In the course of peak instances camping grounds are busy and a set of ear plug may restore your sanity.

Logistics – a camper is your residence away from house, but instead of becoming connected to essential services you carry these with you. A self-contained motorhome has a fresh water tank, grey water (from sinks and shower) and black water (toilet). Grey water and the toilet cassette can only be emptied at a dump station, of which there is an extensive network throughout New Zealand and your rental business will give you a brochure covering where to locate these. The toilet cassette contains chemical to kill bugs and keep everything smelling fresh, nevertheless treat the dump station surrounding area with suspicion and wear deposable latex gloves. It is usual for a tap to be situated near the dump station so the cassette can be rinsed right after becoming emptied. By no means use this tap to refill your freshwater tank. All this being mentioned, with care the dump station process is clean and hygienic. Fresh water is simple to come by if you’re staying at established campgrounds, but several travellers prefer a less formal strategy and locating water calls for a bit far more ingenuity.

1 prospective source is from petrol stations, you’re bringing them organization so ask and they will generally say yes. The identical goes for rubbish deposal, making use of public rubbish bins for household rubbish is not appreciated but its fine to use the ones at petrol stations. The key is to dispose of your rubbish frequently so that the quantity stays modest. For a couple anticipate your fresh, grey and black water to final three to 5 days between servicing. If you are travelling for an extended period it can be a great idea to entirely empty the fresh water tank periodically when refilling. Lights, water pump and refrigerator all run off the household battery, which requirements to be conserved when not hooked up to mains power. The easiest spot to save power is to turn the fridge temperature down, particularly when you cease at the finish of the day. It’s usual for fridges in rental campers to be 2-way (mains energy and battery), three-way fridges can only run on gas when the automobile is stationary.

Entertainment – few but the greatest rental motorhomes come with televisions, and anyway, who wants to watch TV on vacation? A pack of cards or travel game set make for a pleasant way to wile away the evening with a glass of wine, not to mention sorting out who is on dishes tonight! There are numerous outdoor pursuits and 1 you could like to think about is fishing. New Zealand has an extensive coastline and no license is essential to fish in the sea, the very same is not accurate when fishing in freshwater so pop into a tackle shop to discover out the local needs. In either scenario size limits are strictly policed and ignorance is no defense, particularly as they are widely publicized. Buying severe fishing tackle may possibly not be practical and a basic setup will do. The Warehouse chain of stores, house to all items low-cost and cheerful, carry fishing gear and you can stock up on those bits and pieces that you left at home, like that swim suit (though ask for togs so the locals know what you’re searching for). Do take care when fishing from the rocks on a surf beach, it can be harmful, by no means turn your back to the sea, wearing a floatation device is a smart move, tell somebody where you are going or leave a note in the car and don’t go if it looks too rough.

Points to bring – if you are not planning to remain in camping grounds and have electrical devices to charge, a twelve volt charger or power inverter with cigarette lighter adapter will be needed. Only use these when the engine is running as they draw from the primary battery. A torch will come in handy as will insect repellant. Ethyl alcohol hand sanitizer, such as Purell, is convenient and will cut down your water usage. A washing line and pegs, or much better still as travel washing line made from two twisted bungee cords, makes it possible for hand washing to dry and can be set up in the camper while driving.

Take pleasure in your holiday!

About the Author

I am a San Ramon resident who needed some extra help and I have worked with many medical facilities in the east bay area.

2008-2009 New Zealand Travel Route Map

Garmin nüvi 850 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator $239.99 With the nüvi 800 series, Garmin adds smooth speech recognitionto its bestselling line of sleek portable GPS navigators. As with all nüvis, you get a slim, pocket-sized navigator with a gorgeous display, detailed NAVTEQ maps that let you search by name for more than 6 million points of interest like stores, restaurants or hospitals, and an easy, intuitive interface. All of the 800-series na…

