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Backpacking New
Zealand
Backpacking around New Zealand offers a huge variety
of sights and experiences to delight even the most seasoned of traveler.
New Zealand, with its rugged terrain, wondrous landscapes, breathtaking
beauty and friendly people is a destination in and of itself - or
as a perfect companion to those taking in Australia as well. Certainly
if you’re heading ‘Down Under’ you’d be
well advised to take in both countries as they both offer something
different from each other, but backpacking New Zealand on its own
is certainly enough. |
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Getting to New Zealand
There aren’t too many options available
to you when it comes to arriving in New Zealand. Being about 2000km
from nearest neighbour Australia, the vast majority of people
end up flying into Auckland
International Airport by one of a handful of airlines that
fly into New Zealand.
Because of tight controls to protect both fauna
and flora, customs requirements for passengers bringing foodstuffs
and similar items into New Zealand are tightly controlled and
taken very seriously. Think very carefully about what you might
inadvertently be bringing into the country and make sure that
you declare anything that you think might be suspect. You’ll
be given a declaration card on the aircraft before you arrive
in the country to fill out and sign. Read it carefully and answer
the questions honestly. If you think that you might have foodstuffs
or other material that might be prohibited there are amnesty bins
located in the terminal (before you get to the customs area) where
you can dump these items without question or liability.
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Such is the importance
the New Zealand authorities place on protecting their environment
that in days gone by (and not so long ago), passengers who arrived
in New Zealand were required to remain seated in the plane after
landing while masked agricultural officers boarded the aircraft
and proceeded to spray the passengers and cabin with insecticide.
You might want to consider that these days the cabins are either
sprayed in-flight or with a residual 8-week spray. This is generally
required for all aircraft heading to NZ and Australia and is at
the insistence of both governments. The main ingredient in the
spray is Phenothrin at a concentration of about 2 percent, so
it’s something to bear in mind just in case – the
airlines certainly do not go out of their way to inform you of
the process.
If you have recently been backpacking in any areas where your clothing
is likely to have become soiled (e.g. if you have been on a farm
or camping), then you will need to declare this so your clothing
can be examined for seeds or insects. New Zealanders take their
environment seriously and so should you, so make sure you declare
anything that you think might be a problem.
Transport from Auckland International Airport to the city centre
is frequent and varied. The airport is about 20km from the city
but you’d be advised not to take a taxi, especially during
peak times or if it is raining, as the traffic can be horrendous
– and so will be your taxi fare. Other options are shuttle
buses and hotel or hostel vans if you have a reservation with
a particular place. There is no rail network out to the airport.
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