Topic: What is it like over there?

[Inigo Montoya]

I don't know how many of you have been to the US. Do you have any comparisons?
What is your weather like on the islands year round?
I have been wanting to make a trip there but know nothing about the country. Online sites help but I would rather have it from people living there. Seems more personal.
How about riding? Good roads? Speed limits?

[Hasenkopf]

it sucks.....been raining all week,    they never fix the roads,  but the scenery in the mountains is ok.....

[Inigo Montoya]

Until you mentioned mountains, I thought you were talking about where I am at now!

[scunny]

this is a generalisation due to the effects of microclimates in some areas.
the North Island is warmer for most of the year but is also wetter.
the south island is colder in winter but can be very hot in summer thru autumn. being a small land mass we can have all 4 seasons in one day. being biased I think the south has better riding due to having a mountain range running the lenght of it giving us 4 mountain passes east to west. the fishing is good and the beer is cold.

[Inigo Montoya]

See that is what I am talking about. Most sites say the north is warmer than the south island with more snow in the south.
As for better riding, do you mean better scenery? What are speed limits and enforcement like? I ask as in the US, our interstate where I live is 75 mph so about 120-130isk kph. many of our highways are 65 mph so about 110 kph.

[Magpie]

Vancouver Island is paradise, good roads, great weather, nice people, vintage bikes. This is the Island you were talking about isn't it? 
Web cams at http://www.bigwavedave.ca/webcams.php
Cheers,
Cliff.

[Retro Rocket]

Most sites say the north is warmer than the south island with more snow in the south.

And that is correct, there is very little snow on the north island,mountain tops only usually.
I have traveled over a fair bit of the north island and it is excellent country for riding in, the south island has more mountain roads than the north ,  i would love to tour round either island on a bike. My preference would be the north island as its warmer {spoiled Aussie here.. }. I can't speak for the south but the roads in the North island are pretty good, roads are well marked and in far better condition than Aussie country roads. I really enjoy my holidays in NZ and try and go every couple of years, my wifes family live in the centre of the north island in the lakes district and there is plenty of good countryside to ride or drive through there.

Mick

[seaweb11]

Vancouver Island is paradise, good roads, great weather, nice people, vintage bikes. This is the Island you were talking about isn't it? 
Web cams at http://www.bigwavedave.ca/webcams.php
Cheers,
Cliff.

Shameless Island post.

[Radam]

I went to the south island in Aug of 2009. I loved it! My wife (gf at the time) and I rented a camper van and drove around the south island. We even went skydiving over Fox Glacier. Hopefully we'll be moving to either Nelson or Christchurch in Oct.

[Skunk Stripe]

I had been looking into the napier or rotorua areas myself. I wonder which island costs more as far as living expenses?

[Retro Rocket]

I had been looking into the napier or rotorua areas myself. I wonder which island costs more as far as living expenses?

Most of my Kiwi relo's live in and around Rotarua , my wife was born there, its a beautiful place and central in the North island making it easy to get to most places of interest in under a couple of hours. Also got family in Napier, another great spot , it is also the home of our esteemed member Hush...

Mick