Burgess Travel New Zealand

Is there a lot of walking involved?

 

The amount of walking is up to you.  There is a moderate amount because when you are sight seeing, you can't always do that from a van window.  There are no long hikes involved, but to bring some sturdy walking shoes would be a very good idea.

 

What is the weather like?

 

March/April is Fall and the average temperature is 23ºC/73ºF. Sep/Oct is Spring and the average temperature is 10-20ºC/50-68ºF.  The further you get down the Islands the colder it tends to become.  The temperature will range between 0-23ºC/32-73ºF .  Clothing should include T shirts, sweaters and a warm jacket and hat.

 

How much luggage should we take?

 

We have a 12 seater van and will be towing a covered trailer.  We have had repeated comments from previous folks that they took WAY too much in the way of 'stuff'.  Really, you only need 3 changes of clothes, 2 pairs of shoes - one walking pair, a jacket and hat.  Remember you will be buying gifts and if you don't plan to mail them back to the U.S., then we have limited room to pack them.

 

How friendly are the locals?

 

NEW ZEALAND: We are a very friendly country.  The Maori (indigenous) people are originally from Hawaiiki.  Our population used to be made up mostly of Maori and Pacific Islanders, and people from the British Commonwealth.  Now we also have a high Asian population as well.  New Zealanders are very warm and welcome visitors graciously.  We are a sporting nation and take pride in our yachting, horse racing, rugby, cricket, netball, soccer, cycling, badminton, track and field endeavors.  We really enjoy the outdoors with hiking in the hills and mountains.  Recently New Zealand has shown its beautiful landscape through movies such as Lord of the Rings, The Piano, The Last Samurai, Whale Rider, King Kong, Vertical, and the Chronicles of Narnia.

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TASMANIA: It's a small island with very friendly people who would be happy to talk with you about their State. While it's part of Australia, it has its own vibe. It's becoming more and more popular to live there. With its lush scenery, and gorgeous, quaint towns, it creates an atmosphere for a good time with the locals.

 

Do we have time to do our own thing?

 

We have a planned trip, but there are opportunities where you can choose to go shopping instead of another activity.  We have tried to make the tour as leisurely as possible.  We stop whenever someone wants to take a picture, and there are spaces in the timeframe for people to go to the movies or rest instead of some other activity.  No-one on the tours so far have said they got overtired by the travel.