August 2016 was my first time in New Zealand, I was here in New Zealand to find a job.It is a very long journey from the Netherlands, but what is 23 hours in a lifetime.
When I arrived and showed my passport at the border the lady asked: Where do you stay? I said in a camper-van. She said: are you crazy? It is winter! A couple of days later at a chilly night I understood what she meant. But the next day when the sun comes up and warms you up, you are happy and love the New Zealand winter.
In these days it is easy to rent a car or a camper-van, you can arrange almost everything at home with your phone or computer. What also a lot of guys do is buy a secondhand van and make their own camper-van or they buy a small car and a tent and camping equipment at the Warehouse. It is also handy to buy a tent when you have met a girlfriend and you don’t want to share her with your travel buddy.
When you travel through New Zealand you see heaps of rental RV vehicles, not only in summer but the hole year. When you go in winter you can save some money.
When you rent a vehicle that Is self-contained you can stay on freedom camps all around the country. You can download the camper mate app to find all the spots, dump stations, private properties where you can stay etc.
I am member of the NZ Motor & Caravan Association and they have a lot of camping’s where members can stay too, you also get discount for the ferries etc. This membership is not available anymore for travelers from foreign countries.
Everywhere in New Zealand you have reserves were you can camp for a couple of nights. On those places you have toilets, showers and playgrounds (you can use the apps to find the best places).
What I like about traveling in New Zealand that you see all ages traveling around. It doesn’t matter what your age is, you meet everywhere people of your own age with the same interests.
I found a job in New Zealand and we have lived here since September 2016. I am a full-time camper with my family, camping is also a nice way to avoid high mortgage cost and to safe money to create quality time.
Last but not least the travel checklist to help you when you come to this beautiful country.
• Take a phone (simlock free), you can buy a prepaid card with data to contact you friends and family. They have
some nice deals for a decent price.
• Download the camper mate app.
• Hire a self-contained so you can freedom camp and stay on cheap spots.
• When you go in winter hire a heater and snow chains.
• Take it easy, take your time. There are no highways like in Europe, but that makes it more relax and you can stop
often on beautiful places.
• Take an international driven license.
• Check your vehicle insurance, it is not obligated to have an comprehensive insurance here in New Zealand.
• Drive on the left side!
• Take care of the sun, the sun is very strong. You are sunburned in 30 minutes!
• Take your notebook and a camera to make some nice posts on Steemit!
New Zealand is the NR1 because it is good for your soul and the country is full with soulmates!
https://steemit.com/travel/@gerben/live-in-a-caravan-with-your-family-in-new-zealand
Mooi verhaal. Stimuleert om daar eens te gaan kijken. Wat heerlijk om je eigen huis bij je te hebben. Heb je het naar je zin in je baan? Geniet nog lekker.
@ryannnevanos
Dank je @ryannevanos Werk bij een leuk bedrijf met leuke collega's dus dat is goed vol te houden. Als we ons resident visum hebben(hopelijk maart) dan gaan we bezig om een stuk grond te kopen en een huisje daarop bouwen. Totdat dit huisje klaar is kunnen we mooi in de caravan wonen.
Oh, you've made me very homesick with these wonderful scenes @gerben I have camped in many picturesque places in both the North and the South Island when our family were young and they are some of our happiest memories. It is not hard to understand why N.Z. is one of the most popular places in the world to go camping. Your lifestyle sounds idyllic......as long as the weather is kind. Love your check list. Following.
That was one of reasons why we choose to live in a caravan for a longer term. A lot of people told us it was a wonderful time living in a caravan and like you said one of the happiest memories they made, why shouldn't we try it. We are lucky with the weather here in Papamoa, even on a bad day you can still catch some sun 😎 Thanks for your reaction! @trudeehunter
You couldn't have picked a nicer spot to live, than Papamoa.........well it is hard to choose because N.Z. has so much to offer. My parents lived in Tauranga in their latter years but when I was a child we camped at Mt Maunganui on a regular basis. Do you like fishing @gerben ?
You are right it is a fantastic area!
Yes I like fishing!
https://steemit.com/video/@gerben/fishing-trip-bay-of-plenty-new-zealand
New Zealand is a beautiful country, it has beautiful mountains like Colorado, and beaches like nowhere else on earth. Keep posting your adventures!
Thank you! That is for sure, it is a special country! I have never been to Collorado, but the photos I saw online are beautiful 😁
Oh yes, a van in winter would not be my idea of fun. :O
I have a friend who spends much of her time in her RV, travelling up and down the NI, having fun, making friends. I like the idea of it, but I don't think I could do all that driving; although the pay-off is obviously seeing much more of the wonderful countryside. :)
We have a new caravan with a nice heating system and double glass, it is pretty comfortable in winter. Nice to see how many Kiwi's travel around in their RV vehicles. It takes more than a lifetime to explore the whole country.
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This post has received a 2.60% upvote from @aksdwi thanks to: @gerben.
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This is a curation bot for TeamNZ. Please join our AUS/NZ community on Discord.
For any inquiries about the bot please contact @cryptonik.
This is a curation bot for TeamNZ. Please join our AUS/NZ community on Discord.
For any inquiries about the bot please contact @cryptonik.