New Zealand Travel No.24 (Day 6 of Stay −6)— Feeling the Campervan Culture in the AfternoonNearby

There is a parking area for campervans, and around 2:00 to 3:00 p.m., many vehicles come and go.This happens to be the time I was returning home from the pool, and I saw it firsthand.The parking lot was filled with campervans of all sizes, and more vehicles kept arriving one after another.(Photo: Afternoon at the parking lot)My children once owned a campervan as well, but due to their busy work schedules, they sold it.Now, they have a holiday rental in Queenstown, which they often visit.I decided to look a little into the lifestyle of New Zealanders who own campervans.⸻Population and Vehicle Situation in New ZealandAs of 2025, New Zealand’s population is about 5,342,000.Its land area is roughly the same as Japan’s, but the population is only about 1/25 of Japan’s.With such a low population density, it is easy to enjoy a wide expanse of nature freely.Vehicle ownership is also notable. There are about 4.7 million registered vehicles,which is roughly 815 vehicles per 1,000 people.The number of registered campervans (motorhomes) is around 54,000,meaning there is more than 1 campervan for every 100 people.⸻Campervan Culture and Daily LifeThese numbers show that campervans are not just for tourism.For many New Zealanders, they are part of daily life and a symbol of a free lifestyle.Walking from my house to the pool, there are no power lines or poles at all,and I can see hills and fields spreading under a vast blue sky.(Photo: View from the pool to the house)It makes perfect sense that, in such natural surroundings, a culture has developedwhere people drive freely and travel in campervans.⸻Differences from JapanA different lifestyle culture becomes apparent.It is not only about the size of the land; population density and cultural background also meanthat people’s ways of living and traveling are very different from Japan.In New Zealand, a campervan is not just a “vehicle.”It can be seen as a mobile home representing an outdoor-focused, free lifestyle.

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