By EK Wills
Travelling with children who are now opinionated and have their own tastes requires a different type of planning than for little ones that need entertaining.
Our trip to New Zealand (NZ) provided the opportunity to get our teen and pre teen and primary aged boy together in a confined space for 10 days to visit the North Island of New Zealand in preparation of my sister’s wedding to a Kiwi.
How to carry money
We looked at options such as travel card, traveller’s cheques, cash and using our credit cards. NZ accepts most of Australian cards but beware international fees.
In the end, we took a chunk of cash that was split between me and my husband but the majority was put on a travel card and we had a card each.
We were lucky to secure cards that had no fee that month but usually there are fees to it pays to compare rates.
How to travel
Initially, we contemplated the idea of a campervan to tour around but quickly realized that it wasn't ideal.
1. New Zealand has narrow, winding roads that would conflict with our children’s tendency to travel sickness.
2. They would all have to sit in the back and we didn’t want cabin fever to see in after a few days and there to be no escape.
3. ‘Freedom camping’ as it is known in NZ is not encouraged as much as it used to be which would limit our options of places to overnight and we didn’t want to spend hours finding a place on a limited time holiday.
We opted for a SUV (a 7 seater family vehicle), which was upgraded to a 4WD diesel. This provided space for all three to sit in the middle row and look out the front or side windows. It meant parking was no issue and the roads were easily navigated as a car rather than camper. And, finally, diesel is much cheaper than unleaded fuel that costs about NZ$2/litre.
There were still nausea stops on hilly, hairpin roads but we took a selection of travel sickness tablets and anti-emetics (anti nausea) tablets for those occasions.
Communication
Before we passed through duty free, we were given the option of which service provider to get a SIM card from. We decided to get two so each parent could have a working phone. With a family of 5, we wanted to have the option of splitting up but also then to be able to contact the others.
The decision was firm to not get cards for the kids.
We wanted them to have downtime from 24/7 online connection. As it was, we knew the accommodation places would have free wi-fi and we felt this was sufficient for daily social media catch ups or screen time.
Before leaving, we had downloaded music play lists onto each child’s pocket device so that the daily drive between destinations were covered for pockets of no radio reception.
They each had headphones so they couldn’t complain about another child’s music but we also brought cables so they could take turns playing it on the main speakers.
That way the parents had the opportunity to listen to some of the kids’ music and check in with their current tastes and styles. As they get older, they develop their own taste and it can be a bonding opportunity to know what the current fad is for each child.
Road Trip
We pre-planned our trip so accommodation could be organized ahead. With a family of five we knew we needed larger spaces that could have a fold up single bed but also have 2 rooms minimum.
Because we didn’t know where to start, we contacted a travel agent in NZ and asked for a 10 day itinerary which was several thousand dollars more than we wanted to pay. So we modeled our trip around their suggestions but self organized it so we could pace ourselves and change what we thought might work better for us.
New Zealand is perfect for road trips because the distance between destinations is not vast. What appeared to be a day trip was neatly done in approximately 4 hours which meant that we could stop and look at views, walk to vistas, meander in shops, have lunch (packed, of course) and still arrive in time to do something at the accommodation that afternoon.
a. Auckland
We flew into Auckland and were lucky enough to have family to stay with on our first night but accommodation costs are reasonable in the city if you need it and eateries are now available in the CBD. (I had been told that it used to require local knowledge and word of mouth to find places in the CBD to go out at night but with children this is less of an issue.)
b. Bay of Islands
We drove north, stopping at little towns like Puhoi where we stumbled onto the annual wood chopping event. We passed the the infamous Whangerei which was surprisingly quiet but will have the Hundertwasser complex built by 2020 if enough funds are raised.
Further down the road there are Hundertwasser toilets at Kawakawa that are fee to access. It will be interesting to see how long it stays that way.
We settled at Paihia in the Bay of Islands and stayed around the corner from the bustling town on the waterfront. This meant there was a road between us and water but it was quieter than in town.
The Maori Waitangi Treaty Grounds was walking distance away and the ferry across to Russell was a must. We also found a carnival that had come to town that weekend.
c. The West Coast
We took the detour across to the dramatic dunes near Omapere and Opononi. The weather had revealed why NZ is called the Island of the Long White Cloud that day so make sure you have a winter warm clothing option.
This stretch involved twisting roads through the Kauri Forest to see the grandfather tree with only a mobile coffee van at the stop so our pre-packed lunch was received gratefully by the children.
