New Zealand

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Ash, the cathedral caves is at Catlins, South Otago..
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http://www.cathedralcaves.co.nz/
 


hi claerwen... very interesting! but too bad i'll be missing dat entire south otago region. still dunno why i've got not enuff days to cover more! =( all of u here seem to be able to cover so much more!
 
Ash,

Me wanted to visit the Cathedral Cave tt time but raelly no time coz only went there for 8 days & too many other places to go liao. Will definitely pop by on my next visit..
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U going for 16 days rite? Maybe u can work out ur itinerary again & see if u can squeeze out some time for tt?
 
hi twinkle, i covered whole of south island.. some towns din have much things to do.. sightseeing.. changed accomodation when i move to the next town... it is not tiring cos it was self-drive.
 
Tots,

Did your agency send a tour leader to follow u all to NZ?

Dynasty called us up yesterday for a briefing this sunday, and my hubby asked who is our tour leader. They say dun have!!?? From what i know, there are already 17 of us in the trip. If that is really so, this is the first time we go on tour package without tour leader! My hubby was complaining lor, if no tour leader, what's the difference between going on our own and joining this group??
 
Hi kk,

Yup I gotta the tour leader who follows us from sg to nz and back and he is a very good tour leader. My group size is only slightly bigger than yours, 22. Yup I agree with your hubby, u might want to check with them the reason for that and get them to do something about it.
 
Tots,

Thanks for sharing
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I am going to thrash out with them on Sunday. This is the 4th time they shoot me. 1st time change in package. 2nd time change in pricing for package. 3rd time travel insurance matter (no response from them).

I just find that their service drops drastically this time.

AND.. if if if there were no tour leader, who can i book my milford sound tour from, when they keep saying can book with tour leader???????

I told hubby i may book milford sound online eventually. I dun wanna being shoot 5th time.
 
hi kk, i went to NZ with CTC in june and they organised it very well. my tour group only has 13ppl.. (short of 15), so also no sin tour guide follow. but they arranged an NZ tour guide for us and he was very good. speaks english/chinese and very helpful throughout the tour. actually dun need sin guide to follow wan...cuz sin guide also depends on their local guide. milford sound tour can book directly from the NZ local tour guide.
 
Hi KK,

When I joined a tour package to another country, what happened was that there was no tour guide following you from Singapore, but the tour guide will meet you over there. I think quite a lot of tour packages practise this nowadays, prob to save money. Remembered when I was younger and went on some group tours, there were 2 tour guides, one will follow the group from Singapore, and there will be another local tour guide.
 
For new zealand packages and ticketing, you might want to try GBC Pte Ltd. It is located at Middle Road, GSM Building.

They specialise in NZ tours.
 
earthdream,

Ur NZ tour guide always stay put in NZ? He is a local chinese down there?

Sputnik,

Yes, i remember that too. When we went melbourne and perth the other time, both SIN tour guides didn't follow us back to singapore. They said they need to wait for another group to arrive. The next one they will follow back to SIN.

That's why i must clarify this sunday lor. Cannot be no guide following, and no guide down there ya?? Like that liaise with coach driver? HAHA!!
 
And, the person called yesterday and asked whether we have handed in photocopied passports and paid in full or not. Feel like BOXING him!
 
Hi kk, yeah...the NZ local guide is a chinese ho's a new zealander. He is a guide cum driver. very common these days actually. our group of 13 youngsters enjoyed ourselves alot. even when i went sydney, i signed up for those Aussie local tour to blue mountain..also guide cum driver. dun need SIN guide to follow la.. as long as the local NZ guide good, can liao.
 
