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View Full Version : We all want to travel cheaply...



Waihou Thumper
3rd December 2010, 18:48
Save on food, lodgings and stay away from the booze..:)
That sure adds up don't it?
I have been thinking about this and why could we not make use of what New Zealand has to offer? :woohoo: We live in a great country and the camping spots are abound...
Te Papa Atawhai...:) DoC to us non Te Karere watchers...there are plenty of sites around New Zealand that are either free or for a minimal charge ($4-7) we can stay in.
Of course the lattes and the hot showers may be lacking somewhat, but already you have saved a bucket load on accomodation. AND, to make it interesting DoC place these campsites at the end of metal roads and out of the way places...:)
The next thing to be concerned with is food. Well, here Subway comes to mind....Now I know a lot may ridicule the possibility and may want a hearty meal at the end of a ride but what about loading up on a foot long, riding out to the campground and having a lovely bite watching the sunset? I dare say even fish and chips would suffice provinding there was somewhere to uplift on the way to a good night's kip.
I have all of the DoC campgrounds on my GPS, I can load the Subways and even fish and chip shops...Imagine a great weekend away, two nights and all we had to really worry about was fuel costs because the food and lodgings was minimal...:)
I am planning a trip this summer in the South Island, I will work out my lodgings as I go, hit a waypoint and travel to it, there is my bed for the night. On the way I will pick up my dinner, thereby saving a shit load of weight and costs....This enables me to really be 'out in the wilderness' if required....
Of course I can still have my coffee or tea in the morning because I have my stove, fuel and billy....I think that this could be a grwat way to travel for the thrifty among us. I am more than willing to give this ago, it does remind me of tramping albeit with a motorcycle, that's the only difference.....
Picking up food on the way isn't practical in the middle of the Hollyford Valley or the St James Walkway is it? :shit:
On a Motorbike, we have to at some stage travel through a town or village or worse case scenario a city:facepalm:
Pick up your grub, head on out to the DoC campground and have fun on the way...
Thoughts gents? Some may already do this...I am packing for a weekend right at this moment and I have saved Kgs in weight as we speak! :woohoo:

Taz
3rd December 2010, 20:59
Nothing wrong with my single gas cooker thingy and a can of spag and sausages for a meal. easily backed up by a couple of meusli bars. I'm cheap.....

JATZ
3rd December 2010, 21:44
Y'know you could make it cheaper if you ate 2 min noodles, and road kill...:shutup:

We have been taking uncle bens rice away. Just heat and eat.... chuck in a bit of meat if you like. Better and cheaper than subway. Camping is definitly the way to go if your on a budget

dmc
3rd December 2010, 21:46
Or at the other end of the scale, a change of clothes and a credit card :yes:

Woodman
3rd December 2010, 21:50
Do away with the cooker completely and just eat cold baked beans etc,

bart
3rd December 2010, 22:19
It's amazing how many laughs you can stuff into a hipflask. :drinkup:

Gremlin
3rd December 2010, 23:45
Camping? Yeah, fuck that. I like a nice meal, great bed and shower, then I'll happily do long distances.

doc
4th December 2010, 06:27
I've thought about doin a budget trip, be interesting how cheap you could get around the Sth Island for. I've done over 20 trips down there mostly from Auckland.
When I started use to get away with a hundy a day. A lot of it involves how much you want to carry. Backpackers are getting up there in price, but for the price difference to what some charge for tent sites I prefer b'packers. The other option would be to get friendly with KB'rs down there.

:facepalm: But they are mostly alocholics and usually away at friggen rallies.

warewolf
4th December 2010, 08:10
it does remind me of tramping albeit with a motorcycle
That's pretty much how we (me & Mrs) travel. The Trophy spent a lot of time parked up at track heads with the jackets & helmets locked on while we tramped.

I like the subway idea. Our minimalist camping kit consists of coffee making & drinking apparatus; just enough to pack up and hit the road for breakfast.

Another cheap meal idea: chuck a small tin of tuna in a packet of two minutes noodles (laksa is my current fave) or the Uncle Ben's rice.

BMWST?
4th December 2010, 20:24
those basic doc sites would be a cool way i reckon.As already suggested a cooker, billy and a coupla cans make for a fine meal.On the next day buy another evening meal on the way to the next basic.Pack credit card if its pissing down :yes:

That looks like fun
5th December 2010, 17:33
Back Country Cuisine, :yes: available at most outdoor centres. Light and easy to pack and eat. Most important thing to take is water for cooking, cleaning teeth and wet tee shirt competitions. :innocent:
Tents are good but every now and then I flash the plastic and sleep in a bed :love:

tri boy
5th December 2010, 18:59
Tents are good but every now and then I flash the plastic and sleep in a bed :love:


Getting the "full monty overnight sleepover" package from the Eketahuna transvestite escort agency is hardly a great bed. (so I hear)

Waihou Thumper
5th December 2010, 19:28
Back Country Cuisine, :yes: available at most outdoor centres. Light and easy to pack and eat. Most important thing to take is water for cooking, cleaning teeth and wet tee shirt competitions. :innocent:
Tents are good but every now and then I flash the plastic and sleep in a bed :love:

I went down the de-hydrated route when tramping, I bought me a gizmo. By the time I bought the ingredients it was cheaper to buy it off the shelf. I still have some, they are way past due date but tasty....
They are not cheap though.....

Waihou Thumper
5th December 2010, 19:29
That's pretty much how we (me & Mrs) travel. The Trophy spent a lot of time parked up at track heads with the jackets & helmets locked on while we tramped.

I like the subway idea. Our minimalist camping kit consists of coffee making & drinking apparatus; just enough to pack up and hit the road for breakfast.

Another cheap meal idea: chuck a small tin of tuna in a packet of two minutes noodles (laksa is my current fave) or the Uncle Ben's rice.

Yes, that's the way, water and a cooker. Noodles, tuna and a bit of Pita....
Subway for dinner if required...:) two six inches go a long way.....So someone told me once...:shit:

Waihou Thumper
5th December 2010, 19:31
those basic doc sites would be a cool way i reckon.As already suggested a cooker, billy and a coupla cans make for a fine meal.On the next day buy another evening meal on the way to the next basic.Pack credit card if its pissing down :yes:

Most definitely....I have put them into my waypoints. I stayed at Spirits Bay this weekend, and it was awesome. Good facilities, plenty of loo paper and a stunning campsite...
Looking forward to viewing more over the SI.... :rockon::yes:

cromagnon
5th December 2010, 19:56
Traveling around on the cheap or experiencing nature is how I like to travel, my standard dinner is pasta/tuna/some kind of sauce. Does anyone have a linky to the doc campsite gps waypoints/locations?

BMWST?
5th December 2010, 20:15
Traveling around on the cheap or experiencing nature is how I like to travel, my standard dinner is pasta/tuna/some kind of sauce. Does anyone have a linky to the doc campsite gps waypoints/locations?

clickety click (http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-stay/conservation-campsites-by-region/)

Waihou Thumper
5th December 2010, 20:21
Traveling around on the cheap or experiencing nature is how I like to travel, my standard dinner is pasta/tuna/some kind of sauce. Does anyone have a linky to the doc campsite gps waypoints/locations?

Doc website....Or open GPS has them already there by name, not location....