#how much is campervan hire in new zealand

[akatsuki--konan]

nz motorhome show hamilton

[lu-undy]

Chapter 8 - SBT

Here it is :)

"G'day, mate."

"Oh hey M! What brings you here? Need somethin'?" 

Mundy had found Eddy in his shop. 

"Nah, not really. I mean I don't need stuff so far. I just wanted to apologise." 

The short man behind the counter raised surprised eyes to his tall friend. 

"Why would you apologise?"

"I was a bit harsh with you maybe. You didn't deserve any of that." 

"What're you talkin' about? Nah man, it's fine!"

"Yeah?" 

"Yeah! Though uh, I'm glad you remember where my shop is, eh?" Eddy said and smiled wide. 

"Yeah, don't worry, I can't forget. Roight, better get going. I got stuff to do." Mundy answered and walked back to the front door of the hunting equipment shop. 

"Hey, M?" 

"Yeah?" 

"Good luck, but you won't need it!"

The Aussie nodded with a smile. 

"Thanks, mate." 

Back in his van, Mundy took a deep breath and turned the key in. He heard his campervan roar decidedly and started driving around in town. He had a few names who he knew could help. The first of them was a certain Phil Baxter. The man had ears everywhere for animal goods circulating around. Mundy drove to the pier. Phil had a small import/export business. Most of his activity had to do with bringing to Australia lamb derived products from New Zealand. But, there always was a but, it happened that sometimes his crates contained more than mere lamb chops… 

The Aussie parked his van and walked to the building next to the port where the seagulls flew by the dozen, trying to see if this tall man had anything they could snatch off of him. Mundy entered and took the stairs to the third floor. He went through a corridor, crossing paths with men in suits and ties as much as local fishermen. He finally stopped in front of a door and gave a short few knocks. 

"Busy!" The voice answered. 

Mundy pushed the door anyway and looked at the desk. Phil was giving his back to him, on his office chair and spun around to face him. 

"I said I'm bu--oh, bugger… I'll have to call you back." He hung up the phone and Mundy stepped in, shutting the door behind him. 

"Mundy, is that really you…?" The man in the light blue shirt and dark blue trousers and tie stood up and went to him.

"Yeah, it is."

"My God! How long has it been!" 

They exchanged a dear friendly hug. 

"Quite a few years now, I think." Mundy answered.

"More like a decade! What brings you here? Oh, and sit down of course, want anything to drink? Coffee? Tea?" 

"Coffee would be nice." Mundy answered as he sat down.

"Alright, just a second…" Phil resumed his seat and took his phone. He quickly composed a single digit number. "Vanessa? Yeah, 2 coffees in my office. One for me and one just black. You still like your coffee black, right?" He looked at Mundy who nodded. "Alright then. Ok, thanks." 

He hung up and raised his eyes and his attention to his guest. 

"Alright then, to what do I owe the pleasure?" 

Mundy removed the hat off his head and lowered his head.

"Uhm… I guess I should start by explainin' m'self a bit. I kinda disappeared for a bit of time." 

Phil listened carefully. 

"I uh… Things happened that meant that I couldn't continue doing what I used to. So I just stopped and uh… Yeah, well, I stopped everything. Sorry I didn't say it properly or anythin'."

"Whatever happened must have been pretty serious, eh?" Phil asked but before his guest could answer, Vanessa the secretary entered and put the two coffee cups on the desk. "Thanks Vanessa." 

She nodded, her eyes never leaving her boss's guest and exited. 

"Alright then, that's your cup, and that's mine." 

"Thanks, mate." 

"No problem. So yeah, go on…" 

Mundy took a sip and resumed his speech. 

"Yeah, I stopped everythin' and went off the radars." 

"Took a break?" Phil asked. 

"Kind of. I thought I wouldn't step in again but…" 

"But your sitting here in front of me and sharing a coffee means that you had to take a break off your break, hm?" 

Mundy nodded. 

"Yeah. Look, it's been ten years and I disappeared without sayin' anything which I guess makes me the worst kind of professional partner you could think of."

"But?" Phil anticipated. 

"But I need your help like before." Mundy said, embarrassed.

"What is it you need?" 

The tall man raised his eyes to the office worker. 

"Why the surprised look?" Phil asked. 

"I didn't expect you to accept helping."

"You think I'd hold a grudge or somethin'? Mundy, it's been ten years! I thought you'd got caught and died!"

"What?!" 

"What else d'you want me to think?! One day you're here, running after God knows who and then radio silence for a decade!" Phil exclaimed and raised his arms to the All-Mighty. Mundy sighed. 

"I-I'm sorry." 

"Mate, I'm just relieved you're not dead. You're doin' Nature's work in this country where no one else cares. If folks understood the importance of what Mother Nature is giving us, if they could understand that they're drawing more than her very breath, if they could see that they're bleedin' her dry, they'd bloody thank you at least."

Mundy shrugged. 

"'m not doin' this for the praise or the applause, mate. Not that I'm gettin' it anyway." 

Phil looked at him gently. 

"I'm bloody well aware. I don't know why you decided to stop and why now you're here in front of me. But if you need me, it'll be like the good old days for me." 

Phil stood up and went around his desk. He extended his hand to his partner. 

Mundy raised his eyes to the hand that was offered to him. 

"So, what d'you say?" 

The Aussie stood up and grasped the hand firmly before Phil hugged him dearly.

"Good to see you again, mate. So nice to see you alive and well…! You haven't changed a bit!"

"Well, I have a few more lines on my face now."

"But still no grey hair, eh? Lucky you!" Phil answered, carding his hair that had barely started turning grey on his temples.  "Alright then…! What d'you need?" 

The office worker regained his seat and faced his friend. 

"Have you heard of 'gators recently?" Mundy asked.

"Alligators?" Phil repeated. 

"Yeah."

"Nah, sorry mate. We've had sharks, snakes, kangaroos, dingoes and countless others but no 'gators… Actually, now that I have the M in front of me, can I ask you somethin'?" Phil looked his friend in the eye. 

"Sure." 

"Alright then." Phil rolled on his chair closer to his friend. "There's been a recent uh… spike let's say, in stuff that we were asked to transport." 

"From Oz? To where?"

"From New Zealand to Oz and, well, from Oz to itself."

"What?!" Mundy asked. "I thought you transported sheep stuff from New Zealand and back?" 

"That was true ten years ago mate. Now we also do internal shippin' within Australia." 

"Oh, wow, had no idea…" Mundy answered. "But yeah, tell me more."

