It is surprisingly easy to derive meaning from a job.

A job provides bookends for our day. A job gives our days structure, it provides us with a beginning, a middle and an end.

We can look back after a long days work and feel a sense of pride and accomplishment, knowing that we merely survived or that we made a positive impact in somebody else s’ day.

Parenting can provide a similar form of structure.

With newborn babies it is more difficult but as infants grow beyond endless feeding, changing, playing, pooping, napping, bedtime, feeding, crying etc. etc…  To morning afternoon evening and night, with feeding, playing, napping, feeding, wiping, playing, feeding collapse rinse and repeat.

Watching our children thrive is where we can derive some sense of accomplishment.

Both are jobs with bosses, and sometimes having a boss isn’t as bad as it seems. Even if it is a 4 month old in diapers.

Structure Without Boarders

However monotonous it may seem; home, a job, church, gym, school, grocery shopping, community or social engagements… These things can provide more than just security, they deliver a sense of meaning and accomplishment that once removed can be difficult to replace.

When we left for Dubai airport on our way to South Africa three months ago I had a grand plan for how my days would unfold.

As with most things, this has proven to be an idealists’ dream.

The dream:

1. Write in the morning as my wife and children joyfully self-actualized their desire for homeschooling.
2. Spend our days traveling in the early mornings and mid to late afternoon, tramping through cities, discovering new foods, meeting new people, experiencing new cultures.
3. Enjoy dinner together as a family, lay our heads to rest together at night, satisfied from our day on the road looking forward to tomorrows adventure.

This paints such a pretty picture doesn’t it? Looking at this list now I can’t help but say “did you really think it would go down like this?” Yes I did, call me an optimist, plus that’s what all the family travel blogs said would happen 🙂 .

I like to hold onto this dream and believe that it will happen, if I just wait patiently enough.

The reality:

  1. My wife and daughter have had difficulty finding a roadschooling routine through no fault of their own. With constant travel and a nomadic lifestyle comes the grind of packing up and moving every 2-3 days. Check out times are early, bedtimes are often late and it is difficult to develop a consistent morning routine.
  2. Planning takes up a lot of our time. Finding an affordable holiday park or hostel for a family of 4 is complicated, sometimes stressful, costly and can be a time suck. Not to mention, pricing out and planning transportation, excursions, developing itineraries and grocery shopping for meals for 4.
  3. Kids like routine. I notice the worst days for my daughter are the days we arrive at a new place, even if she loves it, the constant transition and change has been tough on her, and it makes me sad when she is frustrated.
  4. Any picture I had of waking up, pouring a cup of coffee and taking in the fresh morning air with inspiration pouring through my fingers and into my Lenovo keyboard is gone. Writing has been difficult and curating content online even more so. Internet speeds are horrible, data caps are ubiquitous, doing research for articles can be almost impossible, and when you are crammed into a small place with 4 people with different agendas… Well you can see my point.

Boarders to Entry

  • While trying to do “everything” I am afraid I have done nothing well, and I often feel like a failure.
  • On our medical trip to Haiti last year I felt something come alive inside me, I have tried to replicate this through travel and it worked at the beginning, as we travel more I feel self indulgent and am burdened by the need to give back more, I am not sure how to solve this yet, especially as a family… but my wheels are spinning.
  • I continue to struggle with a poor self-image. This holds me back, but I am working on it.

Purpose and Meaning

One of the best parts of travel is that if you open your eyes wide enough, you will realize just how nice you have it. I am so thankful for this, thankful for every moment of time, thankful to have this opportunity while my kids (and I) are young.

Life is precious and I live a blessed life.

The greatest challenge in my life has been to find a sense of meaning and purpose, as well as belonging. I feel closest to this when I am surrounded by family and friends, or when I am involved heads down in a new project, especially one that helps others.

Taking a year off from my “normal life” and developing a consistent, meaningful routine on the road has been difficult.

What does this mean? I don’t know, but I am confident that out here somewhere there is an answer.

Nelson shares the title of the sunniest place in New Zealand and is also the geographical center… Welcome to the middle of Middle Earth!

Nelson offers fabulous outdoor activities such as swimming and a fun park at Tahunanui Beach a great place for a picnic or to enjoy the beach cafe there.

A visit to the Founders Historic Park – a “living” museum with an adventure playground is well worth the time.

Nelson has a very quaint and easy to navigate downtown, wonderful craft beer, a nice biking/walking trail right in the center of the city near the iSite. The “one ring” in the Lord of the Rings was created here in Nelson.

If you are lucky you may get to visit the Saturday market which is considered one of the best in the country. Not only all the fresh locally grown produce and products but many artists and craftspeople display their wares and crafts.

