Tips: Campervanning in New Zealand

Choose Your Campervan

There are many types of campervans out there in the market. There's really elaborate ones which are huge, comes with a spacious shower, kitchenette and sitting area. There's also really simple ones, very much like the one we rented, which is basically just a simple car with a bed at the back.

Types of Camervans

It really depends on your budget, driving skills and need for luxury. For us, we choose Spaceships which is basically a seven-seater car with all the back seats removed. A bed and a mini fridge are placed in instead.

Despite having a license and driven a car with manual transmission, we were not experienced driving a manual car on steep mountainous slopes. We live in a city where everything is almost flat and we drive an Automatic car. We wanted something which will be easy to drive while navigating foreign land.

Camper with side awning.

Also, we've heard stories on how windy (and now experienced) New Zealand can be. We didn't want to drive a vehicle which is too high (and catches the win) and difficult for us to handle, on top of the mountain pass no less.

Besides, there were only two of us, and we felt Spaceship has sufficient space for us!

This being said, we were unable to freedom camp because we do not have a toilet attached to our camper.


Electricity

If you decide to get the luxurious camper, you will not have a problem charging your electronics. There are multiple electrical outlets for you to plug in and use! However, if like us, you decide on getting a simpler camper, there will be no electrical outlet.

Electrical outlets

You possibly could get those phone charges where you can plug into your cigarette lighter compartment, however, I had a camera to charge almost every night and no car mart had anything of that sort.

We rented an external power cord (240 volt mains plug) for NZ$60 for the duration of our trip. Park  in a powered campsite and you're good to go! As we had quite a few electronics, we stopped at the nearest DIY store and bought an extension cord so we could charge four electronics at once.

I didn't take a photo of our electrical cord so I grabbed this from online. *Sorry* As you can see, the power cord is the orange wire.

Cooking

The Spaceship rental comes with a portable stove, gas canister, pots and a kettle. As we had to park in a Camper Park every night, we had the luxury of a proper and clean toilet as well as well equipped kitchens to cook breakfasts and dinners. G insisted on getting an extra gas canisters as he was afraid that we'd run out of gas to cook our food eventually. We never used the second gas canister and barely finished the first one.

Cooking our dinner

If like us, you plan on staying in a Camper Park, forget about the second canister! You have proper kitchen facilities to use and wash up! We only used the gas canister and portable stove at the Camper Park at Lake Wanaka and Franz Josef because the kitchen was quite a distance to our camp lot (and also because we wanted to use the stove).

Also, we saved a lot on cooking our breakfasts and dinners! We grocery shopped about every two days, or if we felt like we were pigs and finished all the food the night before. We bought meat, fish, vegetables, lots of perishables! Don't be afraid that you can't find a supermarket. There are at least a well stocked one in every city!

Travel time

Because we basically lived in our car, our travel time is flexible. We could take a break anytime we were tired. We also didn't go through the hassle of packing a small bag every night, if we were to rent a normal car and stay in motels. The car was our home and it was so fun!

Looking for Campsites

If you get a camper without a toilet, you're not allowed to freedom camp. Obviously, there will be no place for you to shower and do your business. Such acts in public are highly frowned upon by locals and even the police!

Campers of all shapes and sized

You’ll also see signs stating ‘No overnight camping’. Some of these are situated in places that only very disrespectful people would attempt to park up for the night (and sadly have attempted), such as outside someone’s beachfront house on a private road.

Also, at the rental office, you will be able to pick up a guide book on the various campsites around the country where you can park for the night. It will include the location, address, phone numbers and prices. On occasions, we were undecided on which campsite to choose from, we just drove right up to the campsite, checked it out and just choose our favourite!

10 Ways to have a wallet-friendly vacation

Summer is here! It's time to travel, see the world and learn so much about this Earth and yourself! So many places to go, so little money though! Let's be real, we're not Paris Hilton and do not have an international hotel chain our dear Grandpops owns and stay at anytime we want. Here's how you can travel and still be kind to your wallet.

1. RESEARCH

It is always important to do your research properly. Do not book the first airline you come across or the first hotel you like. Compare prices across all online platforms and even with the airline/hotel directly because sometimes hotels offer a lower rate as compared to an Online Travel Agent (OTA) and are also flexible with your reservation (i.e. You need to cancel or postpone your trip due to unforeseen circumstances).

Read reviews on Tripadvisor and get feedback from friends who have visited the destination/hotel. The website may look lovely and really posh for the price you're paying, but in actual fact it's all Photoshoped.

2. CREATE A SPECIFIC BUDGET PLAN

I created this budget plan for my own personal use about two years ago when I wanted to keep track of my travel expenses. Being a poor student, every single cent counts. Give yourself a cushion of 10% to fall back on in times of emergency.

3. PLAN EARLY

Planning, NOT booking, in advance is always good. Give it room to be flexible and change. If you intend to embark on a big/expensive trip, plan from 4 months to a year in advance. This gives you enough time to find the right deal, the right destination and also to save for the trip.

4. SAVING

Once you've budgeted the rough estimate of your trip, start saving! I never liked the idea of dipping into your savings account (meant for education/rent/retirement), and created a new bank account solely for my travels.

Once I've settled on an amount, I will take a look at the time frame I have to save and divide it equally by the number of months I have to save.

For example, I will be travelling to New Zealand in October for a 10 day trip. My budget is $2,500 and I started planning (or rather, thinking about it) in January. Thus, I need to save $250 each month for my trip.