"Basically, a lot of our trucks are hired here and there. It's not something we should be doin' strictly speakin' but as long as the client pays the gas and returns the trucks in good conditions, we're fine." 

"I see."

"Recently, it's not just mine but also the competition's trucks that we've seen drive along, side by side here and there. I've had a few employees tellin' that. Imagine, our trucks and theirs, drivin' side by side, what the hell…?"

Phil took a sip of his coffee. 

"So I thought the competition's been messin' with us. I took the phone here and gave a few calls. Turns out they were under the same impression as us. They were thinking that we were playin' with their nerves! Now, they might be bluffin' but…"

"Don't believe it?" Mundy asked. 

"Nah, not really. Somethin's fishy about it."

"I see. But what's it got to do with me?" 

"Well, they returned the trucks and they were spotless clean but, the other day, I had one of my men sent in one of them and as soon as he stepped in, he started sneezin' like crazy and couldn't breathe."

Mundy's eyebrows jumped up. 

"He's allergic to cats." 

"Cats?" Mundy repeated.

"Yeah." 

"Well" The Aussie chuckled. "What d'you want me to do with that?" 

"I don't know but it all seems to fall a bit too well. First we're asked to get some more things from New Zealand, then the cat's fur, and now you here…"

"Mate, you might be overthinkin' it. I can't possibly see how any of that is related. Alright, you got a bit of a bump in yer business, which is good, right? More means more money, isn't it? And then one of yer men is allergic to cats, hell, even I used to be like that when I was a kid. And besides all that, I'm enquirin' about alligators."

"You might be right…" Phil massaged his own brow with his fingers. "Might need a break." 

"Yeah, 'specially if you've had a lot of work recently." Mundy confirmed. 

"Yeah, nah… I'm really glad to see you back in the business though. I'll let you know if I hear more from your alligators."

"Thanks mate." 

Both stood up and shook hands. Mundy went to the door. 

"Oh wait, I got a new phone number for, y'know, special business. You might use that one if you ever need to see me. Here's the number." 

Phil scribbled it down on a post it note and handed it over to Mundy. 

"Alright. I'll keep that in mind, mate. Thanks. See ya!"

"See ya and stay safe!" 

The Aussie soon found himself in his van again, driving back to town. 

"Roight… If Phil hasn't heard about my 'gators, they can't have left Oz. Not yet. That's good. I still have my chances." 

He looked through his rear view mirror quickly and continued driving. 

"Then, next stop is to the usual reserves. The one to the west has swamps and water facilities so if the gators were caught, they should be there." 

He had worked with them before too. He just hoped they would remember him.

The Australian drove decidedly for a good hour or so. He felt a bit nervous as he came closer to the reserve. He was ashamed of his own self. Phil thought he was dead. Was he wrong? 

Biologically speaking, of course not. The man breathed and was in good health. But in his mind, not really. Mundy had been much closer to dead than he was to being alive back then. But could anyone blame him, after everything he had gone through? 

He didn't have the time to think further as the van stopped in front of the reserve. He stepped out and walked to the door where he knocked. 

"Oh, hello there, how can I help?" 

Mundy removed his hat and lowered his head in front of the lady at the reception.

"I uh… I was wonderin' if Matt was still workin' here?" 

"Yeah he is. Do you need me to call him?" 

"Yes please. Uhm, tell him that M is at the door, will ya?" 

"Sure!" 

The blond lady took her walkie-talkie and said. 

"Matt, there's a gentleman to see you here." 

There was a second of silence before a voice answered. The quality of the sound wasn't the best but Mundy could still clearly understand. 

"Who's that? I'm not waitin' for anyone." 

"The gentleman's name is M…?"

"Holy shit!" 

Matt cut on the spot and Laura seemed surprised.

"He must be on his way. Take a seat and wait for him if you want." 

"Uh, yeah, sure, thanks." 

Mundy sat on one of the orange plastic chairs in the hall and waited. A few minutes had passed when the sound of a car woke him up from his daydreaming. He heard it stop and its door was slammed shut. An instant later, a man flung the door open.

"M? Is that you?" 

"I don't know, d'you do remember me, eh?" 

"Mate, it's been so long… We thought the worst had happened to you, or that maybe you just stopped."

Matt threw himself at the Aussie who had just stood up and hugged him dearly.

"Well, I kinda did, yeah." 

"Come in, come in! The rest of the team's busy, we've been super full of work y'know but -- holy shit, mate, it's really you!"

Mundy raised his eyes and he realised that the young black man who worked there was now a full blown adult, no doubt about that. 

"Bloody hell, you grew up so much, Matt. It's hard to believe it's still you… Look at you now, big and strong, with a beard…!"

Matt looked up at the taller man. 

"And you haven't changed a bit, even your clothes are the same style…!"

It was all so strange. 

"How old are you now?" The Aussie asked.

"Twenty-five, man. It's been ten years!" 

They walked out and both embarked on Matt's jeep. 

"C'mon, I'll give you a tour!" 

Mundy nodded and accepted the invitation. The young man drove him around the wide area of natural decor that countless species shared. 

"Bloody hell, is this all of the reserve? It used to be so much smaller…! You guys used to have only reptiles, snakes, crocs, alligators and the like…"

"Yeah but we managed to get more land and more animals."

"Still have the reptiles?" Mundy asked. 

"Oh, yeah, heaps more now. We even got new generations of them." 

"Ah, that's nice. Been workin' hard then, eh?" 

"Yeah, kinda, but I'm not complainin'. It's a beautiful job." 

Mundy smiled. The young man next to him had grown indeed but some aspects of his character had remained, among which the passion he had for animals. 

Matt stopped the jeep in front of a big house. 

"Is that yer headquarters?" 

"Nah, more of a small one. Let's get inside and we can have a chat, yeah?" 

Mundy nodded and followed the young man. 

"So what's your job title now, Matt?" 

"I'm in charge of the crocs!"

"Really?! I remember you were terrified of them!"

"Yeah but I was taught how to handle them and I grew to like them. And I think they like me too!"

Both entered a room with sofas, a big table and a TV. It resembled a classic living/dining room. 

"Please M, sit down. Want anything to drink?" 

"Just water please."

"Alright, gimme a minute." 

And a minute later Matt came with two glasses in his hand. 

"Here you go…!"

"Ah, thanks mate." 

They both sat next to each other and took a good sip of their drinks. 

"Anyone else apart from you who's still working here?" Mundy asked.

"Yeah, most of the team is, I think. Oh, actually Dave retired."

"Ah, fair, the man was already too old back then." Mundy said. 

"Yeah, and Kate, she's havin' her third kid, she's out on maternity leave!"