Top Things to do in Nelson with Kids

  1. Hike to the Center of New Zealand: A short hike that begins right in the middle of the city and will take you atop a mountain to the center of New Zealand. It is a mildly steep grade but short enough to be enjoyed by the entire family.
  2. Take a beer tour – In Nelson there is even a brewery in an old converted church. This way you can ask God’s forgiveness for bringing your kids to a bar while you enjoy a local craft beer!
  3. Go to Tahunanui Beach and the fun park
  4. Visit the Saturday Market if you can
  5. Take a bike ride down a bit of “The great wine trail
  6. Visit the World of Wearable Art and Classic Cars
  7. Play at the skate park

Also, as a runner I found Nelson a wonderful place for a trail run. Follow the river for miles through rolling hills, mountains and grazing cattle!

Where to Stay with Kids in Nelson

There are several holiday parks in the region but we opted for an apartment instead.

We stayed at the Nikau appartments which gave us a full kitchen, bathroom and 2 bedrooms for the same price as it would have been to stay in the communal hostel.

The only downside that I see with apartment rentals is that it is easier to isolate yourself. But sometimes, for parents and kids alike, it can be nice to take a break and have a place to call “home” for a few days as you explore a city.

The Nikau apartments have a college dorm room feel but are still very nice for a short stay.

It took 1.5 hours and I had finally made it.

There I stood amid the ice laden glacial field at the endpoint of the famous Hooker Valley trek. Then suddenly, I heard what sounded like a bomb exploding.

Looking up, I spotted the sound, it was an avalanche at 11,000 feet.

It was here that an unstable cornice finally gave way, creating a remarkable spectacle of falling ice amid a plume of mist and rock that is beyond description.

I sat there for another 5 minutes taking it all in:

The frigid NZ air, the landscape, the grey/blue turquoise water, the dark muddy ledge of the retreating glacier.

For the first time in my life I felt the pulse of a living, breathing mountain; and it stole my heart.

New Zealand has resonated with me in a way I haven’t felt since the first day I walked into Red Square as an undergraduate at the University of Washington.

The view of Mount Rainier behind Drumheller fountain is breathtaking.

At this moment, standing at the base of Mount Cook, feeling tiny amid these geographical giants I felt a sense of home and a great sense of peace.

Walking back to the car I was greeted by my kids who were jumping up and down with excitement. They were yelling so loud I could hear them as far as the base of the first swing bridge.

I was delighted when they said they wanted to hike back out to the bridge with me.

I bundled them up in jackets and gloves and we headed back to the trail this time, holding hands.  We climbed to the first lookout point and then took turns jumping up and down on the suspension bridge.

How can I put into words how this makes a father feel? These are the moments that I call living.

Luca-and-Layla-720

I am sitting here now a day later writing from the water’s edge of Lake Tekapo. It is such a deep blue, as if God himself dropped his Aqua Marine Crayola Marker into the Southern edge.

I feel so lucky to be here, so grateful to have the opportunity to visit New Zealand… sad that we must go in just 9 days.

But as we all know, joy comes from the brevity of such beauty.

It took half a day for Mount Cook to reveal its summit, hidden behind the clouds I had no idea I was walking below such a great mountain.

This is a metaphor for life, and quite possibly a metaphor for this trip.

Cheers!

Are you a holiday park virgin?

Don’t worry my fellow New Zealand vacationers consider me your virtual pimp, here to take you on a journey to the end of this blog post.

And if you make it to the end, you will be a full-fledged holiday park whore!

OK, that may be a bit dramatic, but you get the point.

While in Bali and prior to laying foot on New Zealand we were told by many friendly New Zealand vacationers that even though New Zealand accommodations were  expensive, our family would be able to find very nice and affordable accommodations in “holiday parks”.

As an American, the term “holiday park” confused me. It conjured up images of both a Thomas Kinkade painting or scenes from The Blaire Witch Project. Both, are equally frightening.

When I would ask locals for a straightforward explanation as to what a holiday park actually was, I received varied responses, or confused looks.

So What is a Holiday Park and what are they like in New Zealand?

Numerous campgrounds of very high standard are found throughout New Zealand.

The term “campground” itself is a very loose term, they can be a very basic (grass and a couple powered sites) to full-fledged resorts.

They can be privately owned or public. In New Zealand public campgrounds are called “DOC” campgrounds, which stands for Department of Conservation.

DOC campgrounds are often more basic and limited to tents or campervan sites. If a DOC site does have a cabin it is most likely in one of the designated trekking regions such as Abel Tasman National Park.

Almost all campgrounds offer full kitchen facilities, BBQ areas, TV lounges as well as washing machines and dryers.

Along with this, most parks also have indoor facilities described often as “cabins”.

Kiwi Holiday Park in Bay of Islands:

There are usually three types of cabins.

  1. Kitchen Cabins – A cabin with a kitchen and shared bathroom.
  2. Standard Cabins – Just beds, no bathroom and no kitchen.
  3. Ensuite Cabins – Typically means a private bathroom and kitchen. Although not necessarily a kitchen so you are going to have to ask.

Cabins also come in different sizes.

