A trip to New Zealand is always exciting for a number of reasons. It is a chance to visit a country with some of the most magnificent sceneries in the world. It is also a chance to interact with the famous Maori culture and learn how life has been for them ever since they were discovered by Captain Cook in 1769.
However, things can go south so quickly if you don’t plan for the weather in New Zealand. This is simply because the weather is highly unpredictable and there are certain precautions you must take to ensure that irrespective of what Mother Nature presents you with, you’ll still be able to enjoy the rest of your trip.
With that said, here are some of the mistakes you have to avoid when planning for the weather in New Zealand.
Believing the weather
There are lots of weather apps you can use to check the weather conditions for various places across the world. However, these apps normally give predictions and most of these predictions and not guaranteed to be true. Therefore, if you’re traveling to New Zealand and you believe what the apps are saying about the weather, you may be in for a rude shock when you actually reach your destination. Just know that the apps are not always 100% accurate and though they may sometimes give a true representation of what the weather is, you should never trust them completely and ignore other weather tips.
Failing to carry layers
The weather in New Zealand is highly unpredictable. It could be snowing in one place then you reach the next destination and the sun is shining. It could be very warm in the morning but come the afternoon, the heavens open up and it rains heavily. With such fluctuations, you don’t want to be caught off-guard simply because you did not carry proper clothing. It is always a rule of thumb that when you visiting New Zealand, irrespective of which part of the country you’re going to, you should always carry along a generous amount of layers. These will protect you from the biting cold that the country’s not to have.
Thinking there is no strong sun
If you’re thinking that the sun in this country is never as strong as the one where you are coming from, then you’re completely wrong and you could be in for a surprise of a lifetime. The sun can sometimes be unforgivingly strong and if you didn’t carry enough protection and enough accessories to protect yourself against strong sun rays, then it may not be such a pleasant trip for you. Therefore, always ensure that you carry sun creams as well as sunglasses to protect your eyes. Again, be careful about your clothing because exposing too much of your skin when there’s a lot of sun may cause a lot of pain to you.
Failing to carry waterproof jacket everywhere you go
As noted earlier, the weather in New Zealand fluctuates a lot. It could be very hot in the morning then come in the afternoon, it’s drizzling. The best way to protect yourself, therefore, is always to carry a waterproof jacket everywhere you go. This is a rule and not an exception. You never know when it will rain, besides, the country has so many wet places especially if you’re venturing into the outdoors.
The last thing you want is to get drenched with dew from the trees or the vegetation you will be passing through as you go about your activities in the jungle. If you don’t have a decent waterproof jacket, be sure to get one before you board the plane to New Zealand because you will surely need it and almost on a daily basis. It may sound funny, but you will need the waterproof jacket even when going to a Kiwi casino because you never know how the weather may be by the time you get out.
Not carrying insect repellant
This may not necessarily be about the weather but it is directly related to the weather. It is especially a vital consideration if you’re considering exploring the jungles and spending a lot of time outdoors. The last thing you want to suffer from are insect bites that might cause all manner of sicknesses and you know very well that falling sick while traveling is never a thing you’d wish for your worst enemy. Therefore, be sure to himself with an appropriate insect repellent so that you are not bothered about the bites well enjoy your time outdoors or when at the beach.
Sunbathing when you have oil on your skin
Sunbathing with oil and your skin is common amongst those people who think that New Zealand doesn’t have very strong suns. If you know that you’ll be enjoying some time on the beach, then it’s imperative that you don’t apply too much oil on your skin. This is because the sun in New Zealand may sometimes be extremely strong and having oil and the skin is like adding fuel to burn your skin. This is a sure way to get sunburnt and leave the country with an uglier skin than the one you came with.
Failing to fit the chain snow
A visit to New Zealand will never be complete without having some fun in the snow. If anything, the country is the home to some of the world’s largest moving glaciers and there is just no way how you could be visiting and fail to get a taste of the snow. When you visit the country in winter, and you decide to go for the mountains, you will have to get the snow mountain pass and it is imperative that you have chains on the back so that you may be able to pass safely. This should be the case every time, even when the weatherman doesn’t think it is going to snow. Also always remember to get the chains every time you hire a car.