"Kate? She's got kids?!" 

"Yeah, mate! Oh you've missed so much… We can do the catchin' up later. I'm curious, what brings you back?" 

"Well, business… I'm lookin' for 'gators and I wanted to know if you had heard anythin' about them." 

"What kind of 'gators?" 

"There's this bloke called Johnson. He owned some-"

"Yeah, Johnson, I know him. He called us a few times and we went there to help him out when he first got his alligators. Oh  shit… Don't tell me those ones got stolen?"

Mundy grimaced and nodded.

"Yeah… Yeah, they did."

"All of them?"

"All of them. Stolen right under his nose." 

"Bloody hell, M, those were the last ones!"

"I know, that's why I'm here with you."

Matt drank more of his water to digest the information. 

"So, heard of anythin' about them?" Mundy asked.

"No, I'm sorry, no one came with more animals. If anything we were super busy because of poachers ourselves."

"What happened?" The tall man asked. 

"They've been visitin' us more and more lately and they only take the good stuff eh. They know what they want these ones… I'm sorry, M, I'm probably adding to your problems here."

"Nah, nah, go on." 

"It started with some crocs. I was furious and felt absolutely powerless… Then came the antelopes, some birds, and even some panthers." 

"When did that all happen?" 

"In about a few months now, two, maybe three. We're seriously concerned now and standing guard durin' the night doesn't really help. The reserve is huge and we're not enough to cover it all entirely, even with volunteers…" 

"D'you have any leads about the thiefs?" Mundy asked. 

"No… Not really. You're gonna laugh but…" 

Matt hesitated. 

"Go on, mate, it's the same old me. You can talk." 

"Yeah… Well I've been prayin' for you to come back. Each Sunday when I'd go to church. I'd add a prayer, asking for you to not be dead and come back. I even thought of… I thought of quittin' my job here and takin' up yours basically."

Mundy's eyebrows jumped behind his glasses. 

"Someone has to scare the poachers away, we can't let them come and go like that, takin' whatever they want! And I remember how you'd always come and bring back the animals that had been stolen. It was magical, really. One day they were gone, the next day we'd call you and poof, they would re-appear…"

Matt smiled in nostalgia. 

"But then I realised that I had no idea where to start to be the new M, so I abandoned and just stuck to prayin'...."

"Well then I guess you have to go this Sunday and say thanks to the one up there, eh?" Mundy answered and his young friend smiled. 

"Yeah, guess so…"

Silence fell for a moment and Mundy downed the remainder of the water in his glass. 

"M?"

"Hm?" 

"Are you really back?"

The Aussie took a deep breath. 

"S'ppose I say yes, then what?" 

"Please find my crocs. They were a family… The bastards even broke the eggs they had laid…"

Mundy saw Matt's pleading eyes and found it hard to refuse. It was a grown man who was asking him but he saw the very young adult who would come and help during his holidays… 

"I… I can't promise, mate. But I'll keep you in mind. If I hear anythin' about them, I'll give you a call, ok?"

"Yeah… Actually, let me give you the phone number. They had it changed a few times I think since you were gone." 

Matt rose from the sofa and took a newspaper lying on the table. He tore the corner of a page and scribbled his name and the number. 

"There, if you call that, you'll have Laura at reception. Then ask for me and she'll call me on my walkie-talkie, same as she did today."

"Alroight, thanks mate."

"Let's get to the jeep, I'll give you a ride back." 

"Yeah, thanks." 

After a few minutes, Mundy was back in his van. He rolled the window down for Matt to speak. 

"Good to see you back, M. It's been too long. We've all missed ya here." 

The older man smiled. 

"Thanks, mate. I think I've missed it too somehow."

"See ya, M!"

"See you too, Matt!" 

The Aussie rolled his window back up and drove away, his thoughts still rolling. Matt hadn’t heard about his alligators so they weren’t in any reserve or zoo. Right then, Mundy needed to visit another person. It all felt a bit unsettling, walking back in his own steps, reviving friendships like dead plants. Now he was feeling the weight of the past decade. Time had continued passing, even though it had stopped for him. People had continued growing, Matt was now a man. Companies thrived, Phil was very successful. Mundy raised his eyes and looked in his rear view mirror. All those changes and he had stayed the same, like the gear of a clock stuck on midnight.  

[timtamtalestakestwo]

Life before lockdown

Since the last blog post I wrote we seem to have escaped from one disaster and entered an even bigger one! Whilst before we were locked inside due to thick bushfire smoke, we now have clearer air than ever but the slight inconvenience of a massive pandemic..

I had a short but lovely trip back to England in February, mainly to interview for a place on the Internal Medicine Training programme. It had been a tough decision, as we both love our life together out in Australia and have had such fantastic experiences and adventures here. I think both of us would love to stay a bit longer, however with my formal training on hold whilst here and a huge difficulty in transferring said training between the countries if I were to start training here, we essentially needed to make a decision sooner rather than later.

It was brilliant to see family and friends again after so long, although certainly took a little adjusting to the cold temperatures and busy roads again having not driven on anything bigger than a largely empty dual carriageway in 30+ degree heat for 2 years!

I later found out I was successful in my application and got my first-choice job so will be spending the next 3 years in Winchester and Southampton from August! This certainly made the whole ‘moving home’ plan seem more real. Although I am fairly certain our reaction for the first few weeks/months of arriving home will be ���what have we done?!?’ I know for me, the value of having the support of family and friends close-by going forward will hopefully outweigh the bad weather, overpopulation, and extortionate house prices!

On my arrival back to Australia, the virus was still only in its early stages and we certainly hadn’t predicted at that point the imminent deterioration in circumstances across the world; so little so that we booked everything for a trip of a lifetime for our final 2 months here – a month travelling around New Zealand and a month driving from Darwin to Perth. As you can imagine, that dream has since all been taken away rather rapidly.

Image: Celebrating my birthday with a dip in the Bogey Hole!

In early March, we welcomed Tom’s family back to Australia for another visit! The main wildlife left on the list to see after the last visit was a wombat, a platypus, a Tasmanian devil, and quolls..and so the quest began…

As I was working for their first week here, I stayed home whilst they went on an adventure up to the Bunya Mountains in Queensland. By the sounds of things, they brought the rain with them from England and weren’t blessed with the best weather. However, they enjoyed a relaxing few days away from civilization, followed by a few days at Rainbow Beach featuring a day 4WDing on Fraser Island!