Hi kk..dun worry so much. u r going to NZ! must go with a relax and happy mind!
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NZ is realllllllllllyyyyyyyyyyyy beautiful! enjoy yr trip!
 
yah my friend just went on CTC and it was 'guided' tour but basically they could plan their own itinerary and hop on and off each guided leg, so each short leg they met with different groups (some americans, some canadians). think that may be better than being stuck with noisy singaporean small kids.
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Dear all, I am Dave, married for more than 2 years and am joining this forum becos of my impending trip to New Zealand. I am fully planning this trip as this was a honeymoon too late for my wife (I owe her). Hope you can give me some advice on my itinerary below:-

Day 0: Depart to Christchurch (13 Apr 2007)
Day 1: Arrive in Christchurch
Day 2: Christchurch to Twizel
Day 3: Twizel to Dunedin
Day 4: Dunedin to Te Anau
Day 5: Te Anau (Farm Stay)
Day 6: Te Anau to Queenstown
Day 7: Queenstown to Haast
Day 8: Haast to Hokitika
Day 9: Hokitika to Christchurch
Day 10: Christchurch to Picton (ferry)
Day 11: Picton to Napier
Day 12: Napier to Rotorua
Day 13: Rotorua to Auckland
Day 14: Depart for Singapore

Please let me have your advice on the above and do give me your suggestions if any of the above is not suitable. My wife cannot take high adrenaline rides so we are keeping all activities low. We are more on scenary and farmstay.

You can also email me at [email protected]

Thank you.

Dave
 
Hi all,

Yesterday popped by dynasty for the briefing. It is confirmed that our guide will be the coach driver himself. Same as earthdream then. Our group 18 pple, cannot meet basic requirement of 20 pple so was not given SIN guide lor.

It is ok lah, like wat earthdream has shared. Hope everything goes well and we will enjoy our trip
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Now looking forward.............
 
Hi kk! Yeah...enjoy and relax! NZ is very different from other holidays...not so much of shopping/entertainment..

going to NZ is a time to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery. and take lots of pictures okies!
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earthdream,

Which month was it when u went to NZ?

Ya, sure will take lots of photos and also video
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Hmmm, dun really like shopping/entertainment.. too commercialised.. i want something totally different from what singapore has to offer. That's why me and hubby love scenery and nature!!
 
Hi All!

Hmmm me very sua gu.. ask u all one question. I have bought chemical warmers (heat packs) for my NZ trip this coming thursday. How do i use them? Just open up and then place in whatever place i want to?

Under summer temperatures in South Island, how fast would our digital camera batteries go flat? Can last for a day?
 
hi kk! i'm leaving ard same time as you!! i'm leaving on fri. =) do we need to bring heat packs? will it be very cold there? oh dear..cos it's not on my "to-bring" list.
 
ash,

WOW, great to know somebody is leaving around some period as me to NZ!! U looking forward to the trip?
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Oh, heat packs.. i use to protect my digital devices such as videocam and digital cam.. but i get feedback from forum that heat pack not necessary for that purpose leh. So perhaps i am too paranoid already :p

What clothings have u prepared for ur trip?
 
ash,

Went through the past msgs and realised that u are going there for 16 days. Shiok ya? kekeke..

Me and hubby 10 days.. package tour. Was complaining about no local guide following. Didn't feel anything upset about it soon after, but was told few days ago that there gonna be tour guide following afterall. Sigh, make us so confused.
 
hehehe yah lor. r we the only 2 who are leaving in dec? yup..i cant wait for friday man!!! =)

the clothing a bit headache. cos i just checked the temperatures...11 degrees in christchurch now. maybe you shd bring your heat packs afterall! but i thot it's supposed to be low 20s in dec? sigh. i think i'll bring a cashmere sweater cos it's very light. then 1 light jacket and 1 medium jacket (not the thick thick winter sort). cos for the glacier hike at Franz Josef, they'll provide the Gore-tex jackets for us. the rest, i'll bring jeans (not sure if i shd bring capris since weather quite cold..hmmm), long-sleeve tees and tank tops to wear under jackets. shd be enough? how abt you?

hey, anyone know if it's very cold when doing walks ard Mt Cook, Fox and FJ Glaciers?
 
hi kk...altho 16 days, but i tell you ah, i bet i'm covering much less than your 10-day trip. dunno why leh! i'm only doing south island..NOT covering these: kaikoura, blenheim, nelson, westport, dunedin, invercargill. cos i planned it in such a way dat we dun drive for more than 4 hours a day. so... doesnt allow us to cover much. sigh.
 