Standard cabins often only have beds for two. If this is the case, most facilities will offer family cabins. You have to ask.

Many also have motel units which can also be called “tourist flats”

Almost all “holiday parks” or “campervan parks” will provide:

  1. Toilet and shower complex
  2. Laundry facilities
  3. Dump stations for the motor homes
  4. Internet facilities and NON COMPLIMENTARY WiFi – The WiFi will usually have a data cap which is very annoying.
  5. Recreation and lounge areas
  6. Playgrounds for children

Many also have

  1. Swimming pools
  2. Jumping Pillows (You have to see it to believe it)
  3. Trampoline
  4. Spa
  5. Thermal Pools!

Booking online is a complete and utter waste of time in the off-season. The websites will not represent actual availability and you will be amazed by what options are available when you actually pick up the phone and call.

Kiwi Holiday Park in Ahipara:

Prices

  1. Tenting site cost is about $10 per night.
  2. Powered site is around $40.
  3. Cabins vary greatly in price but are usually from $50 for a standard cabin all the way up to $95 for a full size ensuite cabin for a family.
  4. Motel units on the campervan park are around $100 – $150 US per night.

Holiday Park Chains

From our experience there are 3 Holiday Park Chains you should know about.

  1. Kiwi Parks: “Kiwi Holiday Parks are in prime locations and have a variety of accommodation options .  Of course we’ve got great camping sites but you can also choose from basic to deluxe cabins, a range of motel options and self-contained units that can provide for the whole tribe.”
  2. Top 10 Holiday Parks: “All TOP 10 Holiday Parks offer great accommodation options – all you have to do is choose. You can stay in wonderful motels or self-contained units in park-like surroundings. We have a range of cabins to suit every budget. Or if you just want to experience the freedom of camping and re-discover those great childhood memories in a campervan or tent – we have many superb powered and unpowered sites.”
  3. Family Holiday Park:  “At over 120 unique destinations across OZ + NZ”.

Holiday Park Discount Cards

Each of these holiday parks offers their own discount card which will give you roughly 10% off per booking.

  • The Kiwi card allows you to buy a short-term card at a reduced rate which will last for 3 months.
  • Your Top 10 card: Save 10% up to $40 per Stay at TOP 10 Parks Valid for 2 years.
  • The Family Holiday Park card is good for 6 months.

The top 10 card was $50 and  Kiwi and Family Holiday Park cards were about $25.

You can cover this with the cost of your first booking as you can use the 10% off. So very often the card will pay for itself which means it doesn’t matter if you use it only once. Make sure to ask about this the very first time you book so you don’t miss out and then end up kicking yourself later down the road.

Discount cards are valid in both NZ and Australia. Top 10 is known as Big 4 Holiday Parks in OZ.

Top 10 Holiday Park Waitomo (Near the Glowworm Caves):

Bedding

In order to stay at a Holiday Park you are often going to have to provide your own bedding unless you are staying at a tourist flat or motel unit.

The park will provide bottom sheets and pillows.

Parks will rent bedding for $7-$8 per day per person which defeats the purpose of staying at the holiday park in the fist place.

We found a very cheap way to solve the problem of bedding. We purchased all our bedding at a second-hand store. Look for Hospice and Salvation Army. These are the big chain stores. We spent about $30 on bedding to cover the entire family and lasted us for 40 days!

Kitchenware

In a basic cabin without a kitchen, even though the kitchen is public, you will have to bring all your own kitchenware. If you book the kitchen or ensuite rooms kitchenware and cookware will be provided for you. Often you will also be provided with complimentary coffee, tea and sugar as well as an electric kettle to heat you water.

The best apps for finding holiday parks:

We have found one app on our phone to be particularly helpful and again the name is self-explanatory:

  1. Wait for it…. yes it is called Holiday Parks they also have a great website
  2. Also consider the less useful Jasons App
  3. Campee they also have a great website
  4. Australia: Experience Caravanning and camping: They also have a good website

Campfires and Smores

Very sad for most Americans I know, you are going to be hard-pressed to find a place for a campfire. We came across only one on our trip around all of New Zealand.

Overall Impression and Final Thoughts

I have been impressed by the cleanliness of shower and toilet blocks and the comprehensive facility on offer at all our Holiday Park stays.

Campgrounds are often in scenic locations and the management is always happy to assist with information on local attractions and sightseeing.

It is recommended to book ahead especially during the New Zealand school holidays in December and January to ensure a powered site.

If you are booking cabins, kitchen cabins or hotel accommodations at the holiday park you better book well in advance during busy season or on weekends.

For anyone looking for more than just a motel room, holiday parks provide a much better option with more of an outdoor environment.

There is quite a lot more on offer than just an old campground with rustic facilities.

After having traveled throughout the country using holiday parks we have found it extremely rare to find one that is not top quality for cleanliness and service!

