Check out Wanaka, Mount Aspiring National Park and try a hike to the Kitchener Valley (a tough hike, though only a day). Also, if you can, try the Welcome Flat walk on the West Coast, it has great hotpools at the end.

Also bike around the lake in Queenstown, Glenorchy and Paradise are beautiful (or at least used to be).

Accomodation will be tough in Queenstown. If you get sick of it, stay in Wanaka. It's what Queenstown used to be.

Don't bother going to Invercargill/Bluff, it is hell on earth. But the surrounding areas are beautiful, especially Lake Hauroko and Manapouri. Catlins are kind of overrated, but they have shitloads of sea lions.

Christchurch, Dunedin and Kaikoura aren't really worth visiting. They're dumps. Cities in NZ are all ugly apart from Auckland.

I would host you but I'm living with parents so can't. You could probably get a job in Wanaka if you ask for Roger North at the lakefront Kai Whaka Pai cafe and ask. He's a good guy, if a typical arrogant boss. You can play that though.

>>656013

Oh yeah and the Abel Tasman National Park is beautiful. Almost tropical. Best beaches in the country by far, especially Anchroage/Torrent Bay.

Moreover if you're cycling North go via the West Coast. It might rain (a lot) but it is by far the most beautiful part of the country. Bring mosquito repellent. What it looked like before colonisation mostly.

And if you are leaving your bike anywhere in national parks, hide it somewhere in the bush (but never go out of sight of the trail). Thieves operate in national parks. They don't mug, but will steal your bike in the middle of the night if you go on a hike.

Sorry for the number of replies lel.

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>>656036
>>656037
>>656042
>>656043

Thanks for all your input friend? do you live in wanaka? maybe ill atleast pop in and say hi, are you old enough for me to buy you a drink at a pub atleast?

Im not sure if ill be able to get employment since i wont be travelling on a visa.

I was planning on heading up the west coast and youve sort of cemented that for me so cheers!

I cant really go on hikes cus i have to have my bike on me 24/7, no way i risk losing that, and yeah dont worry i have an extended tent, so the bike will stay dry locked up in the porch... pic related

Don't get rekt by the sun OP. You are an Englishman going in mid summer to a place with worse UV than Australia.

If you somehow end up comming though Palmerston north, I'd love to shout you a round

>>656057
Different n\Anon, but if you're coming through Hokitika bump the thread and I'll shout you a beer.

>>656276
>>656287

you guys are both pretty much on my planned route but probably wont be getting to hokitika until late feb and palmerston till march, by which time the thread will probably be dead.

I'm just gunna risk dropping my facebook on here cus /out/ is probably trustworthy enough 'conor.bates'. Just add me and ill give you a heads up nearer the time.

OP here, whats the water like in NZ, both from tap and stream, anything i need to worry/know about?

>>656013
what's your bike m8?

>>657333
3 3s, nice.

Its a dawes clubman, atleast the frame is, every other part i think ive replaced since ive got it. Using shimano 105 now, and about to get a surly long haul trucker fork since it has a carbon one at the minute.

>>656938
Tap water's all good, it's fluoridated which is a non-issue for me but it migth be for you

>>656938
Dont drink from streams or rivers unless you sterilise of boil it first.

>>657526
Whut?
Some of the big rivers or near population centres I'd avoid. Here on the West Coast I've never had a problem drinking from a creek.

That said, there may be bugs I'm used to that you're not, so ymmv.

>>656343
I sent you a message lad

>>656036
>Cities in NZ are all ugly apart from Auckland.
I live in Auckland and it is the most incredibly boring city in the country unless you love Asain karaoke bars. There isn't anything to do because it is just the central business/financial city of the country, there is no culture here. Go to Wellington instead, it's got a better nightlife and actually has unique stuff to do. Wellington is to San Fransisco what Auckland is to Atlanta.

>>656013
anyone know what a haro nyquist 2 is worth?

>>656166
>worse UV than Australia

Really? Why is that? Less ozone?

>>657677

DoC always warns of upstream wildlife excretia contamination. Giardia can give you explosive diarrhea so boil first, duh

>>659241

Thanks to the rest of the world's CFCs, NZ copped the biggest ozone hole in the world during the 80s

>>659944
Animals have been crapping in those creeks for as long as Maoris have been drinking out of them.
>Just avoid the ones the German backpackers have been pissing in.