The Kiam Siap Tourist

Travelling has become a necessity for many people. It may be an avenue to escape from the hectic metropolitan lifestyle or a chance for one to spend some quality moments with his/her love ones or an opportunity to grab some ME time. Whatever the reason, overseas vacations, especially free and easy trips, are the best ways to spend the holidays. However, to many wanderlusts, like myself, out there, the number of destinations is infinite but our saving is often limited. In this sense, a well planned itinery is essential to ensure that we get the most out of every vacation. Hence, I am putting up this blog as a small platform to share some of my itineries with all those travelbugs out there, and at the same time, hoping to receive some suggestions or recommendations on potential travelling detinations.  

[kiamsiaptourist]

Middle Earth, The Northern Exploration - Adventure Route

A simple outlook to our middle earth adventure.

[kiamsiaptourist]

Middle Earth (New Zealand) – Note before the journey….

New Zealand, the land of long white clouds, is a country that has provided me with countless wonderful memories. In total, I have been to New Zealand for 4 times. Once, for a three months work & travel program, while the others, as vacations with families and friends. Whether you are looking for a tranquil holiday or an adrenaline-pumped vacation, New Zealand will be the appropriate destination for you. It’s a country with the best of both worlds.

Roaring to embark on a middle earth adventure? Hold your engines slightly guys! Here is some essential information that you should know about New Zealand.

Flight

New Zealand is a country located on the southern hemisphere, some 9000km away from Singapore. By flight, it takes around 9 to 11 hours to reach New Zealand, depending on your destination, North Island (Auckland) or South Island (Christchurch). Several airlines (SQ, Qantas, British Airway, Malaysia Airline) offer daily flights tbetween Singapore and New Zealand. Of which, the cheapest would be Malaysia Airline (~900 SGD return). [FYI: I took Malaysia Airline for my latest trip to Auckland].

Moving around

The best way to travel around New Zealand is by car, ie. Road trip. Car rental companies (e.g. Jucy car rental; Apex car rental) are abundant and rental prices are relatively cheap, starting from 25 NZD per day. It is advisable to plan and book early for cheaper deals. Driving in New Zealand is similar to Singapore (right hand drive). Traffic rules are generally the same as well, except that at cross junction, left turning vehicle should give way to those turning in from the right hand side. New Zealand traffic police enforces strict regulation on speed, so try as much as possible to keep to the speed limits. Singaporean should be able to adapt to the driving system easily.

Accommodation

For all budget tourists like us, hostels represent the cheapest and most economical form of accommodation. In New Zealand, hostels are abundant, and can be found easily in most towns and cities. Of which, I would strongly recommend YHA hostels. These hostels are generally well maintained, equipped with all the necessary facilities for your stay. [If you are planning to stay in YHA throughout your NZ trip, it will be a good idea to apply for the YHA membership, which entitles you to, discounts for your stays and offers for some activities or attractions. YHA is affiliated to Hostelling International (HI), meaning that your YHA membership is valid for use in other HI hostels internationally.] Bed and Breakfast (B&B) is a slightly more expensive alternative to hostels. The idea of B&B is similar to hostels, except that breakfast is provided as part of the stay. The other more luxury kind of accommodation would be motels or hotels, which is really expensive and only found in bustling big cities.

Weather

New Zealand has friendly weather conditions. The summer is generally around 25 degree celcius, which is cooling rather than scorching hot. The winters are not particularly harsh either with climate registering around 8 to 10 degree celcius. Due to the geographical location of New Zealand, the seasons are opposite to countries in the northern hemisphere. Summer in NZ occurs during the November to December period, while winter dawns upon the country in May, lasting till august. Strong gales are commonly encountered in the country throughout the year.

Trekking

For keen trekkers like myself, New Zealand is the perfect place to visit as the country is dotted throughout with short and long treks. So if you are planning to experience some hiking adventure, it is recommended that you prepare a pair of good trekking shoe to bring along on your trip.

Note

Being an agricultural-based country, New Zealand government places strong emphasis in conserving its natural habitat. As a result, stringent regulations are in place with regards to stuff that visitors bring into the country. Foreign fruits and food are not allowed to be brought into the country without declaration. Another point to note, for trekkers who are bringing your own trek shoes, please clean the sole of the shoe to ensure there are no soil/mud stuck and declare it on the arrival card. Heavy penalties will be imposed. 

With these knowledge in mind, we are ready to enter into the magical Middle Earth. Guys, ready your cloak and wand as we are about to embark on the first journey… Middle Earth, The Northern Exploration

[kiamsiaptourist]

To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life. - Secret Life of Walter Mitty