About us – the wonder of the world in New Zealand


Who how what

Welcome to our blog!

This blog started by saying that we wanted to report about our two-month motor home travel through New Zealand.

Why did we choose New Zealand as a destination? It was almost a relapse: We were already in 2002 – then as childless students – with the campervan on North Island and South Island driven and expired the country from the first day.

In mid-2010, we started seriously preparing for “return.” It was high time, as the wonder of the world in 2011 should come to school. Longer trips would be more difficult from then on. In the course of the preparations it quickly became clear: There is a shortage Information for families who want to travel to New Zealand! We wanted to remedy that and blog since then about our experiences traveling with children, in New Zealand (where we have been since then again) and in the rest of the world.

who are we?

Quite simply: Wonders of the World and Weltwundermann, along with two three! wonderful children.

The wonder of the world happy on their last trip to New Zealand

The world’s wisest Wonders daughter: leggy, hilarious and never embarrassed for a sharp comment. Admired and adored by her little sister, who cared for her like a second mom. Admired by her brother at best as a cool sock, more often as an annoying bitcher scolded.

She’s already old enough to understand a lot and want to know everything, but not too old to be the first to test each and every destination for its fun-and-fun-ability – so you can jump around the beach here Trees rise and jump into the water?

Wonder Woman in Sunset: Insta-Fame!!

Of the Wonders son is our movement-joyful and character-oriented course runner, Ninja fighter and Naschfritze. He loves penguins, water and … nerfs. When he’s not fighting imaginary enemies, drawing comics, or browsing Japanese manga, he’s annoying his sisters (or-psh, snuggle with mom …).

Against wind, sun or mosquitoes – Sarong-Man is always ready! ;-)

Our new entry is that Wonders Baby, aka youngest princess. Pampered by the greats, it discovers the world comfortably from above – it is still possible to carry it, even if it has long since outgrown the travel buggy.

Fortunately, the big sister gladly takes care of carrying around and taking care of her. And more often, the little princess is suddenly rather “already really big!”

Special interests: cats, sushi and … the Frozen. She is also a model car traveler who can spend hours silently looking out the window. Ideal conditions for our favorite way of traveling: road trips!

The youngest Wondrous Daughter at the Mama Daughter Trip in Copenhagen

And finally we: As a joint venture of text editor and photographer Werbefuzzi we have been working for over 20 years (waahh) excellent. Travel, food and wonder of the world are our passion that we want to pass on to our children.

Wonders of the World and Wonders of the World (Rotorua steams in the background)

Where we were, where we want to go

We have already traveled Europe, Southeast Asia, North and Central America and New Zealand with backpacks, when children were out of the question. Meanwhile, a nice little list has been added to countries that we have tested for child fitness:

We have our hearts in clearly New Zealand lost. Where exactly, we can tell you: the wonder of the world hangs in Muriwai, the wonder of the world dreams back to the Moke Lake at Queenstown and the kids found it on the beach of Tairua on Coromandel at its most beautiful. In general, the south of the South Island (Otago, Southland and the Catlins) impressed us enormously. Wellington is our favorite city in New Zealand, and we miss the north of the North Island as well.

But the rest of the world interests us anyway! Our bucket list for the next years:

  • New Zealand! (maybe with a trip to the South Seas?)
  • Northern Spain
  • Eastern Europe – Slovenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, …
  • Iran
  • Panama
  • Mexico
  • Mongolia – by land
  • Ethiopia
  • Namibia
  • Antaaaaarktis! (then maybe for price reasons sometime without children)

Of course, this list will be continually updated. And who would like to invite us to one of these countries – please!

The Wonders of the World 2015 in Japan

52 comments

Hello my dears,

I would also like to say THANK YOU for this great blog. We were on a parental leave journey in New Zealand from October to December, and whenever I typed in a question on Google, I ended up on your side. (At some point I also omitted the detour via Google ;-))
And how crazy that you are from Dresden!
All the best for you and many nice trips! Best regards from Striesen,
Stefanie

Not crazy, dear Stefanie – I have the impression that we Dresdner are just incredibly travel-happy! Nice that we could help you so well with your trip. Then we did everything right :-)

best regards
Jenny

We’re in the middle of planning our 2 month New Zealand trip with our little son and I’m sooooo thankful to have found your blog! Many, many thanks for your great reports and very helpful tips! Now we are looking forward to our adventure! :)
All the best to you!

