2 week Trip to New Zealand

dear WW: I was just being lazy, having made friends here. Just exploiting my good luck!

thecosmicradiation: yup, I am thinking of 2 nights at Jucy Hotel in Auckland and then take it a day (or two) at a time..

#63, Better asking on China Branch for anything about going there.

OK. I am done with the itinerary, car rental, and ferry crossing. Here's how I evaluated different options and made decisions:

(1) Itinerary:
I basically went with what westwood suggested on the NZ Motor homes website (https://www.newzealand-motorhomes.com/itinerary-detail.php?Auckland-to-Christchurch-1) - 10 day Auckland to Christchurch. I will change it (or not) as suits me but it is almost exactly what I was looking for.

(2) Car Rental:
I initially started with the thought that a motor home might work for me. For a TUI sleeper van without toilet/shower, I was given a quote for $59 with the mandatory insurance and additional $15 for excess reduction - deductible would be $1500. I checked with my credit card company (Chase) and they said that all cars will be covered for collision damage but not a motor home, even if it is a converted van. So, motor home of all kinds went out of consideration. If I had taken this vehicle with full insurance and excess reduction, my total cost would have been ($44 + $30)*14 days = $1036.

Next, I started searching for a rental car. I found TUI brands economy cars (http://www.tuibrands.co.nz/) which gave me an excellent quote of $35 including mandatory insurance and I don't need to buy the excess reduction coverage for $9 a day (i.e. save $126) since credit card will cover it. My total cost in this case with full insurance covered by credit card is $490. So, the net savings is 1036 - 490 = $546. However, now I will need to spend money on accommodation.

The website www.drivenow.co.nz only compares the big 5 whose prices were all in 900s or 1000s.

(3) Ferry:
I researched both Interislander and Bluebridge. I also read some threads on LP and/or TripAdvisor comparing them such as (a) Interislander ships are bigger, (b) more stable in inclement weather, (c) more things to do, etc. However, the travel is only 3 hours and if the weather is good, I will be out on the deck watching the scenery and taking pix.

Price wise, Bluebridge is much cheaper with three fare options (compared to Interislander with only 2 fare options). So, I booked the ferry for myself and the rental car for $169 on Bluebridge. The same crossing on Interislander would have been $208 or $233 (depending on the time and ship).

Strangely, when I requested a quote thru the https://www.newzealand-motorhomes.com as part of reserving a sleeper van, the ferry quote I was getting was $306 - thus it pays to go directly to the ferry companies and make a self-booking.

(4) Vegan food
I got some very good advice here about where to find vegan food. Here they are:
http://govegan.org.nz/vegan-directory/restauran-guide/
http://www.vegguide.org/region/638
I also searched for Indian restaurants and found some good one.

So, thank you everyone for helping me plan this itinerary. Now, only if you guys had some suggestions for hostels in Auckland (I am thinking Jucy Hotel) , Rotorua, Napier, Wellington, Picton, Blenheim, Mount Cook, Queenstown, Dunedin, and Christchurch.

Once again, thanks y'all - a job very well done!! Perhaps we can get together somewhere on these journeys.

One more question for all here: what kind of traffic enforcements happen in NZ? How bad are the parking fines and situations in big cities? How about speeding fines and what is the level of enforcement? Thanks.

Well, if you dont park where you shouldnt, park longer than you should, go faster than you should then you'll be okay. If you're in a rental vehicle then any fines WILL come back and bite you. Enforcement notices go to the registered owner of it.

I hopefully won't break any laws but still it's better to know the quantum of fines. For example, the minimum parking fine in New York City is $100 compared to $20 in Boston. Minimum fine to park in a handicapped space, even in a small town, is $280. Most states have like $100 for there first few miles over speed limit and then $20 or so per mile! In US, many small towns live off the fines they make on the highway passing thru or near their town.

Compared to above, how is New Zealand?

Depends if its a Police fine or one issued by a council. Have no idea what different councils charge for infringements. Otherb than that you'd find out soon enough.

Oh, the unknown - so look forward to it :)

One more question for all here: what kind of traffic enforcements happen in NZ? How bad are the parking fines and situations in big cities? How about speeding fines and what is the level of enforcement? Thanks.

What a suspicious question! Haha. Definitely don't park anywhere you shouldn't in the cities (looking at you, Auckland) as they are pretty rigorously enforced. Stick to the speed limit, and if you're going slow on a winding road, pull over to let others past. You can be fined for going too slow! Better to let others pass than try and speed up on unfamiliar roads. There are speed cameras in use around New Zealand, so don't just rely on avoiding a cop.

there are traffic cops lurking in the quietest places in NZ - with their accident rate, it isn't surprising. Stick to the speed limit - those who tailgate you and want to overtake on a twisty road with blind corners should be let go, let them hit their tree, not you.

one thing to be aware of is that you must park with the car facing the same ways as the traffic.