We celebrated Tom’s birthday when they got back to Newcastle and were due to go to the Grand Prix in Melbourne, but unfortunately that was the start of the closure of mass gatherings and so it was understandably cancelled. However, these were the days before social distancing was even in our vocabulary, so we got our flights to Melbourne anyway, spending the day exploring the city and botanical gardens! It was only a brief visit as we had a morning flight to Hobart the following morning…

We rented 2 campervans for the trip and headed straight out of Hobart up to the Friendly Beaches in Freycinet National Park for our first night. The night sky was one of the clearest I’ve ever seen so we spent the evening stargazing on the beach and tried our hand at some long exposure star shots! We also had our first encounter with a wombat (which we almost missed in the pitch black – I only noticed it because I was wondering why something I thought was a boulder was grunting!)

Our route the next day took us up the East Coast further, via Douglas Apsley National Park where we hiked to a very refreshing (read freezing!) waterhole for a dip! We spent the night up in the beautiful Bay of Fires, in another beach-side campsite. The sound of the waves crashing on the beach next to the campervan all night was certainly something special!

Image: Apsley River Waterhole

Images: Bay of Fires

We had a long drive the next day to Cradle Mountain National Park, a place I had missed on my first visit and had been dreaming of visiting since! After covering the very wind-y Elephant Pass and across to Cataract Gorge in Launceston to stop for a stretch of the legs, we eventually reached Cradle Mountain campsite before dark. It was certainly the most equipped campsite we’d had so far – our first shower of the trip was certainly welcomed!

After dark, we piled into one van to drive into the park for a wildlife watch, spotting multiple wombats, possums, wallabies and pademelons!

The next day was forecast for rain from late morning so we got up early and Ellie and I caught the first shuttle bus into the park. The hike to the summit was tempting but the forecast suggested that wasn’t the safest choice, so Ellie and I decided to hike to Marion’s Lookout, one of the stops en route to the summit. We’d been advised against the steep rock scramble route up by the slightly over-cautious park rangers, due to the risk of slippery conditions. Instead we took a beautiful longer route up via Wombat Pools and Crater Lake. The place was breathtaking. Jagged peaks, and mirrored glacial lakes, it was everything I had hoped for! We were thankful for the early start as it felt like we had the Park to ourselves and didn’t see a soul for the route up ….until we arrived at Marion’s Lookout and were surprised to see Tom and Gill already there! Having arrived on the next shuttle bus, they had braved the short steep climb (which apparently was no way near as treacherous as we’d been warned) and beat us to it! We were all suitably red-faced and in need of a chocolate break!

I could have stayed in Cradle Mountain all week but there was so much of beautiful Tasmania left to see so we packed up to start the drive up to Stanley on the North West coast. After an hour or so standing on the ‘penguin viewing platform’ at dusk, we finally caught a glimmer of white coming in from the sea – our first fairy penguin sighting! The extra special moment was hearing cheeping noises behind us, turning, and finding two hungry little baby penguins stood at the entrance of their burrows, waiting for their mum to come back with some food!

We spent Gill’s birthday driving around the Tarkine wilderness in the North West. On our first stop at Bluff lighthouse, I managed to get a leech bite on my ankle but unfortunately didn’t notice until about an hour or two later when it was the size of a slug and had injected copious amounts of anticoagulant into me! Ellie saved the day by being the only one of us composed enough to safely take it off! But the bite mark then didn’t stop bleeding for most of the rest of the day…!

That night was the long-awaited platypus sighting, just outside Burnie. It didn’t seem like the most promising spot being very close to an industrial area, and although there were plenty of pademelons about I wasn’t hopeful about seeing a platypus and regrettably retired early to the van. Not long afterwards, Tom snr saw an unmistakable outline through a moonlit reflection on the water, passing under the bridge!

Another long drive the next day brought us over the Central Plateau conservation area and down to Mount Field National Park, not far from Hobart. We stayed in the overflow campsite there, and were surrounded by hundreds of pademelons, lots of very tame and enormous possums and even saw glow-worms on an evening stroll down to Russell Falls!

It was from here that things started to get slightly more stressful….

Whilst we were away, not only had Australia closed its borders, but so had some states, including Tasmania… so thus started a saga of flights repeatedly being cancelled by the airline, and rebooked, and cancelled again, and rebooked, and cancelled again…you get the idea. This of itself was merely a slight inconvenience if it wasn’t for the fact that not only had these cancellations meant Tom’s family missed their flight back to London with Etihad, Etihad (and most other airlines) had now grounded all international flights!

We extended our campervan hire and camped out near Port Arthur in Eaglehawk Neck peninsula in the South East, only an hour or so from the airport if we needed to make a mad dash for it at any point! It was certainly a beautiful place to be stranded and managed to make the most of it with some hikes and a break-in to the now closed Port Arthur Historic site!

After the third or fourth cancellation we decided it best to just go to the airport and wait for them to put us on a flight. It turned out that of the few flights that had been flying, only 50% of the passengers had shown up, so we ended up with a spot on the first one out. If only we’d known that sooner we wouldn’t have been in the difficult position of trying to get Tom’s family repatriated along with thousands of other tourists!

Alas, they were in luck as a relative works for BA, so after multiple international phone calls, she managed to get them safely on a flight home much sooner than many other people!

Despite the mildly stressful end, it was a fantastic trip that we were lucky to even do, as had it been a week later, Tom’s family would have never even made it into Australia!

 It was back to work for the both of us – the Emergency Department has been eerily quiet as there has not been the influx of COVID19 patients in Australia we were anticipating and many fewer people are attending unnecessarily (and more worryingly people who need to attend but aren’t…)

Tom and I are now just finishing up at work having already handed in our notices prior to knowing the world was about to turn apocalyptic, so we are now trying to sort out how we will spend the next few months without any options to travel like we had initially planned! We’re at least making the most of the fact scuba diving is on the government-approved list of daily exercise...!

We hope you are all staying safe and staying well in this rather mad time and we can’t wait to see you on the other side! xxx

[sugadoll64]

reisebüro neuseeland berlin (5)

reisebüro neuseeland berlin/tagsSTA Travel Reisebüro Berlin GeorgenstraßeStarting at the Ambiente Guest House with Marion and Peter in Cape Town, who gave us great tips for trips and restaurants. To the Wild Ivory Eco Lodge in Welgevonden Game Reserve with its unique location, the absolutely special experience of sleeping in a safari tent and finding the Big 5 with our guide Herbert. ...we returned home safe and sound from our big trip and also changed back to European time.

