#vanlife in New Zealand: The "Do's" and "Don't's"

You may have heard the phrase “know before you go” more than once before arriving here. Perhaps you’ve also heard that “any fool can learn from his/her mistakes, but the truly wise person learns from the mistakes of others.” Regardless of your past exposure to them, we’re going to reiterate those two phrases to you now by combining them into a list of “do’s and don’t’s” specific to our experience of campervanning in New Zealand. Implicit in this post is the acknowledgement that we did a lot…wrong?...poorly? We did things that could’ve been done better – yes that’s it! So, if you fancy a foray into the New Zealand campervan experience, explore our double D’s and then get yourself on out there and explore some more.

DO…
…pack appropriately. While we trust that you would do this naturally in regards to the types of clothes and supplies you bring, this is more of an advisory on the amount of those things. Sure, this seems like a no-brainer too, but based on our experience, it’s worth stressing adamantly. Maybe if we hadn’t come with the idea of making a permanent move, I (Kelsey) would’ve brought much less – questionable though, I really had a very hard time parting with any shoes. Alas, I (still Kelsey) essentially wore the same 3-4 articles of clothing the entire time (except for underwear – come on, guys!). I definitely only wore 2-3 pairs of shoes most of time. My favorite of these were my Allbirds (like slippers for camping – thanks, brosef!). Otherwise, it was flip flops and hiking shoes. Yet I had a whole suitcase of outfits and shoes on top of the van (in a $500 storage bin deemed necessary because of my poor packing choices) that I maybe opened twice in three months. Avoiding the need for a storage bin altogether will save a lot of last-minute stress, and your partner cursing you for making him set it up… ...

DON’T…
…be bashful. Embrace the help and offers of hospitality whenever offered. Not only will you make better connections with locals, you’ll eat local, homemade meals (like crayfish! And lamb! Lots of lamb - sorry veggies.). Your experience will be incredibly enriched for not being bashful.

DO…
…network ahead of time. We were extremely lucky to be introduced to a local Auckland family who graciously let us store our superfluous luggage whilst campervanning (2 suitcases have since been sent back with our visitors). Further, they have introduced us to some other badass Kiwis, with whom we’ve stayed, drank, and hosted since.

DON’T…
…talk to strangers. PSYCH! You’re not a vulnerable, helpless child anymore. Talk to people everywhere you go. You’ll learn a lot about the area, get local tips, and make new friends along the way. We met other Coloradoans living in NZ, an amazing couple who ended up sheltering us for 3 weeks after the Kaikoura earthquake, and a couple with whom we later ended up staying in Dunedin (the gentleman ended up being in the top 3 for the Young New Zealander of the Year Award - who knew?!).

DO…
…buy a diesel vehicle. We chose to purchase a van (Bethell) that ran on petrol and spent a small fortune on refueling costs. While New Zealand does charge a road-usage tax on diesel vehicles (you can simply go to a post office and buy credits in the form of “kilometers”), you’ll still have saved money by going this route. And yes, I did say BUY (we used Trademe.co.nz; essentially Kiwis’ version of Craigslist). Sure, renting is less responsibility, but it’s also lost money. Even if you only need a van for a couple weeks, you might be pleasantly surprised how in-demand campervans are in New Zealand. Case in point: we sold Bethell in less than 18 hours – for MORE than we bought her (again, on Trademe). If you have the time and flexibility to search for a vehicle to buy, you could come out of the whole “vacation”* experience much closer to ‘even’ than ‘in the hole.’

(*Vacation is in quotes because a lot of the time, campervanning DOES NOT feel like a vacation. Unless you’re a very specific type of person - if you know me, I am NOT that person. I mention this to highlight the need for realistic expectations. It is CHALLENGING, but also, very worth it.)

DON’T…
…dismiss a self-contained campervan just because it costs more. “Self-contained” (SC) basically means your van has a toilet unit, a fresh water tank, and a waste or ‘grey’ water tank, and allows you to “freedom camp” almost anywhere you can find in an environmentally friendly way. We bought an “NSC” (non-self-contained) van, and aside from those environmental ramifications, it created a lot of extra work in the form of PATIENT research to discover appropriate places to stay without incurring a fine.

DO…
…use both of the popular mobile apps CamperMate and Rankers’ Camping NZ to help you find places to camp. CamperMate’s locations are more often than not added by other users and the app will uncover some super-sweet clandestine spots (especially for those of you who wind up being NSC). Ranker’s cooperates more closely with local councils and governments, but tends to push you toward non-freedom camping locations where you don’t risk a fine (in the form of cheesy holiday parks). Also important to note here: have the patience to read user-reviews; they are invaluable when trying to find amazing spots to camp for the night.

DON’T…
…rely on butane canisters. In fact, steer clear of anything that requires their use. Get yourself a cooking set-up that uses an LPG (liquid petroleum gas) tank and includes parts that can provide some protection from the wind. Overall, it’s more cost-effective, better for the environment, and reduces cooking and boiling times. To get a visual comparison of what we’re talking about, check this out.

DO…
…come in the spring before the summer holiday kicks off; fuel prices are exceptionally lower, and you’ll be able to see some tourist sites without all the tourists! Case in point: we spent a spring night in the Cathedral Cove parking lot WITHOUT a SC vehicle, and experienced the cove’s famous beach without the masses. We later visited the same spot with some visiting friends over the New Year holiday, and to avoid parking several kilometers away from the lot and being shuttled into the site at a cost of $10pp, we had to beat the crowd by getting up super early…WOOF!

DON’T…
…assign inescapable duties. Instead, share them and switch them up often. For example, if you can’t both drive manual transmission vehicles, DON’T get a manual transmission vehicle. You might think that you can simply balance one person’s responsibility of driving with the other’s responsibility for another task, say navigating. But it would be better to give yourself the option of sharing these responsibilities back and forth. This allows you to experience the journey from a shared (even empathetic) point of view. It prevents encounters with the mundane and avoids the risk of resenting having to do the same thing day in and day out.

DO…
…enjoy the local Kiwi wines New Zealand is most notably known for (Sauvignon Blancs and Pinot Noirs). More appropriately to this post however, DO make sure you buy boxed red wine –it’s easy to pack, and there’s no need to keep it cold. If you’re a ‘wino’ like myself (Kelsey), this piece of advice will prove invaluable. ;-)

DON’T…
…be too proud or rigid to treat yourself to respites in holiday parks, hostels, or Airbnb’s. Especially if you’re in it for the long-haul, the opportunity for a recharge, warm shower and/or private bathroom is worth it. In fact, if you’re planning to spend any over-nights in the capital city of Wellington, you might have to anyway.

We hope this was at least somewhat helpful as you plan your #vanlifenz adventure - now go make your own mistakes! ;-)