Info (New Zealand)
FOOD
New Zealand is known for its Lamb, beef and venison. They also abound in the freshest of seafood across the nation, some of the best and most well known being: Bluff Oysters, Kaikoura Crayfish and Marlborough Mussels.
Fruit and vegetables are plentiful and fresh. Kumara, a native sweet potato, New Zealand Honey and kiwifruit are well known national foods that you must try whilst you are there. Also lookout for local dairy products, New Zealand produces some of the finest dairy produce including cheeses, yoghurts, butter and custards.
Supplying your motorhome kitchen with a nice array of food will be easy. Most shops open from 9am to 5 or 5.30pm Monday to Fridays and Saturdays around 9.30am to 12.30pm with some staying open until 5pm. Only some shops open on Sundays.
You will find bakeries in most towns that offer a range of cakes, breads, pies, and pastries for cheap and easy meals perfect for lunch or stocking up for a picnic. Supermarkets offer everything you need to stock your motorhome with food and supplies. They can be found in shopping malls, suburban areas and urban centres throughout New Zealand, they usually open longer hours than most shops with some being open 24hrs. For a stunning array of fresh seafood go to a ‘Fishery’ and for alcohol you will need to go to a ‘wholesale liquor store’ or a ‘bottle shop’ as alcohol is not available in supermarkets or other shops.
Weather
Both islands of New Zealand have a moderate, maritime climate due to their smaller land masses surrounded by the sea. The weather can change rapidly and varies from warm subtropical in the far north to cool temperate climates in the far south, with severe alpine conditions in the mountainous areas. They have moderately high rainfall. New Zealand also experiences frequent though very minor earthquakes from which the tremors may only just be felt.
Summer (December, January and February)
the average maximum temperature ranges between 20 - 30ºC
Winter (June, July and August)
the average maximum temperature ranges between 5 - 15ºC.
PETROL PRICES
Motorhomes, campervans and 4WDs in New Zealand use either unleaded petrol (you may know as ‘Gas’ or ‘Gasoline’) or diesel. Most petrol stations are open every day.
Petrol is around $1.70 per litre and Diesel is around $1.20 per litre although Prices can be higher in more remote areas.
MONEY
You will be able to access your overseas accounts from most ATMs. Also credit cards are widely accepted, except for American Express, where you must go to an American Express office. New Zealand is a safe country allowing you to be able to carry practical amounts of cash. Also, travellers’ cheques are easily exchanged.
Money changers can be found at airports and most main tourist areas. Most easily changed are the currencies of Australia, Canada, USA, UK, Japan and Germany.
Most banks open at 9.30am and close at 4.30pm. Banks are closed on Saturday and Sunday.
Tipping is not compulsory although it is popular in restaurants where you may have received great service.
New Zealand dollar (NZD) = 100 cents. Notes come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 dollars. Coins come in denominations of 10 cents (copper), 20 and 50 cents (silver) and 1 and 2 dollars (gold).
FESTIVALS
Seafest Kaikoura
This one day festival showcases wine and food from local regions including Kaikoura, Marlborough and North Canterbury. There is live entertainment throughout the day. The festival occurs around October each year and is held at the Takahanga Domain, on the Esplanade, Kaikoura. Tickets sell out quickly and must be prepurchased.
City Farmers Market at Britomart - Auckland
This food market offers food from local growers and farmers directly to the public. All food is local and you may purchase delicious things like preserves, pickles, baked and smoked items, fresh fruit and vegetables, eggs, meat, olives and olive oils, condiments, coffee, artisan breads, cheese - a whole range of interesting fare.
The market runs every Saturday on the corner of Galway and Gore Streets in Auckland from 8.30am-12.30pm.
KIDS TRAVEL NEW ZEALAND
Theres plenty of activities for all age groups, budgets and tastes in New Zealand! Mountain biking, swimming, walking on maintained tracks, surfing, skiing, snowboarding or bungy jumping, horse riding plus heaps more!
More family adventure is available including mini golf, farm tours, dolphin watching, luging, kiwi parks, mazes, cinema, lake and fiord trips, maori shows, thermal pools, glowworm caves and much more. Check out our information below on some of the fun things available to those travelling with kids in New Zealand.
Carter Observatory - Wellington
The recently refurbished observatory has a variety of world class exhibits including telescopic viewings, planetarium shows, hands on demonstrations and audiovisual displays covering all aspects of astronomy including Polynesian astronomy, the astronomy of Cook’s voyages, our Solar System and other planetary systems, stars, cosmology and the possibility of other life in the Universe. The observatory is located at 40 Salamanca Road, Kelburn, Wellington.
Lollipops Playlands
Located in fourteen major cities and towns across New Zealand, these indoor adventure playgrounds offer fun for kids and relaxation for parents. Activities include: Ball pools (with up to 20,000 playballs), Merry-go-round, Inflatable bouncy castle, Special toddler area for young children, Play believe and dress up area, Educational computers, Quiet area with books, duplo etc.
Parents can visit the café and relaxation areas while kids play.
