Many thanks for all the advice on New Zealand's South Island. Can't wait to experience it.

For those interested in Australian travel and our weather: Tomorrow is officially the first day of summer, but it is predicted to arrive a day early - with record November high temperatures in some places on the east coast. Sydney is predicted to get to 42 degrees - and that's Celsius (or Centigrade) for those in areas where today's temperature won't make it to that in Fahrenheit !! We are worried about bushfires. You might expect our temperature here on the Gold Coast to be hotter, being much further north and thus closer to the tropics than Sydney, but it is predicted to be 31 deg. - still hot but significantly milder than Sydney. It is common for the Gold Coast to be cooler than some of the southern cities in summer, although much warmer in winter.

Harry Gold Coast, Australia