There is a Kauri Museam further down the road at Paparoa but the drive was pretty long on this stretch so we made straight for our accomdation, enjoying the countryside view.
d. Matakana
We overnighted at a riverside vineyard which was pristine and modern. We quickly realized we had found the ritzy Auckland getaway destination but found dinner at the local pub had good sized portions for families and huge deserts.
e. Hobbiton at Matamata
We found this tour charming yet well organized. We love the movies so the kids were more excited than anticipated to see it IRL. We found the perfect accommodation at Earthstead Villas that reflected hobbit holes and country living and even found out from Alistair (the owner) that Gandalf had stayed there during filming.
f. Rotarua and Lake Tarawera
En route we stopped at the source of NZ bottled water, Putaruru Blue Spring, a crystal clear 11 degree river that has a walk. Go to the right end that is closer to the source to avoid the trek if time does not permit.
Rotarua has the acrid sulfur smell that the children complained about and luckily we had secured accommodation in the neighbouring Lake Terawara via Air BnB. It is another half hour in the car but well worth the detour.
Liz and Mike from The Fat Pigeon own a pontoon boat to take you on the lake to access hot springs and jump from nearby rocks which was definitely a highlight of the trip.
We did the obligatory traditional Maori hangi meal (cooked in the ground) and cultural experience which was expensive but great fun (our host, John, was very entertaining) and we saw glow worms on our night walk after the feast.
g. Kerosene Creek and Waiotapu Thermal Park
A day trip south from Rotarua is the off track Kerosene Creek that runs hot. It has a waterfall and swimming hole down the track and can be accessed off a dirt road. We were advised to get there early (9am was sufficient) to beat the hoards and then went to see the Lady Know Geyser that is induced to go off at 10:15am daily.
There is another park in Rotarua that has a taller geiser but it is more expensive and we wanted to combine Kerosene Creed that was worth it.
We were advised to go against the tourist flow (reverse to the arrow direction) on the tracks so the hoard from the geyser weren’t hot on our heels.
Then we meandered through the dramatic landscape of the Thermal Tracks, again with children holding their noses.
At the end, we were allowed to eat our packed lunch at the café and purchased our desert of ice-creams.
h. The East Coast and Hahei
The serpentine roads through hills and farmland, to Tauranga,and beyond, required travel sickness precautions. It was picturesque with a surprise near the information centre in Waihi of the goldmine in the middle of town. It is possible to walk around the entire hole in the ground plus do the tour at the centre but we used it as a place to have lunch before moving on.
Hahei is another popular destination for Aucklanders as well as international tourists. As such, there is minimal parking and vehicles are encouraged to park at the edge of town and take the shuttle or walk up the road.
We stayed at the house in The Church near the outskirts which is only a quick walk to town. The shuttle is nearby to take you up to the Cathedral Cove walk as there is no parking on the hill either. Or you could pay more and do the kayak tour.
The Pour House has hearty meals and a delightfully relaxed atmosphere for families.
Nearby is the infamous Hot Water Beach and our accommodation provided shovels to dig our hot water hole. Get there early to miss the masses but low tide is the time to go (so aim for an hour before).
The wedding we attended overlooked Hot Water Beach which created a picturesque backdrop for the ceremony and reception. It was the perfect end to our travels before returning to Auckland the long way.
i. Coromandel and Miranda
We chose to loop around the top of the Coromandel peninsula to the town of the same name with a gold rush feel to it.
Through ups and downs of narrow hilly roads to places, we discovered more local retreats at Kuaotunu that looked like a windsurfing prime spot.
There is a foot ferry to Cooks Beach but it is a slow leg of the trip so we decoded to keep going.
We tried to find Miranda (since our daughter sports the same name), the home of many birds and birdwatchers, but if there was a town, it alluded us so we headed for Auckland through diary country for our last night before home.
Final Leg
On our way to the airport after refreshing overnight in Auckland, we reflected on the success of the trip and how well the children had related to each other - and us. There had been the initial resistance for the first couple of days but they managed to relax into travel mode and enjoy the ride, almost as much as us.
We didn’t agree on everything (many things maybe) but ultimately we all got something out of the trip and spent real quality time together.
NZ is expensive but our exchange rate was favourable and we budgeted by staying in self contained accomodation and shopping for meal items along the way. This gave us the opportunity to splurge on big expenses such as the hangi and special accomodation places we liked the look of such as Earthstead Villas.
We loved our North Island NZ experience and the route we took along the way and would recommend pretty much all of it to anyone for a family holiday.
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