I’m now in New Zealand, more specifically in the city center of Tauranga. I have been here for 15 days.
We (5 of us, all university-mates, 3 males and 2 females) started our journey from Malaysia, departed on 9th April 2008 and reached Auckland, New Zealand on 10th April 2008.
The first few days in Auckland, we were staying in YHA City Hostel in Auckland. It was my first time being a backpacker and staying with other people whose I do not know before and it was so exciting. Three (male) of us were staying in a 6 person mixed dorm and the other two females were staying in a 5 person female dorm. We have spent 4 days in Auckland city before we moved on to Tauranga (the place where we found jobs). We booked the rooms thru Internet in Malaysia before we depart from Malaysia. It costs us NZ20 per night per person.
Here are the photos taken in Auckland:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/szehau/sets/72157604699755206/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/szehau/sets/72157604717278666/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/szehau/sets/72157604717641012/
On 13th April (Sunday), we took buses (http://www.intercity.co.nz/) from Auckland city to Tauranga. You can save a lot on bus fare if you book online earlier (there are varieties of saver fare that give you better discount if you are sure about your journey and decide not to change/cancel the ticket).
In city center of Tauranga, we rented two rooms (NZ90 per person). It is a family house. They are from Malaysia too. Very lucky, the second day in Tauranga, we have already got a job. It is a packing job in a kiwi fruit factory. It takes about 20 minutes of walking distance from the house to a super market (Pak n Save).
Here are the photos taken in Tauranga:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/szehau/sets/72157604723287625/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/szehau/sets/72157604720080976/
The job is pretty tough job for man because you need to move the kiwi in boxes and make them a stack of 100 boxes. Each box contains around 10KG of kiwis. Averagely, you will need to move about 5 to 10 tons of kiwi each day per person. For woman, their jobs are to grade the kiwi, sort the kiwis into box and wrap the kiwi box.
Although the job is a bit tough at the beginning, you feel pains all over the body, but it is fun and people here are helpful and nice to us. After a few weeks here, we may move to another city in New Zealand but we still haven’t planned our next destination.
Oh ya, we have just bough a car today. It is a 1996’s Nissan Prairie. It costs us NZ2400 only. We can now go shopping and go for sightseeing anytime :)
That’s all for today’s update. See you.
If you thought Intercity were cheap then you should try Nakedbus.com. You can save alot more money with them with their prices starting at a crazy $1. The rest of their prices are still suprisingly low as well.
Hi, nice to meet u. U can call me Teoh. Actually, I have submitted the application form of working holiday at New Zealand website. I have paid for $120 of application fee.
After that, the official ask me to give them bank statement of last 3 months and submit a plan to state what u will do, where do u plan to go,…..
I have no idea at all until I noticed ur blog….how do I write my planning as I juz know few places in New Zealand. Haiz….can u give me some idea or suggestion?plz….
I read n saw ur picture….is damn wonderful…..i wish I have experience like u too…
Last time, when u applied for this, did u submit the plan oso? Then wat did u write? Wat did u plan for? Can u teach me..?plz…
Hope to hearing from u soon…..
Thanks
hi, can u reply me via this email…? thanks,
Hope to hearing from u soon…
Replied :)
Hi.. I’m also heading to NZ in May. Was wondering if you could give me some tips or something and if you may have any contact details for jobs and accomodation. Thanks a lot!
HI!!i’m plan to start working holiday at NZ by this year, and I just start searching for the info, anyway, Teoh, may i have your contact, i hope that can know more for the application procedure from you,
and Sze Hau, thanks for share your experience here, could you please to forward my message to Teoh since he/she didn’t leave a contact, sorry for the trouble, but i think it will be better to ask Teoh than hoping you to answer the question for the WH visa again and again…anyway, may I know how many money you prepared before you go NZ? I’m just a fresh grad, and dun hv much capital.. :( …
Hope I answered your question here: http://www.szehau.com/archives/2009/01/about-working-holiday-at-new-zealand/
Hi!!really thanks for the fast response ya, yup, it’s really help!!^_^
Anyway, still hoping that get contact with Teoh to know his/her progress in applying the visa…
Sze Hau, now you are in Malaysia?Wish Happy Chinese New Year in advance ya!