Next, ask yourself if the monthly amount is comfortable for you? If it's not, are you able to lower the budget (doing lesser activities or having a shorter trip) or are you able to move the trip to the following months to give you more time to save.

5. BOOKING AT THE RIGHT TIME

There is always a right time for everything. According to travel gurus:

• Book between 6 to 8 weeks in advance to get the best deal on international travel
• Book between 9-12 months in advance if you plan to visit a tourist hotspot during a “peak” holiday period (prime example: New York during Christmas/New Year’s Day)
• Book on a Tuesday or Wednesday at 1am due to airlines reloading their booking systems with the latest low-cost fares

Also be flexible with your travel dates. Try not to travel on the weekends because that’s when tickets can really jump in price.The difference a day or two make can equate to hundreds of dollars.

6. PACKING

Packing light allows you to hand carry your luggages and save money on buying check-in luggage. Budget airlines tend to charge check-in baggage separately. Toiletries tend to be the heaviest in the luggage and I will usually just buy it once I've landed at my destination at the nearest convenience store.

Wear your heaviest clothes to the plane like jackets, shoes and hats that would just weigh down your backpack.Checking in your luggages also increases the chance of your luggage getting delayed or missing too!

7. TRAVEL DURING OFF SEASONS

I always like to travel during off seasons if I can. There's lesser tourists and everything is just cheaper! Of course, there's a reason for it being off seasons. Is the weather rainy? Is it cold? All those factors actually play a big part, and if you're ok with that, you're set to go!

We visited Pulau Redang in March this year. Pulau Redang is usually closed (yes, the entire island) from October to February due to the Monsoon Season and will generally open from March onward. Peak Season is between May - July. When Redang opens once again in March, the island's experiencing the tail end of the rainy Monsoon Season and prices for accommodations are generally low. About 20-30% cheaper, and the accommodation prices usually includes full board meals! We were thankful that it didn't rain at all during our weekend there.

8. STAYING WITH FRIENDS/FAMILY (or you can couch surf)

Why not? It's free!

Always ask for permission before hand and it is always better if you are able to find someone that you're once close to, but have drifted apart. Use this opportunity to catch up and you will even have a local guide in that destination.

Of course you may not have a relative in every country you visit. You can try couch surfing or even hostels. You are able to meet plenty of people from all walks of life, gain new friends and experiences and even share an itinerary together!

9. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Need I say more? Trains and buses are always cheaper than renting a car. You get to immerse in the local sights, sounds and culture and get to travel the way they do! Unless you're in Jeju and renting a car is already very cheap and there are hardly any buses around.

10.SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS

I know in Singapore, we have this Personal Data Protection Act in which consumers love, but I don't. I love signing up for newsletters and receiving junk mail. Of course, I have a separate email account set up specifically for this. Numerous times I've saved 10-20% off accommodation because the newsletters comes with discount codes. In May, our air tickets to Hong Kong was half price because it was 1 for 1! I wouldn't have known if I didn't register for the newsletter!

TIPS: Travelling in Korea

Here are some tips and recommendations about travelling in Korea! You may or may not follow my advice, but I believe this will make your planning and travelling easier!

Booking through 3rd party websites

I am sure some of us may book through 3rd party websites like booking.com or hotels.com. Always email the hotel/hostel with confirmations prior to your departure to ensure they have received your reservations.

Sign up as a member

When booking airfare or making a car rental reservation, sign up as a member first before purchasing your ticket as they offer discounts to members! I received 75% discount for my car rental in Jeju!

Renting of car

I would recommend renting a car in Jeju. There are no trains in Jeju and walking from bus stop to the attraction's entrance will be a very long distance (like 20 mins long). We rented a car for about $160+ for about 36 hours. It is affordable in Jeju, so if you have a driver with you, RENT A CAR! It really saved us a lot of time from waiting for buses and energy. 

International Driving Licences 

If you're renting a car in Jeju, please bring along your International Driving Licences. They will not rent it to you unless you have it. Making one in Singapore is easy, you just have to apply and pay for it online and send in the confirmation together with a passport sized photo.

Ask for English navigation

If you're renting a car, email the company to provide you with English navigation/GPS. It is based on first come first serve basis so you have to reserve it in advance. Most navigation comes complimentary with the car rental.

Bring a light jacket/windbreak along

If you happen to go during the shoulder period when Spring transits into Summer, please bring a light jacket/windbreaker along. Temperatures drop like crazy at night and you want to be prepared.

Language
Most Koreans in Seoul are able to speak a little bit of English, so do not worry. We only faced difficulty in Busan and Jeju and so, we just ordered what we knew like Ramyeon or Jajangmeyon or point at pictures.

Medicine & Hydration

This really shouldn't be a tip, but a necessity for all travelers around the world. I fell terribly sick in Jeju after several nights of Korean BBQ (sore throat) and when I climbed Mt. Hallasan, the cold wind blew against my shirt (drenched in sweat) and I caught a terrible cold! I had very bad flu and fever that evening.

iPhone Subway App

For iPhone users, there's a Korean Subway App for you to download. It has a white train logo with blue background and it's just called Subway. It is really good because it helps you plan your travel route and tells you the fastest or cheapest route to take, what time the train arrives and what time you will arrive at your destination. It has subway maps of the major cities in Korea like Seoul, Busan, Daegu, etc.