Not everything ran according to plan when I visited New Zealand in February 2006. The weather and my carelessness denied me some expected highlights. Nonetheless I saw some great scenery, saw some of the endemic wildlife, and spent good times with my wife's relatives in Auckland. They showed me round Auckland, places like 3 Kings Hills which is now only 2 hills as they used the third for building material. That was as important as anything, I like travelling distance and meeting friendly people.

The weather was changeable - when it rained it rained and blew. Boat trips (like I had planned to Tiritiri Matangi) can get easily cancelled. Mostly the weather was fine, lovely clear air, you can see for miles, but not as hot as parts of Australia.

I stayed in quite a few homestays and very pleasant experiences they were too. They're like B&Bs but you're even more staying with the host family, you eat with them, you don't have keys. Some of the homestays were luxurious. A good way of meeting the locals who were very helpful.

Food wise I found the potato-like Maori vegetable called "kumera" very good, and also quite liked feijoa juice. Plane food on my 36-hour journeys was dire - I barely ate.

Most of the roads in New Zealand I drove along are small winding country roads. Only in Auckland did I encounter motorways (which were congested.) The road system is good with some challenges for the visitor. There were a number of bridges with but a single lane, and even some where trains also shared the same space! At the time of my visit New Zealand had a law in effect where people turning right have priority over people turning left (they drive on the left.) I didn't get this always correct. You can also overtake on the inside.