Supplies and Shops

Shopping Necessities

When I landed everything hit me with a rush of things to do. You need a sim card for a New Zealand phone number, to get groceries, miscellaneous shopping. For example, I definitely needed a nicer pillow and that was one of the first things I bought. When shopping, New Zealanders don’t use plastic bags or even any paper bags at some stores. Invest in tote bags! They are so crucial for carting your stuff home. I am a big fan of saving a couple bucks when shopping so I took the bus (aka the metro) over to the mall. The mall has Pak N Save, a large grocery store, and Kmart for things like notebooks, blankets, and forgotten clothing items. Secondly, at the mall there are places to get a sim card such as Spark or 2degrees. I recommend bringing your passport with you for ID for certain phone plans. Other options for shopping include Woolworths or New World for groceries. Personally, I did not go to Woolworths but it is an option. New World is the most convenient shopping since it is a five minute walk or so from Ilam apartments. Another option for bedding and household items is Briscoes (a pricier option) and other thrifting places. 

A few things I noticed about New Zealand grocery stores are eggs are not kept cold (they are processed differently than in the U.S.). I was shocked to see tortilla packs come in 10 at max where back at home you could buy around a hundred little tortillas for cheap. Thankfully, tortillas are easy to make so I've began making them from scratch which is healthier anyway. Third, the sauces are not limitless in flavors like at home so no Bdubs (Buffalo Wild Wings) Parmesan Garlic or Medium Sauce here. They are fans of mayo here though! Lastly, kiwi fruit here tastes delicious and ube flavored things are more popular than at home! 

Thrift/Vintage

On the note of thrifting and vintage, a group of girls and I went out to explore some of the shops around. One was Recycle Boutique with gorgeous vintage designer pieces and a multitude of other cool clothes. We also went to a vintage shop, Curb, that was more of a miss for us since it catered more towards men's clothing or a general skater vibe. Lastly our favorite was Toff’s which is an additional bus ride but the majority of items is a thrifter's dream costing only two bucks. There is an additional section with nicer things that cost a bit more. I got a wool sweater for two dollars and a pair of pants for fourteen. Which was perfect because I needed internship appropriate pants that didn’t cost an arm and a leg. 

The Kitchen

An important mention is what your room/apartment is stocked with varies from place to place. My apartment was well supplied with cups, pots, pans, etc. However, someone else I met arrived with hardly any cups in their apartment (Don’t worry none of the apartments are empty or void of supplies). Some people will also have been already living there so it has a fuller kitchen and if you are like me my apartment had no one when I arrived. Just keep in mind that there may be some additional shopping you had not planned on or will have to discuss with your roommates who buys what.

Hiking aka Tramping

One of the reasons I came to New Zealand was for its natural landscapes. I did join the tramping club at university but I don’t have all the gear needed. So I asked around for recommendations for shops to buy some hiking clothes/gear. First is Kathmandu, good quality but also higher prices as are most of these options. Second is Toff’s for some clothes which was previously mentioned and it is cheaper but no guarantees they have your size in what you need. Lastly, Bivouac for gear and clothing as well as Further Faster which is a small business for whatever you need. The tramping club also supplies rental equipment for going on trips but they do not supply clothing.

Shops Mentioned

• Kmart (Homegoods/Clothing)
• Briscoes (Homegoods)
• Pak N Save (Grocery)
• Woolworths (Grocery)
• New World (Grocery)
• Spark (Sim Card)
• 2degrees (Sim Card)
• Recycle Boutique (Vintage/Thrift)
• Curb (Vintage)
• Toff’s (Thrifting/Hiking)
• Kathmandu (Hiking)
• Bivouac (Hiking)
• Further Faster (Hiking)