Actually, the only real snafu was a minor argument Laura and I had about the competing merits of a room in the hand versus a room in the bush. I thought, after our experiences with everything closing down so early in Motueka, that we should take the first place we found. Laura wanted to stay someplace that didn't suck.
Neither of us should ever have worried. Our little motel, like almost all of the places we stayed at on our trip, was owner-operated by a nice older couple. And we knew the room would be perfectly fine when she asked us "would you like a jag of milk for your tea in the morning?" and she poured fresh milk from their fridge into a carafe for us.
The next morning, we asked the two of them a few questions about the area and got all kinds of suggestions about places worth visiting in the general area--including, of course, plenty of motel recommendations. We got advice on Tongariro National Park and its famous volcanoes, just another two hours' drive north of where we were; and we got still more advice on what to see in the town of Rotorua, which was four hours north of us and famous for its geothermal activity.
The town of Palmerston North isn't particularly special, and it isn't a major tourist destination in New Zealand, but it has many of the features we've grown accustomed to seeing throughout this wonderful country. It seems like every town here is well-laid out, easy to navigate, friendly and welcoming to tourists.
An immaculately renovated former warehouse, near the town center:
Clock Tower and Carillon:
Palmerston North War Memorial:
Modern art near the town square:
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