Kiwi Flyer

There is a reason why discount taxi is so cheap

ClimbGuy

I am booked to fly into Auckland on Feb7 out on Feb20. Is that enough time to see both islands or should I be sticking to just the North Island?

Kiwi Flyer

Up to you. In 2 weeks you could visit some places on both islands. Or spend more time to get to know 2-3 places much better. NZ is incredibly diverse. I've spent many years of travelling around the country and still manage to find interesting new places I haven't been to before.

SanDiego1K

Why is that?

The Hilton called them for us on both our stays, and they arrived right on time. Cars were clean and drivers were polite.

Our worst problem is that their cards only give a 7 digit number that we cannot reach using our cell phones - and the drivers have been unable to tell us what sequence of numbers we need to add in front.

cpx

That would bother me too.... so I try to get the local area codes before
I visit the place.

Generally for Auckland, the Area code is "9" On my cell phone... I just
dial +64-9-xxxxxxx

here is some info on the NZ phone codes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/+64

ClimbGuy

I have a flight at 5:45a out of AUK. How early do I need to get to the airport for the flight and are there any shuttles that run at that hour?

If not what is the last shuttle of the day I can take the night before?

thanks!

Kiwi Flyer

The airbus (with preset route around central city hotels and scheduled service) only starts a little before 5am - too late for the early flights (and last one the night before is quite early 9pm IIRC check www.airbus.co.nz). Shuttle vans (hotel pickup on demand) can be booked for any time.

For 0545 I generally leave central city by 0345. But then I don't like to feel rushed to make the flight. I'm not sure when check in closes but probably 0445, and it takes about 40-45 minutes to get to airport (by cab - allow longer with shuttle as they may pick up at hotels or homes along the way), depending on where you are coming from.

Note if staying at the airport overnight you can't check in until morning, and according to an FTer who stays there regularly the airport gets noisy by 4am. There are some comfy(ish) seats upstairs by the observation area.

ClimbGuy

How much would a shuttle cost to the airport?

Kiwi Flyer

super shuttle is NZ$23 one way from central city hotel for 1 pax, NZ$29 for 2.

ClimbGuy

I am working on trying to map out my route back north (I get to Wellington Feb 11 at 8p)

Here is what I am thinking:
Feb 14 3p: Wellington-->Napier
Feb 15 8a: Napier-->Taupo
Feb 17 10:45a: Taupo-->Mount Maunganui
Feb 19 11:45a: Mount Maunganui-->Auckland

Fly back to Sydny Feb 20 5:45a

Am I tried to do too much? If I were to cut out one stop which one should it be?

Kiwi Flyer

You won't have time to do much at Napier - arriving one evening and departing early next morning.

ClimbGuy

Yeah I realized that after I wrote out the timing, what if i push next segment forward a day. Kiwi Flyer, do you think I am trying to do too much? Also have I picked good stops? I am thinking about skipping Mount Maunganui would that be a mistake? I am thinking it would be best to skip one of the three cities, which would you recommend missing? If I stick with my Auckland-->Wellington on Feb 11 I will have 5 days to explore Aukland and the Northland. I don't know how I am going to work the Northland part but here is what I am thinking now

Feb7 Arrive in Aukland @3:55p
Work in some sort of trip to the Northland
Feb 11 Auckland-->Wellington ~8a-8p (stopover in Palmerston)
Feb 14 Auckland-->Naiper ~3p-8p
Feb 16 Naiper-->Taupo ~8a-10a
Feb 18 Taupo-->Aukland ~1045a-315p
Feb 20 Aukland-->SYD ~5:45a

ClimbGuy

The More I look into this I figure I need 2.5 days in Wellington, so I would leave wellington on the 14th and figure I have enough time to visit two places max.
I am trying to decide between:
Naiper
Taupo
Mount Maunganui/Bay of Plenty
Rotorua

I love good food and wine. When I say good food I love 5 star stuff, but when I am traveling I find that most of the best and most memorable meals I have are at small "hole in the wall" type places. I also find history and culture very intersting. On the adventure side I will not leave NZ without sky diving and I'll probably want to bungie jump too.

The other question I am trying to decide is if i should abandon my $1 Naked Bus ticket from Auckland to Wellington and opt to take the Overlander. If I do that I am thinking about leaving Aukland a day or two early and skipping the northland, would that be a mistake? Is 5 days enough to see Aukland and go to the northland?

One thing I am finding is that I should have left for my trip a lot earlyer than I am. I regret not having a month to month and a half to explore NZ.

Kiwi Flyer

That is what second (and third and ...) trips are for!

ClimbGuy

right but now I am trying to plan my first trip, and would love some advise on where I should be going.