This page features ways you can prepare for our trip to New Zealand & Australia.
1. Event Selection Form -- tell us what interests you on your free days so we can provide optional tour details
2. Links to Travel Hacks -- videos with good info for airline travel
3. Links to the New Zealand & Australia visa forms -- if you don't have yours to BOTH countries, you need to get them NOW
4. Health and Well Being -- advice to keep you healthy while traveling
5. PDF of our itineraries with the dates that you can download for your friends and family to know where you'll be on the trip
6. Detailed packing list with links to some items you may want to purchase
1. Event Selection Form -- tell us what interests you on your free days so we can provide optional tour details
2. Links to Travel Hacks -- videos with good info for airline travel
3. Links to the New Zealand & Australia visa forms -- if you don't have yours to BOTH countries, you need to get them NOW
4. Health and Well Being -- advice to keep you healthy while traveling
5. PDF of our itineraries with the dates that you can download for your friends and family to know where you'll be on the trip
6. Detailed packing list with links to some items you may want to purchase
These are links to videos we've found that can be helpful in planning for international travel. There are many more online -- when you finish one you may find more by the same person that are good updates on travel. 1. Travel Tips for Bringing Medicine Through Airport Security
youtu.be/PBwmUX3PpGk?si=DMcERkVzas759rOV 2. 5 Airport Secrets They Don't Want Us to Know https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BR1N4JLcp-4&t=313s 3. What to wear (and not) when flying https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwf2GAZWdgg&t=300s 4. 3-1-1 Rule -- Airline guides for carrying liquids https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-Ga-v5kCSc 5. Airline Rules https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz0oDYs1mNk&t=181s 6. Cell Phone Security https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heeaS7vgLvY 7. 5 Packing Tips for Your Next Trip youtu.be/GS5FFxl8e2I?si=3QI_o2r3OUB9YKpF 8. Travel updates for 2025 https://youtu.be/Dj-GASJCeaQ?si=JVWdbh3rr_jwnJG7 |
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VISAS= Electronic Travel Authority
Neither New Zealand or Australia technically requires a "visa" but instead calls their required paperwork "Electronic Travel Authority." So we have provided links to the sites where you can access these from each country. It would be easier to call them visas, but we'll play their game ... and since these ETAs are easier to get than visas, we will be grateful. NEW ZEALAND citizens from the USA and Canada need a NZeTA to travel to New Zealand. The link below will take you to the place to apply for the NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority). This NZeTA will be valid for two years and will cost $17 New Zealand dollars ($9.78 US) and you should allow 72 hours approximately. In addition, you will be charged $100 New Zealand dollars ($58 US) for a tourist tax. You need: - a valid passport that you will use to travel to New Zealand - a credit card or debit card (Visa or Mastercard) - an email address - a photo of your face, or a device that can take one. Here's the link to the online form for the NZeTA: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/preparing-a-visa-application/your-journey-to-new-zealand/before-you-travel-to-new-zealand/details-page/visa/nzeta AUSTRALIA Australia ETA link: https://application.visitaustraliavisas.com/application/881e3de4-bbe9-11ef-90a8-061b0989cca3.5f575dd?option=US Here are the entry dates for Australia: Group 1 (Feb 6 departure date) Entry in Australia is February 17 Group 2 (Feb 27 departure date) Entry in Australia is March 10 Group 3 (March 27 departure date) Entry in Australia is April 7 will only cost $20 Australian dollars ($12 US) You need to do this on your phone and download an app which will walk you through the steps. the following is what it should look like. Some find this very quick while others have spent a half hour struggling to get the photo to be accepted or the passport to scan, so know you are in good company if it's taking some time. When the process is completed you will not receive any paperwork to show-- it will be electronically attached to your passport and will make entering New Zealand and Australia very smooth. So don't worry about printing anything out to show authorities. But please text Liz at 801.669.1777 and let her know you have succeeded in completing this task. |
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When you're thinking about what to pack, think layers. We will have a variety of temperatures and a number of opportunities to do laundry, so plan to be flexible with a little bit of everything:this trip has a little bit of everything.
See our suggested packing list below and adjust it to your personal taste and needs. Everyone has individual styles and you will know best, but remember that traveling lighter makes travel easier. |
PDF of dates & itinerary
We have made some changes to the itinerary we think you'll like
Due to airlines changing flights from afternoon to morning and visa-versa, our itinerary has had to go through some rather drastic changes in that we made an executive decision to drop Canberra from the route in order to give you a decent amount of time in Sydney. This also means we have extended time in hotels without so many one-night stays that can be really exhausting on a trip of this length.
So you may want to take a look at the revised itinerary and know that we suffered a few nights of heart failure before we realized we had a solution that made the trip much better. The PDF below can be downloaded for your convenience to share with family.
