Travelling through NZ with my lovely mother.

[Joni]

I am so happy! My mother is coming to see me in December... will be HUGE! As by then I will have been without any family in NZ for almost 5 years... So to see her will be a great treat for me! :niceone:

I will be going up to Auckland to meet her, and then we will be driving back down to Chch. I will take the scenic route and show her a bit of NZ as we go... I reckon the trip will take us 7 or 8 days. The route I plan to take is:

Auckland
Coromandel
Tauranga
Taupo
Rotorua
Wellington
Maybe Nelson if time allows
Kaikoura (Divvo and I are taking her swimming with the dolphins)
Chch

There is only one solid plan in Kaikoura thus far....besides that I only have a few other ideas of what we can do, as I don’t know the areas that well... so please can you share your ideas of what we can do in those cities (tourist type stuff and off the beaten track as well). Just keep in mind my mother is not very strong, so long tramping type walks won’t work for her.

I need to start booking stuff as December is always a little busy!

Any advice and recommendations would be highly appreciated.

Thank you!
:wari:

[Colapop]

Coffee in Wellytown - My treat!

[jrandom]

Let's do a Coro loop! Your mum can pillion on Betty, and I'm sure some NI KBer will lend you a bike to follow us on.

:niceone:

[Al]

That is fantastic news Jo!:sunny:

[Joni]

Let's do a Coro loop! Your mum can pillion on Betty, and I'm sure some NI KBer will lend you a bike to follow us on.

:niceone:Thanks mate....

My Mother will only pillion with Divvo or Kick, as she knows I trust them with my life (read: it took me a few months to convince her to go up to Kaikoura on Divvos CB)... so I dont see her jumping on the back of your bike, unless I start with the PR job now! I dont know your riding well enough to sell her on it.

I love the idea though, not sure if her older body (and sore knees) can handle a long trip though, not even sure about kaikoura yet.

[jrandom]

My Mother will only pillion with Divvo or Kick, as she knows I trust them with my life...

Well, fly one of them up here, then, they're welcome to borrow the bike for the day. Can't beat a GSX1400 for pillion comfort!

:)


I love the idea though...

Well, the offer's there, etc, stay in touch...

[Lissa]

Not really sure what you can do in Welly, but if you do something even lunch somewhere... let me know, will be good to see you and your mum! :sunny:

[sunhuntin]

which way are you going from rotorua to wellington? if you pass through wangas [more scenic than the desert road] i can suggest the durie hill towers, virginia lake [an hour walk, give or take, with lots of seats]
she may not be able to manage the tallest durie tower, but should manage the smaller one ok. that ones better for photos as well.

hmmm... what else? if shes interested in bikes, the roads used for the races. if you come down the paraparas, then gordons bush could be a nice walk as well [also about an hour, no seats, but lovely and shaded, and lots of native bush and bird life.]

[Cajun]

Tauranga



Tauranga has a the mount beach, and also the Mount itself for good views of tauranga and the ocean.

But honestly not a huge amount here tourist stuff in tauranga, since most of that is stuff is in rotovegas. Its more of a seaside town, with the stuff that goes along with that.

Not to sure if either of you guys been to tauranga before. fire me a pm if ya want to know more Joni

[Joni]

which way are you going from rotorua to wellington?Not sure yet... however Wanganui is an option.

Wellington and Auckland are not as difficult as Tauranga, Taupo or Rotorua for me though... I have never been in Tauranga and only been in the other 2 briefly... so really need advice!

Lissa, it would be great for my mother to meet you and Sean, its important for her to meet my friends! :yes:

edit: Neal... she loves scenery, so if Taurange is as lovely as I have heard, then she will love it. Thats why I chose it as an option.

[tri boy]

Hi Joni,
Hope your mum enjoys her stay. Maybe keep local flora/fauna in mind. Any creatures like Tuatara, Kiwi and NZ Seals etc will add to the Kiwi experience.
Rotovegas is good for a giggle obviously due to the tourist traps/mudpools etc.
White Island off Whakatane is worth a look, and a 1/2 day fishing trip in summer catching Cod/Snapper can be memorable.
Push the outdoor experiences if the weather holds.
Helicopter ride through a valley and Jetboating, Waitomo Glowworms etc etc etc
(or just hang outside the Wairoa public bar if you want to see REAL Kiwi native experiences).

