Dan Stephenson

I'm planning a two week road trip in New Zealand next year. I hope it
will be as great as similar road trips in Wales, Ireland and Scotland,
where I drive through the beautiful contryside all day and around 6pm
keep travelling, but keeping an eye out for B&Bs. And B&Bs are SO
COMMON in Ireland and the UK that this was no problem. So how
prevalent are B&Bs in New Zealand so that I might be able to do this,
there?

RSVP, please post!

--
Dan Stephenson
Photos and movies from US Parks and all over Europe:
http://homepage.mac.com/stepheda

David Bennetts

"Dan Stephenson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:221020051239529440%[email protected]...
    > I'm planning a two week road trip in New Zealand next year. I hope it
    > will be as great as similar road trips in Wales, Ireland and Scotland,
    > where I drive through the beautiful contryside all day and around 6pm
    > keep travelling, but keeping an eye out for B&Bs. And B&Bs are SO
    > COMMON in Ireland and the UK that this was no problem. So how
    > prevalent are B&Bs in New Zealand so that I might be able to do this,
    > there?
    > RSVP, please post!
    > --
    > Dan Stephenson
    > Photos and movies from US Parks and all over Europe:
    > http://homepage.mac.com/stepheda

You won't find them nearly as commonplace as Ireland and the UK. If they're
anything like the ones in Australia, they tend to be quite upmarket and
expensive, whereas the UK/Ireland concept is for them to be affordable. You
wouldn't spot them on sight as easily, and just front up anywhere like
UK/Ireland

See http://www.bnb.co.nz/index.html

Accommodation is more often found in hotels, motels and motor parks. Motels
in New Zealand often have "efficiencies" or small kitchens with basic
cooking apparatus, whereas this is a rarity in Australia.

Regards

David Bennetts
Australia

Dan Stephenson

In article <[email protected]>, David Bennetts
<[email protected]> wrote:

    > You won't find them nearly as commonplace as Ireland and the UK. If they're
    > anything like the ones in Australia, they tend to be quite upmarket and
    > expensive, whereas the UK/Ireland concept is for them to be affordable. You
    > wouldn't spot them on sight as easily, and just front up anywhere like
    > UK/Ireland

Darn, that's too bad. Nothing draw me more at 8pm that a hand-scrawled
"Farmhouse B+B" barely seen under the ivy. :-)

Thanks for the info and for the link for what there is out there.
Doesn't fit the 'wing it' approach but we'll see!

--
Dan Stephenson
Photos and movies from US Parks and all over Europe:
http://homepage.mac.com/stepheda

texan....usenet

On Sat, 22 Oct 2005 17:48:24 GMT, Dan Stephenson
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >I'm planning a two week road trip in New Zealand next year. I hope it
    >will be as great as similar road trips in Wales, Ireland and Scotland,
    >where I drive through the beautiful contryside all day and around 6pm
    >keep travelling, but keeping an eye out for B&Bs. And B&Bs are SO
    >COMMON in Ireland and the UK that this was no problem. So how
    >prevalent are B&Bs in New Zealand so that I might be able to do this,
    >there?
    >RSVP, please post!
www.aaguide.co.nz

www.purenz.com

Cath

Gerrit 't Hart

"Dan Stephenson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:221020051239529440%[email protected]...
    > I'm planning a two week road trip in New Zealand next year. I hope it
    > will be as great as similar road trips in Wales, Ireland and Scotland,
    > where I drive through the beautiful contryside all day and around 6pm
    > keep travelling, but keeping an eye out for B&Bs. And B&Bs are SO
    > COMMON in Ireland and the UK that this was no problem. So how
    > prevalent are B&Bs in New Zealand so that I might be able to do this,
    > there?
    > RSVP, please post!
    > --
    > Dan Stephenson
    > Photos and movies from US Parks and all over Europe:
    > http://homepage.mac.com/stepheda

Check out http://www.tourism.net.nz/accommodat...and-breakfast/
There are 1682 here. And these are only the ones that are registered with
the Tourism NZ website.
If you Google with the words "bed breakfast new zealand" you get lots of
references.
Maybe they are not as prolific as in the UK but there are probably a lot
that are not listed. Don't forget that NZ is not as heavily populated as the
UK. When you get to a town you could ask the local tourist bureau.
We have done this in Canada and were surprised how big a choice we had even
in out of the way places, many very reasonably priced. If I were to travel
in NZ I would not book ahead. If the worst comes to the worst there are lots
of motels and also heaps of caravan parks with self contained cabins. I'm
sure you will always find a place to lay your weary head.

Gerrit - Oz

David Bennetts

"Gerrit 't Hart" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > "Dan Stephenson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:221020051239529440%[email protected]...