One year together on the road, traveling in a small car or crowded public transport, 24/7 with your kids, staying in tiny rooms, sharing beds…

Does this sound like a dream come true?

If not, then don’t start planing your family gap year adventure just yet.

Three months into our trip, we have definitely started to work better as a family. That being said, we have had our ups and downs.

And as much as I like to paint a picture of happy times and endless fun and adventure, this is impossible. Whether at home or on an around the world adventure with your family not every moment can be picture perfect.

Several weeks ago, I noticed we were having more petty arguments. This culminated in an outpouring of blame and resentment that left all parties feeling hurt, misunderstood and unappreciated.

So how do we eliminate anger, fighting and hurt feelings while growing stronger as a family?

7 Guidelines for Eliminating “The Same Old Fights”

I have copied these 7 guidelines from a book I have been reading by Wayne Dyer:  [easyazon_link asin=”0380730472″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gapyearfamily-20″ add_to_cart=”no” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” popups=”default”]What Do You Really Want for Your Children?[/easyazon_link]

I have taken time the last week to implement these principles.

  • What if you eliminate anger from your life?
  • From your children’s life?

1. Virtually all fights revolve around the absurd thought, “If only you were more like me, then I wouldn’t have to be upset.”

This is an erroneous assumption about the people in your world. People—including your spouse, your children, your parents, or anyone else—will never be the way you want them to be. When you find yourself upset with someone else, you are really saying to yourself, “If only you were thinking the way I am thinking right now, then I wouldn’t have to be so upset.” Or “Why can’t you do things the way I want them to be done?” Once you eliminate this notion that others ought to be the way you want them to be, and you accept them (not approve, simply accept) for what they are, then you will not be able to be seduced into fighting with them. Why would you ever fight someone for being what you would expect him or her to be? People are not going to be different simply because you would like it to be that way. If you curtail your expectations for others, and stop evaluating your own personal happiness on the basis of what others are doing, thinking, saying, or feeling, then you will find it almost impossible to fight with anyone. While you may want to put a stop to anyone stepping on you, and teach your children to do the same, you will find it unnecessary to get upset just because other people choose to be the way they are.

2. You get treated in life the way you teach people to treat you.

You must teach this basic lesson to your children and accept it yourself as a guiding principle. Your willingness to participate in family fights comes from within you. You have other choices, and you must stop blaming others for the way you get treated and instead look within. Your children must also learn that the way they get treated by everyone is a result of what they are willing to tolerate. If you feel that people dump on you, and treat you in an inconsiderate manner, rather than blaming them, you might ask yourself, “How did I teach them to treat me in this manner?” Instead of being mad at others for the way they behave toward you, remind yourself that if you do not want to be victimized, then you must stop playing victim. Resolve to stop sending signals which teach others to treat you in a way that you must resolve by fighting.

3. Behavior, rather than words, is the greatest teacher of all.

You can talk until you are blue in the face, and you generally will get nothing accomplished except to be upset and further frustrated. If you want to teach someone in your family to put her clothes away, devise behavioral rather than verbal cues. Once you have discussed the matter, and you have discovered that your words are ineffective, then practice new methods. Toss the clothes next to the washing machine, leave them lying where they were dropped, or simply stop washing clothes that are not in the hamper. Do anything but have another long discussion about learning responsibility, which either gets ignored immediately or results in another family fight. Behavior, not words! You can stop conversation after the evidence is in that the child is not listening, and then resolve to teach with actions. Once you teach someone with behavior that you will not tolerate being abused, you will see the abusive behavior subside. But if you continue to talk about it endlessly, you will not only keep having the same old fights, but you will be teaching children that they can talk or argue their way out of being responsible. You want children to learn no-limit behaviors, rather than how to avoid being a responsible person. Your behavior is the most effective teaching technique you have.

4. People are more important than things.

If you keep this principle in mind, you will end a lot of the same old fights, since so many of them revolve around objects and money. No thing in this world is more important than a person. When you fight about furniture, drapes, cars, money, clothes, dishes, garbage, and so on, you are elevating those things to positions of prominence over people. No “thing” is worth fighting about. People’s happiness is what living is all about. When you see the emphasis being shifted to things, and the result being that people are becoming unhappy, you can resolve to not let this happen. Stop yourself when this things-over-people mentality crops up. If others want to do it, fine—you will not be able to stop them by fighting about it. But you can refuse to allow any thing in this world to be the source of your own unhappiness, and when you model this attitude for your family members, you will find them getting the message as well. Imagine yourself screaming at a little child for scratching an object. Imagine the foolishness of becoming irrational over a lost toy. Think about the absurdity of beating your child over a torn piece of fabric. These are things. They can be replaced. But a child’s inner pain, his realization that his feelings are less important than a toy, his own lack of integrity at being treated lower than an object—these cannot be replaced quite so neatly as a lost toy. People count; things do not! Do not be surprised if your little ones start beating up on each other if they are recipients of such behavior themselves. As I noted earlier, physically abused children almost always treat their children (and other people as well) abusively, particularly when the abuse they received was the result of making things and objects more important than human beings. While you do not have to endorse destructive behavior, you also do not have to become immobilized when you find others treating objects in ways that you do not like. Keep in mind that the only thing that matters in life is life itself. You cannot get love from a thing. You cannot caress an object and get anything in return. And while you want to enjoy things, and to teach respect for nice things, remember that objects are valueless without people to give them meaning.