Blue Latitudes: Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before $5.20 Captain James Cook’s three epic 18th-century explorations of the Pacific Ocean were the last of their kind, literally completing the map of the world. Yet despite his monumental discoveries, principally in the South Pacific, Cook the man has remained an enigma. In retracing key legs of the circumnavigator’s journey, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Tony Horwitz chronicles the cultural a…

Cook : The Extraordinary Voyages of Captain James Cook $20.91 Commonly regarded as the greatest sea explorer of all time, James Cook made his three world-changing voyages during the 1770s, at a time when ships were routinely lost around the English coast. He made history by making geography– sailing through previously unknown southern seas, charting the eastern Australian coast and circumnavigating New Zealand, putting many Pacific islands on the map, and e…

Nokia C6 Unlocked GSM Phone with Easy E-mail Setup, Side-Sliding Touchscreen, QWERTY, 5 MP Camera, and Free Ovi Maps Navigation (Black) $336.95 Bringing you even closer Friends and family always come first ? Nokia C6 brings everyone together with fast, easy access to your email, contacts and favorite social networks. A natural way to keep in touch The highly responsive touch screen, familiar user interface and affordable full QWERTY keyboard make everyday communication quick and easy….

Garmin nüvi 765/765T 4.3-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic & Lifetime Map Updates $599.99 The Garmin 765T bundle includes lifetime map updates and features a 4.3-inch widescreen display, text-to-speech capabilities, media player, and FM transmitter for transmittingaudio–including directions and MP3 music and audiobooks–from the device to your car radio. Garmin nuvi 765T bundle comes with a lifetime map update card Garmin’s nüvis pack top of the line features…

Wines Of New Zealand $9.98 Wines Of New Zealand

New Zealand $18.99 New Zealand by Demeter for Women – 4 oz Cologne Spray

Topo Australia & New Zealand MicroSD/SD $223.94 Topo Australia & New Zealand MicroSD/SD TOPO Australia & New ZealandVenture OnGet enhanced detail on your Garmin device, whether you’re on a 4WD track in the outback or a main boulevard in the city. TOPO Australia & New Zealand provides a wide array of topographic information from terrain contours, elevations and summits to coverage of perennial and intermittent lakes, rivers and streams. It features a searchable database that includes urban, rural and outback points of interest and also has routable road content to give you turn-by-turn directions to your destination.Features:Includes topographic and street maps for Australia and New Zealand Provides terrain contours at 20 m (65 ft) intervals, approximating 1:100K maps Contains tracks, outback trails, 4WD destinations, perennial and seasonal lakes, rivers and streams Topographic terrain contours and summit points provide a detailed lay of the landProvides searchable points of interest in urban, rural and outback areas, including lodging, restaurants, camping locations, homesteads, caravan parks, shopping and moreIncludes famous outback routes, such as Birdsville, Strezelecki, Oodnadatta, Canning Stock and moreRoutable road content provided by NAVTEQ, and additional content provided by HEMA and LINZIncludes coverage of national, state and local parks, plus forest and reserve areasProvides elevation profile on compatible Garmin devices so you can estimate terrain difficultyIncludes BaseCampT software (DVD only), allowing you to view and manage waypoints, routes and tracks on your computer and GPS, as well as organize trip data into folders. This application includes useful planning tools, rotated map orientation, 2-D and 3-D map views, animated playback, photo geotagging, enhanced printing and more

New Zealand SD Card $400.94 New Zealand SD Card Navionics 33XGCovers:New Zealand including Kermadec Islands and Norfolk Islands.