    > Check out http://www.tourism.net.nz/accommodat...and-breakfast/
    > There are 1682 here. And these are only the ones that are registered with
    > the Tourism NZ website.
    > If you Google with the words "bed breakfast new zealand" you get lots of
    > references.
    > Maybe they are not as prolific as in the UK but there are probably a lot
    > that are not listed. Don't forget that NZ is not as heavily populated as
    > the
    > UK. When you get to a town you could ask the local tourist bureau.
    > We have done this in Canada and were surprised how big a choice we had
    > even
    > in out of the way places, many very reasonably priced. If I were to travel
    > in NZ I would not book ahead. If the worst comes to the worst there are
    > lots
    > of motels and also heaps of caravan parks with self contained cabins. I'm
    > sure you will always find a place to lay your weary head.
    > Gerrit - Oz

Hang on Gerrit, we are talking about NZ here. Don't count on going to the
tourist office at 6 pm, they'll be closed.
The old joke was - I went to New Zealand on a weekend and it was closed.
Perhaps they're a little better now, but still don't expect around the clock
facilities. And don't always count on finding places late in the day if
you're going in a busy season, they're attracting a heck of lot of overseas
tourists and many popular places could then be full, particularly say if
you're visiting the west coast of the South Island, where there isn't a huge
amount of tourist accommodation.

Regards

David Bennetts

Gerrit 't Hart

"David Bennetts" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Hang on Gerrit, we are talking about NZ here. Don't count on going to the
    > tourist office at 6 pm, they'll be closed.
    > The old joke was - I went to New Zealand on a weekend and it was closed.
    > Perhaps they're a little better now, but still don't expect around the
clock
    > facilities. And don't always count on finding places late in the day if
    > you're going in a busy season, they're attracting a heck of lot of
overseas
    > tourists and many popular places could then be full, particularly say if
    > you're visiting the west coast of the South Island, where there isn't a
huge
    > amount of tourist accommodation.
    > Regards
    > David Bennetts

Dave
You may have a point, but anyone who leaves it to 6pm to look for
accommodation deserves to miss out.
When we travel like that we look for our B&B from about 2.30pm onward and
get info from the host as to what is around to see for the rest of the day
and also where to go for a decent evening meal. We have found that this way
we have never missed out on accommodation and also have seen sights which
our homework didn't point us towards.

Gerrit

JohnM

In article <435b76ad$0$8622$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-
01.iinet.net.au>, Gerrit 't Hart <[email protected]> writes
    >You may have a point, but anyone who leaves it to 6pm to look for
    >accommodation deserves to miss out.

You don't know how true that is. I was hiking in the Nelson Lakes with
two friends and then we tried to find accommodation in Nelson at around
7pm (on a Wednesday, as well). All motels and hotels were full until way
out of town. It took us 1 hour driving around to find a place.

B&Bs certainly do exist in NZ and are easy to find from tourist offices;
but, as someone said, they are more upmarket and at least as expensive
as hotels or motels. I stayed in a B&B in New Plymouth for NZ$90, but in
touristy towns, expect to pay a lot more.

--
JohnM

Dan Stephenson

In article <[email protected]>, JohnM
<[email protected]> wrote:

    > In article <435b76ad$0$8622$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-
    > 01.iinet.net.au>, Gerrit 't Hart <[email protected]> writes
    > >You may have a point, but anyone who leaves it to 6pm to look for
    > >accommodation deserves to miss out.
    >
    > You don't know how true that is. I was hiking in the Nelson Lakes with
    > two friends and then we tried to find accommodation in Nelson at around
    > 7pm (on a Wednesday, as well). All motels and hotels were full until way
    > out of town. It took us 1 hour driving around to find a place.
    >
    > B&Bs certainly do exist in NZ and are easy to find from tourist offices;
    > but, as someone said, they are more upmarket and at least as expensive
    > as hotels or motels. I stayed in a B&B in New Plymouth for NZ$90, but in
    > touristy towns, expect to pay a lot more.

One "positive" angle to this is that one $NZ = 0.7$US, so that NZ$90
B&B is $63USD - high, but plausible.

How has the $NZ currency varied with respected to the $US, given the
latter fall wrt the Euro and GBP?

--
Dan Stephenson
Photos and movies from US Parks and all over Europe:
http://homepage.mac.com/stepheda

texan....usenet

On Sun, 23 Oct 2005 16:36:47 GMT, Dan Stephenson
<[email protected]> wrote:
[msge snipped]

    >One "positive" angle to this is that one $NZ = 0.7$US, so that NZ$90
    >B&B is $63USD - high, but plausible.
    >How has the $NZ currency varied with respected to the $US, given the
    >latter fall wrt the Euro and GBP?

The NZ $ is a floating currency.
It can go up or down at a moment's notice.

