Which brings me to an important point: traveling is work. Adam and I are no longer retired. Our jobs are now logistically maneuvering through cities and mapping routes on unfamiliar roads. We do a lot of math (budgeting and converting currency in our heads), and we spend many afternoons planning for what is next... Which is sort of a job... sort of.
Our first task in Auckland was to find a van either to purchase or to rent for the next six weeks. This is easier said than done. After hearing horror stories about car markets, and realizing that it would cut off a significant portion of our 6 week trip to purchase and sell a legitimate van, we dug more and found a super cheap rental company that would provide a van to meet all of our needs. Enter Marge.
Driving out of the city was the moment that I really felt like we were off and away. We felt liberated. We now have a home, a mode of transportation, a kitchen, and (more or less) a plan for the next six weeks: cruise the country with Marge.