campervan tour of new zealand

this morning, i was at bukit timah nature reserve visitors' car-park when i saw this campervan parked in one of the corner lots. took some pictures of it and found out that it belonged to a french family on a world tour. it brought back memories of our first trip to new zealand and our own small adventure in a campervan. of course, our two-seater campervan, rented from newmans, could not be compared to this luxurious iveco fiat.

the campervan that we used was actually a converted toyota hi-ace. it had a pop-up roof so as to provide more head-room. this had to be kept when the vehicle was on the move. there was a wash basin, a cooker, a fridge, a heater and a range of cooking utensils. there was a foldable table and a bed that could sleep two adults. because of the tight space, i opted to sleep under the bed. there were also curtains all around it - on the inside, of course. the water-tank which we had to top up at camp-sites, was hidden.

just before night-fall, we would try and reach the campervan site. at some of these sites, such as the one at glentanner park, there was a kitchen-cum-lounge, where we cooked our dinner and ate it around a proper dining table. powered sites charged nz$7 for an adult and half the price for a child. although it was late spring/early summer during our first visit, it was quite cold so we needed the power to run the heater.

driving a campervan did not require any special skill; it was very much like driving a bigger and heavier car. nevertheless, one had to be careful when driving it into a covered area because of the greater height of the roof. one friend got his van stuck in a covered car-park. i had a slight problem handling it in dunedin because of the many steep roads.

our b&b experiences in uk & new zealand


ida outside mrs jeffreys' cottage in covelly












breakfast with mrs woodill at bay view, kaikoura

bed and breakfast, also known as b&b, is a term, which originated from the united kingdom. it is used for an establishment that offers bed accommodation, and breakfast in return for payment, but usually does not offer other meals. typically, bed and breakfasts are private homes with only one or two bedrooms available.

in our travels to the united kingdom and new zealand, we opted for b&b and met some wonderful people (hosts). in the case of new zealand, it was during our second visit that we went for b&b after our pleasant experiences in the united kingdom.

b&b should not be equated with budget accommodation because you have to pay extra for breakfast and the opportunity to get a feel of the real country and to get to know the people. in new zealand, for example, not all the b&b establishments are private homes, some are actually hotels or guest-houses.

the most suitable time to arrive at a b&b place is late afternoon, and it is best to leave before 10 a.m. in the morning. in the case of new zealand, we pre-booked all our b&b accommodations whereas in the united kingdom, we pre-booked once only and in all the other instances, we would look for the 'vacancy' sign when we reached a certain town and then made enquiry.

most b&b homes have ensuite and private bathrooms which are for your exclusive use but there are some homes where guests have to share a bathroom. breakfast is usually quite substantial and it usually consists of toast, eggs, bacon, fruit, cereal and tea/coffee.

in england, we felt most welcomed at the home of mrs jeffreys at covelly in north devon. she lived on her own and took in boarders for her two rooms. she gave us both rooms. our two girls had single beds while we had a double bed. mrs jeffreys' own children lived about 16km away, in bideford.

in new zealand, we enjoyed most the warm hospitality of mrs margaret woodill whose place at kaikoura was called bay view. margaret, who lived alone in the 5-bedroom house, had an award-winning garden. she was the only host who joined us for our breakfast.

b&b is a good way to see a country and meet its people.