Accommodations and Transportation Advice
 

We are planning our first trip to New Zealand Feb 19 - Apr 9. We arrive in Aukland and plan to visit both islands. We're starting to explore accommodation and transportation options. We've tossed around the idea of renting an apartment in Aukland, which seems to be reasonble. But, of course, has the downfall of tied to one location. Also wondering if we should rent a car. Campervan. Buy a car. Or use the bus. We're looking for the right balance of economical and flexible. Is the bus service sufficient and flexible enough? We like the idea of not driving since we drive on the other side of the road. :) Is it economial and feasible to search for accommodation as you travel from place to place? Any ideas or suggestions would be great.