South Island driving route
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@Chris-B said in South Island driving route:
@voodoo If the weather is clear, I reckon it's a no contest - go via the West Coast.
I reckon Hokitika is a nicer place to stay than Greymouth and time-wise it's not a huge difference.
If you need to cover some serious distance in one day, then you can't go wrong with the 5am start with kids (depending on age). Get up, have a coffee, get the car ready, then very last thing move the kids, strap them in, throw a blanket on top. You then get a solid 2-3 hours of uninterrupted driving time before you stop for breakfast.
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@voodoo said in South Island driving route:
Thanks fellas. All looking a bit moot now, but fingers crossed 🙏
So how are you getting home? I see you have until Friday but do you have a ticket on the ferry?
Just hoping you're not stuck away from home, even if it is the beautiful Queenstown.
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@Hooroo said in South Island driving route:
@voodoo said in South Island driving route:
Thanks fellas. All looking a bit moot now, but fingers crossed 🙏
So how are you getting home? I see you have until Friday but do you have a ticket on the ferry?
Just hoping you're not stuck away from home, even if it is the beautiful Queenstown.
Hi mate
Woke up this morning in a bit of a state to be honest!
Latest guidance has extended travel until Friday as you say, but we are technically supposed to stay in self isolation until next Wednesday. Friday will be Day 10
I can't see anything clear for people like us who still haven't reached final destination.
There are also flights to Welly from here on Friday, and they all have social distancing measures in place.
Really confusing time. Mum is ok for now, but she is on her own, and could easily go downhill fast. Really don't want to be stuck away for an extended period.
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@voodoo said in South Island driving route:
@Hooroo said in South Island driving route:
@voodoo said in South Island driving route:
Thanks fellas. All looking a bit moot now, but fingers crossed 🙏
So how are you getting home? I see you have until Friday but do you have a ticket on the ferry?
Just hoping you're not stuck away from home, even if it is the beautiful Queenstown.
Hi mate
Woke up this morning in a bit of a state to be honest!
Latest guidance has extended travel until Friday as you say, but we are technically supposed to stay in self isolation until next Wednesday. Friday will be Day 10
I can't see anything clear for people like us who still haven't reached final destination.
There are also flights to Welly from here on Friday, and they all have social distancing measures in place.
Really confusing time. Mum is ok for now, but she is on her own, and could easily go downhill fast. Really don't want to be stuck away for an extended period.
Oh man! Good luck. Genuinely mean that. Keep us updated.
Don't forget that we are a community (The Fern) as your Fern Help thread suggests. If you need anything post to you, let us know as we are still mobile.
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@Hooroo appreciate that mate.
Went for a 2hr walk up the QT track and came to the decision to stay put here. Feels like the right decision. Hopefully Mum's condition doesn't change in the time between now and us being able to get there, whenever that is!
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good luck man! i hope it works out, i really do.
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@mariner4life cheers fella
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@voodoo said in South Island driving route:
@Hooroo appreciate that mate.
Went for a 2hr walk up the QT track and came to the decision to stay put here. Feels like the right decision. Hopefully Mum's condition doesn't change in the time between now and us being able to get there, whenever that is!
Tough call!
Perfect outcome is that your Mum gets through this well and you get to isolate yourself in probably one of the most beautiful places on earth!
Are you staying in a Hotel or going into a more self contain accommodation??
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@Hooroo said in South Island driving route:
@voodoo said in South Island driving route:
@Hooroo appreciate that mate.
Went for a 2hr walk up the QT track and came to the decision to stay put here. Feels like the right decision. Hopefully Mum's condition doesn't change in the time between now and us being able to get there, whenever that is!
Tough call!
Perfect outcome is that your Mum gets through this well and you get to isolate yourself in probably one of the most beautiful places on earth!
Are you staying in a Hotel or going into a more self contain accommodation??
that was my question too, where are you staying?
