Now that we've been driving on New Zealand's North Island for nearly three days, we're obviously experts on the country. With that caveat, we have a few initial impressions. First, our six-forward-speed Fiat van keeps Brian busy shifting gears on the local hills. Think "rolling hills" and multiply. It's best to take the warning signs seriously, e.g. "slow to 35." Kiwi drivers understand that you're driving a large and somewhat unwieldy rig and reward you with a toot of the horn when you pull over to let them pass.
Cheers Peter
No, we won't make it to the Bay of Islands this trip. Much to see here and we'll hope to return someday to see more sights.