Golden, Colo.: We're planning to take the whole month of March to rent a car in ChristChurch and tour the South Island. We don't plan to book lodging ahead of time so that we can be flexible and spend more or less time in certain areas. Would it be helpful to take a laptop along? Thanks.

Andrew Hempstead: I assume you are taking a laptop for Internet access? If so, know that the South Island is not as connected as the north. On the other hand, every visitor center has a computer with public Internet access.

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Victoria, Tex.: My husband and I land in Christchurch on Feb. 24, take the Tranz Alpine Train the next day, and then pick up our campervan and head out on Feb. 26. We have the van rented for the next 10 days. What would be you plan of attack to see the most and best of the South Island?

Andrew Hempstead: Ten days is enough time to circumnavigate the South Island, looping through Nelson to Abel Tasman National Park, then down the west coast to Queenstown, across to Dunedin and back up to Christchurch.

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Livermore, Calif.: We have two kids that will be 8 and 6 this Christmas. Are they old enough to take advantage of all the adventure New Zealand has to offer. They just did a great job of traveling through Costa Rica for a two-week Christmas vacation this year but I'm not sure how strenuouse the Milford Trek is? Are there places for beginner kyakers to have fun? Because it is so expensive to get to New Zealand, I'm wondering if we should wait until the kids are a little older? If they are old enough, I also have the all encompassing question of what we should do and how to keep it economical?

Thanks,
Kari

Andrew Hempstead: Kari, your children are probably a little young to enjoy the commercialized adventures New Zealand is famous for, but the country itself is very kid-friendly and there are shorter hikes everywhere, and lots of places to try kayaking, such as Abel Tasman National Park.

Regarding costs, one excellent way to cut costs without cutting the fun is to stay in holiday parks (campgrounds).

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Madison, Wis.: We are recently retired so our time in New Zealand is not limited by work schedule, length of trip, or kids, just money, physical exertion, and running out of interest in the trip. We will be traveling on our own, but may be interested in tours of a few days. What do you recommend as to the length of time to visit the north and south islands at a relaxed pace?