Searching for the Perfect Photo in New Zealand (via Toyota Starlet)

[R.Symancek]

Hello everyone.

Two weeks ago I bought this. A 1.0L 1989 Toyota Starlet. Being from the United States, it will be my way of travel for the next five months in the amazing country of New Zealand. First off, I would like to say that a Toyota Starlet is not a proper expedition vehicle. Nor is it 4wd. Nor can it really carry anything at all. But for the next five months (in between being a student) my good friend and fellow photographer Cam Held (www.camheldphoto.com) and I are going to try and make it work.

Our goal: Travel the entire country looking for that one 'perfect shot'; the photograph that describes our trip best. Included with that, this thread will highlight the routes we took to get there, modifications to a 50hp hatchback in order to make it more livable (on a budget), and possibly some motorsport. In summary though, it will boil down to one photo, which we will pick in the end.

This is a travel segment which we named 'Traveling New Zealand in the Rally/Expedition/Photo-rig Starlet that thinks it is better than you'.

With that, we will try to bring expedition portal back to some of its routes, as two young Americans trying to see part of the world with no money.

 

[4xdog]

My dad had two criteria for a vehicle. It had to start and it had to be paid for. I can't say I learned that one, but I did come to appreciate the criteria of a friend from many years ago who drove a rust-belt Suburban with lower doors held together with window sceening and roofing tar -- all he cared about was a car that started, stopped, and steered.

Any vehicle that gets you out there and back is a super expedition vehicle. Your trip sounds like a blast.

 

[R.Symancek]

My dad had two criteria for a vehicle. It had to start and it had to be paid for. I can't say I learned that one, but I did come to appreciate the criteria of a friend from many years ago who drove a rust-belt Suburban with lower doors held together with window sceening and roofing tar -- all he cared about was a car that started, stopped, and steered.

Any vehicle that gets you out there and back is a super expedition vehicle. Your trip sounds like a blast.

Thanks! Yeah we've already got around a bit in it. The first night we bought it, we drove it down the south island, and set up camp right on the beach. Pictures to come. That aside, I'm really impressed so far with the starlet's reliability.

 

[Christian P.]

Great choice. We love small cars in Canada but some reasons the Starlet was never really popular - actually I am not even sure it was available.

We had the Tercel, which was really awesome!

Good luck on your trip and finding this perfect picture!

 

[d67u57]

that is a very interesting machine for your travel needs.

driving the same road in two different vehicles makes for a very different experience.

good luck!

btw, any leaks in the back of the engine?

 

[R.Symancek]

Great choice. We love small cars in Canada but some reasons the Starlet was never really popular - actually I am not even sure it was available.

We had the Tercel, which was really awesome!

Good luck on your trip and finding this perfect picture!

Thanks. Yes I'm guessing the Starlet probably wasn't sold in Canada. I've never driving anything this small, and I'm surprised on what it can handle so far.

 

[R.Symancek]

that is a very interesting machine for your travel needs.

driving the same road in two different vehicles makes for a very different experience.

good luck!

btw, any leaks in the back of the engine?

No leaks at all to note (And I took special care into looking). Well at least not yet. A skid plate might be in order for prior endeavors. We did come across a Ford Lazer for sale that was leaking pretty badly through the valve cover gasket.

 

[R.Symancek]

So, bringing everyone up to speed. The Starlet was bought in Dunedin, NZ (where I go to school) for $1500. Cam and I then split the bill $750 each, and since insurance isn't mandatory in New Zealand, we were pretty much able to drive it right off the lot and on to our first adventure. In the first couple days of owning it, we stayed around town, running normal errands and such. But we did get out for a good surf one afternoon. A Starlet full of surfboards and two grown men was quite a sight. I have driven a lot of different cars in my life, but I swear nothing has turned more heads than the car with the hatch up and surfboards hanging out the back. Literally, people were pointing and laughing. Finishing the afternoon, we climbed to Signal Hill (I'm starting to find out why the Otago Peninsula is apparently one of the top places in the world to propose marriage). I'm not proposing, but the sunset was cool.

Next we're off to the Catlins, the beautiful ocean coastline of southern NZ.

 

[d67u57]

'since insurance isn't mandatory in New Zealand' wow

'Literally, people were pointing and laughing' easier to pick up girls if they are already lol'ing

this thread could be epic. updates a must!!!