W New York Times Square $369 W New York Times Square > LGA > 1567 Broadway At 47th St > New York > NY > 10036>Location. The W New York Times Square is located in New York City, N.Y., across the street from the Broadway theater district. Carnegie Hall and Madison Square Garden are within one mile. The Statue of Liberty is three miles away. Central Park and the Empire State Building are one mile from the hotel. Hotel Features. The W New York Times Square features the Blue Fin restaurant which serves seafood. The restaurant offers live jazz performances and provides views of Broadway. The Living Room Bar is on the lobby level and features white leather seats. The hotel offers 2,300 square feet of meeting space that accommodates up to 100 people. The front desk is open 24 hours a day and offers safe deposit boxes for guest use. Complimentary newspapers are available in the lobby. The on site Sweat Fitness Center includes cardiovascular and weight training equipment. The hotel’s Away Spa offers services including Swedish and aromatherapy massages. The hotel offers dog walking, grooming services and birthday cakes. Shopping is available on site at W The Store. Guestrooms. Guestrooms at the W New York Times Square include in room safes. Flat screen televisions include DVD players. Coffeemakers and minibars are included. Room service is available 24 hours a day. Guestrooms at this New York City hotel feature bathrobes and bedding with 350 thread count sheets. High speed wired and wireless Internet access is available for a fee. Expert Tip. The W New York Times Square offers cell phone, iPod and iPod accessory rentals.>The closest major airports to W New York Times Square are:New York, NY (LGA LaGuardia) 9.7 km / 6 miNewark, NJ (EWR Liberty Intl.) 17.9 km / 11.1 miNew York, NY (JFK John F. Kennedy Intl.) 21.3 km / 13.3 miThe preferred airport for W New York Times Square is New York, NY (LGA LaGuardia). Distances are calculated in a straight line from the property’s location to the point of interest or airport and may not reflect actual travel distance. Distances are displayed to the nearest 0. 1 mile and kilometre.

Novotel New York – Times Square $169 Novotel New York – Times Square > NYC > 226 W 52nd St > New York > NY > 10019>Location. Overlooking Broadway and Times Square, this Midtown Manhattan hotel is within 5 blocks of more than a dozen theaters and many of New York’s Top 100 corporations. Fifth Avenue is 3 blocks east. The Empire State Building is about a mile away.Hotel Features. The on site Nicole Restaurant offers dazzling views of Times Square and Broadway from its two level dining room and heated outdoor terrace. The Broadway Lounge, just off the lobby, is open nightly. Wireless Internet access is available throughout the hotel, including guestrooms (complimentary in the 24 hour business center; surcharge elsewhere). Concierges assist with restaurant reservations, theater tickets, city tours, and other activities. Complimentary energy bars and fruit are provided in the 24 hour fitness center. Novotel New York Times Square accepts pets weighing less than 30 pounds.Guestrooms. Guestrooms at this New York hotel are located on eighth floor and above. Soundproofed windows open and provide impressive views of Broadway, Times Square, or the Hudson River. 32 inch flat panel TVs come with cable channels and pay movies. Wireless Internet access is available for a surcharge. Beds are dressed with soft duvets. Rooms also include minibars, in room safes, voice mail, and irons/ironing boards. Bathrooms offer shower/tub combinations, European toiletries, and plenty of counter space. >The closest major airports to Novotel New York Times Square are:New York, NY (LGA LaGuardia) 9.5 km / 5.9 miNewark, NJ (EWR Liberty Intl.) 18.2 km / 11.3 miNew York, NY (JFK John F. Kennedy Intl.) 21.5 km / 13.3 miThe preferred airport for Novotel New York Times Square is New York, NY (LGA LaGuardia). Distances are calculated in a straight line from the property’s location to the point of interest or airport and may not reflect actual travel distance. Distances are displayed to the nearest 0. 1 mile and kilometre.

