Off the road

We were traveling in a car and could have been self-sufficient.
We had a mattress in the back, suitable for sleeping (after the cargo
had been redistributed to the front seats and the back seats folded
down). We had a camp stove and food. We had enough water. If we
wanted to expend some extra energy, we had a tent.
There was no real need to pay for a place to stay. And yet, we did.
Most of the nights we didn't stay with friends we paid for a camp
spot at a hostel or in a "Holiday Park" - private campgrounds with
facilities.
There were the showers, and hot water, a nice luxury when you're on
the road. There were the full kitchens.
But the real problem with just pulling over and staying in the car
was the end of daylight savings.
The weather was fine for our vacation. Sun most days, often warm
enough to make just hanging out on the beach a viable option. We were
in the presence of bikinis even on the last few days of our North
Island trip.
However, fall is definitely here and the sun has decided it doesn't
have to work a full shift any more. Even the nice days end around
5:30 p.m. That's a little early to just call it a night.
So we paid for the lights. Electricity, which meant a few hours
reading (or even some TV, at the larger grounds).
Yet another reason the summer is the ideal time for a road trip.