Car driving and camping

With the company since 1991, currently working as Authorised Signatory and Senior Product & Sales Manager for the target regions Australia, New Zealand, South Pacific & Africa. Spend the night on board the legendary Milford Mariner and wake up until dawn in one of the most beautiful places in the world. It can be that beautiful, because this vision drives us to make unforgettable journeys full of moments worth living for. New Zealand is a special place, and everyone who travels and lives here is responsible for protecting and preserving the country for future generations. New Zealanders feel a special connection to their country and want to help visitors to travel it safely and consciously.

In between there are countless lakes and fjords, breathtaking coastlines, a volcanic plateau and various wine-growing areas - just to name a few of the highlights.

For this, a return or onward flight ticket must be presented and proof of sufficient financial means for the stay must be provided.

The number of fatal traffic accidents has increased considerably in the last few years.

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And it is admirable how much you can see without stress, of the country that has so much to offer.

>State Highways (SH) connect most places in the country.> Whoever prefers personal contact is in the right place.> A Mega City like so many in the world, interchangeable. So we were looking forward to the onward journey to the "winterless" north to the Bay of Islands in Paihia. On the way and there arrived the bad weather was persistent, it only got warmer and the humidity increased. In the afternoon we made a boat tour through the Bay of Islands with the destination "Hole in the Rock". Read more about campervan hire New Zealand here. Cookies facilitate the provision of our services. By using our services you agree that we may use cookies. We would be happy to provide you with an individual travel offer for New Zealand. We look forward to your message to info-berlin@null tui.com or your call + . At our travel agency we have a lot of further information for you, such as tips for excursions and price specials.

11-day camping/lodge adventure from/to Windhoek

Entries of children in the parental passport are no longer possible. The average temperature in New Zealand in summer is about 20 to 30ºC and in winter about 10 to 15ºC.

[to-be-laced-with-nitroglyce-blog]

neuseeland reisen jahreszeit (2)

film [edit

Those who do not have much time anyway should look for combination offers where the flight is bought together with a rented car or a campervan; these set prices are mostly only available up to 21 days of travel time. In winter, New Zealand's ski resorts come alive with skiers and snowboarders. Numerous fresh, sunny days invite to bush walks, bike tours and relaxing baths in natural hot springs. The New Zealand winter from June to August is different all over the country. Milford and every road was free, once there was snow. Take an individual first-aid kit with you and protect it against high temperatures on the way, see leaflet first-aid kit. Follow the instructions for use and aids for the indication in the leaflet "Travel recommendations". As part of your travel preparations, check your and your children's vaccination protection against measles and leave it here if necessary. Read more about campervan hire New Zealand. New Zealand Immigration recommends that you apply at least 72 hours before departure. The NZeTA, once issued, is valid for any number of entries for a maximum period of However, by the mid-1990s, the upswing had already catapulted the whole country to the top of the industrial nations. There are also numerous birds that fly over the vast expanses of the Pacific Ocean to spend parts of the year in New Zealand, such as the Westland Petrel (Procellaria westlandica). Royal Albatrosses (Diomedea epomophora) and Australian Boobies (Morus serrator) also nest here. Finally, dolphins and whales can be found off the coast. The northern areas of the North Island are characterised by a more subtropical climate, while the rest of the North Island has a more temperate climate.

How cold is it in New Zealand in winter?

Temperatures and Weather Although the New Zealand winter brings cooler weather and rain in some parts of the country, it is mild in many places. Maximum temperatures are between 10 and 16 degrees Celsius; in New Zealand's "winterless north" the days hardly get any colder.

The health system in New Zealand is well developed. Since not all medicines available in New Zealand are available in Germany, it is advisable to bring urgently needed medication with you.

When is the warmest in New Zealand?

This means: Winters are mild and the summer months are warm. In summer you can have a great time at the beach. December, January, February and March are the best time to travel to New Zealand's North Island for a beach holiday. Many holidaymakers choose this time of year for their New Zealand trip.

The precipitation amounts here are rather average (300mm / year). Long, bright summer evenings, as we know them from Northern Europe, do not exist here.

[angrymagicgirlmarsette]

neuseeland reisen jahreszeit (1)

party system [edit

Only five hours a day the sun shines. Now that the big rush of tourists is finally over, the prices for rental cars, caravans and accommodation are often reduced by half compared to the high season. February has almost the same daytime temperatures as the previous month January. However, the sea water has continued to warm up, reaching 20°C. The Australian state of Victoria (which includes Melbourne) even has to deal with droughts from time to time during the summer. In winter, the north of Australia is pleasant - probably not too hot and not too cold. Due to the climate there are also the famous tropical forests in the north, which are also popular destinations for excursions. One of them is Cape Tribulation, located north of Cairns. The north of Australia has a tropical climate, the centre of the country is desert-like.

How cold is it in New Zealand in winter?

Temperatures and Weather Although the New Zealand winter brings cooler weather and rain in some parts of the country, it is mild in many places. Maximum temperatures are between 10 and 16 degrees Celsius; in New Zealand's "winterless north" the days hardly get any colder.

This was extended to include Chile and Brunei in 2005 and is now known as the P4 Agreement. New Zealand continues to seek similar agreements in the Pacific region. It is also the sunniest month with eight hours per day. Despite the warm temperatures, however, rapid changes in the weather must be expected again and again. In January it rains on average on about ten days, so an umbrella should be carried in any case. At night the thermometer rarely falls below 15°C. Read more about campervan hire New Zealand here.

It is located about 2,000 kilometers southeast of Australia and belongs to the Australian continent. What is mostly worthwhile are promotions and buying larger quantities 1kg cheese is much cheaper than 200g. There are always discounts on something. As far as I understand it, the Kiwi Dollar is a currency that is often used for speculation and is therefore extremely volatile.

go for a cheap meal in New Zealand - the offer

The south-eastern part of Australia is the most densely populated area in the area of the southern ozone hole. This is one of the reasons why caution is necessary in case of extreme sunshine.

[postalesdesdemexico-blog]

australia australia and new zealand roundtrip booking

I found this very interesting, because I liked New Zealand so much, because what makes New Zealand so special, namely the unique nature, costs nothing at all. You don't have to be on Milford Sound to have seen Fjordland. Even without skydiving you can enjoy the nature and so on. The total sum is always critical and looks bad in the end - even if you were perhaps still quite thrifty. Besides, it has been a "middle part" of the trip without really measurable travel/flight costs compared to a pure trip to New Zealand. Otherwise we stayed in AirBnB rooms. Thanks a lot for the detailed list. It is very interesting to see the comparison.

How to calculate your budget for New Zealand

There are always gravel roads that you can hardly get around if you want to see certain destinations. Thank you very much for the very informative article! I had often heard from New Zealand that it is rather difficult - and if so, expensive - with WLAN/ Internet.