Due to airlines changing flights from afternoon to morning and visa-versa, our itinerary has had to go through some rather drastic changes in that we made an executive decision to drop Canberra from the route in order to give you a decent amount of time in Sydney. This also means we have extended time in hotels without so many one-night stays that can be really exhausting on a trip of this length.
So you may want to take a look at the revised itinerary and know that we suffered a few nights of heart failure before we realized we had a solution that made the trip much better. The PDF below can be downloaded for your convenience to share with family.
From Liz: I've added some links to Amazon products because some have asked me for suggestions, but these are not required in any way and are just here to give you ideas. You should use your own judgement and experience.
1. Swim suit and accessories (the company we hire for the snorkel and dive at the reef will supply fins and masks for everyone, but you may want to bring your own if you are hard to fit). In addition, we recommend:
A. Swim gloves - if you are planning to swim at the Great Barrier Reef, we suggest you bring a pair of swim gloves to enhance your swim stroke and protect your hands from coral and jelly fish. Here's a link to some you can purchase: https://a.co/d/fkqubYA
B. Head band/face mask for swimming and for wind protection when you're on the Dart River https://a.co/d/0EV1ZFB
2. Sandals, walking shoes & flip flops
3. Bug repellant -- we didn't see a lot of bugs, but be prepared with a small amount of oil to repell mossies just in case. Here's a link to some bug repellant: a.co/d/9rRUlup
4. Sun screen -- you'll need protection on this trip
5. Hats (one needs to tie on for jet boat & Milford Sound) - Either a tie-on hat or a stocking hat that won't blow off.
6. Scarf for boat rides (Dart River and Milford Sound) where it's windy
7. Sun glasses
8. Umbrella - small folding one a.co/d/e3ixLMS a.co/d/iZTGsqG
9. Water bottle - especially for the airline so you can stay hydrated. Ask the attendant to fill your bottle.
10. Tide sticks -,we swear by these https://a.co/d/f6XCvDS
11. Laundry bags - you may want to share a load with a friend and keep your undies separate. https://a.co/d/cQVJBzq
12. Australian/NewZealand plug adaptor (this is different from European) a.co/d/fmIvuzd
13. Electric transformer -- needed for electrical appliances other than computers & phones ca.co/d/cVDO5ec
14. Clothes line -- for doing laundry in your room (underwear especially) a.co/d/6spXv0E
15. Laundry soap -- I use these all the time at home and on trips a.co/d/5jEcwOx
16. Wrinkle Release Spray (sorry it won't help our faces) a.co/d/2PAgeGO
17. Flashlight -- this one is rechargable and can charge your phone a.co/d/2Ya68vO
18. Church clothes --(men need white shirt, tie & socks if you're going to attend the temple)
19. Medicines & vitamin suppliments -- with pill bags to organize them compactly a.co/d/iWkVhss
20. Ziplock bags -- crazy, but you'll be surprised how much these are used
21. Snacks -- nuts, jerky, protein bars, etc.
22. Reading material
23. Book of Mormon to give away
24. Melatonin & sleep aids --we recommend Costco Sleep Aid -- to sleep on
the plane and to sleep through the nights when jet lag wakes us at 3:00 AM
- Compare to Unisom Sleeptabs
- Contains 25 mg. of Doxylamine Succinate
- Non-Habit Forming Sleep Aid
26. Hand sanitizer https://a.co/d/5zSOLBua.co/d/5zSOLBu
27. Disinfectant wipes for plane (get at the supermarket travel section)
28. Eye mask & ear plugs for sleeping https://a.co/d/cKPdQRua.co/d/cKPdQRu
29. Pictures of your family -- on your phone and/0r hard copy to show
30. Sweaters & warm jacket
31. PASSPORT, tickets, credit card, etc. (NEVER pack these in luggage)
SUGGESTED CLOTHING PACKING LIST (this is just a suggestion-- not to be taken as the law)
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Liz's packing list
3 long pants - 1 jeans, 2 slacks 2 medium length pants (floods) 3 shorts 1 skirt 1 dress for church or temple 2 t-shirts (buy more there) 5 tops 1 pr. PJ's 2 sweaters 1 sweatshirt 1 jacket/coat 3 hats 1 swim suit & accessories 7 pair garments 2 pair sandals flip flops 2 pair walking shoes |
Mark's Packing List
2 slacks 1 jeans 4 shorts 4 casual shirts/polos 2 t-shirts (buy more there) 2 sweat shirts 1 jacket 1 sweater 1 dress shirt (white) & 1 white tie 1 swim suit & accessories 7 pair garments PJ's 2 hats 2 pair walking shoes socks 1 pr sandals flip flops |