Feeling the sand between your toes, catching ice cream as it drips down your hand, walking through refreshing rainforests, and exploring our beautiful country.
Gather your family and friends because summer has reached our shores. With warm days and endless evenings,
the time has come for beach trips, café dates, refreshing aperitifs, and meals overflowing with fresh produce.
If a getaway is on the cards, grasp the opportunity to unplug and discover Aotearoa. But before you leave, put in a little prep to ensure fail free excursions this summer. The following travel tips have been provided by seasoned globetrotters to help you do more of what you love while catching as many ice cream drips as you can.
“I think planning is important, but not to the point that you know everything, about everything otherwise you may as well not go.”
Maxilyn, resident at Ryman Healthcare’s William Sanders village.
SKIP THE TRAVEL DRAMA THIS SUMMER
Leave before everybody else
It's true, timing really is everything. Travelling outside peak work, school, and holiday road congestion periods lets you relax and enjoy the trip. The journey becomes part of the adventure when you have time to sightsee. Call into an unexpected gallery or café, pull over for scenery breaks, or enjoy a quiet breakfast at the airport before taking off.
Embrace the unexpected
Be ready to adjust your plans and be spontaneous when the unexpected happens. Better yet, plan for the unexpected! Choose accommodation in a central location and select restaurants and activities as you stumble across them. There will be hits and there will be misses, but each new experience will be an adventure.
“I use packing capsules, particularly for longer trips. You pack the capsules into your suitcases, so you know where everything is. I don’t unpack, even on a ship, I put the capsules straight into the drawer.”
Marie, resident at Ryman Healthcare’s Bert Sutcliffe village.
Pack the kitchen sink!
Luggage is a challenge for all summer travellers whether they fly, drive, or caravan. Surprisingly, Babushka nesting dolls hold the key to packing everything you need. Charging cords tuck perfectly into shoes while underwear and socks seem to be made for the small crevices left in a packed suitcase. When holidaying near water pack swim bags and life jackets into kayaks and chilly bins.
Explore the back roads
Highways get us from A to B, but the back roads are where summer adventures await the bold. Enjoy unexpected scenery around every corner and roadside fresh fruit as you explore.
