Driving 1000km and lining-up for five hours gave Brian Keys, of Napier, the right to be first in queue at the Regent 24-Hour Book Sale yesterday.
The 44-year-old book dealer said he had especially driven to Dunedin to attend the country's largest book sale, and planned to spend a full day scouring the more than 300,000 books for bargains.
"I am looking forward to it."
And so it proved when the doors officially opened at noon, and Mr Keys, clutching two large empty bags, sprinted past the romance novels lining the theatre's aisles and headed straight to the New Zealand section.
After 20 minutes, and with several dozen books already in one of his bags, Mr Keys told the Otago Daily Times he was off to a good start.
"But it is early days yet."
Taking part in his 30th and last book sale was sales convener Doug Lovell, who had a word or two of advice for the budding book buyer.
"If you see a book you want, don't go and put it down to go and check the price."
The more than 200 volunteers continually replenished books, so particular special titles were not always available from the outset, he said.
Citing Mr Keys as one example, it appeared there was a growing interest from outside the province in the book sale, which had even attracted a buyer from Hong Kong last year, he said.
Proceeds from the sale would go towards the theatre's redevelopment project.
Also set to say farewell to the book sale was Daphne Burnett-Roberts, who had performed the opening book sale act for the past 30 years.
This time she opted to play I Won't Last A Day Without You on her electronic keyboard.
"You need something with a good beat," she said.