Dear Wonders of the World, great blog and nice to read that there are even more crazy people traveling around the world with three kids. We are also such and apparently share similar goals as you, this year in April it goes to Japan (Cambodia u vietnam were the alternative idea), last year it was Taiwan and Iceland, the next ideas are in the head, Mongolia, China, almost no matter , and the children have always proved to be very good travel partners. I think it’s great that you can do exciting tours on your own, especially with children, and experience everything even more intensively. Continue your good trips and great adventures, best regards from Susanne

Hello world wonder family
I came to your page for the first time today … ..wonderbar.Hie many others are synonymous
I “forfeit” this country. In March / April 2011, we visited NZ (before our son came to school) for 4 weeks
with a Womo from Pacific Horizon.
Will now read more posts, and I look forward to the next trip to NZ (Dec./Jan.2017/2018).
By the way, the thing with the ducks for breakfast, we also experienced, so intrusive is not even our dog (grin)

I came across your comment on the Mighty Traveliers site and I’m thrilled! New Zealand is my absolute favorite country, I have been there three times already and will return safely.
Next, however, it goes with the Transsib to Mongolia …
Have fun in Japan, I’m looking forward to your reports!

Dear Sophia, your travel plans sound super exciting! As soon as the kids can sit still for a while, we also want to go to Mongolia. However, rather with such a Unimog Wohnautoungetüm, train is the Weltwundermann to laaa boring ;-)

What a wonderful page, thank you very much for the detailed information!
You help us wonderfully with our travel planning :)
What we have not thought of yet …: D

Maybe you can help us with a decision regarding the travel date:
And we had planned, on 13.9. fly to NL and then drive about 6 weeks with the camper through the country. Does that make sense from the season, or do you think you’d better move it a bit to the back? We do not want to lie on the beach or swim, so warm temperatures are not important. Above all, we want to experience nature and now have reservations about whether there is “something to see” at the time or whether the landscape is still in hibernation. And which travel direction would be useful? First start the North Island (from Auckland) or rather in the south (Christchurch)?

Thank you in advance and best regards!
Anne

Hello Anne, six weeks are a good decision. September in NZ you can compare with February / March in this country. On the North Island is certainly from time to time T-shirt weather, but the nights (and the water …) are determined still cold. With a well isolated and heated campervan and warm clothes that is not a problem, and you experience NZ in the off season from a very different and beautiful side. However, then many attractions are shorter open or not accessible, the weather can be really bad and especially on the South Island there are in winter because of snowfall, heavy rain or the like often road closures that you could ruin the route plan … Starts in any case ” up “, where it is already warmer (and you can ski at the same time in the Tongariro National Park!), And then works for” down “before. In the beginning of November the South Island will arrive in the summer and you may already be swimming in the Abel Tasman Park :-)

Dear Anne,
We have just returned, landed in Auckland in early November and already had T-shirt weather. But often (also on the North Island) really cold nights with single digit plus degrees. Since it is really cold in the badly isolated campervan. Was glad about the hot water bottle, which we had. A camper with heating is really recommended.
In October, for example, the road to Milford Sound was still closed because of snow and avalanche danger – with such obstacles you must expect in any case.
I would postpone a bit – even in October and November, New Zealand is still almost alone and finds a place everywhere. And: We are also no sunbathers or beach fans. But the beaches there are so breathtaking, you also want to jump into the waves.
You have a lot of fun with the preparation and a lot of anticipation.
LG, Lena

Dear Wonders of the World,
Your site is wonderful to prepare for a New Zealand vacation! Thank you very much! We’ve read that you also lend the CARES aircraft belt too. Would he still be available mid February-mid April 2015? And if not, you have a tip on where to lend one more.

We like to lend our belt! However, there is already another family on the waiting list who needs him in the second week of February. That could be scarce … Otherwise google go to “Grinsekind”, this is a Reboarder shop and they give the CARES strap too :-)

[…] Likewise on Facebook, the “Wonder Woman of the World” adds: “What may be missing is” child special equipment “: Baby travel bed, […]

Thank you for the fast answer. This means that we can only use a booster seat for our five-year-old or did you have an extra child seat for your daughter?

