Category: Travel

Driving in New Zealand

  1. New Zealanders drive on the left as we do in the UK. This makes the transition very straightforward and driving in the country a pleasure.
  2. Most cars are automatic transmission as in the USA. Despite driving a manual car at home I always enjoy the opportunity to drive an automatic
  3. Most roads, except those around big cities like Auckland and Wellington, are single carriageway. there are frequent passing lanes which are found usually on up hill sections.
  4. Drivers of slow vehicles, such as lorries and camper vans, will move over to let you pass on single carriage way roads where it is safe to do so. There are far less lorries on New Zealand roads compared to there UK or USA and many of the big trucks are logging vehicles.
  5. Outside the big cities traffic is light. The population of New Zealand is only 4.7 million and you really notice this on the roads. Indeed 75% of the population live on the North Island so the South is relatively much quieter, however most of the camper vans are concentrated in the south.
  6. Petrol price is currently around £1.12 a litre though you will pay more in some of the more remote areas.
  7. New Zealand’s roads are incredibly well maintained. There are no pot holes!. If there are road works then that section of road is being actively worked on. There are not mile upon mile of coned off road works. Roads can become closed because of slips/landslides and diversions can add a long detour to your journey. it is always worth checking for road updates before you set off.
  8. Bridges, and there are a lot of them especially in the South Island, are single lane. Signs give priority and this is strictly adhered to. In general drivers are incredibly polite and courteous. I only saw on example of aggressive driving in nearly a month of travelling.
  9. Driving is much slower in New Zealand.  The speed limit outside built up areas may be 100km/hr but this is hard to maintain due to the twisting, turning roads.  In short New Zealand has a lot of bends and corners to slow the driver down. As a result it takes much longer to cover distances than in the UK or USA
  10. Road signage and markings are very similar to the UK. Yellow lines are used in the centre of the road. A solid yellow line means you must not cross, so no overtaking. A dashed yellow line means that a solid yellow restriction is about to start. More details can be found here

Further advice can be found here  

and here

Christchurch

At 4.35am on September 4th 2010 an earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale struck the Canterbury region of New Zealand’s South Island  with an epicentre about 40km from the city of Christchurch. As most people were in bed at the time and the distance from the city meant that there were no fatalaties but there was damage to some buildings in the city.

On February 22nd 2011 at 12.51pm an aftershock of the 2010 quake measuring 6.3 struck 10km from Christchurch. This time the city wasn’t so lucky and 185 people were killed, 115 of them were at the Canterbury Television Building which completely collapsed. Damage, especially in the city centre, was extensive an over 1200 buildings were eventually demolished. The scars can be seen today, seven years on, the city is very much still re-building.

Quake City (299 Durham Street North) tells the story of the 2011 earthquake. Most touching are the video accounts of the survivors, I don’t think anyone can watch this and not be moved.

What particularly strikes me about the city is the desire for rebuilding and survival. After the earthquake something like 10,000 people moved away and left the city yet those that remained  have a steadfast view that the city will remain and regrow. The attitude seems to be in some quarters that if your business was destroyed then re-open as best you can and move on. We can all learn a lot from the citizens of Christchurch.

185 empty chairs is a memorial to those that died in the 2011 earthquake. Created by local artist Peter Majendie it was envisaged as a temporary, unofficial memorial but there are plans now to make it permanent if a location can be found. All the chairs are different, reflecting the different personalities of the victims.

The Cathedral was badly damaged and even seven years on there are no real plans in place for its restoration and it has been occupied by the local pigeon  population. In its place has risen the Cardboard Cathedral. Hopefully a temporary place of worship.

Living in the United Kingdom where there are no tectonic plates coming together and no possibility of earthquakes on this scale it is a sobering experience to visit Christchurch but I am glad we went.The city is gradually rebuilding and the people so warm and welcoming.

The Skyline Gondola

The Skyline Gondola in Queenstown on New Zealand’s South Island is an excellent way to gain a birds eye view of this remarkable town, regarded by some as the countrys adventure capital. You can ride the gondola simply to admire the views or, if you are more adventurous, it can be the gateway to mountain biking trails, paragliding, bungee jumping and negotiating the luge track. There is even a restaurant Just in case you feel hungry or want to dine and watch sunset over Lake Wakatipu.

The ride was opened in 1987 and will take you to a height of 790m above sea level