[kimandgareth]

Hi all :)

We are due over 1st March for our research mission and we wondered if there was anything anyone could think about that we need to know.....we have found out about only certain car hires being allowed on the ferry and that we need International driving licences but both of these were discovered by accident and we're worried there might be other things too!!

All advice very happily recieved :D

Thanks all,
Kim and Gareth

[StevieD]

Your UK driving license covers you, don't worry about that. Don't know about the car hire thing on the ferries... that is for people down there ...

Have a great time!

[The Hodges]

Hi there Kim and Gareth and http://www.freesmileys.org/emo/signs046.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org)

I think that you are correct on some car hire companies not allowing their cars in the interisland ferry, although when we visited we could ours. However, I can't remember which company we used. I'll have to ask the OKH - sorry. :o

However, I do remember that we didn't need an international drivers' licence, as the british one is accepted for the first year - I assume that your research mission won't be that long - and thereafter you need to take half of the test - having a british licence exempts you from the practical test, but you'll need to do the multiple choice one.

However, as for some more information, when you land, you'll need to confirm where you're staying on the first night and also that you have a return ticket. You don't need a visa if you're staying less than six months either. There is some further information here (http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/visit/visitors/default.htm), if that is of any help.

Some others might be able to give some practical advice too, so good luck.

Also, I'll pm you regarding a meet in Redbourn on Sunday

[Trigirl]

some car hire co's dont allow their cars on the ferry - mine didn't when i came over in 2003. but its not an issue. you simply drop it off at the welly ferry terminal and pick another one up at picton. so long as you've planned it in advance it makes no difference (and makes the ferry crossing a LOT cheaper)

[Oregonkiwi]

about cars on the ferry - when we drove from Invercargill to Auckland a few years ago, we dropped the rental car off at Picton, walked onto the ferry, then picked up another rental car in Wellington. It was all part of the same car rental contract with the same company (can't remember which one now but I think all the major companies do it this way.)

[Oregonkiwi]

Trigirl beat me to it :)

[StevieD]

Isn't that a good idea!

[Ana&Steve]

I think the visitors tax you have to pay before going home surprised us a bit, but they have ATMs to grab out that last bit of NZ money at the airport. The only other thing that caught us unaware was that, since we were driving around with no agenda, we pulled into Napier on a Friday night that we completely forgot was also St Patrick's Day. We did finally find a hotel, but had to pay twice as much. :no
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip, hope you do, too!
Ana

[kimandgareth]

Hi all

Thanks for all the help - its a much better idea to leave one rental at Picton and collect another from Wellington, especially as we are flying back from Welly so we wouldn't have to do another swap on the ferry back. We sure were surprised about the cost of the ferry so anything that makes it cheaper is a good thing!!

We're booking all our accomodation in advance, which is a bit of a mission but it will be worth it to have it all laid out and not have to get stuck (thanks for the advice on that one Ana!).

Thanks for the warm welcome Clare - and the PM. I'll send one back shortly.

Thanks all for the brilliant advice as always :D

[jess]

You might want to see this thread (http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=9007&highlight=ferry) for a way to get the cheapest ferry rates to show up by changing the time setting on your computer... if you know exactly when you'll be using the ferry. (The cheapest tickets aren't flexible or refundable.)

[wanderingoregonian]

Don't forget the very useful and friendly I sites... stop in, and they'll do your bookings for you. Say what you want, your price range, and they'll ring around and find it for you. Very very handy.

And definetley bring an extra flash card if you have a digital camera.. you don't want to be running out of 'film' extra batteries are handy too.

I also found it helpful to stop by the local gas stations - petrol, sorry - and buy street maps for the bigger cities. With them in hand, I felt comfortable venturing about on the public buses seeing what areas I might like to live in. I mark on the maps and they were handy a handy reference when I was back home planning our move here.

[Smiler]

If you feel like being lazy for a day and not driving, you can get a combined ferry/train ticket (it was $99 i think) and take the ferry from Wellington to Picton and then the train from Picton to Kaikoura and then CC.

There's an observation car and comfy seats and you can slob out and stare out of the window. After Kaikoura the journey goes inland til CC which isn't that exciting, but from Picton down to Kaikoura is nice, going along the coastline. You can pick up another hire car in CC then.

However if you do drive from Picton to CC then stop for tea at The Store before Kaikoura. Food is average but the view and beach is to die for and there's lots of bits to look at in the cafe as it's an old grain barn. After that you'll see the seal colonies just before Kaikoura. :D