 

[R.Symancek]

'since insurance isn't mandatory in New Zealand' wow

'Literally, people were pointing and laughing' easier to pick up girls if they are already lol'ing

this thread could be epic. updates a must!!!

Thanks! More to come shortly.

 

[R.Symancek]

Now, I should explain what we are going to be using, before we go any further in this thread. Besides the Toyota, we have two Pelican cases. In the black one you'll find this:

Pelican 1560
Nikon D70s Body
Sony Nex-5N Body
Nikon 50mm f/1.8
Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6

And in the green:

Pelican 1620
Canon 7D Body
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM
Canon 300mm f/4 L IS USM
Canon 500mm f/4 L IS USM
Canon 50mm f/1.8
Canon 18-135 f/3.5-5.6 IS
Induro Carbon 8x CT314 Tripod Legs
Induro GHB2 Gimbal Head



The total cost of all of this... well... is quite a bit more than our entire New Zealand trip all together. But, for those of you that like to nerd out on camera gear, here's what we will be using. In my Pelican, the black one, I have two fairly simple lenses, and a new Sony Nex-5N, which I use mostly for video. I'll spend most of my times videoing on the trip for another project I am working on, but when I do get the time, I'll snap a few photos with it. Love the body so far, and for the price, I really can't complain.

As for the green case... If you know anything about cameras it's safe to say this is quite a bit more expensive. Cam Held's gear is somewhat of a National Geographic photographer's travel bag. It's what we need though, if we want good quality stills.

 

[Arlo]

Looking foreward.
5 months just for one perfect picture sounds like a plan! :wings:

I didn't made one. http://explorermagazin.de/neusee/neusee04.htm

Btw, got a ticket there in 2004, never payed for it. Do they will me pull out at the customs when I will join NZ again? :Wow1:

 

[R.Symancek]

Looking foreward.
5 months just for one perfect picture sounds like a plan! :wings:

I didn't made one. http://explorermagazin.de/neusee/neusee04.htm

Btw, got a ticket there in 2004, never payed for it. Do they will me pull out at the customs when I will join NZ again? :Wow1:

Yeah, it kind of seems like it would be easy to just leave the country without paying that ticket. But I'm sure that would be harder to do now a few years down the road. Haven't seem too many cops around though. (Not that I'm speeding with a loaded down 1.0L hatch)

 

[vicali]

Awesome adventure, Pile 3xthe cars value in photo gear in and just drive..
Looking forward to more..

 

[R.Symancek]

Our first official road trip out of Dunedin directed us south, to the Catlins. This southeastern tip of the south island is home to some of the most beautiful coastline in the world. The Starlet was perfect all the way out, even though it was struggling hard core on some of the bigger hills. We started our journey late in the evening, so by the time we got to the area it was already dark. Cam and I have both spent a good amount of time in Alaska, and I have to agree with him that night time in the Catlins feels just as barren as a cold winter's night in Healy. Many points during our drive we couldn't see a man made light source anywhere, and we were driving along some pretty high ridges. It felt even more barren since we didn't know where we were going to be sleeping. After some late night scouting, a little dirt road near Tautuku Beach. We chose not to sleep on the beach because of the obvious high tides. We set up the hammock tent and folded down the car seat. Good places to crash for the night.

Starlet ripping up the beach, and our campsite in Tautuku.


In the morning, after some terrible hot cross buns that made me want to puke, we awoke to some firm sand on the beach, and the Starlet was hungry to try and become a 70 series Cruiser. After some sand driving fun, it was back on the road to Waikawa, and the Curio Bay. We stopped and did some hiking along the way, then continued with a great dirt road section called the Haldane-Curio Bay Road (I highly recommend it if you like driving good gravel). Finally we circled back having almost hit Invercargill, and finished the trip with a beautiful sunset and some dinner at Nugget Point.

Some amazing coastline, full of wildlife (and cows... and sheep).



Oh, and by the way: Jack's Blowhole... it's insane. We saw a sign for it on the way to Nugget Point, and really didn't think of stopping, but the fact of the matter is it's worth the 20 minute walk in. I didn't realize the earth could make holes that big and deep and that far off shore. Incredible, and so deep and hidden that it was impossible to get a picture of it.

This isn't Jack's Blowhole, but I thought is showed a some cool scaling.


Hope you all enjoy the pictures. Next we will be headed up the coast and then west toward Mt. Cook, the highest peak in New Zealand.