New Zealand or Norway


shizzyrir

New Member
Mar 22, 2011
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Hi All,

Able to advise me or should i say help me to decide which country i should head to during 8-22 June.
Purpose of visit is for landscape photography.
May i know the cost of living for the respective country.
I did some research and find out that the norweigan currency is much lower compare to singapore and new zealand but i am unsure if the cost of living there is much higher or so?
Second thing during that month i believe if i were to head to newzealand i might have the chance to capture the southern lights.
Thanks in advanced.
 

NZ winter while Norway summer in the month of jun, thus the number of daylight hours available. NZ not cheap but nothing when compared to Scandinavian countries, which is among the highest cost of living in the world.
 

being to both. i vote for nz because you can see snow capped mountains. it reaally depend on whether u like winter or summer. totally different. nz is much cheaper too
 

being to both. i vote for nz because you can see snow capped mountains. it reaally depend on whether u like winter or summer. totally different. nz is much cheaper too

Thanks so much for the replies, appreciate it. Just to check any idea about the southern lights?
 

NZ is expensive. Really expensive I mean. One day in a motel set me back for about NZ$160-270 (depending on location. Queenstown was the most ex IIRC). The other time I was on a self-drive trip with my parents and we went from

Christchurch > Greymouth > Hokitika > Franz Joseh Glacier > Fox Glacier > Haast > Lake Wanaka > Queenstown > Te Anau > Queenstown > Arrowtown > Glenorchy > Twizel > Mount Cook > Christchuch > Kaikoura > Christchurch

I'm not sure where you're heading, north or south island. And I'm not sure about Norway cos I've never been there. But NZ$16 - NZ$28 for a plate of fish and chips every meal was not what I was expecting. I went there a few years back, and accommodation set my family back for only about NZD100 per night.
 

Norway is probably one of the most expensive countries I have ever been to. Haven't been to NZ but I cant tell you the costs in Norway.

Normal restaurants expect to fork out 100 SGD per meal. Beer 25 SGD. Cigarettes 25 SGD. Fuel like 3-4 SGD per litre. For comparison.
It has the most expensive Big Mac http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Mac_Index


It was crazy expensive. I was so relieved to enter Denmark and Netherlands later to see normal prices.
 

Not to mention a visit to public toilet for S$1 in Norway.
 

NZ is expensive. Really expensive I mean. One day in a motel set me back for about NZ$160-270 (depending on location. Queenstown was the most ex IIRC). The other time I was on a self-drive trip with my parents and we went from

Christchurch > Greymouth > Hokitika > Franz Joseh Glacier > Fox Glacier > Haast > Lake Wanaka > Queenstown > Te Anau > Queenstown > Arrowtown > Glenorchy > Twizel > Mount Cook > Christchuch > Kaikoura > Christchurch



I'm not sure where you're heading, north or south island. And I'm not sure about Norway cos I've never been there. But NZ$16 - NZ$28 for a plate of fish and chips every meal was not what I was expecting. I went there a few years back, and accommodation set my family back for only about NZD100 per night.

May i know how the rent pricing over there ?
What vehicle did you rent? caravan or normal sedan car ?
Thanks all again for the replies / information.
Appreciate em.
 

May i know how the rent pricing over there ?
What vehicle did you rent? caravan or normal sedan car ?
Thanks all again for the replies / information.
Appreciate em.

I can't remember the exact daily pricing for car rental, but it amounted till NZ$2440 IIRC. I rented right from the airport, making a prior booking beforehand. We rented a Rav4, which is ideal in our condition because we're travelling through mountains and hilly roads and it'll be faster from town to town. Driving a sedan in SG, I can't imagine what'll happen if we rented a sedan through those mountain roads... Rav4 is really comfortable.

Anw, don't speed at the freeway there. It's freeway but limited to 100km/h. I got a NZ$300 speeding ticket for hitting 133... Still have that ticket at home -.-
 

I can't remember the exact daily pricing for car rental, but it amounted till NZ$2440 IIRC. I rented right from the airport, making a prior booking beforehand. We rented a Rav4, which is ideal in our condition because we're travelling through mountains and hilly roads and it'll be faster from town to town. Driving a sedan in SG, I can't imagine what'll happen if we rented a sedan through those mountain roads... Rav4 is really comfortable.

Anw, don't speed at the freeway there. It's freeway but limited to 100km/h. I got a NZ$300 speeding ticket for hitting 133... Still have that ticket at home -.-

That sucks getting ticket! Thanks again. Btw NZ$2440 is for how many days rental or this is together with accommodation etc?
 

