Hi All!

I'm a Kiwi girl currently traveling to New Zealand from London, by myself, and on a bicycle.

I was going to finish this journey to Brisbane but now I've extended my goalposts across the ditch.....to home (which is Christchurch). But how to get from Australia to New Zealand without taking a flight?

I've been going since Anzac Day (April 25) and plan to be with the ANZAC troops in East Timor Anzac Day 2010...so this is still a wee way off. Just putting my feelers out know to see what you all think?!

I've pledged to do this whole journey overland, and not take a single flight at all. Occasionally I take a train, a boat, a bus but hey......it's not you with the sore bum!
But mainly I bike.

Currently I'm in Pakistan and have been presented with a great opportunity to go into Afghanistan - so I'm off to Gunners!

My route is UK>France>Italy>Albania>(Kosovo)>Albania>Macedonia>Greece>Turkey>Iran>Pakistan>India>Nepal>Tibet>China>Laos>Thailand>Malaysia>Singapore>Indonesia>East Timor>Australia>New Zealand!

Blog is on http://www.bugbitten.com/kyles

Any advice would be greatly appreciated....many thanks!

I can think of at least three options.

1. Ask around at marinas on the east coast of Australia known as departure points for private yachts that may take on "working passengers". (Sydney, Coff's Harbour, Airlie Beach/Whitsundays, Cairns are places with a reasonable chance of finding a vessel, at least during sailing season.)

2. Pay your way through on a freighter. You may have to go through a specialized agent to find a way, though. A good Web site to orient yourself about this option is http://www.cruisepeople.co.uk/col.htm , I think.

3. Get in touch with companies that do Antarctica cruises out of Australia/New Zealand. Part of the expensive deal on these cruises is that during the long boat ride, the passengers are offered interesting lectures. I imagine there may be a vessel or three each year leaving from Australia to Antarctica and stopping off somewhere in New Zealand to resupply and pick up more passengers. If so, you should market yourself as a potential lecturer for the first leg from Australia. That should give you a free ride!

I see these guys have a cruise that leaves from Hobart (there's a boat from Melbourne to Tasmania) and ends up in New Zealand:
http://www.orionexpeditions.com/expedit ... on_heading

Maybe there are other cruise lines that also take on lecturers (or a temporary spinning instructor!) for the crossing of the Tasman Sea, not necessarily Antarctica cruises.

Also, by the time you get to the finishing line, your leg muscles just might allow you to swim across. #8D)

Bjørn
http://bjornfree.com/

The only boats that travel between Australia and NZ are cruise ships - all with a hefty price tag.

Thanks for all of your replies!

I've also been told about a website; www.findacrew.com so will try that too!

Whistler; I sent all my belonging I had acquired in the UK home to New Zealand by seafreight so there MUST be more than just cruise ships that head down that way.

I've also heard there are a lot of prestigious boatbuilders in the Melbourne area that build superyachts which are then sailed over to Auckland in New Zealand so will explore that option too....

Kyles