5. Perhaps the most neurotic pursuit of all is the desire to have those who love you understand you all the time.

You, once again, are unique in all the world. What that means is that no one could possibly understand you all the time, because to do so would mean that the other person would have to become you. When you find people not understanding you, instead of senselessly chasing after “being understood,” you are much better off to say to yourself, “They don’t understand me and they probably never will, and that’s okay since it really doesn’t reflect anything about me.” Once you stop expecting people to understand you all the time, then you will be purchasing a ticket to the sidelines when the same old fights begin to surface. The greatest understanding that you can have is that you do not understand each other, and that it is all right. Children live in their own worlds. They occupy their own unique bodies. They live in a space far different from yours. You cannot understand why they do the crazy things they do—and, believe it or not, they see you as “weirder” than you see them. Accepting the fact that you do not understand each other is a great place to start in building a fight-free environment. Let them be unique instead of like you. Allow them to be “weird,” rather than struggling every day with trying to understand and be understood. Why would anyone who is unique in all the world expect someone else who is equally unique to understand her all the time? And why should you have to surrender your uniqueness by demanding to be understood, simply because you are the parent or spouse? Once you accept the fact that you will never be understood all the time then you will also stop all of the hurt that goes with the insane demand for mutual understanding on every issue in life. More than half of the fights which center on the notion that “You don’t understand me” will disappear. You will be teaching children to stop trying to be understood all the time themselves, and to get on with understanding themselves, which is enough of a life’s mission all by itself.

6. Self-confident people seldom participate in the same old fights.

When you are at peace with yourself and you love your self, it is virtually impossible for you to do things to yourself that are destructive. You want to treat the people you love with love, not hate, and you must be one of those people that you love, and that goes double for your children. I have devoted all of Chapter 2 to discussing the importance of a child learning to love himself. Having fights is a sure way to reduce that self-love. Why would someone who loves himself do anything to hurt the self he loves? Fighting is destructive and hurtful. If you think of yourself as an important person, you will not allow yourself to become overweight, addicted to foreign substances, plagued with guilt or worry, or wracked with the pain of regular fighting. Self-love means treating oneself lovingly. If you show others that you love yourself, and that as a result you are going to treat yourself with respect, you will find that they will not be surprised when you simply refuse to go along with their attempts to lure you into fighting. They will soon realize that you think too much of yourself to be filling your precious life moments with agony as a result of fighting, when it is simply a waste of time and the only payoff is distress. Show your children that you respect yourself too much to be reduced to screaming, fighting, or even rage. You will be giving them an important message about yourself, as well as giving them an example to live by: an example of a peaceful person rather than someone who can be bought and sold emotionally by the whims and inconsideration of others.

7. All participation in family fights is a choice.

No one can make you fight if you refuse to go along. When you are embroiled in the same old fight, you must remember that you put yourself there, and that you have the ability to avoid this stressful activity. It is very, very difficult to fight with a rational person. By staying rational you reduce the opportunity for fighting, and consequently for being upset as well. When you find yourself in a fight and you dislike being there, remember the message that you are modeling for your children: “You don’t have control over yourself.” They will learn this neurotic message. They will simply blame someone else for starting a fight because they have parents who also believe the same nonsense. If you practice maintaining your composure, and remember that someone else’s behavior belongs to that person and cannot upset you unless you allow it to do so, then you will not become an unwilling target. When your “opponents” see that you are plainly uninterested in joining them in their neurotic pursuit of fighting, and that you refuse to choose an upsetting experience, then you will be out of the fight game with all of these sparring mates in your life. Everything is a choice, and avoiding senseless fights is an excellent thing to practice if you want more serenity for yourself.

Start Today

If you genuinely want to eliminate the fight scene in your home, you must come to a decision yourself. Yes, yourself!

It does not involve waiting for the children to change.

It does not mean waiting for your spouse to come around to your point of view.

It means making a decision that fighting is going to be a thing of the past. It means making a vow that you are not going to continue to raise your children in an atmosphere of violence, be it verbal or physical violence.

It means committing yourself to giving your children the opportunity to be free from anger and rage, from the sores that ultimately infect them from overexposure to fighting and war.

We landed in Auckland after 31 days of travel in Bali and a bit of a Visa mishap.

Excited to escape the heat and set foot on New Zealand for the very first time, Auckland proved sublime!

After 24 hours we were ready to call it our new home.