Westin New York Times Square $349 Westin New York Times Square > NYC > 270 W 43rd St > New York > NY > 10036>Location. The Westin New York Times Square is located on Eighth Avenue between West 42nd and West 43rd Streets, one block from Times Square in New York City, N.Y. The hotel is surrounded by Broadway theaters and stands one block from the Garment District. Hotel Features. The hotel’s prism shaped tower projects a beacon of light that signals its Times Square location. This contemporary property is the home of former Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula’s famous eatery. Shula’s Steak House and No Name Lounge are well known for signature 48 ounce porterhouse steaks. Overlooking Eighth Avenue, Bar 10 serves light fare and late evening cocktails. A business center contains four computer stations equipped with high speed Internet access. Wireless Internet access is available in public areas for a fee. This hotel features 34,000 square feet of flexible function space. A 2,400 square foot health spa features spectacular Hudson River views and offers treatments such as almond body polishes and Shopper’s Relief facials. The Westin WORKOUT Powered by Reebok Gym contains cardiovascular equipment, strength training machines and free weights. Fees apply. Environmentally friendly, the Westin has implemented a number of programs to recycle, conserve water, and maximize energy efficiency throughout the hotel. Guestrooms. The hotel’s 45 story tower offers 863 nonsmoking guestrooms and suites, while an attached 16 story section houses Executive Club Rooms. Contemporary furnishings feature dove gray and black color schemes with satin finish stainless steel accents. Heavenly Beds consist of pillowtop mattresses draped beneath 250 thread count linens, down blankets and down comforters (bedspreads). Heavenly Baths include shower/tub combinations with curved curtain rods, dual showerheads and terry cloth bathrobes. Desks are paired with ergonomic chairs. Rooms contain flat screen televisions and MP3 adaptors. High speed Internet access is available for a fee. Laptop compatible, in room safes are complimentary. Expert Tip. The Westin New York Times Square lobby leads directly to the E Walk Entertainment and Retail Complex. The E Walk allows pedestrians to avoid winter snow and summer heat while enjoying some of New York City’s favorite restaurants and nightclubs that include the B.B. King Blues Club & Lucille’s Grill and the Yankee Clubhouse.>The closest major airports to Westin New York Times Square are:New York, NY (LGA LaGuardia) 10 km / 6.2 miNewark, NJ (EWR Liberty Intl.) 17.6 km / 10.9 miNew York, NY (JFK John F. Kennedy Intl.) 21.5 km / 13.3 miThe preferred airport for Westin New York Times Square is New York, NY (LGA LaGuardia). Distances are calculated in a straight line from the property’s location to the point of interest or airport and may not reflect actual travel distance. Distan

New York Times Cookbook $22.33 New York Times Cookbook

Renaissance New York Times Square Hotel $389 Renaissance New York Times Square Hotel > LGA > 714 7th Ave > New York > NY > 10036>Location. Towering 26 stories above Times Square, The Renaissance New York Times Square Hotel offers an ideal location close to Manhattan`s world class entertainment, attractions, Fortune 500 businesses and corporate headquarters. The hotel occupies one block in the middle of Times Square, at Broadway and Seventh Avenue in New York City, N.Y. The hotel is in the middle of the Theater District, and the Times Square Visitors Center is adjacent to the restaurant, Two Times Square Restaurant & Lounge, which specializes in contemporary American cuisine. The restaurant’s bar offers hand crafted cocktails, wine, beer, and appetizers. Room service is available 24 hours a day. The business center offers high speed Internet access. Guestrooms. Guestroom windows open and provide views of the busy Times Square streets below. Sound proofing keeps out the noise for a quiet stay. The Renaissance New York Times Square Hotel’s 305 non smoking guestrooms have rich, contemporary décor. Bathrooms are elaborately decorated with Italian style marble, makeup mirrors and designer toiletries. Bathrobes are available. Bedding includes pillowtop mattresses, down comforters, triple sheeting and 300 thread count sheets. Complimentary newspapers are delivered on weekdays. Desks and in room safes are provided. Guestrooms have fax capabilities and high speed Internet access. Refrigerators are available. Expert Tip. Two Times Square Restaurant & Lounge, The Renaissance New York Times Square Hotel’s on site restaurant, provides a panoramic view of Times Square.>The closest major airports to Renaissance New York Times Square Hotel are:New York, NY (LGA LaGuardia) 9.6 km / 6 miNewark, NJ (EWR Liberty Intl.) 18 km / 11.2 miNew York, NY (JFK John F. Kennedy Intl.) 21.3 km / 13.2 miThe preferred airport for Renaissance New York Times Square Hotel is New York, NY (JFK John F. Kennedy Intl.). Distances are calculated in a straight line from the property’s location to the point of interest or airport and may not reflect actual travel distance. Distances are displayed to the nearest 0. 1 mile and kilometre.