[Cajun]

edit: Neal... she loves scenery, so if Taurange is as lovely as I have heard, then she will love it. Thats why I chose it as an option.

What type of scenery?
ocean?
water?
bush?
countryside?

got plenty of idea's which happy to show you two while here if interested

[Joni]

Hi Joni,
Hope your mum enjoys her stay. Maybe keep local flora/fauna in mind. Any creatures like Tuatara, Kiwi and NZ Seals etc will add to the Kiwi experience.
Rotovegas is good for a giggle obviously due to the tourist traps/mudpools etc.
White Island off Whakatane is worth a look, and a 1/2 day fishing trip in summer catching Cod/Snapper can be memorable.
Push the outdoor experiences if the weather holds.
Helicopter ride through a valley and Jetboating, Waitomo Glowworms etc etc etc
(or just hang outside the Wairoa public bar if you want to see REAL Kiwi native experiences).She loves nature... so flora and fauna are great! Thank you!

I would love to take her fishing. Dont laugh but I dont know where Whakatane is though...

If you have more ideas, please dont say etc etc... because I dont know enough to know what etc means... :crybaby:

Where is waitomo? Are glowworms a good thinng in your opinion...

Your advice has really helped.

[Cajun]

Whakatane is 1hr south of tauranga.

http://www.waitomo.com/waitomo-glowworm-caves.aspx
(Waitomo Caves is 2 hours south of Auckland, 1 hour south of Hamilton, and 2 hours west of Rotorua. The Waitomo Glowworm Caves are situated 8km along Waitomo Caves Road, off State Highway 3. )

[Blackbird]

Hi Jo

Will probably see you in ChCh before you head up this way before your Mum but Jennie and I take it as a given that you'll both stay with us in Coro :2thumbsup

Cheers,

Geoff

[Joni]

Whakatane is 1hr south of tauranga.

http://www.waitomo.com/waitomo-glowworm-caves.aspx
(Waitomo Caves is 2 hours south of Auckland, 1 hour south of Hamilton, and 2 hours west of Rotorua. The Waitomo Glowworm Caves are situated 8km along Waitomo Caves Road, off State Highway 3. )Thank you! Practical stuff like this is what I need.

Re your question on what she likes. She is from Johannesburg, so the ocean is still a novelty for her. So she would love that... she has never seen NZ bush before, so I have no idea if she likes it, because in SA you dont really get anything like that. So I suppose its important to show her that eh?


but Jennie and I take it as a given that you'll both stay with us in Coro :2thumbsup Thank you mate... that would be very special for me!

[tri boy]

Whakatane is the next main town on the east coast, heading sth from Tauranga.
Check www.whiteisland.co.nz
Waitomo is just sth of Hamilton www.waitomo.co.nz
Otrohanga, (close to Waitomo has a good Kiwi house, and the town sells itself as "Kiwiana".:cool:

[Cajun]

Thank you! Practical stuff like this is what I need.

Re your question on what she likes. She is from Johannesburg, so the ocean is still a novelty for her. So she would love that... she has never seen NZ bush before, so I have no idea if she likes it, because in SA you dont really get anything like that. So I suppose its important to show her that eh?


Sweet as let me know if ya want me to be a bit of a tour guide around Tauranga area if you wish.

[Her_C4]

You know you and your mum are welcome to say here on ya' way through eh?:2thumbsup:wari:

[sunhuntin]

the glow worms are a must if you can make the time. they are so cool. i dont recall much, but part of it is a boat ride, with maybe a little walking as well.

wellington zoo should have tuatara and kiwi. te papa definately will, but they wont be alive. te papa also has a britten. auckland zoo is meant to be great, but i havent been since i was a kid. kelly tarltons?

rotorua... take her to the mud pools. theres also an outdoor thermal pool, which is great if she has sore feet. they come out clean as a newborn baby, lol. paradise valley [not far from roto] has wallabies, lions, rainbow trout. you can buy pellets and feed them. the wallabies will eat from your hand. huka falls is near there also. not much of a walk to see them, but the loos are user pays [just a warning to pee before you get there!]

theres not really much at taupo, but its great for buying souviners. be prepared to pay the price, though!

