New Zealand, the Land of the Long White Cloud

The Maoris named it Aotearoa, meaning 'Land of the Long White Cloud'. These days, it's also known as the 'land of adventure sports'. Whichever way you look at New Zealand (even upside down on a New Zealand bungee) you'll be gripped by its natural beauty and zest for life.

Nelson

If you're arriving from the North Island, the Nelson and Marlborough regions will be first places you see. And what a way to start. The coast road from Blenheim to Christchurch, via Kaikoura, is simply stunning. Snow-capped mountains rise from the shore, while out to sea, crags provide the main attraction for the local whales, dolphins, seals, petrels and albatross.

Or if hiking and mountain biking float your boat, head for the Queen Charlotte Track in the valleys of the Marlborough Sounds. Which incidentally, is home to a cracking Sauvignon Blanc - well worth working up a thirst for.

Kaikoura

You'll be hard pushed to find anywhere else in the world where such jaw-dropping mountains sit so close to the sea. And because they do, the area is the perfect habitat for an abundance of marine wildlife. Like them, you'll want to take your time there, taking it all in.

Hanmer Springs

If you've been on the road for a little while, Mother Nature's thermal pools provide the stopover of all stopovers. Or, if you're feeling a little more active, there's always horse-trekking or a spot of jetboating. Yee-hah!

Christchurch

The third biggest city on an island whose population has only just topped 1 million. No wonder then, that Christchurch has an air of calmness about it. And city life doesn't get much more chilled than in the beach suburbs of New Brighton and Sumner.

Now, if you're a film buff (namely, Lord of the Rings) Queenstown is something else. It's where you'll find location after location to follow in the footsteps of Gandalph and Frodo. In fact, every other tour operator has a sign saying 'as seen in Lord of the Rings' or 'venture into Middle Earth with us'.

Oh. And you should check out the penguin colonies at Oamaru.

Franz Joseph and Fox Glaciers

Quite simply, a must-see. And so popular, you'll almost certainly have to share the view with a tourist or three. Tell them you won your holiday - and watch their jaws drop even further.

Dunedin

Quirky name, quirky place. You'll find a little bit of everything here. Museums, stately homes, theatres, live music, the country's oldest university - and all the parties that go with it. You could easily spend a few days here (and a few more days recovering).

Milford Sound

A truly mystical place. Picture this: breathtaking sheer cliffs, rising up from silent, tranquil waters - broken momentarily by the rare avalanche of trees from the forest above. It's photographic paradise, so make sure your battery's on full!

But it doesn't stop there. Treat yourself to a cruise to the fjordland and you'll experience the very sounds of Milford Sound. Seals, dolphins and a deluge of cascading waterfalls. It's like nothing else on earth.

Wanaka lakes

Welcome to the spiritual home of adrenaline junkies! You'll find it all here - water sports, bungee, skiing, climbing - and then some! And the nightlife's just as active too. Head down to the lakefront and you'll find a whole host of bustling restaurants and bars that keep going 'til the small hours.

Punakaiki

Fancy a pancake? Of mountainous proportions? We know a nice little stopover between Westport and Greymouth. You'll find Punakaiki sitting quietly in the 38,000-hectare Paparoa National Park. It's the perfect place to stop and gawp in wonder at the Pancake Rocks. You might even want to make a (pancake) day of it!

So remember, every time you fill up between 10th of May and 30th of June 2010 you could win a full-on holiday in New Zealand - only with Roads to Adventure from Texaco.