Drive THROUGH
Some places are
simply designed for self-drive holidays..
The comfort of the familiar
right-hand drive is the icing on the cake. All you need to do is hire a car,
put it in cruise mode and zoom off. Exploring New Zealand in rental cars — be
it small wagons, campervans or motorhomes — is actually the most popular
vacation option these days. You can sign up for a weekly or a fortnightly trip,
covering either one or both of the islands.
EXPLORE THE
REGION
The roads from Auckland to
Hamilton in the North Island or from Christchurch to Queenstown in South Island
are what those who love driving dream about. A drive in the North Island is
what a postcard holiday looks like. Rolling hills, endless green farms with
sheep and cattle scattered around, grazing all day and villages in between.
The landscape in South Island is
different, and arguably, even more spectacular. The hills give way to mountains
dotted with emerald lakes, the roads are narrower and steeper, and there is a
nip in the air. While we had planned to stick to the North Island for this
trip, the lure of seeing the more striking South got the better of us. We
booked air tickets from Auckland to Christchurch and rented a car at the
airport. Off we went driving down to Queenstown and surely, this was the best
decision ever. We finished the approx. eight-hour drive in 11, as we stopped at
innumerable lakes and small villages to admire the view. En route, we had some
of the freshest and most amazing meals and tasted local wines. One can either
drive back from Queenstown to Christchurch or take a flight back. We did not
have much time, but if one does, it is definitely worth driving up the South
Island – towards the wine region of Marlborough.
ENJOY THE
DRIVE
If you are in a group, opting for
a selfdrive is the most economical mode of travel. It’s cheaper than even buses
or trains. However, if you are driving within the cities, it is important to
know the dedicated parking spaces and pay the charges beforehand to avoid
ending up with a fine. Inside the city, it is best advised to walk, get a cab
or opt for public transport as most places are close by. For us though, we
couldn’t have enough of driving and were at the wheel to head to even the
nearby grocery stores in Auckland. We cancelled most of our pick-ups and
actually drove down everywhere from Bay of Islands up north in North Island,
the gorgeous Ninety Mile beach on the far north western coast or to Rotorua
towards south of Auckland. It was actually handy having a car as one could stop
anywhere, try new things or simply soak in the abundant marvels of nature.
TIPS FOR STRESS FREE SELF-DRIVE
If you are in
a group, opting for a selfdrive is the most economical mode of travel. It’s
cheaper than even buses or trains. Book online in advance. On the spot booking
can be expensive and you may not get a car of your choice.
Check
websites for rental cars for deals of the day as some cars are available for as
low as NZ$32 or Rs 1,500 onwards per day. Longer duration bookings for 7 days
and above are are always cheaper than booking for a day or two.
Carry an
Indian driving licence along and do specify at the time of booking who all
among your group will be driving.
Vast empty
roads ahead may seem tempting to push the accelerator, but stick to speed
limits.
Drive in the
right lane only if you wish to overtake, else stick to the left lane.
Do not even
think of drinking and driving.
Do not honk.
Please. As no one does.
For camper
vans, there are designated parking spots. Stick to those for an overnight stay.
At a
roundabout, let the cars on the right pass first.
Do take
insurance. Better to spend extra than be sorry.
Nausheen
Tareen
TOI 25MAR18
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