Costs domestic flight New Zealand

The cost is between 15 and 30 dollars per person. To save money, make sure that you don't pay more than 18 dollars per person and that the (hot) showers are free. Often they have to be paid separately (2 dollars per person). Are you travelling 6 weeks or less through New Zealand? You should first compare the costs of the landlords very carefully. If you already know what you want to experience, check the prices on the internet. If you buy your own vehicle, you can save the cost of insurance completely. Car insurance is not compulsory in New Zealand.

What is the climate like in New Zealand?

In the south of the continent the Australian summer (October to March) is the most beautiful season. In autumn and winter (May to September) it can be cool and windy, in the Australian Alps and on Tasmania there is also snow. The rainy season in the tropical north (Wet Season) lasts from November to April.

Read more about campervan hire New Zealand here. So in total we spent an incredible $60 (36,50 EUR) per day for food. Together with the costs for d

[seraphicseraphim]

route and costs in three weeks new zealand

If you are looking for the ultimate thrill, you will find it in Queenstown. Not only adventurers love the area around Lake Wakatipu, the surrounding Remarkables are also a dream for hikers & winter sports enthusiasts. Those who prefer a little quieter should continue on to Glenorchy. One of our absolute favourite cities in New Zealand is definitely Wanaka. Although it is very touristy - picturesque at Lake Wanaka and surrounded by the mountains of the Mount Aspiring National Park - it is much quieter here than in bustling Queenstown. The well-known beach is effectively almost 90 km long, but of course still very impressive. On the east coast, we dare to jump into the refreshing water at one of the many sandy beaches in beautiful weather. New Zealand unites an immense number of different landscapes.

Landscaped well situated

New Zealanders love BBQ and barbecue anytime and anywhere. In many parks you will find public BBQ grills that you can use for a small fee. The rental companies need their cars at different branches depending on demand. Read more about campervan hire New Zealand here. The best thing to do is to ask on the spot - in a café, restaurant, hotel, etc. What you should know for your road trip, I list here in my New Zealand road trip tips. And the founders of the Austrian travel blog Sommertage. We booked our rental car through sunnycars and had good experiences. Your report is already some years ago, but during the research for our planned trip in October/November I stumbled across it.

Category: New Zealand Travel Reports

A further highlight was the private albatross and whale watching tour, which was a complete success with wonderful experiences. We spent six days in Wanaka and after the cyclone we could enjoy the very best autumn weather. The bright yellow shining poplars and trees in their autumn dress inspired us as well as the quiet mornings at the lake with perfect reflections of the mountains and the steel blue lakes. After we had enjoyed the western part of the Catlins, we stayed for three days in the eastern part of Kaka Point. Before you leave for New Zealand you should know how you want to get around there. On the one hand with a rental car and the free choice of sleeping places or on the other hand with a campervan or a motorhome. Although it is also possible to travel by public bus or even hitchhike, we recommend for New Zealand an own vehicle to be flexible. We have four months time and the flights were expensive.

[msdonnatemplenoble-blog1]

australia and new zealand

In New Zealand, hurricane season is from November to April. Read more about campervan hire New Zealand here. During this time, tropical cyclones and intense rainfall can occur sporadically, resulting in flooding and traffic congestion. Be sceptical about unfamiliar e-mails, profit announcements, offers and requests for help from alleged acquaintances.

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One of the most beautiful panoramic routes in the world is the Great Ocean Road in Australia. The 243 kilometres long route starts in Torquay and ends in Allansford. A new surprise awaits the traveller behind every bend.

How cold it is in New Zealand in winter?

Temperatures and Weather Although the New Zealand winter brings cooler weather and rain in some parts of the country, it is mild in many places. Maximum temperatures are between 10 and 16 degrees Celsius; in New Zealand's "winterless north" the days hardly get any colder.

These are the five best destinations for May

Finally, there are the "Anniversary Days" for each region of New Zealand, which are then a holiday only there. The Auckland Anniversary Day, for example, is on January 29th, the Taranaki Anniversary Day is on January 31st, and if one of these "birthdays" falls on another holiday, it is also "mounted".

How much does a camper cost in New Zealand?

Electronic Entry Permit ETA (from 1 October 2019): Valid for two years: Within this period for any number of entries for a maximum of 90 days each. The New Zealand Immigration Service recommends that applications be submitted at least 72 hours before departure.

Several climate zones developed on Australia's continental part. High in the north an equatorial climate prevails, followed by a tropical zone. In the north of the South Island, there is a lot of sun in spring and summer. But in the South Island, one often has to expect some rain. But therefore, the nature is also lush green and marked by rain forests. On the west coast of the South Island you will find spectacular glacier landscapes and waterfalls. But there is also wind and a cold climate.

[xsugarprincessx-blog1]

time Christchurch

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通年温暖な亜熱帯気候に恵まれ「冬のないノース」と呼ばれるこの地域では、ユニークな方法で海に親しめます。 Find flight time and flight duration Calculate flight time and flight duration quickly How often do you ask yourself how long a flight from destination A to destination B takes? Read more about campervan hire New Zealand here. After taking certain antimalarial drugs, a woman should not give up contraception until 3 months after stopping prophylaxis and plan to become pregnant. The Institute for Medical Information, Freiburg/Brsg., provides a database on the Internet under a database that offers up-to-date information on all countries of the world. In addition, the user will find many valuable hints and tips so that the best weeks of the year are not spoiled. In order to be able to comment on articles, news or blogs, you must be Sierra registered. If you are already registered for the newsletter or the job market, you can register here directly. Gastrointestinal disorders (e.g. severe diarrhoea, vomiting) can reduce the effectiveness of the pill. If vomiting occurs up to three hours after taking the pill, the next pill should be taken immediately. If the gastrointestinal problems occur repeatedly, the effectiveness of the pill is no longer guaranteed.

Next time changeover

Over the next 30 years more and more European immigrants settled in New Zealand and occupied, much to the displeasure of the Maoris, more and more land for their settlements.

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The 'Kiwis' also change their clocks in spring and winter.you have a time difference of more than 3 hours, you should take a pill after 12 hours and continue taking it at the usual local time. If you only consider the mother country, it covers five different time zones.

After a brief contact with the Maori, in which four members of his crew were killed, Tasman sailed away and never returned. Here you will find information about the country and its people as well as important facts for your trip to New Zealand. Certain medicines taken in addition to the pill (e.g. antibiotics), which may also be part of the travel pharmacy, can under certain circumstances have a negative influence on the effectiveness of the pill.