Ash,

Hmm this thread veryyyyy slowwwww.. so i guess nobody going NZ, except two of us haha...

OMG!! U know what i pack only? I have somehow got my luggage ready, and i only bought one cashmere wool sweater from coldwear. It is not thick though, but stated can tahan 0 to 10 degrees. I hope it doesn't lie!! And also, bringing another windbreaker along. For my hubby, i bought a thick sweater for him. The shop personnel say it doesn't prevent cold, only act as middle layer. And also got bring along one windbreaker too. Enough or not ah? Also not forgetting, we are bringing along gloves and scarves too.

I have experienced 15-16 degrees in gold coast before. I wore three layers but still felt cold! But then, those three layers were just normal track suit material. And no gloves and scarves that time too. That was 6 yrs back liao.

Oh, i think ours dun have glacier hike in the package. Only a short visit there. No guided walk, according to the tour guide.

I am bringing those 3/4 length jeans.. can or not ah? I dun have longgg jeans
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Haha, guess wat? I even brought along some spag strap tops, to go underneath my cashmere sweater. Just in case the weather gets hot in the North, i can just remove the sweater :p i will be spending 2 days in the north, towards the end of the trip.

The rest are all normal tees. No long sleeves
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Oh ya, got 2 sets of tops, i actually pair them with outer layer kind of thin sweater from giordano.
 
ash,

Not to worry, i guess u will enjoy as much too!! And maybe even more than me! Cos u tend to see more and experience more
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i will be covering christchurch, queenstown, fox glacier, milford sound (our own expenses), dunedin, hokitika, mt cook and taking tranzalpine train as well.

North will be rotorua, waitomo glow worm cave and auckland.
 
hi kk! your packing is very very comprehensive!!! i must remember to throw in scarf and gloves...just in case. anyway these are light...so can afford to bring. hehe. oh yahhh...wind-breaker. i forgot abt dat. i think i'll bring this jacket dat i've got... keeps me quite warm, but the outside layer is the windbreaker material and water-proof. but inside is lined so will keep me warm enuff i hope.

for 3/4 jeans..i think can wear if weather turns warmer. but i feel u shd still bring a full-length jeans leh. definitely helps against the wind.

oh oh...and i bringing swimsuit too..cos i'll be going to the thermal pools at hamner springs.

did u buy extra memory cards so dat u'll haf enuff space for the hundreds and hundreds of photos u'll be taking? i did not buy..cos dun wanna spend extra money. so i think at every city i stop at, i'll jus run into a photoshop and get all my images burned onto a cdrom.

hmmm...wat else. did we leave anything out?
 
hi kk!

yup it's my honeymoon. =) how abt you?

hey i think we're covering the same places leh. cos i'll be doing:

Christchurch to Greymouth (tranzalpine), Punakaiki, Fox and FJ Glaciers (2 nights), Wanaka, Queenstown (2 nights)+ Arrowtown+Cardrona +Glenorchy, Te Anau (2 nights), Milford Sound, Twizel, Mt Cook, Timaru, Oamaru, Ashburton, Hamner Springs. Quite similar rite?
 
ash,

u know rite, if we bring whatever light, the luggage still very heavy!! haha!! Now my luggage completely full liao. Targeting my hubby's luggage next hahaha...

Hmm, i dun let my mind run wild.. else hor, i go shopping buy warm clothings again :p Already spend quite an amount on such clothings liao.

Oh, we were advised to bring swimsuit too, cos can go to rotorua polynesian spa
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I haven't packed that yet leh :p And hor, one big problem, after i gave birth to my little one, i dunno whether i can still fit in my old swimsuit haha!

