Blogger: Marie Barry
New Zealand is such an an exciting country to visit, full of routes and treks that take you off the beaten track, and take you to some beautiful and breathtaking places. In order to make the most of what New Zealand has to offer, and to be truly free and independent, hiring a camper van is the way to go. That’s why we chose to travel with Jucy Josephine, our green and purple friend, which we rented from Jucy van rental.
The particular van we rented was a Jucy Condo, which as the slogan said on the side was ‘perfect for two, great for three and a party for four. For the two of us it really was ideal, and came equipped with a fridge, sink, gas hob, kettle and cooking equipment, and full bedding. We didn’t actually sleep in the van much, as it was was winter time in New Zealand and therefore quite cold. Also, it cost the same to sleep in a hostel as it did to park in a campsite, and the hostels were really quirky and cool, while at the same time a great way to meet other travellers.
Driving in New Zealand was a lot easier than I had anticipated. Firstly they drive on the same side of the road as we do (the left), so that was no problem to get used to. Their roads are very well signposted, and very well maintained. They enforce strict speed limits which encourages everyone to drive carefully, and overall the roads are very quiet and traffic free. What you can expect is lots of interaction anytime you pass a fellow Jucy van on the road, in the form of flashing lights, beeping the horn, and waving vigorously. The first time this happened we didn’t know what was going on and assumed these were some sort of warning signals. It didn’t take us long to get into the swing of it though, and soon we were beeping the horn and waving back like lunatics. It’s all about being part of the Jucy family!
What we loved about Jucy Josephine (we christened her Josephine ourselves), was that we could make food and stop for tea whenever we liked. Generally we got up in the morning and began driving. Then, as we came across somewhere with a nice view, we would stop and make breakfast. Similarly, we could stop anywhere during the day and have a cup of tea, or a snack. We had our fridge constantly stocked with fruit and nibbles, and there were so many lovely places along the way to stop and take a break from driving.
There’s no doubt that driving a camper van is one of the best ways to see New Zealand. There were so many places we visited, and stumbled across as we drove all over the North and South Islands. Having your own transport allows you to be completely independent, and follow your own route, as you explore the amazing country of New Zealand.