Jet lag cannot be avoided completely, so you should plan a little rest for the first few days. As soon as you are on location, you wanted to forget the German time as soon as possible. In Germany we have Central European Time (MET) UTC +1 and in summer +2 . Therefore you should keep the pill during the hot season in a cool place, in the shade or in the fridge. Under no circumstances should the pill be exposed to direct sunlight for long periods of time. So if the time difference is not more than 12 hours, the pill can be taken at home and also at your holiday destination at the usual time. If the time difference is more than 12 hours (e.g. Europe - New Zealand), the next pill should be taken after about 12 hours. When travelling across the International Date Line, the combined pill should be taken every 24 hours regardless of the time zone.

[doofies-blog]

time Auckland, New Zealand

three tips against jet lag

Together with our travel specialists, you will discuss your travel plan and your wishes and have your individual offer prepared. Most hotels and motels offer 110 volt sockets (at 20 watts) exclusively for razors. For all other devices an adapter is necessary, unless they are voltage switchable. Please note that the sockets only accept plugs with two or three flat pins depending on the grounding. New Zealand is 11 hours ahead of Germany. Depending on summer and winter time, this time difference varies between 10 to 12 hours. Especially when the next holiday is far away, you will be confronted with this at the latest. We will explain to you how the zones came about, who set the times and of course how much time difference you have to take into account per country. Nevertheless, there are a few tips and tricks that can make it a little easier for you to get over your jet lag. For the winter months and early spring you need warm clothes. You should definitely bring a rain cover. You should also bring good sunglasses with you in any case. For trips to the mountains you need good hiking boots and sturdy clothes.

The national team has the nickname All Blacks and has won the Rugby World Cup several times.

The watches are changed on different dates in Germany and New Zealand.

You can't avoid jet lag altogether, so you should plan a little rest for the first few days.

The time in Honolulu is 23 hours behind the time in Auckland.

> Stays in the tropics are associated with additional health risks, in particular lurking infections that are less frequent or even unknown in this country. In addition, certain prophylactic medications against malaria can have a harmful effect on the unborn child, so that in these cases an anti-conception is even strongly recommended. It is therefore not recommended to plan a pregnancy during a tropical trip. After taking certain antimalarial drugs, a woman should not give up contraception and plan a pregnancy until three months after stopping prophylaxis. The electrical voltage in New Zealand is 230/240 volts (50 Hertz). Read more about campervan hire New Zealand here.

There you are eight hours ahead of the time in Germany. The second zone can be found in South Australia and the Northern Territory. Here there is a time difference of nine and a half hours. Queensland, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and Tasmania are in the third time zone, which is ten hours ahead of the time in Germany.

[myfriendmagislit]

The packing list for New Zealand: Have you thought of everything?

>When you have had your breakfast there is still time to explore corners you might not have had so much time for yesterday. How about a visit to the Otago Museum? There you can admire a well-preserved Maori war canoe and take a trip back in time to when New Zealand was still sparsely populated.

We had neither toilet nor shower in our campervan and were dependent on the public facilities for a month. With the app "Camper Mate" (see below) we could search for public showers and toilets, but still they were not always nearby.

Entry regulations & visas

In addition, one must prove sufficient financial means (per person about 1,000 NZ$ per month). The best way to prove this is with Visa or Mastercard credit cards or travellers cheques. Almost all travellers from Europe choose to travel to New Zealand by air. Only a few have the time, leisure and money for a ship journey, which takes up to six weeks, but has a very special charm.

Therefore a Working Holiday is definitely worthwhile, but it's not for everyone.at night the values are around six degrees.

BlueBridge I always found it a bit cheaper, but the two have about the same prices.

> However the so called "sandflies" are plaguing tourists and locals in many places.>>/ul> In New Zealand, especially on the west coast of the South Island, there are the so-called Sandflies. These small, inconspicuous flies look roughly like our fruit flies, bite and it itches like hell for days afterwards. With only little time, I advise you to see the Franz-Josef Glacier and especially to do the small hike to there. If the hike is not for you, you can also walk around the volcanoes on highways 47, 49 and 1. Read more about campervan hire New Zealand here. Outside the months of May to October it is very hot during the day in the centre of Australia. New Zealand, like Australia, is very expensive, especially if you are travelling by car and do a lot of activities. In comparison, New Zealand is also more expensive than Australia, at least for me, even if the New Zealand dollar is a bit weaker than the Australian dollar. Here you get an overview of the different costs for one year of work and travel in New Zealand and a guideline how much starting capital you need in total.

What do you need for a visa to New Zealand?

A one-way bus ticket costs about NZ$ 3.50, one litre of petrol is currently

[champagne-et-rose]

The most dangerous animals in Australia and New Zealand

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What season is now in New Zealand?

New Zealand Seasons. New Zealand is located in the Southern Hemisphere. As a result, the New Zealand seasons are opposite to those in Europe and North America. For example, summer reigns from December to February, autumn from March to May, winter from June to August and spring from September to November.

In addition, the visitor here experiences a great cultural diversity of colourful population groups from many parts of the world. The electrical voltage in New Zealand is 230/240 volts (50 Hertz). Most hotels and motels offer 110 volt (20 watt) outlets for razors only. For all other devices an adapter is required unless they are voltage switchable.

How long does it take to fly to New Zealand?

Left (west) of it is one day later than right (east). The dateline runs from the North to the South Pole through the Pacific Ocean, roughly along the 180th meridian, on the opposite side of the prime meridian.

New Zealand is 11 hours ahead of Germany. Depending on summer and winter time, this time difference varies between 10 and 12 hours. The clocks in Germany and New Zealand are set at different times. Germany changes from winter to summer time on the last Sunday in March and from summer to winter time on the last Sunday in October.

Since 2005, negotiations about a free trade zone with the People's Republic of China have been underway.

We flew with Air NewZealand at that time, but they had a Staralliance with Lufthansa on the return trip.

Another interesting museum is the Auckland War Memorial Museum, located in the Auckland Domain Park, which houses, among other things, collections on the history and culture of Māori and on New Zealand's nature.

Tourism is also of particular importance for the New Zealand economy.

Aproximately ten years after the introduction of the tram, the service was successively discontinued.

