Trip route

2015-12-17: Arrive Auckland, take final flight to Dunedin (east coast of south island, about ¾ way down)
2015-12-17 to 2015-12-24: Dunedin
2015-12-24: Bus to Christchurch (east coast of south island, about ½ way down)
2015-12-24 to 2016-1-01: Christchurch
2016-01-01: Bus to Nelson (northern coast of south island)
2016-01-01 to 2016-03-31: Nelson
The next part of the trip I planned a few weeks before I left Nelson:
2016-04-01 to 2016-04-04: Paekakariki and Wellington
2016-04-04 to 2016-04-09: New Plymouth
2016-04-09 to 2016-04-15: Hamilton
2016-04-15: return home to Nova Scotia

New Zealand map, with route superimposed