Welcome… I have already sent him your email. I’m not sure when he will contact you.
Ya.. now in Malaysia.
Good luck to you and Happy Chinese New Year too!
hihi..thanks ya…yaya..I’ll contact her ..just found out she is my friend met during my Uni time..hehe..the world is so small..^_^
Have a nice day and enjoy your time at Malaysia, do share more about your life after you back also ya..
Hi Sze Hau, may I know do you apply for BBH card or YHA card?is it everyone need a card, or we can share?I mean use 1 card to book more than 1 room…may i know how you and your friend book the room?
Hi Ruey, I did apply the BBH and YHA. Not all but most YHA or BBH hostels require everyone to show his/her member card so that he/she can get discounted rate for staying at their hostel (e.g. NZ$25 for non-member and NZ$22 for member). You can use one card to book many beds and nights.
We normally call to the hostel to book (YHA and some BBH hostel requires you to tell them your credit card during phone booking). We also book online. For YHA online booking, you will need to pay by credit card. For BBH online booking, no deposit is required (you make payment when you check in to the hostel) but cancellation fee will be charged to your credit card if the booking is canceled or if you not show.
For YHA, you can get your membership at Malaysia YHA http://www.myha.org.my. I got mine in Malaysia YHA but I forgot to bring to New Zealand and I got another one at New Zealand. Last time, New Zealand new membership comes with one fee night. NZ YHA membership package seems to be more attractive to me.
hihi..thanks for your reply ya..it’s really help, i just apply the WHV last week, now waiting for the reply…wish me luck….^_^
oh ya…forgot to ask, you feel that NZ YHA membership package seems to be more attractive to you, is it means that although apply YHA membership in Malaysia will be cheaper, but is it more worthy to apply NZ YHA membership?
Ya.. because last time when I apply I got two free nights (can be used at any YHA hostel in NZ) and a phonecard worth US$10 (total worth NZD50-60). It depends how you see it la.. I have no choice to take the membership because I forget to take my membership card registered in Malaysia. Malaysia YHA’s International membership card is much cheaper if compared to NZ one.
http://www.myha.org.my/v2.1/content/view/89/66/
http://www.yha.co.nz/NR/exeres/93065E9A-E577-41B6-91AB-33B4250C6A4E.htm
hi sze hau, just to let u know, got the NZ WHV approval today de, feel happy, but a bit 茫然also, after wait for more than 1 month… need to really sit down and plan de.. mm…plan to go during spring, because scare of the cold weather there, and afraid hard to find job during winter..and thanks for help and advice given..^_^
Good to hear that. Wish you good luck!
Hi Sze Hau,
I’m planning on a working holiday trip for 3 months next year during winter season June, is there much vacancies available during that period?
For your last trip, how long did you guys worked in NZ? Actually would appreciate if you could share your experiences like which state and the jobs you having in your trip after Tauranga as I wish not to stick in a state for the whole working holiday .
You may reply me in email , thanks =)
There are different jobs in all season. For winter you can try to find indoor jobs like kiwi packing factory (repacking)or other fruits’ packing factory (e.g. apple).
These are the places where me and my friends worked:
1. Tauranga (North) – Kiwi fruit packing
2. Blenheim (South) – Pruning at Wineyard
3. Rakaia (South) – Lily Bulb flower processing
4. Ashburton (South) – Frozen fruit processing at Talley’s
You can find more jobs from websites and backpacker notice board (http://www.szehau.com/archives/2009/01/about-working-holiday-at-new-zealand/)
If you can’t find a job for a short period, you can try look for exchange accommodation at backpacker. You will need to help them do something (e.g. clean up rooms) in order to get a free night. With this way, you can save a lot of money
I think 3 months may not enough to travel around NZ unless you have enough money for that. Else you will need to work n travel. We spent 9 months (6 + 3 extended) at NZ.