I could drive for miles and miles and miles…

Hertz made things very simple. Friendly and very helpful staff at all locations and all the arrangements straightforward. As they drive on the left in NZ, it was home from home with only very minor deviations from the UK Highway Code. Occasionally the straight roads did get tedious and there was the occasional friendly tussle to decide who was going to drive the next leg, but the Mondeo–sized automatic cars with cruise made driving bearable. And many straight roads end with slow and very winding challenging gorges, preventing too much tedium.

Small tips. (1) Be aware that the police are strong on ticketing speeding drivers. (2) On the South Island, ensure you keep your tank topped up as petrol stations can be few and far in-between, and (3) be prepared for the main road suddenly becoming a dirt track where recent land movements have destroyed the road surface.