Happy Camping in New Zealand By Debbie Bowman

"Hey kids - we're in New Zealand," I said for at least the tenth time. "We know Mom," sighed the kids.  "Haven't you mentioned it a million times?" Maybe, but I couldn't help reminding myself and the rest of the family that we were actually in the land of Middle Earth and Narnia. We were adventuring in New Zealand, home to penguins, kiwi birds and alpine parrots. Months before, I wouldn't have imagined we would be able to afford a trip to New Zealand.  I thought the flight itself would be unbearably long and complicated.  And wouldn't the cost of transportation, accommodation and food be prohibitively expensive? Nevertheless, we always wanted to see New Zealand, so one day I did a little research. I was surprised to learn that New Zealand was closer than I thought  - closer in travel time and closer to our budget. For starters, I found that it now takes less time to travel to New Zealand.  That's because Air New Zealand recently introduced direct flights between Vancouver and Auckland, New Zealand's largest city.  Previously, Canadians had to stop first in San Francisco or Los Angeles - making the trip at least eighteen hours.  Now it takes around thirteen hours. Secondly, the Canadian dollar goes further in New Zealand as the exchange rate is in our favor.  Specifically, at the time of writing this article, the Canadian dollar is worth approximately $1.35 in New Zealand.   And to make shopping in New Zealand even better, there are no additional taxes added to the price of goods or food.  There was one thing, however, that sealed the deal for us.  We found that we could save a lot of money by traveling around in an RV.  Actually, in New Zealand they're called campervans, and they're extremely popular.  New Zealanders and tourists often choose the campervan alternative because they're more affordable then the total cost of renting a car, staying in hotels and eating in restaurants. By renting a campervan, you are renting  your transportation as well as your accommodation.  And since the campervans include a kitchen, you not only save money by buying your own groceries, but you also have the freedom to eat wherever and whenever you want.  Dinner on the beach anyone? The campervans are also easy on fuel as they're diesel powered.  Surprisingly, we found that moving our portable hotel room throughout New Zealand was no more expensive than driving our gas powered sedan around our hometown.  There are many companies to choose from when booking your campervan, and several styles as well.  Some campervans are the North American variety with bathrooms and spacious living areas.  But you'll also find cute vans, almost the size of a normal vehicle, with sleeping room for up to four and cooking facilities. As the campervans are so popular, there are many places throughout New Zealand where you can camp for the night.  Holiday parks are numerous and offer the most amenities, but they're also the most expensive, at around $10 to $15 per person.  Alternatively, the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC) has many campsites located throughout the North and South islands.  They range from free to an average of $4 to $5 per person.  Driving through New Zealand we found it to be a paradise for adventurous individuals of any budget.  There are plenty of activities from which to chose, from taking an aerial tour in a hot air balloon to visiting the free Hot Pools Beach where you can sit in the natural thermal waters alongside the crashing waves.  And there are activities to match every personality - from bungee jumping to bird watching. Throughout our travels, we were always amazed at the friendliness of the locals - both the human and wild variety.  New Zealanders will go out of their way to assist you in venturing throughout their wonderful country.  And, unlike New Zealand's closest neighbor, Australia, there are no dangerous critters - so you don't have to worry about poisonous snakes or nasty bugs when hiking around.  Instead, we were blessed with the company of baby seals who wanted to play with us, penguins who waddled right by, playful dolphins who enjoyed the bow wave of the ferry, and alpine parrots who fed out of our hands.  Towards the end or our trip, and to the relief of my kids, I eventually stopped reminding everyone where we were.  Instead, I just pinched myself from time to time and focused on our next adventure in the land under Down Under.  You can view flight schedules, prices and book flights on Air New Zealand's easy to use website - www.airnewzealand.com Popular campervan rental agencies: Britz - www.britz.com Maui - www.maui.co.nz Backpacker - www.backpackercampervans.co.nz Tui - www.tuicampers.co.nz Kea - www.keacampers.com Apollo - www.apollocamper.co.nz Juicy Rentals - www.jucy.co.nz Gateway - www.motorhomehire.co.nz Review the insurance policy before you complete your rental contract. Most credit cards do not cover the insurance for recreational vehicles so you will need to purchase an additional insurance policy.  Your renal provider will inform you of your choices and the costs. Make sure you are well educated on the New Zealand driving rules before you venture out.  Rules of the road can be found at www.motorhomehire.co.nz/driving.htm. Travel between the main North and South islands is provided by two ferry companies: Interislander Ferries - www.interislander.co.nz Bluebridge Ferries - www.bluebridge.co.nz You can learn about the many exciting things to see and do by visiting Tourism New Zealand's website - www.nz.com. Bio - Debbie Bowman is a freelance writer based out of Vancouver who just returned from five weeks of traveling through the North and South islands of New Zealand with her husband and two children.