I have 128 MB card and 256 MB card. Borrowed another 128 MB card and 256 MB card from my hubby's colleague. So guess should be enough ba?
 
ash,

Haha, this is our 6th honeymoon i guess :p It will be a well deserved trip after my busy schedule and also my pregnancy! YEH! Initially planned to go last dec, but then i was pregnant, so didn't go. Ended up on cruise only. So i tell hubby this year MUST go, after hearing so much nice comments on NZ!

I really hope weather will be good enough for us to take heli ride on mt cook! And weather got to be good before we can go milford sound too. I just thought of contigency plan. One day free day in queenstown.. if weather doesn't permit us to go milford sound, then i got to switch to deer park heights liao.

Hey, actually not very similar haha.. u cover more leh!

Oh, oamaru.. where u can see the little penguins?
 
hi kk! ooooo how nice!!! 6th honeymoon! hahaha. how long haf u been married for? and is your little one going along to NZ as well?

i'll not be taking any heli rides. too ex! haha. i'll be doing deer park heights too...heard it's a really nice place...and can get great views. and i've planned for half-day golf for my hubby while i go massage...or follow him ard on the golf course. cos there's spectacular views from the Millbrooks Golf Resort as well.

Oamaru to see the Moeraki Boulders. not sure if i'll stay on for the penguins. cos my fren said if i've seen the penguins at Philip Island, Melbourne, then i can skip the penguins at Oamaru cos she said only a few penguins at Oamaru compared to alot alot in Philip Island.
 
ash,

We held our customary in 2003. Basically we go overseas twice a year, in june and dec when i am enjoying school holidays (i am in teaching). We went to Melbourne for our true honeymoon haha.. after that a year later, Perth, taiwan, hong kong, cruise, etc.

Oh, no lah, my ger not following. SHe is only 7 mths old. Too young to follow :p

Oh yah lor, the cheapest heli ride is already NZ195! But it will be an eye opener, since we won't get to enjoy that in singapore. Even if there is in singapore, there is nothing to see! haha!

Wow, sounds like a very relaxing trip for u ya? kekeke.. playing golf somemore :p

Me also went to philip island before! That was for my honeymoon lor LOL
 
thanks kk. NZ1800 doesnt include meals since your package will provide some meals? sigh..i'm still not sure how much to change. gotta calculate carefully.

anyone who's been on F&E to NZ...any idea how much I shd change pl? thanks!
 
ash,

Hmmm, i only need to factor in lunches. All my lunches not included.

NZ1800 will include the following too: Shotover jet (NZ99 x 2), heli ride (NZ195 x 2), milford sound (NZ234 x 2) and tipping (NZ40).
 
hi kk,

you must be going on some special milford sound cruise..issit the overnight one? cos for my cruise + underwater observatory, i'm paying NZ$156 for 2 pax.
 
ash,

oh cos u drive there rite? mine has to go with coach there, and coach back. That's why so ex. Actually only NZ205 lah. But then think we going to have the international buffet on board, so NZ234 lor.
 
kk,

yup we're driving there. din know there was a buffet onboard the cruise! hehe.

aiya...which reminds me...better go settle my travel insurance. haven bot yet.
 
thanks for the link kk. i haven booked my milford sound cruise yet..but most prob will be taking redboats. 3 meals!!! yum! ;p

i'm living in HK now...so cant apply for the NTUC income plan. i moved to HK after i got married cos my hubby works here. i jus settled my insurance...$140 for 16 days for 2pax. it's among the cheapest oredi. =(
 


ash,

I think international buffet most worth it lor, for the price
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Ohhhhhhhhhh aiyoh all the while i thought u are in singapore haha.. but ur hubby singaporean?

Aiyah i regret lah, i took it from AIG, tied up with my tour agency. $120 for 2 pax. 10 days only leh! Next time i book ntuc liao.
 

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