[MisterD]

I'd highly recommend some time in the Marlbrough Sounds (even if it's just a short sea-kayak out of Picton) and a bit of wine tasting around Blenheim is a great cheap way to spend a few hours...it's about another hour and a half on down to Kaikoura.

[Joni]

Thanks guys, this thread has already given me some great ideas... and I have even gained a tour guide in Tauranga! :woohoo:

So Taupo does not have much going for it except a big lake? and the falls? Oh and of course the fact that scrivy lives there... hmm, maybe we should skip that city then! :laugh:

Sunhuntin - Im thinking of taking her to the mud pools, the geyser, and if money allows spoiling her to a luxury mud spa treatment as well... in Rototua of course. :sunny:

[NZsarge]

Take her through the forgotten hiway on the way down the north island.

[Blackbird]

So Taupo does not have much going for it except a big lake? and the falls?

Yes it does Jo! The Aratiatia Rapids just off the road to Rotorua, about 15 minutes from Taupo. Between Taupo and Aratiatia, you can also drive up to the lookout overlooking the steamfield which supplies the geothermal power station. More impressive than it sounds! If Rotorua is your next destination after Taupo, then the Waiotapu geothermal area is an absolute must. It's around half way between Taupo and Rotorua. IMHO, far superior to anything inside Rotorua itself.

As well as putting you guys up at Coro, I'm more than happy to guide you too.

[Nasty]

In Wellington there is the Karori Wildlife sanctuary ... its a walking place, but lots of older people enjoy being able to see the tuatara and birds out of cages ... te papa as mentioned ... wouldn't do the zoo its a little boring ... there is the cable car and botantic gardens which have a cafe in them.

[martybabe]

Taranaki's good, two hours sw of waitomo to New Plymouth.Do the Famous park and gardens, Travel through the Naki national park thing, take in the forgotten Highway,Drive up the mountain, coastal road through wanganui down to welly.

Your more than welcome to stop at the mansion On your way through and We can show you round.

Your gonna end up with more offers than ya can shake a stick at. :laugh:

[ynot slow]

Try the good old Forgotten Highway from north to south,maybe arrive late arfternoon and stay the night,then cruise the rest of highway next day.Whilst in Stratford hop up the mountain to the plateau,great views.Then head south.

[CookMySock]

salt pools at the mount, and walk up the hill. Tandem paraglider flight - must do. Scuba intro course for both of you, even if its just in a pool. Go boat fishing somewhere where the sea is flat and you are actually going to catch good eating fish. Jetboat ride up a narrow river.

edit: you are welcome to play with my scuba gear in a pool. I'll show you how to use it and not hurt yourself with it. I have two sets. Sorry, I don't have a boat at the moment.

DB

[Gubb]

I recently discovered the Mount Eden lookout is spectacular at night.

Definitely worth a trip.

[BIHB@0610]

Thanks guys, this thread has already given me some great ideas... and I have even gained a tour guide in Tauranga! :woohoo:



Ooooh damn! I was too late! :girlfight: I could be your deputy-tour-guide. :second: If your Mum is into nature, there's kayaking up the river at Waimarino, which is utterly gorgeous and peaceful - you get to see so many birds from on the water (when you walk past the side of a river most of them are out of sight and scared!).

There are the beautiful hot pools at Fernland Spa (I have great afternoon's outing planned - kayaking, then afternoon tea at Decor Garden Centre in Bethlehem, then a soak at the hot pools - aaaaaahhh.)

Depending on the dates you're in town, I may have spare beds - actually if it's only a night or two, I can get the boys to share .... will bribe them with pies .... would love to meet your Mummy :hug:

[kevfromcoro]

[QUOTE=Joni;1569653]Thank you! Practical stuff like this is what I need.

she has never seen NZ bush before, so I have no idea if she likes it

If you want to walk in the bush...call in here on the way to coro.
There is a galizon acres of it...All native..and real close..
Hope your mum enjoys NZ...
Cheers Kev

[Joni]

I have great afternoon's outing planned - kayaking, then afternoon tea at Decor Garden Centre in Bethlehem, then a soak at the hot pools - aaaaaahhh.That sounds really lovely Sarah! :sunny:

I will be in touch closer to the time! :2thumbsup