Bucket List trip to New Zealand

2. Roads are generally good and signage is excellent. Traffic is light by our standards except in major cities which, come to think, consists only of Auckland, Wellington and maybe Christchurch.

Although this is true, when planning driving it's worth remembering that it's difficult to do sustained high speeds in many places. NZ has had a major advertising campaign this summer on the theme that "NZ roads are different" and that you have to allow extra time. This is not because the roads are bad - as robbie21 says, they are not - but because simple geography and land use means that they are often hilly or bendy, or that road works mean delays because there are no alternatives to alternate single-lane working, or because you just have to stop for the sheep in the road.

although this is true, when planning driving it's worth remembering that it's difficult to do sustained high speeds in many places. Nz has had a major advertising campaign this summer on the theme that "nz roads are different" and that you have to allow extra time. This is not because the roads are bad - as robbie21 says, they are not - but because simple geography and land use means that they are often hilly or bendy, or that road works mean delays because there are no alternatives to alternate single-lane working, or because you just have to stop for the sheep in the road.

 

yes!

Although this is true, when planning driving it's worth remembering that it's difficult to do sustained high speeds in many places. NZ has had a major advertising campaign this summer on the theme that "NZ roads are different" and that you have to allow extra time. This is not because the roads are bad - as robbie21 says, they are not - but because simple geography and land use means that they are often hilly or bendy, or that road works mean delays because there are no alternatives to alternate single-lane working, or because you just have to stop for the sheep in the road.

 

Yes roads in NZ may be "bendy" and there are not a lot of 4 lane divided highways. Much like rural England, the Cotswold's, Alberta or Montana or Idaho - including the possibility of sheep (or cattle) on the road.:D

 

 

For me, the remarkable thing about most NZ roads was the absence of any traffic at all - Sometimes we went an hour or more without even seeing another vehicle. For perspective, South Island had roughly one million inhabitants and is about the same size as New York State which has a population of around 20 million. People are scarce in NZ. There are, of course, more sheep than people;).

 

Robbie

Yes roads in NZ may be "bendy" and there are not a lot of 4 lane divided highways. Much like rural England, the Cotswold's, Alberta or Montana or Idaho - including the possibility of sheep (or cattle) on the road.:D

 

 

For me, the remarkable thing about most NZ roads was the absence of any traffic at all - Sometimes we went an hour or more without even seeing another vehicle. For perspective, South Island had roughly one million inhabitants and is about the same size as New York State which has a population of around 20 million. People are scarce in NZ. There are, of course, more sheep than people;).

 

Robbie

 

This makes me even more excited about going! We experienced the same thing in the Yukon (minus the sheep), where we didn't even need to pull off the road to take pictures. Stopping in the middle was fine because there was no traffic, just beautiful country and wide open empty space. But, I am excited about the sheep! :D:D

We toured around the North Island with Carnival a couple of years ago and then the South Island, also with Carnival. We have booked a Sydney to Auckland cruise for next year where we have Picton as a new port for us that covers both islands. We will then have a 11-12 ish day land holiday after this cruise where we are spending 2 nights in Auckland, 3 nights in the Bay of Islands area, two nights in Hamilton, two nights in Napier (via Lake Tapou), then two nights in Wellington. Then I think I have to come home for work.