New Zealand: Kiwi Tracks

On January 6, 2013 I finished my ebook trip to New Zealand. I completed this journey with Andrew Stevenson's book Kiwi Tracks. The book hit the spot. Ten years ago I was all-about going to New Zealand. I left my job, and was ready to go on an adventure. The problem was that my friend has some complications with travel arrangements, and then we never went. At that time in my life I was not ready to go to another country by myself.
Through this book, I traveled with Andrew from the South Island to the North Island. He mostly stayed at backpackers (hostels) and huts on the tracks (trails). It started off cold with sleet and snow and ended warm enough. I was hoping it would be a warm book, because of me experiencing winter here.
What I liked best about the book, is that he didn't spice it up. He seemed to tell it like it was. He also had a couple of clumsy or ignorant mishaps which was something I could see myself doing.
Overall, I got the sense of New Zealand as this:

• Somewhere you could hitch-hike easily and safely.
• Beautiful.
• Rich in history.
• Honest and easy-going. There is a part in the book where Andrew mistakenly leaves a bag of ribs at a grocery store. He goes back to the grocery store and they give him new ribs, and are sure that the person who picked them up behind him would bring them back. It turns back the person did.
• There is some tension between North & South Island, and they have their rivalry with Australia.
• They have some dangerous birds, and a lot of possum.

Off to Papau New Guinea with Mr. Pip.