Read your website with great interest. Great that you share your experiences. That makes our travel planning much easier.

Best regards
Family Matthes

Susan, since our NZ trip, a few things have changed in the child’s seat. Look in this post, as we have the current situation explained exactly. The official site is the NZTA.

We are planning our vacation in December / January 2014/15 in New Zealand and are thinking about which campers we should rent. We flirt with the Yoyager Campervan from britz. I’ve read your experience with it on your website. However, I have one more question: Our two children are then five years and 19 months old and I know that they should sit in the rear of the van in the child seat. I also know that the van does not have a passage from the cab backwards, but at least you can see through to the back so you know what the mice are doing? Can you put the bigger child in the passenger seat with the child seat while I walk backwards? At britz we were told that it would not work because of the airbags. On the internet, however, it was clear that you could do that. Do you have experience with it and you may get problems with the police??

Thanks a lot for your answer.

Family Matthes, who is looking forward to December.

Hello Susan, Although there is no passage in the Voyager, but you can certainly climb backwards – the gas stove must then be covered (what he should be anyway when driving). Our five-year-old climbed with her booster seat always as soon as the little one had fallen asleep, and then sat in the passenger seat, while I slipped on the middle emergency seat (only with lap belt) or just back to the sleeping son.
The “right” child seat we have never attached to the passenger seat, I do not even know if that would work (which must be fixed with the top tether hook). It will also depend on whether the attachment is allowed there and is even possible. Without the belt it does not work! If you get the opposite information, helps only on site try out (the Britz employees are not just trained in terms of child seat …).

Hello dear Wonders of the World and other New Zealand travelers!

At the end of 2014, we would like to use parental leave to travel in New Zealand with our three children (1, 3 and 4 years) in a mobile home. In our first research we have not found a single motorhome in which two adults and three children can ride in the child seat. Do you have experience or tips??

Best regards, Juliane

Dear Juliane, in principle there is the; but they are not so easy to find. Have a look at our list of family-friendly campervan landlords. Alpha, Kea, Pacific and Tropic also offer models with up to 7 seats. There should be something there … Please let us know how you have decided, that will certainly interest other families!

Hello Juliane,
we can highly recommend the Renegade of Britz. We traveled 3 months through NZ in the spring of 2011 and were on the whole very satisfied. The biggest advantage was that the children sit together in the same driver’s cabin and they are very close to them. Above all, highly recommended, if you have children, it is easy bad. In addition, enough sleeping space for the whole family. Just take a look at the homapage of Britz: http://www.britz.co.nz/campervans-nz/Pages/renegade-6-berth-campervan.aspx
And have fun in NZ!

Hello Wonders of the World, now on Friday evening it finally starts. We, my husband Heiko, our son Jakob (barely 18 months) and me, Katrin. First we drive to Christchurch from where we will explore the South Island by motorhome and after about 10 days we go to the North Island, where we meet our big son Alexander (15 years), who has been attending school there since July. Actually, he should come back with us before Christmas, but now he will stay until mid-January because he likes it so much. If you go into the world for a long time … So he starts from Auckland in the plane direction Wellington, while we start the journey home.
Thank you for so many little tips and suggestions that I still quickly try to implement. I like to report what we have experienced. A great blog.
Do you have a tip for the first overnight stay???

Hello, Katrin,
I’m happy for you, that will be twice as great – son and see again AND holidays in NZ … Our Great excludes such stays abroad (where we could visit them then) so far categorically :-( But maybe still, she is only 9. As an overnight tip I actually have one: In the “Diplomat Motel” on the Papanui Road 127 we felt very comfortable, nice large rooms with terrace in front and behind, the Red Bus into the city within walking distance and a supermarket also was a bit cold at the beginning of January …

[…] A and O of a journey with children. A family that has long since got the hang of it, are the wonder of the world. The four-headed family with a soft spot for New Zealand took after their last […]