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Well, this trip didn't quite eventuate, though the drive from QT to ChCh was still awesome.
So we are now in the North Island, will stay in Palmy for a couple of weeks, but will then look to move a bit (assuming L2 allows it). And while I'm bombarding the Fern with recommendations for skiing, I thought I may as well do the same on North Island destinations.
The parameters:
- 3 weeks max to get from Palmy and back to Palmy
- needs to include 1-2 nights in New Plymouth (friends, visit Green School), 1-2 in Hamilton (friends), and 3 nights at Lake Rotoiti (friends)
- no more than 3hrs driving per day, family gets car sick and don't love driving as a result
- wife has seen Rotorua, Auckland already, but kids haven't seen anything
Otherwise pretty flexible. Currently I'm thinking:
- Day 1 PN to NP, overnight NP
- Day 2 stay NP
- Day 3 NP to Hamilton
- Day 4 Hamilton to Lake Rotoiti
- Day 5 stay Lake Rotoiti
- Day 6 stay Lake Rotoiti
- Day 7 - Lake Rotoiti - Whangamata
- Day 8 - Whangamata - Waiheke Island
- Day 9 stay Waiheke
- Day 10 stay Waiheke
- Day 11 Waiheke - Waitangi
- Day 12 Waitangi - Russell
- Day 13 stay Russell
- Day 14 - 17/18 ish drive back from Russell to PN, maybe via Hawkes Bay, potentially Gisborne?
What have I missed in there? Any must see stuff on that route, or necessary deviations?
Cheers in advance!
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@voodoo said in South Island driving route:
Well, this trip didn't quite eventuate, though the drive from QT to ChCh was still awesome.
So we are now in the North Island, will stay in Palmy for a couple of weeks, but will then look to move a bit (assuming L2 allows it). And while I'm bombarding the Fern with recommendations for skiing, I thought I may as well do the same on North Island destinations.
The parameters:
- 3 weeks max to get from Palmy and back to Palmy
- needs to include 1-2 nights in New Plymouth (friends, visit Green School), 1-2 in Hamilton (friends), and 3 nights at Lake Rotoiti (friends)
- no more than 3hrs driving per day, family gets car sick and don't love driving as a result
- wife has seen Rotorua, Auckland already, but kids haven't seen anything
Otherwise pretty flexible. Currently I'm thinking:
- Day 1 PN to NP, overnight NP
- Day 2 stay NP
- Day 3 NP to Hamilton
- Day 4 Hamilton to Lake Rotoiti
- Day 5 stay Lake Rotoiti
- Day 6 stay Lake Rotoiti
- Day 7 - Lake Rotoiti - Whangamata
- Day 8 - Whangamata - Waiheke Island
- Day 9 stay Waiheke
- Day 10 stay Waiheke
- Day 11 Waiheke - Waitangi
- Day 12 Waitangi - Russell
- Day 13 stay Russell
- Day 14 - 17/18 ish drive back from Russell to PN, maybe via Hawkes Bay, potentially Gisborne?
What have I missed in there? Any must see stuff on that route, or necessary deviations?
Cheers in advance!
Day 8 ain't happening. -
Unless you want to travel more than 3 hrs
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nor day 11....
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@taniwharugby said in South Island driving route:
nor day 11....
This however looks to be an error!!!
Where to stay in between?
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I would normally say to stay on the Central Plateau, but with everything closed you will simply be driving past a mountain.
You seem to be missing Mt Maunganui. Still a nice spot, despite development.
Why NP to Tron then back down to Rotoiti? That is a long and shitty drive NP to Tron and if you really must go there the detour coming off the Coromandel isn't much and the roads are better.
Maybe NP to Taupo? -
@voodoo said in South Island driving route:
@taniwharugby said in South Island driving route:
nor day 11....
This however looks to be an error!!!
Where to stay in between?
TR will put you up and provide a feed.
What about Mangawhai or Te Arai.?
