Bae’s World Travel Guide _ New Zealand Episode 1

1. Why New Zealand?

I know absolutely nothing about overseas travel.
I’m basically the real-life version of Youngcheol from I Am Solo Season 29.

And the funniest part?
My actual name is Youngcheol.

I’m 34 years old.
Recently married.
People kept saying,
“You need to plan a honeymoon!”

Apparently, staying in Jeju wasn’t going to impress anyone.
So after days of panic, confusion, and pretending I knew how airports work…

I made the biggest decision of my life.

New Zealand.
A country so far away that even Google Maps had to take a deep breath before loading it.

2. Flights to New Zealand

There’s only one direct flight.
At 6 PM.

Which means…
a 2 PM wedding?
Absolutely impossible.

So for the first time in my life,
I had to learn what a layover was.

I opened Skyscanner like a man entering the stock market for the very first time.

After hours of emotional damage,
I booked the cheapest route…
with the shortest flight time possible.

(Because if I fail this mission,
the wedding itself might get canceled.)

*Pro tip:
If your layover includes Auckland,
give yourself at least 2 hours.
Trust me. Your future self will thank you.

We departed on January 25th.
Which means New Zealand was in summer mode.

Honestly…
for peak season,
the price wasn’t terrible.
2million won per person.
4 million won.
Gone.
Just like that.

3. Applying for the New Zealand NZeTA

I asked ChatGPT:

“What do I absolutely need before going to New Zealand?”

And that’s when I discovered…
the mysterious thing called NZeTA.

So I downloaded the app
and started filling everything out.

Passport.
Questions.
More questions.
Payment.

Done.

Then came the waiting game.

A few days later,
I checked the app again…

And next to my profile photo,
the magical word appeared:

“Issued.”

Approved.
Accepted.
Officially recognized by the nation of New Zealand.

Even better?
Both of us could register together in one application.

Technology really is beautiful.

Where was I supposed to show this thing?

I had no idea.

So when we got to New Zealand immigration,
I just opened the app first and showed it to the officer like a student submitting homework.

And somehow…

No problems at all.
We passed.

One important thing though:
Make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months.

4. Booking a Rental Car in New Zealand

My mindset was simple:

“I’ll figure everything out once I get there.”

So naturally…
renting a car became absolutely essential.

Without it,
I would’ve been standing in the middle of New Zealand
looking confused in scenic locations.

The important things were:

1. Rental period and return location
2. Price and car type

Simple in theory.

Emotionally?
Not simple at all.

I completed the reservation
based entirely on blind confidence in myself.

(Technically, you pay when you pick up the car.)

Christchurch in.
Queenstown out.

One very important thing:

CHECK YOUR EMAIL AFTER YOU LAND.

There’s a pickup request button in the email.

Once you press it,
they’ll come to the airport pickup area.

Just tell them your reservation number,
and they’ll take you to the rental office.

Surprisingly smooth for something that felt incredibly suspicious at first.

5. New Zealand Vouchers (Tours & Activities)

Tours and activities?
Just choose whatever matches your vibe.

As for me…
I pretty much did all the famous ones.

First,
I asked ChatGPT for a list.

Then I decided what to do
based on each destination.

Honestly,
most activities can be booked
during the trip
or even while moving between cities.

Which means…

Preparing for a New Zealand trip
is actually easier than it looks.

The detailed stories,
the chaos,
and the emotional damage…

I’ll save those for the next post.

Anyway,
that’s it for now!

If you’ve read the Korean version, click the link below for more.
https://blog.naver.com/jyc116j/224167233078

If you’d like to read the next episode, click here.