Suggest you sub to a currency site to get an idea of how quick/
low/high it can swing.

Cath

Gerrit 't Hart

<[email protected]. .> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > On Sun, 23 Oct 2005 16:36:47 GMT, Dan Stephenson
    > <[email protected]> wrote:
    > [msge snipped]
    > >
    > >One "positive" angle to this is that one $NZ = 0.7$US, so that NZ$90
    > >B&B is $63USD - high, but plausible.
    > >
    > >How has the $NZ currency varied with respected to the $US, given the
    > >latter fall wrt the Euro and GBP?
    > The NZ $ is a floating currency.
    > It can go up or down at a moment's notice.
    > Suggest you sub to a currency site to get an idea of how quick/
    > low/high it can swing.
    > Cath

The NZ Dollar like the Oz (and the US for that matter) is floating but
relatively stable. Over the past 6 months movement has been within a range
of 2 cents up or down against the US (or near enough not to have to worry
about).
If you are concerned about such fluctuations I (humbly) suggest you can't
afford an overseas trip. :-)

Gerrit

David Bennetts

    > Well, of course it floats, but my questions was has it generally
    > travelled down with the $US, or kept up like the Euro and Stirling?
    > For example, I'd have a hard time travelling in the UK right now with
    > $2 for every pound! So my question regarded "affordability" of things.
    > And it sounds like $NZ may have followed the $US down, so that's a good
    > thing as far as I'm concerned.
    > --
    > Dan Stephenson
    > Photos and movies from US Parks and all over Europe:
    > http://homepage.mac.com/stepheda

Very much like the Australian dollar. We've had our low point a year or so
back, when the Oz dollar was only worth around 50c US. Now it's around 75
cents, and has been that way for at least six months. If you look at at
this way, a lot of the cost of your trip could be pre-booked, your airfares
certainly will be. You could also do this for your car hire and some of
your hotel accommodation. That can minimise how much exposure you have to
currency fluctuation. Otherwise if you are so worried about rates
fluctuating, get travellers cheques well ahead of your visit. You won't win
if the currency rates change in your favour, but you can't lose either.

NZ and Australia are not expensive for the visitor compared with the
USA/Canada, and definitely cheaper to travel in than the UK. The only cost
you'll probably note as being considerably more are your fuel costs for the
car, but even those costs are much cheaper than in Europe.

Regards

David Bennetts

Dan Stephenson

In article
<[email protected]>, Gerrit
't Hart <[email protected]> wrote:

    >
    > The NZ Dollar like the Oz (and the US for that matter) is floating but
    > relatively stable. Over the past 6 months movement has been within a range
    > of 2 cents up or down against the US (or near enough not to have to worry
    > about).
    > If you are concerned about such fluctuations I (humbly) suggest you can't
    > afford an overseas trip. :-)
    >
    > Gerrit

Well, of course it floats, but my questions was has it generally
travelled down with the $US, or kept up like the Euro and Stirling?
For example, I'd have a hard time travelling in the UK right now with
$2 for every pound! So my question regarded "affordability" of things.
And it sounds like $NZ may have followed the $US down, so that's a good
thing as far as I'm concerned.

--
Dan Stephenson
Photos and movies from US Parks and all over Europe:
http://homepage.mac.com/stepheda

Fred

"David Bennetts" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    >> Well, of course it floats, but my questions was has it generally
    >> travelled down with the $US, or kept up like the Euro and Stirling?
    >> For example, I'd have a hard time travelling in the UK right now with
    >> $2 for every pound! So my question regarded "affordability" of things.
    >> And it sounds like $NZ may have followed the $US down, so that's a good
    >> thing as far as I'm concerned.
    >> --
    >> Dan Stephenson
    >> Photos and movies from US Parks and all over Europe:
    >> http://homepage.mac.com/stepheda
    > Very much like the Australian dollar. We've had our low point a year or
    > so back, when the Oz dollar was only worth around 50c US. Now it's around
    > 75 cents, and has been that way for at least six months. If you look at
    > at this way, a lot of the cost of your trip could be pre-booked, your
    > airfares certainly will be. You could also do this for your car hire and
    > some of your hotel accommodation. That can minimise how much exposure you
    > have to currency fluctuation. Otherwise if you are so worried about rates
    > fluctuating, get travellers cheques well ahead of your visit. You won't
    > win if the currency rates change in your favour, but you can't lose
    > either.
    > NZ and Australia are not expensive for the visitor compared with the
    > USA/Canada, and definitely cheaper to travel in than the UK. The only
    > cost you'll probably note as being considerably more are your fuel costs
    > for the car, but even those costs are much cheaper than in Europe.
    > Regards
    > David Bennetts

There are dozens of currency converters on the internet that will give you
up to minute exchange raes.
    >