I managed to snag an introductory fare on Air New Zealand's new service to Christchurch and will have 9 days to see as much as I can in my first trip to New Zealand next month. Although 9 days isn't nearly enough, it should allow me to sample some of the highlights of the South Island (I'm saving Auckland and the North Island for another trip) -- assuming I can recover from the jet lag inherent in flying nearly 10,000 miles before it's time to return.

I'll spend the first night in Christchurch and then will pick up the rental car that I'll have for the next 8 days. I know I want to see Dunedin, Queenstown, and Mount Cook, but haven't really decided how much time to spend in each and what to add. Any suggestions? Recommendations on hotels/B&Bs and restaurants would be greatly appreciated as well. Also, since I'm traveling solo, a large scale road map would be useful -- any come to mind?

Thanks. Greg Davis Arlington, VA