Visa fees to Australia are super expensive (more expensive than visa fees to the U.S.A, not to mention visas issued for U.S.A are valid for 10 years for my country) so why should I bother applying for a visa to go to Australia? Maybe if they lower their visa fees to reasonable rates such as China, Japan, Srilanka, and the U.S.A then I may consider Australia.

Until then I have no intentions of visiting Australia, which means no New Zealand for me as well if tourism there is not as good as popular destinations

I'm not gonna pay up "to 335 AUD" just to get a visa to visit a country. No way man, not to mention conversion fees for payment from KWD - AUD. That's just insane!

http://www.immi.gov.au/Visas/Pages/6...0&heading=cost

The base fee for a tourist visa is $130. I'm not sure under what circumstances it's $335, but for a straightforward visa the base charge iis what you should work on.

http://www.immi.gov.au/Visas/Pages/6...0&heading=cost

Keyword here is "range" and "to"

So you just assume it will be $335?

I've never heard of someone paying that, but I know a few people who've come on tourist visas and they paid $130.

Jeez you're a boring person if you only want to travel to places that speak English.

Try Tokyo. Lots of interesting city things, and majority of signage is in English as well. I had an awesome time there, and managed fine with just English.

New Zealand is all about nature. You're not going to get a city experience there. If you're worried about about not enjoying yourself by travelling solo, then book a tour. There's plenty available and means you don't have to worry about transport between each city.

... and really high maintenance !



Good luck aceboy44

I did not like my experiences with my visits to Turkey and France (lack of English communications.)

I was told that people in Japan do not speak English, so why even bother, despite me speaking few Japanese words? I pay money to enjoy my vacations...... not suffer from it.

I don't believe traveling 30 hours for one-way (60 hours round-trip) is worth the time and expense solely to enjoy nature...... I enjoyed the nature in Srilanka, Malaysia, and Hong Kong, so to travel all the way to New Zealand (and get isolated from the world) just to enjoy nature is pure nonsense to me.

Regarding tour guides, I'm a Muslim (I don't want to visit Buddhas, temples, churches, consume non-halal food, etc.) In addition, I'm not the type of person who enjoys visiting museums so I don't think that me and the tour group will get along.... My objectives are different than the tour group objectives (I'm not talking about New Zealand, I'm talking about traveling around the world in general.)

Really, this thread is making less and less sense. If, as you initially said, you want to go to NZ, why is that (apart from the fact that people there speak English)? If you don't want to go there, there's an obvious, simple solution--don't go there.

FWIW, when I went there for a month, I had no trouble finding information online--and that was over ten years ago--so I'm puzzled as to why you say there's not much info available.

Also, FWIW, it doesn't automatically follow, as you imply, that followers of one religion have no interest in seeing sights associated with other religions.

Was the purpose of this thread to denigrate NZ or what??

Why not? Can you not appreciate the beauty of the art and architecture of a place just for the beauty of the art and architecture? Or the skill and talent of the statues and carvings? Or the history of a place that has had a profound effect on the shape of the world and mankind?

I am not Christian, yet I frequently visit churches in places I visit because they are often places of beautiful architecture and lovely sculptures. I am not Muslim, though I have visited ancient mosques because of the design and artistic touches I've seen there.

Wow. Just wow. You sound like a very ignorant person.

If you don't want to go to NZ, then just don't go. You don't need to justify your decisions to us.

Stick to your comfort zone English speaking large cities that aren't "isolated from the rest of the world" if thats what you enjoy.

As others have said different strokes, for different folks.

I have spoken to lots of people and read a lot of TR etc from people who have travelled to New Zealand.

Never heard anyone say that they did not enjoy their time in NZ and most have said they cannot wait to return.

Yes its a long time to spend in a plane, but only you can decide that.

Coming from Kuwait, its like an opposite place, very green, lots of mountains and rivers.

You may love the peace and tranquility, and if you drive you may love being able to park somewhere, walk along a river bank - and have no one near you for miles.

To be able to sit on a rock and just listen to nature, the water flowing past, the birds calling, the leaves moving in the breeze.

If that sounds awful, go somewhere like New York City where you hear, the horns to yellow cabs, the shouts of street vendors, smell the fumes from a thousand cars, and watch the steam vents rising out of the ground, feel your personal space shuttled as people rush past you.

Different strokes for different folks.

I'm not religious but to sit in the "Church of the Good Shepherd" at Lake Tekapo and gaze out the window past the alter - and gaze on the tranquil lake and the beauty of the southern alps, is a sight to be seen.

If you find you are uncomfortable in a place where people go to Christian churches, there are very few mosques, and bacon, ham and roast pork is available on almost every menu, then NZ is not the place for you.

Equally you could come away with a new appreciation for a life that is different to yours, and having spent time in a land and a lifestyle that is different to your own.

We all live in this earth, we are all different, and the differences we share BUT accept in each other is what makes the world a great place.


It is only thru travel and understanding that we come to appreciate the differences between us.

Be interesting in what you decide to do and if you go to NZ how you find it.

I would be tempted to go to Wellington and maybe Queenstown and then see what else you can fit in.

This pretty much sums up your whole attitude. Stay home, you'll have a better time.

Absolutely not, and I was offended by your comment of “appreciate the art and architecture of the statues.” For your information statues existed in Makkah a long time ago (before Islam was being spread in Makkah,) and Muslims suffered and were tortured by those people who fought Islam religion and wanted to worship the statues. Thank god statues no longer exist in Makkah. With this limited information about the history of Islam, I hope you understood why I was offended by your comment. Of course you can research about the history of Islam to further understand Islam and understand what my fellow Muslims went through back then.

This thread is not about Islam, so I kindly ask you guys to stick to the thread

Very useful comments to add to the discussion! Thanks guys! But I was responding to a comment, so I felt like “justifying” myself.

Thank you for the information. I appreciate it

Conclusion: New Zealand is not for me.

And with those final words, we'll close this thread.

Prospero
Senior Moderator