Dear all, we (42, 41, 8, 6, 4 years) will spend the February 2014 on the South Island (North Island is already planned) and ask ourselves in our preparations just to see if we are better on the shoreline from Abel Tasman Park Stop in the direction of Dunedin and Gore, or if it really is a must in our cast to make Queenstown and Wanaka (we know both but without children). Thank you for your short recommendation, Greetings from Switzerland, Claus

Hello Claus, counter question: What speaks to your occupation against Wanaka and Queenstown? Both “sides” of the South Island are great, you just have to roll the dice …

Thanks for the quick response. We connect Queenstown and Wanaka primarily with bungee, heli, speedboat etc. This is also what is listed under Things to do with children on your quoted kiwi site. But since we are not adrenaline junkies we tend to be on the coast side for lack of offers for children in Q-Town and Wanaka … unless you have the TIP for us in the two cities: o)

We have completely renounced activities mentioned and totally in love with the area ;-) The landscape is huge for Rumfahren, hiking and Lord of the Rings Locations find. Our trip to the Rob Roy Glacier near Wanaka is one of the absolute highlights, the “Puzzling World” right in town is a lovely interactive museum, Arrowtown is a charming little town with the world’s best ice cream (from “Patagonia”) and is located at Queenstown the world’s most beautiful campsite on Moke Lake – that would be our hottest tips on the area. Check out our travelogue from 2011 for inspiration!

Hi,
We, not so long pregnant, would like to use our parents‘ time to spend 2 months in Australia and 2 in New Zealand .. we want to start in about 14 months. it would be nice if you could send a kind of checklist what you prepared, booked, planned. would it be possible?
heartfelt love worldwonderer

Hello you two,
First of all congratulations – to the family growth and your travel plans! You will find a checklist of what to do when, and soon in our travel preparation e-book for NZ.
If you have more questions, just let me know!

Hi. We are currently planning our first motorhome trip and New Zealand trip for January through March 2014. Our children will be 1 year and 4 years old. Your page helps us to find answers to all our questions. :-)
Many thanks!

Hello Constanze, maybe a little late. We started planning more than a year ago. The choice of campervans and flights is probably not that rich anymore, at least our experience. Hope you still find what you have imagined. Remember also that it gets dark early in March and thus the day is pretty short! Greeting, derkiwi

Hello Constanze,
were 3 years ago in the same time with our children (then almost 6 and a good 3 years old) on the way – was just great! Can you just envy and wish you a great time. If you need more tips, get in touch.
/ Hartmut

Ooooooh, what a great blog! We feel very well on your pages and can not eat us! Keep up the wanderlust,
Greetings from Sarah, Julian & Alejandra

Thank you for the flowers – your praise is very important to us!

Just following your trip through Vietnam and have to say here again that I find that very cool what you do. Yes, that works with children as well. At the beginning of this year we spent 2 months in Thailand with our 2 little boys (6 months and 4 years). And we had to listen to a lot of things before and shake our heads. What we do to our children … blah! I think our kids had a lot of fun and we big had a strenuous, but also unforgettable time as a family. Keep it up!
best regards!

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Hey you world wonder !

Have your page on the “Reicherts” discovered and must say – great, very interesting and informative !!
Unfortunately, we have never made it to New Zealand, although it has always been a dream of mine, but now like to follow your blog! It’s fun to read here !
So now my question – is it O.K. for you if I link your page on ours? I would imagine that among the people who usually browse the blog with us, also one or the other New Zealand enthusiasts can be found.

All the best for you and keep it up !
Best regards, Ricarda

Thanks for the flowers, Ricarda – and clearly you can take us into your blogroll; We are happy about every new reader!

Thank you for your great and beautiful site and the effort and love you have invested in it. Will certainly much of it good use and need, since we and our two Reisemäuse (4 and 5 years) in a few days for a month towards NZ start. And unfortunately…. we have not prepared as well and extensively as you: o)
So again a big thank you to you, that we may use your wealth of experience.
Best regards
Claudia

Dear Claudia,
we are happy if we can help – that’s what the blog was meant for! Make us a pleasure and get in touch with you on the way or with a summary, when you are back. Preparation is good, but serenity and the desire to discover are more important. Helpful Kiwis meet her at every corner anyway.
We wholeheartedly wish you a wonderful time and are sure that you will have it!

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