Based on a tip from another tandem rider at the Waihi Beach campground, we adjusted the pedals on a trial basis. Normally, you pedal in unison so that both have the pedals up at the same time. We now offset the pedals 90 degrees so that one pair of pedals is in the up-down position and the other is in the front-back position. Even before the first climb, Rana made the discovery that this is much more strenuous, since we are now not loading fully at the same time, but offset. So Rana has to put away the newspaper and help with the hitchhiking :-) Besides the suddenly much more exhausted Rana, the whole thing has the positive side effect that we can ride faster and the tandem is easier to keep stable during the slow uphill rides. Likewise, starting up after initial teething problems is easier.
About 20km before Gisborne we were waved out by a police motorcycle. We were asked to wait at the side of the road for our safety, because there was a chase going on at the moment. After one of the five police cars with blue light drove back without blinking, we continued our journey.
In Gisborne itself (again something city-like) we saw three-colored lamps at the roadside. We had after a week of cycling without seeing a single light signal but almost forgotten how they work :-)