What to do in Auckland with Kids

1. Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium

Kelly Tarlton’s rocks!

It was my daughters 7’th birthday and when we gave her the list of available activities in Auckland this was her very first pick, and the best part? Admission free on your birthday! We applauded our daughters fine decision making.

Once you pay the entry fee (you can get 10% off in any of the city brochures so pick one up) you are welcomed into a world of rotating ice then a display of penguins that blew my mind.

I must preface this by saying I was a Zoology major in college and have been traveling with two small children for some time so I consider myself an aficionado… These penguins were something else.

Photos will not do these penguins justice so you will just have to believe me and when you are in Auckland go see them for yourself.

After the penguins you will enter a world of big tanks, big fish, a circular underwater “people moving” observatory (similar to what they now have in San Francisco) and a great place to grab some grub which overlooks Auckland City at sea level.

All of this adds up to make Kelly Tarlton’s a must do activity in my list of things to do with kids in Auckland.

2. Take a Ferry Ride

There are two main ferry rides in Auckland that people will recommend for day trips. (see timetable)

  1. Devonport
  2. Waiheke

After discussing our sailing options with a friendly local at the ferry terminal the night before we chose Devonport for its small size and cheaper price.  Also, I heard it was the hometown of New Zealand born Lorde, both my daughter and I thought this was cool because we like to rock out to “Royals”.

Devonport is everything the brochures say it i:  It is quaint, has some nice shops, a fun playground next to the ferry terminal for the kids and a nice short hike up Mt. Victoria (that the kids complained about) where we “ice skated”,  rested and ate some lunch.

3. The Auckland Museum

We did go to the Auckland Museum and it does have a great kids section on the bottom floor where there are tons of hands on specimens for the kids to get excited about. The Mauri exhibits and the volcanic displays were amazing.

The Museum resides in a picture perfect park, that is great for a picnic lunch, we even took a short hike through the gardens.

I am not sold that this is a “must see” in Auckland, and after having been to Te Papa in Wellington, the Auckland museum isn’t nearly as kid friendly. That being said, if it is a rainy day and you are looking for a fairly inexpensive indoor activity that is educational with your kids, the museum should be on the top of your list.

4. Walk the City

Auckalnd is a great city just to be in. It has a fun vibe, lots of activity and great street musicians. People are friendly and you can walk kitty-corner across very busy streets, very cool!

A walk down Queen Street is worth it at any time of day or night, veer left to explore the University and nearby park, veer right and explore more shops, hip restaurants, and Auckland’s music and theater scene.

Not too loud, not too quite, very clean and full of activity, Auckland is just a great city to be in! Our kids thought so too.

A Note on The “Seattle Like” Sky Tower

Since I lived in Seattle and have spent way too much money at least twice to go up the Space Needle we did not pay to take a ride up the Auckland Sky Tower. But, we did enjoy the sunset view from the base, the purple lights and a tramp around the Sky Tower Mall.

I am sure it is a great view from up top, but it is expensive and I think your kids will probably forget about it after a couple of days.

Where to Stay in Auckland

City Oaks Serviced Apartments

There are probably as many accommodations in Auckland as there are itineraries, but my wife found a self catering apartment complex right downtown that was spectacular.

It was less than $120 NZ per night for a 2 bedroom complex with laundry, free WiFi, a full kitchen and downtown location. We booked early and got a great deal through Agoda. so start there.

Wellington New Zealand is a wonderful place for kids.

Why?

Because it has more free activities than any other place in New Zealand!

I would liken Wellington to the Washington DC of New Zealand, for its abundance of free museums that are spectacular for kids.

It is also easily navigated by foot (or in our case “scooterable”) which makes it a fun city to explore.

What to do in Wellington with Kids

1. Te Papa

Every guide-book says it, and I didn’t really believe that it could be that great after going to the Auckland Museum and being a bit disappointed. But Te Papa, as its name would suggest, is the granddaddy of all museums.

Every floor is designed to be a treasure trove for kids, walk about 5 minutes and you will come across a kids activity center. Go to the art gallery and they even have a special super sleuth game designed to get your kids excited  about art.

Kids naturally want to learn and it does my heart well to see a museum designed to build upon this innate love for learning.

If Te Papa is the only thing you do in New Zealand with your family  you won’t be missing much as it truly is spectacular.

2. The Cable Car

The following day after we visited Te Papa we went back into town to find the cable car and visit the botanical gardens.

We were met by  70 mph winds and some rain, but surprisingly our kids didn’t seem to mind.

We found the cable car entrance (thank you trusty Google Maps) and we took the cable car up for about $13 US. The best part is, you can get a one way ticket and walk, or again in our case scooter, all the way back down to the start.

The gardens are free and there is an amazing playground with a flying fox. Takes about 30-45 minutes to make it down the back of the mountain and the trail ends right back in the city where you started.

This was a half day adventure in my book (at least when it is windy and rainy) but it was a lot of fun and totally worth the effort.

