South Island Trip

shannon wrote: There is the AA book that you can get if your a member which has alot of the info, if your not a member we are and i can pick one up and post it for you if you want

oh thanks so much for offering, i would love it if you could! as long as its no trouble....will PM you my addy.

thanks heaps for the suggestions everyone, there are a lot of things to think about.

thanks C&J i hadnt thought about school holidays yet....have looked at the campervan relocations and theres not much on at the moment. but there are some cheap as flights through jetstar to christchurch! and campavan hire looks about $1000 or so depending on how long for.

will have a talk with DH tonight methinks and see if we cant put it off for a couple more weeks!

Ok so are you wanting to stay in Christchurch at all?

Id probably reccomend something like this:

Saturday 27th March - Christchurch
Stay at the Holiday Inn Central City (great location) and then just have a wonder around the shops and all that on the Saturday (was going to suggest the Gondola but I wouldnt bother Id do it in Queenstown instead WAY better there)
Saturday night, go out for tea (heaps of funky places to choose from) then go into SOL Square for a drink, maybe over to the Casino for a look have great bands etc playing

Sunday: Go to the Arts Centre in town for a look around and you HAVE to get a Costers Suvalarki from there - AMAZING. Lots to see and do in the City but really dont know on your budget.

Monday: Go to Akaroa (about an hour) - what an amazing beautiful place especially if your on your honeymoon. Id get a house from http://www.akaroarentalhomes.co.nz/fastpage/fpengine.php/templateid/1 seems to be cheaper than motels and a lot nicer etc because its bigger.
Id suggest 2 nights in Akaroa.
Totally have fish n chips one night for tea there - they are brillant there!

Wednesday: Drive back from Akaroa to Christchurch stay in Christchurch at Hotel So (just remembered that place its nice and CHEAP as)

Thursday: Drive to Hanmer Springs (about 1.5 hour) they have hot pools there which are awesome! You will love it! Really Alpiney there great for walks and stuff - its lovely. Again get a holiday house there (www.hanmerholidayhomes.co.nz) and that way you can save some money by getting food from the supermarket for lunches and teas etc. Stay there maybe 2 nights as well.

Saturday: Drive back from Hanmer, stay at Hotel So again in Christchurch

Sunday: I would try and get flights from Christchurch to Queenstown (you can get some really cheap ones for $29 each way at the moment) otherwise its like a 7 hour drive! And you wont really need a car in Queenstown at all so I would highly suggest doing that!

If not you would probably need the rest of the week just going to Queenstown because its a whole day driving there and then driving back, plus a couple of days to get over the driving if that makes sense.

So look into flying and if thats an option come back to me and I'll give you some options for the other days when you fly back here!

Exciting times!

thanks for the ideas guys!

have got a rough plan now (Depends on my aunty)

but we are going to take our own car now and take the ferry. surprisingly enough its going to work out cheaper that way then to fly and hire a car!! and i did want to do the ferry trip (hoping teh weather will be nice!)

so will be in the SI on the 28th, look around picton / blenheim and then drive to kaikoura and stay the night. 29th drive to christchurch and stay the night.

30th drive to my aunty's place and hopefully use her place as a base for about a week - shes going camping at mt cook so im hoping we can look after her house while shes away as im not so keen on camping! will be freezing! and DH doesnt want to stay in a tent or anything. so from there we can do day trips up to the lakes, down to wanaka/arrowtown and down to dunedin and stay a night there.

then back up to christchurch and to picton back on the ferry and stay with DH's mate in wellys for a night then go to tauranga and use our voucher for 2 nights at their motel & spa voucher that DH's aunt gave us for a wedding gift and then home!

hopefully that all works out!

Awesome!

In Kaikoura I HIGHLY suggest staying at Aspen Court - we stayed there after reading the reviews on trrip adviser and it was awesome.

Such a great price $130 for 5 star luxery! Get the spa shower room - it is awesome!