Norway is one of the most expensive countries in the world.
Definitely cheaper in NZ.

As for the aurora australis, yes in south island, you may have a chance, but as it is, compared to the northern counterpart, I think its chance is lower. But then again, since you are there, just hope for the best!


Hi All,

Able to advise me or should i say help me to decide which country i should head to during 8-22 June.
Purpose of visit is for landscape photography.
May i know the cost of living for the respective country.
I did some research and find out that the norweigan currency is much lower compare to singapore and new zealand but i am unsure if the cost of living there is much higher or so?
Second thing during that month i believe if i were to head to newzealand i might have the chance to capture the southern lights.
Thanks in advanced.
 

That sucks getting ticket! Thanks again. Btw NZ$2440 is for how many days rental or this is together with accommodation etc?

9 days rental lor! Just for transport. Excluding fuels.
 

9 days rental lor! Just for transport. Excluding fuels.

Wow, that's a lot daily. If shared, still ok but alone, can kiss it goodbye, haha!
 

Thanks so much for the replies, appreciate it. Just to check any idea about the southern lights?

I don't think the chance is high to catch southern lights in NZ..... it is probably so low that it should not be a factor for consideration.

I have caught it in Iceland this January and it is really spectacular. A lot depends on the activity level and cloud level.

I rented a Ford Territory AWD or similar from Hertz and it is only 940NZD for 9 days.... I searched my gmail for the invoice. Maybe mardellion took a lot of extra insurance coverage.
 

Hi All,

Able to advise me or should i say help me to decide which country i should head to during 8-22 June.
Purpose of visit is for landscape photography.
May i know the cost of living for the respective country.
I did some research and find out that the norweigan currency is much lower compare to singapore and new zealand but i am unsure if the cost of living there is much higher or so?
Second thing during that month i believe if i were to head to newzealand i might have the chance to capture the southern lights.
Thanks in advanced.

I have self driven in both countries before.
Norway has much higher standards of living than sg - food, petrol, rental, hotels and just about everything are more ex. But if you love scandinavian home decors and designers such as Eva Solo, Menu, Bodum etc, you might find them a steal compared to prices in sg. I picked up a number of Eva Solo products at almost a third of what they sell for here in sg. New zealand is MUCH cheaper than Norway.

Both will get you great landscape photos.
Lofoten is amazing.

I am not sure of your chances to catch the aurora australis in NZ.

Ryan
 

I don't think the chance is high to catch southern lights in NZ..... it is probably so low that it should not be a factor for consideration.

I have caught it in Iceland this January and it is really spectacular. A lot depends on the activity level and cloud level.

I rented a Ford Territory AWD or similar from Hertz and it is only 940NZD for 9 days.... I searched my gmail for the invoice. Maybe mardellion took a lot of extra insurance coverage.

Thanks will reconsider again since rental of car is much cheaper compared in NZ itself. By any chance can i have a look on your itinerary? Roughly how much does it cost you for the lodgings ? Coz i doubt i will do a lot of shopping and all. Main objective is for photography and relaxation from our busy and hetic life here.
 

I have self driven in both countries before.
Norway has much higher standards of living than sg - food, petrol, rental, hotels and just about everything are more ex. But if you love scandinavian home decors and designers such as Eva Solo, Menu, Bodum etc, you might find them a steal compared to prices in sg. I picked up a number of Eva Solo products at almost a third of what they sell for here in sg. New zealand is MUCH cheaper than Norway.

Both will get you great landscape photos.
Lofoten is amazing.

I am not sure of your chances to catch the aurora australis in NZ.

Ryan

Thanks for your input and everyone. I shall do more research on this before i make a decision.
 

I love New Zealand, past 20 year already visited 8 times , most recent trip is at 20 May to 3 June 2011.
Air-tickets, car rental 15 days (nissan x-trail ), accommodation (3 star to 4-star motel), three meals a day: breakfast breads and coffee plus sausage, lunch random (usually in passing towns) dinner are Chinese foods or Western restaurants , petrol, helicopter to Mt. Cook Peak, exploring glaciers, Queentowns cable car tower luxurious buffet dinner, Bluff Oyster festival, boat trips and buffet lunch at Milford Sound, whale watching, wildlife park tickets, Christchurch International Antarctic Center, etc., all cost about S$2800 per person. Daily average is about S$186.70 per person.

Relevant information and pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kskong/sets/72157626816948511/
 

South Island, definitely one of the most scenic places on earth.