Kia Ora - greetings from New Zealand. “As the planet heats up environmentally and politically, it’s good to know that New Zealand exists. This uncrowded, green, peaceful and accepting country is the ultimate escape” (Lonely Planet, New Zealand, 2016, p. 4). There are 4.6 million New Zealanders “scattered across ... an area bigger than the U.K., with one-fourteenth the population. Filling in the gaps are the sublime forests, mountains, lakes, beaches and fjords that have made NZ one of the best hiking destinations on earth” (LP, p. 4). This was our third trip to New Zealand, but first time with a car. New Zealand consists of the North Island, the South Island, Stewart Island and many other islands. Most visitors concentrate on the North and/or South Islands. We flew into Christchurch, on the South Island. Christchurch
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