This is quite normal, unfortunately you cannot speed up or skip this process completely. Nevertheless, there are some tips and tricks that can help you overcome your jet lag. June only has daytime temperatures of 15 degrees. At night the thermometer already drops below 10°C. A thick jacket is the right choice, as the temperatures can sometimes be much lower. Read more about campervan hire New Zealand here. However, New Zealand also has summer holidays, so many locals and tourists are on the road. In many parts of the country nature is in full bloom and the newborn lambs are everywhere. At the same time it is a relatively rainy month with twelve rainy days. An umbrella should therefore not be missing in your luggage. The home games are played in Eden Park, the largest stadium in the country with a capacity of 50,000 spectators. Furthermore inert

[neoneteblockete-blog]

The most dangerous animals in Australia and New Zealand

>h2>Best travel time Philippines In summer, the average temperature in this area is between 25 and 36 degrees. Perfect beach weather and many festivals and events in the cities attract visitors. The import of other pets is prohibited, with the exception of rabbits and guinea pigs from Australia (and only from Australia) and chinchillas from Great Britain (and only from Great Britain). Further information is available from the Ministry for Primary Industries. Local currency is the New Zealand Dollar (NZD). Withdrawing cash from ATMs and paying with credit cards is possible almost everywhere. New Zealand was spared from acts of terrorism until the firearm attacks on two mosques in Christchurch in March 2019, which claimed many lives and injured.

We explain what you can expect from different seasons. The prevailing strong westerly winds bring New Zealand abundant rainfall. On the North Island, an average of 1,000-1,300 mm a year falls. The thermometer then shows an average of 11°C in Auckland, 8°C in Wellington and 6°C in Dunedin. In winter, frost and snowfall can occasionally occur there. |}

Here you feel immediately transported back to an earlier time.

I can highly recommend Lufthansa after comparative experiences with Air New Zealand and Air Asiana in terms of comfort.

The early separation of New Zealand from Gondwana and the great width of the Tasman Sea has enabled many animals, such as

At night the thermometer already drops below the 10°C mark. A thick jacket is the right choice, as the temperatures can sometimes be much lower. It rains on average seven days. Furthermore, June is the darkest month with only three hours of sunshine per day.

How expensive is New Zealand?

The Dutch explorer Abel Tasman was the first European to reach New Zealand in 1642. But the British were later responsible for the colonization of the country. In 1840 the Treaty of Waitangi, an agreement between the British Crown and the Maori chiefs, was signed.

Read more about campervan hire New Zealand here. When winter sets in here, summer starts in New Zealand. Fortunately, New Zealand reveals to you its charming nature and beautiful landscapes at any time of the year. Most of the country has mild temperatures all year round, the sun shines for an average of 2000 hours and you can expect only moderate rainfall.

[lucyd19]

The Most Beautiful Lord of the Rings Locations in New Zealand

Dispatch and Costs

doesn't really look as mystical as in the film, a normal forest, so a little digital help was given. Who hasn't always wanted Bilbo's sword for personal use? A detour to the airport of Wellington is worthwhile, because there are huge figures of Weta to see. Smuggs head, the eagles and Gandalf, Gollum and much more. Right there on the big parking lot in front of the chair lifts the big battle against Sauron took place. It is located in the northern center of the South Island on a farm called Mt. Potts Station. The construction work took eleven months and cost eight million NZ dollars - and at the end of the filming everything had to be demolished and the landscape restored to its original state. In Tongariro National Park, all scenes from Mordor were shot and Mount Nghauruhoe was taken as the model for the mighty Mount Doom. The stony volcanic landscape, formed by lava, offers the perfect scenery for the dark lands of Mordor.

There Frodo recovered from the knife attack on the weather peak.

For this experience a minimum number of travellers is required.

Yeah, there are a few more tourists there, but we love it anyway.

After the end of the shooting many of the sets, especially the Hobbit houses, were left standing and now open their doors for tourists.

That's why Hobbiton is also the only Lord of the Rings location that you can't visit and visit in a normal way.

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Lord of the Rings filming location 5th place: Tongariro National Park aka Mordor

Scenes of the Hobbits fleeing from the Nazgul were filmed there, and how they cowered under the mighty root of a huge tree. "Along the road are several parking lots, choose the one on the left 1.2 kilometers from the intersection with Alexandra Road, in a wide right turn. Edoras, or what was the capital of Rohan, is equally distinctive.

Read more about campervan hire New Zealand here. Parts of the battle were filmed in Queen Elizabeth Park in the south of the North Island. If you want to spend the night nearby, you can drive back to Lake Clearwater, for example. On the south shore there is a Freedom Campground (Lake Clearwater Camping Ground). However, electricity and waste water disposal are not available here, so your vehicle should be self-contained.

[lynngarnetvalor20-blog]

The locations of the Hobbit trilogy

The locations are spread over several places in the whole national park, but no matter where you hike from, the whole scenery offers a unique feeling. The mythology begins with the creation of the world by Eru Ilúvatar. This is followed by the sending of the Valar to Arda and with it the history of Middle-earth begins. But at first, the calculation of time cannot be captured in annual figures, as there is nothing yet to which time can be attached.

Who filmed Lord of the Rings?

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (in the original The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey) is a New Zealand fantasy film by Peter Jackson and the first part of a three-part adaptation of the novel The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien from 1937. The following part The Hobbit: Smuggs Einöde was released in 2013.

Mobile cameras were suspended on wire ropes to film Aragorn from above as he crossed the forest. The Waiau River between Te Anau and Manapouri served as a backdrop for the Anduin River, on which the companions of Lothlórien paddle downstream.

How old is the Hobbit?

New Zealand is one of the few countries in the world where there are no terrestrial snakes (but three types of sea snakes in the surrounding sea). In 1907 three pairs of chamois came to New Zealand as a gift from the Austrian Emperor at the request of New Zealand's Prime Minister Seddon.

This can certainly be done in 4 weeks, but for me personally it is a bit too much distance to be considered relaxed. First you can head for Harcourt Park northeast of the capital.

In search of a new financier Jackson got in touch with the studio New Line Cinema.

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The Hobbit trilogy was filmed entirely in New Zealand.Jackson chose the Tongariro National Park as a backdrop because the dry and rocky landscape and the three volcanic massifs Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu offer the perfect feeling for the dark land of Mordor.

On the guided excursions you don't have to worry about anything. George Lucas had already recognized this in 1988 when he shot his Tolkien Bond WILLOW in front of New Zealand scenery. And also the fantasy series XENA and HERCULES were produced in New Zealand. Already in one of the first interviews in 1998 Peter Jackson announced that at the beginning the plot had to be tightened a bit. One would have to sacrifice some of the original scenes to introduce the characters, because in contrast to the novel, where you only get to know the characters during the plot, in the film they would have to be introduced in the first half hour. Their relationship to each other would have to be made clear, the viewer should be able to identify with them.

Read more about campervan hire New Zealand here.

Locations of the Lord of the Rings trilogy

On request also tour