3. Mount Victoria Lookout

We didn’t mean to go the lookout, our car just headed up there while discovering the city and driving the coastal route.

The road is awesome, straight up the mountain and narrow with two-way traffic! You will wonder several times if you are going the right way but this is what makes it fun.

The view from the top on a sunny day is amazing and is worth the drive up. Our kids liked it, we drove down and then followed this up with a trip to Te Papa to make a day out of it.

4. The Weta

The Weta Workshop was another accidental find, somewhere in our readings I heard that Peter Jackson had a production company in Wellington where they did the special effects for the Lord of the Rings. As a movie and effects buff this sounded like fun for the entire family.

Once again, I heard the workshop was FREE,  I couldn’t believe it so I had to see it.

We took a half day before the cable car ride to go to the Weta Workshop. They showed a 30 minute feature film showing how they do movie effects, it was gross and a bit violent, the kids loved it. Then we paid the $40 to take the 45 minute workshop tour.

They have the real props from some of the best movies of all time, your tour guide will be one of the Weta artists and after you leave you will be thinking about a change of professions.

It was super cool, and super fun, and I would do it again.

The best part: The Hobbit Trolls!

Where to Stay With Kids in Wellington

We stayed in the Wellington Top 10 Holiday Park outside of the city, it wasn’t bad, but if I were to do it again I would recommend staying in the city if you can.

The kitchen cabin in the Top 10 was lackluster (despite an awesome jumping pillow) and it looked a bit like a prison cell.  I thought it was a bit overpriced at $120 NZ per night. That being said, most Wellington accommodations will be in th range of $160 for families.

Lonely Planet Travel with Children recommend The Carillon which is about  this price range, looks nice if it is within your budget.

Raglan Family Travel Quick Tips:

Stay at Raglan Kopua Holiday Park or Solscape (tepee themed rooms), rent a board from The Raglan Surf Emporium (very nice guys), get free WiFi from the quaint local library and grab some food from the local bakeries.

The surf spot is about a 10 minute drive up the road, just enter “Manu Bay” into Google Maps and it will take you there.  There is a beginners spot on the drive to Manu Bay that is good for those looking to learn on the whitewater but not much else.

The two surf spots just past Manu Bay are for advanced surfers only. The surf works best at medium tide and has a very strong rip at low tide.

Raglan with Kids

Raglan New Zealand is a wonderfully cute and hospitable town perfect for families with small children.

We went there for Manu Bay and to find (and hopefully surf) the longest left hand break in the world.

What we found was a wonderful holiday park, with a skate park, playground and a short walk to the postcard-perfect city.

We hired a surfboard for about $19 US per day and hit the surf.

We stayed in Raglan for 3 nights but wanted to stay for 3 weeks.

Mid-week in the off-season we had the place to ourselves. We were there for the Labor Day Weekend so it was amazing to watch how this changed in the matter of a couple hours.

We stayed at the Raglan Kopua Holiday Park which is just perfect for kids.

Other accommodation options (especially if you are looking to surf) is Solscape.

They have Tepee rooms and train themed accommodations which would probably make this a big win for families and kids, but it is a car ride away from the city.

That being said, I think the skate park and running space of the Kiwi Park still makes this a better choice for families with children.

Make sure to stop by the local library, grab a brew from any of the pubs, hit the second-hand stores for some extra bedding and just walk around.

You will love Raglan and it is one of our best stops so far.

I am writing this post because safari’s in South Africa are a big reason most people go to South Africa and this was a huge source of confusion for us while planning our trip.

Adding two small children to the mix makes this seem even more difficult as many safari’s will not take children younger than 6, sometimes older, on safari tours.

I am going to simplify this for you.

Booking a safari in South Africa with kids is not nearly as confusing as it may seem.

Self Drive Addo Elephant Park

There are two types of safari’s in South Africa:

  1. Those offered by private game reserves
  2. Game reserves that are owned and operated by the National Park System.

They are both on large areas of land that are usually surrounded by an electric fence.

The private game reserves are of varying sizes and the Nationally owned parks like Kruger or Hluhluwe-iMolozi are huge land masses.

Most National South African game reserves offer you the option of paying an admission (entrance) fee and then simply self driving the game reserve in your private vehicle.

Contrary to popular belief you do not have to have a big car to self-drive a safari, we did it in a Chevy Spark.

If you want there are various companies that you can pay to take you on a “safari drive” through the National Park. This is advantageous as the guides are experts at spotting game and  are very knowledgeable.

The important thing to note is that not all private companies offering tours on the National game reserves will take small children, but this does not mean that small children cannot enter the park, as I mentioned above you can self drive the park just fine.

You will still see a lot of animals on a self drive adventure through the park, and you can save a lot of money by doing this on your own.

A budget safari, therefore, would involve a paid entrance fee into one of the public National Game Reserves and a self drive tour in your own vehicle. 

