I found a great website today called NewZealand.com with all sorts of information useful to the visitor and resident alike.
One of the most helpful tools I found here was the Travel Time & Distance Calculator.
Our holiday rental is going to be an apartment at the base of Mt. Maunganui (in the BoP) and we had discussed taking the Interisland Ferry to visit the South Island for a day. In my head, I'm thinking Maui-sized driving. We've done a lot of that.
So when I looked at the Travel Time & Distance Calculator, I quickly saw that a "day trip" to the South Island from the BoP isn't possible! It takes over 7 hours to drive from Mt. Maunganui to Wellington (where the Interisland ferry departs from).
I had no idea it would be that long of a drive. Certainly not Maui-sized driving!
We definitely won't be taking the Interisland Ferry this visit...much too far from our home base this time!
It does make me feel better though. I had secretly been wondering if I could live on an "island" nation. When we drive around Maui I sometimes wonder what it would be like to live somewhere that you could essentially visit everything in one day. Not that you could see or experience everything in one day. But just the smallness of an island...would that make me feel closed in?
New Zealand is much bigger than I pictured in my mind, and knowing I could drive for 7 hours and not be in the middle of the ocean made me happy. There is so much to see, experience, & explore and it's not all just a short drive away!
One of the most helpful tools I found here was the Travel Time & Distance Calculator.
Our holiday rental is going to be an apartment at the base of Mt. Maunganui (in the BoP) and we had discussed taking the Interisland Ferry to visit the South Island for a day. In my head, I'm thinking Maui-sized driving. We've done a lot of that.
So when I looked at the Travel Time & Distance Calculator, I quickly saw that a "day trip" to the South Island from the BoP isn't possible! It takes over 7 hours to drive from Mt. Maunganui to Wellington (where the Interisland ferry departs from).
I had no idea it would be that long of a drive. Certainly not Maui-sized driving!
We definitely won't be taking the Interisland Ferry this visit...much too far from our home base this time!
It does make me feel better though. I had secretly been wondering if I could live on an "island" nation. When we drive around Maui I sometimes wonder what it would be like to live somewhere that you could essentially visit everything in one day. Not that you could see or experience everything in one day. But just the smallness of an island...would that make me feel closed in?
New Zealand is much bigger than I pictured in my mind, and knowing I could drive for 7 hours and not be in the middle of the ocean made me happy. There is so much to see, experience, & explore and it's not all just a short drive away!
Tauranga Harbour Time
I had the same thoughts when I visited Kauai - which is teeeeny. I don't think I could live somewhere quite as small as Kauai, but New Zealand strikes me as a whole different ballgame. I think you could be there for years and years and still feel that there was more to see and explore. I feel that way about England and that's certainly a small island!
ReplyDeleteIn any event I am just so excited for you guys and this journey that you're about to have!!!
Hello, I stumbled across this blog while searching for something on Google. I just want to say that, as a Kiwi myself, it is extremely interesting to read about New Zealand from the perspective of someone who isn't from around here.
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