Before you travel NZ ponder this

[Korumba]

I am about to depart on my farewell tour of NZ before heading overseas.

My airfare from Alk to LA to Frankfurt to Geneva and return the same way is $2400.00 + fuel tax of $600.00 odd (which went up $80.00 in one week with fuel price increases). I can’t confirm my ticket until my US Visa comes thru so who knows what it will be then.

.Full Insurance overseas for me is about a grand for the year.

So my point……. Say $3000 to do the overseas bit for a year, .if you take out the insurance.

I have free accommodation most every where I travel while overseas and NZ.

My 20 day trip from Whangarei to Invercargill and return by car is going to be about two thirds ($2000) of the above travel cost. . (With no Insurance, long may ACC continue!!!!!!!!!)

Only one night of accommodation to pay for in Taupo (I am not able to stay in Tauranga as they are still picking up the empties after last weeks farewell tour practice run,)

I did the same trip in 1998 in a new 2lt Bluebird from Auckland, it cost around $600.00 in fuel, my current car a 3lt Maxima, does about the same, approximately 10km/lt and if not better in fuel economy.

My R1 does about 13km/lt if you are nice.(drops to under 10km/when off SH1) So that’s about a third less than the car.

So I am expecting about $1200.00+ in fuel?????(Watch this space for the final tally)

Talking to my Brother in the states tonight about fuel prices we in NZ are paying about US$8.00 a gallon and in the states it is currently about US$4.00 a gallon (you do the currency conversion, cause I don’t care, it is what it is!)
The Ferry return is $354.00 + whatever the horrible pies cost.

What are your collective thoughts on this? It just does not add up to me!!!!!.

Rainman if you see this can you please forward it to your mate Neddy at Netsky, I contacted Opo at OPEC about this and he said the pricing of fuel was not their department…..

O yeah Rainman I have also asked if the Jokes and Humour thread can have a Satirical tag added to save any confusion with real life. : )

[Macstar]

Yeah, last year I was going to do a NZ tour on my bike but ended up looking like it was going to cost at least $2K, so I flagged it and went to Oz for two weeks, stayed with family and spent less.

For work I fly Akl to Chch each week at the moment. The flights are averaging $700 return because there is no competition for Air NZ on that route. It's scandellous, but not my money so I don't really care.

[Cajun]

i did 4300kms tour in march this year
cost just over $500 in fuel all up on the 600, bike averages around 7 litres/100kms.

Staying in cabins/holiday parks can bring cost down since you can often get places for $20-$30 a night.

[WRT]

Fuel's no where near the whole story for the bike though. Don't forget tyres and servicing . . . for me, the bike has only become cheaper to run than the car (which is a twin turbo), after fuel went over $1.94 per litre.

And to be fair, you should be including the additional travel costs overseas, bus, taxi etc unless you have someone who's prepared to drive you round for free.

[jrandom]

It's all very well and good comparing plane tickets for forn parts to petrol costs for your motorcycle, but what are you actually going to do once you arrive overseas? Sit outside the airport and beg for scraps?

[Finn]

Still, getting off the Island at least once every 2 years is a must for all Kiwi folk I say. Opens the eyes. My tolerance is 6 months before I feel like going on a rampage.

Lovely place though.

[rainman]

O yeah Rainman I have also asked if the Jokes and Humour thread can have a Satirical tag added to save any confusion with real life. : )

S'alright, last few weeks have been pretty shit, but I'm having a much better week this week - so I'm far less impaired in the humour department...

Then again it is only Monday....

[paturoa]

My trip to the brass monkey this year, including all cash, gas, accomodation, ferry etc was about 3200km and cost all up $1.036.02 (I'm anal with money OK!)

What isn't in here is 3,200 km worh of riunning cost like tyres etc.

So you can do it a lot cheaper if you try.

[Usarka]

Lovely place though.

You don't know how lucky you are.

[avgas]

My trip to Tokyo-Shanghai-Souzhou-Hangzhou-Shanghai-Beijing-Shanghai-Osaka-Kyoto-Osaka-NZ cost about the same as 2 flights to Queenstown and some nice nice hotels and a rental car for 4 weeks.
All other expenses were comparative
So its all relative i guess.

[Korumba]

S'alright, last few weeks have been pretty shit, but I'm having a much better week this week - so I'm far less impaired in the humour department...

Then again it is only Monday....

All good Mate, hope the week continues to get even better.

[Korumba]

It's all very well and good comparing plane tickets for forn parts to petrol costs for your motorcycle, but what are you actually going to do once you arrive overseas? Sit outside the airport and beg for scraps?

It was just a comparison on travel costs....

Once I get to my Brothers he is taking me on a 10 day trip to Alaska, then I sit down and find a bike...
I well know the cost from that step..

[mynameis]

Still, getting off the Island at least once every 2 years is a must for all Kiwi folk I say. Opens the eyes. My tolerance is 6 months before I feel like going on a rampage.

Lovely place though.

Lol..aww welcome back Finn. KB'ers were missing you ! Haha.

[mynameis]

You don't know how lucky you are.

Hey Arse Biscuit it's rucky not lucky !

[alanzs]

Gas is more than $4.00a gallon in the US now. Try $4.50+ and getting more everyday.
Economies of scale and greed accounts for the overall higher prices in NZ. 300 million consumers in the US and the competition that it creates, versus 4.5 million consumers and the lack of competition that we tolerate.
Have a great time...