Hi
I'm gonna be on the 6nt/7day chc to chc on 13FEB. I'm 25 and live in Melbourne Australia. Any one else booked on this yet?? I'll be arriving on 10Feb and heading up to Kaikoura before Contiki to do a Whale Watching cruise and possibly a dolphin swim cruise. Would love to hear from anyone going on the same contiki.
Carmen

Heya Carmen,
I'm booked on that tour. Still have to sort out the rest of the holiday, book flights, etc. I've got family on the North Island to visit and probably do that first. Never been to the South Island and looking forward to it.

Whale watching and swimming with dolphins - both fun. Swimming with the dolphins is a pretty amazing experience. I did that in WA a few years ago. Get a disposable underwater camera if you go swimming with the dolphins.

I'm in Canberra, but grew up in Victoria - Traralgon. I'll probably be the old man on the tour. (Will my walking frame fit on the bus? 8-)Thought I should do at least one Contiki tour while I was still young enough. Tried to fit one in last year in Europe but the timing of the tours was wrong for other things I was doing. Apart from Europe, travelled around a fair bit of Oz over the past few years. Slowly seeing the country, bit by bit. Last holiday I made it to the top of Cape York.

Gareth

Hi Gareth
This is my second Contiki, did the European Explorer last year. Are you thinking about exploring more of the south island before or after the tour? You could come to Kaikoura with me so I have someone to be sea sick with on the whale watch tour haha. Don't know if they will allow the walking frame though! how old are you old man?
Carmen

Heya Carmen,

Tempting as the offer of sea sickness sounds, I won't be in Christchurch until the day before the tour. I've got a week or so after the tour to have a good look around. Seems to be a lot on offer. Any suggestions? The Milford Track gets mentioned to me a lot.

As for age, add about ten years onto yours, and like I said I'll be the old man on the trip.

Have a fantastic New Years,
Gareth

I've been searching the net for ideas. It all depends on the weather. I'll spend a few days in Christchurch after the tour then head south. If the weather is good I'll aim for Stewart Island. If the weather is bad, I probably wont get further than Dunedin or Invercargill.

Gareth

hey guys, I"d suggest spending more time in Dunedin than Christchurch. I didn't find that there was much to do in CC, but had an awesome time in Dunedin!! Have fun!!
Kate

Hey Carmen

I'll be doing this tour too, although not sure in which direction... I might have some time the day before the tour in CHC. Are you doing a day trip/coach tour (not contiki) to Kaikoura or will you actually be staying in Kaikoura? I've seen some bus tours that depart CHC for the day. http://www.city-apartments.co.nz/christchurch-tours/wildlife.html

I might be booked into the contiki accommo for the night before the tour starts too. Are you?

Take care

quote:

Originally posted by CarmenFromOz:
Hi
I'm gonna be on the 6nt/7day chc to chc on 13FEB. I'm 25 and live in Melbourne Australia. Any one else booked on this yet?? I'll be arriving on 10Feb and heading up to Kaikoura before Contiki to do a Whale Watching cruise and possibly a dolphin swim cruise. Would love to hear from anyone going on the same contiki.
Carmen

Hi Helena
I am staying in Christchurch on the 10th, then I am catching the train to Kaikoura on the 11th, go straight onto the whale watch tour, spend the night there, then I have booked a bus back to CHC on the 12th and staying at the Grand Chancellor. I have booked the night after the tour at the contiki hotel. However I am now thinking I should possibly just stay at the contiki hotel the night before the tour too! I will try and change the Grn Chancellor this Monday.

What date are you arriving in CHC?

Heya guys,

I'd suggest checking out the hotel website before booking accomodation through Contiki:
http://www.bealeyshotel.co.nz/
$55 a night for quad share is expensive for quad share. Check out the hotel website and look around for hotels nearby and their prices.

I'd also suggest booking two nights at the end of the tour. I've done a lot of six and seven day tours around various parts of Australia over the past few years. It is so nice to be able to sleep in the day after the tour and then wash clothes.

Gareth

Hey guys my name is Danielle and 3 of my girlfriends and i are doing the scenic tour contiki on the 13th feb. We cant wait. Would love to hear from other people doing our tour. I hope there are even guy/girl numbers..