Hey you guys, Pheobe here from Little Grey Box with Matt behind the camera
Are you planning a trip to New Zealand this winter?
(Music)
Home to stunning mountains
beautiful coastline, great food and lovely locals, New Zealand is the perfect
destination for your next winter adventure. Here are a few things we think
you really need to know before you go
New Zealand is located around 2,000
kilometres east of Australia. It comprises two main landmasses the North
and South Islands, the capital city is Wellington and it's home to a population
of around 4.7 million people.
One really important thing to keep in mind is you
absolutely will need travel insurance you guys and if you are planning on
visiting any of those snow fields like we like to do you're going to want to
make sure that your travel insurance specifically covers you for any days on
the snow if you think that's a little far-fetched think again Laker fractured
three of his ribs on our recent trip you guys so it can happen even just by
accident even just a simple fall on the snow fields could result in injury so
make sure you are appropriately covered and if you don't have the right
insurance get it
Now public transport in the major cities
is fantastic if you're in spots like Wellington or Auckland you can
definitely use the public transport systems to get around but if you are
thinking about travelling long distances you're going to probably need to hire a
vehicle if you are particularly interested in snow a four-wheel drive
might be your best bet. We were trying to visit this ski field once and there had
been so much snow dumped overnight that two-wheel drives weren't permitted up,
the bus was booked solid and we couldn't get up the mountain. So just keep that in
mind especially if you're visiting in peak snow season
Snow chains are a fantastic investment. It gives you peace of mind when you're driving around
especially in those wintry conditions where there's lots of snow being dumped
and in certain situations, they must be fitted. Be prepared, know how to put them
on and make sure you've got them with you
If you are thinking about buying
your alcohol from the supermarket just be aware you will need your
passport to do so, not your driver's license. One other thing guys is that you
can't buy hard liquor from the supermarket so if you do want a bottle
of whiskey for example you're going to need to go to a designated bottle shop
Now most of your accommodation spots in New Zealand are going to have some kind
of laundry service and that's because they're quite aware that we all go up to
the snow fields we come back we're all mushy and stinky and we need to get our
clothes clean. So pack lighter only pack those outfits you'll know you'll really
wear and rely on those accommodation washing facilities to get your clothes
clean or the next time you need them
In some small towns you might randomly hear
like an air alert kind of siren going off Matt and I heard it we panicked we
thought it was about to be an earthquake we didn't know what to do it's just a
way to notify volunteers in the village that there is some kind of emergency
be it a fire or something similar and while you should be alert if you hear it
there's no need to be alarmed it doesn't mean the apocalypse is starting and you
need to arm yourself with a bat and something to kill zombies with
When I want to go to the beach in Australia I've gotta think are there crocodiles in this area?
Are there sharks? Are there sea snakes? Yeah those are a thing
In New Zealand, that's snot a thing you have to worry about. No bears, no sharks
No significant predators just your fellow humans
Make sure if you are driving in New Zealand you guys
that you understand the road rules and you are really really
careful especially in winter Black ice is a real thing and it's very very
dangerous if you aren't used to those driving conditions. My advice would be
that you find some other YouTube videos that are dedicated to road driving tips
while you're in New Zealand so you know what to expect
If you're doing a road trip
and you're thinking about your drive times make sure you allow a little
bit of extra time everywhere you go because New Zealand is stunning
the landscape is beautiful, the Southern Alps are incredible there's so many spots
that you're going to want to stop and take photos
We made a really silly rookie mistake
we had glass bottles full of water we
were there in the dead of winter we left them in the car overnight we woke up the
next morning there was this lump of frozen water with jagged bits of glass
sticking out of it everywhere it was horrifying and
absolute nightmare to try and clean up so you don't want to be leaving your
electronics like your laptops and your cameras and that really cold car
overnight you guys things can and will break
You're gonna come across single
lane bridges you guys and you need to know how to tackle them so you will see
on the sign next to the bridge a big black arrow pointing in one direction
and a small red arrow pointing in the other and that will indicate whether or
not you have right-of-way if you are going in the direction that the small
red arrow is facing you are required to give way if you're unsure ask your car
rental company so that you know what the road rules are and you know how to
handle it when you see it
Customs in New Zealand are no joke so when you arrive
and as you're on the plane they will hand out the customs forms for you to
fill out and it is incredibly important that you answer them honestly and that
you don't try to bring anything into the country that you shouldn't that is
specifically around the things like food any wood items any dirty clothes shoes
with mud or anything like that in them answer your forms correctly declare if
you're unsure and ask questions
Be sure to try and make friends with the locals
ask for local food tips ask for their recommendations on things you should see
and do and you might just make a new friends in the process
As your planning your budget and thinking about how much you might spend while you're in
New Zealand one thing to keep in mind is that fuel is quite expensive you guys so
just factor that in and allow enough money in your budget
In our experience
the Wi-Fi in New Zealand isn't always easily accessible and it isn't the best
Wi-Fi we've ever had so if you do run your business online like Matt and I do
and you feel that you need access to good quality Wi-Fi just be prepared that
it might be a little bit patchy and a little bit hard to come by
The people of New Zealand are really environmentally conscious and it's important that you
respect that as a visitor don't leave any rubbish behind don't litter and I
always think it's a good idea if you do see rubbish just to pick it up and put
it in the bin and be the change you want to see in the world
When you're packing
for your New Zealand winter trip we always encourage you to pack on the
light side but I would recommend making sure that you have some really good quality
winter gear especially a good pair of thermal underwear
you want to make sure that you've got a pair of shoes that are going to hold up
to the snow when it melts so something waterproof or water-resistant and
something that the wind can't just rip through I've worn my Converse
high-tops a few times they aren't appropriate they are way too cold but
something like my Doc Martin boots or my Salomon sneakers which are water
resistant they are much better suited and I always find two pairs of shoes is more than enough
Now English is the official language in New Zealand but
Maori is also widely spoken
There are a few local... colloquial ... slang phrases that
you're going to need to learn
Jandals, those are your flip-flops Your chilly bin, that's your esky or cooler
they have some other really great phrases you'll hear a lot like
'sweet as' that just means like cool yep that's good
'chur bro', chur bro, I really like that one that's
thank you like thanks man thanks bro thanks a lot... playa!
No that... not the player bit
Kumara is sweet potato and you'll hear the term Kiwi a lot and
there are three different Kiwis the people the bird the fruit so make sure
you're using the right Kiwi in the right way
And of course it's really important
that you are respectful of the Maori people and the local Maori culture if
you get the opportunity you should absolutely do some activities that allow
you to experience it I did an amazing experience where you go to a cultural
performance and there's some traditional dancing there is an incredible haka
which just rips through your soul and it's followed by a Hungi which is a
traditional meal of the Maori people and it was awesome such a great experience
but make sure you're being a good person and a good traveler and you are
respecting the local indigenous culture
Alright you guys that is it from us
I really hope you enjoyed this video now if you don't already be sure to
subscribe and say kia ora in the comments below have a great weekend and I will
see you, next week...
love ya!