The four big parks on a drive up the coast of S. Africa (in this order) are Addo Elephant National Park , Hluhluwe-iMolozi National Park the much less publicized St. Lucia wetland park  and the very famous Kruger

Kruger park is not a Malaria free park and thus more difficult with small children who cannot take malaria prophylaxis.

You do not need to pay a lot of money for accommodations in the park!

Avoca River CabinsThis was a huge source of confusion for us.

Often, when you visit the park websites, read information on a particular safari, or read Lonely Planet for that matter, they all make it sound like the only way to visit a park is to stay at the park. But this is not the case.

I will say it again for emphasis: You do not have to stay on the park to do a Safari at the park! All of these parks have lovely accommodations very nearby that are cheap, easy to book on the off-season, close to the park and have tons of amenities. This is my favorite.

You can read about more where we stayed on my posts covering Hluhluwe-iMolozi Park, the Addo Elephant Park and the St. Lucia iSimangaliso Wetland Parka. These were all wonderful safari’s that were cheap and had well priced accommodations outside of the game reserves.

Private Game Reserves that Take Small Children

There are so many private game reserves and most are quite expensive.

That being said, we did find one private game reserve (Schotia Safari’s) that is very close to The Addo Elephant park that takes small children, has a wonderful family friendly atmosphere and promises you will see the big cats. They have a great half day Safari that we would have done had we not been rained out.

Summary and Recommendations for Budget Safari’s with Kids

Here are some summary points if you are trying to plan your family safari trip to South Africa. 

  • You don’t have to spend a lot of money to enjoy an African safari with your family, although a lot of the advertising and literature will make it seem that way.
  • There are two type of game reserves, private and National game reserves, if you want to save money go for the public National game reserves.
  • If you are driving up the coast go to Addo Elephant Park for sure, you can self drive this, just go to the entrance and drive in through the gate. If you are continuing up the coast I would recommend staying in St. Lucia to see the hippos and then self drive or book a tour from St. Lucia with Heritage Tours to the Hluhluwe-iMolozi Park.  While you are there in St. Lucia book a day to self drive iSimangaliso Wetland Park and drive down to the beach.
  • You do not need to stay at a hotel on any of the National game parks. Book outside the park to save money.
  • Avoid the private game reserves as they are very expensive (unless you are independently wealthy then have at it). If you do chose a private game reserve I would choose the very family and kid friendly Schotia Safari’s.

You can do all of this for very little money, it will give your kids (and you) a wonderful safari experience and if you make it out of bed early enough you might even see some lions.

I have no affiliation with any of these game parks, but I do believe this is a good summary of recommendations for most families with small children. If you have any recommendations please leave a comment down below.

Happy travels!

– Stephen

View Google Map stay at Stokkiesdraai (good budget accommodation)

St. Lucia beaches headstandIf you’re wondering if St Lucia is worth the stop over,  don’t think twice.

It’s South Africa’s first national heritage site for the wetlands,  the best viewing site for hippo’s in the world, it sports an amazing wildlife and wetland sanctuary that rivals all other S. Africa safari parks, has beaches, snorkeling and a quaint downtown. Next to Cape Town, St. Lucia was my favorite stop on our South African adventure.

St. Lucia is a great jumping off point and home-base for a safari at Hluhluww-iMolozi Park, a self drive or tour through iSimangalizo Wetland park to see spectacular wildlife and even a snorkeling trip on the far north end of the park.

Beach and leopards in one day, is it too good to be true?

It might be, because you will have to get up pretty early if you want to see any of the big cats.

St Lucia is s a quaint tourist town with ample B&B’s, self catering apartments and backpacker lodges.  They also have plenty of shops, and local art to buy.

Supposedly the hippos roam the streets of St. Lucia at night although as the designated night hippo watch person I have yet to see one.   We have 3 nights left here so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

We booked with Heritage Tours and Safaris for both the wetland Hippo boat tour and the safari through Hluhluww-iMolozi Park.

Heritage Tours is a good company, with a  wonderful website and knowledgeable guides.

I was a bit disappointed though that through all my emails and phone calls stressing about booking our Safari they failed to mention we could easily book all our tours in their main office right in the middle of St Lucia.  This of course,  is what I would recommend you do.

If you do chose to book online be forewarned that Heritage Tours has a stiff cancellation policy and quite a complicated email system for booking their tours.   They would not allow me to book over the phone with a credit card, so as I mentioned above, simply wait until you arrive in St. Lucia to book  your tours.

As the sun sets out our window, St. Lucia offers a beautiful African sunset.  So nice to be here in person and not looking at it in a magazine.

A note on eating with small children in St. Lucia

There are several restaurants on the main strip that offer free childcare and playgrounds within the restaurant to entertain your children while you sip wine and plan the next day.

These are all over Africa so keep your eyes peeled. The kids love it and it is a great way to relax and unwind for everyone. They will even paint their faces for FREE!