>>913997I hitched for 2 weeks around the south island in and out of Christchurch, average wait time to get picked up was 20 minutes, and got picked up by everyone including locals and other travelers. Lots of kiwis will do it as well if they need to travel around.
The back-country hut system is excellent, they're comfortable, well kept and cozy. Note that they get packed out in the on-season months and you need to book well in advance, especially for the Great Walks.
Pic related: a small 3 bed hut above a glacial lake, and you can hear the ice cracking constantly. If you want to get /out/ and feel isolated NZ is the place to go.