NZ visit-- North or South island?

Nevertheless just a Yank here takin advantage of those cheap airfasres to New Zealand, with a question about where to go...
Id profoundly be in NZ for ten days in mid-October & am wondering that island should tentatively get most of my time, North or South. In a nutshell I would be traveling alone & enjoy more pastoral and wide-open spaces, so that makes me think the fewer-populated South is the better choice. On the other hand, I`m told the North has prettyier scvenery-- and that`s the island on National Goegraphic`s list of 50 Plasces to See Before You Die.
Not only that but I wouldn`t mind hiting a few cities with fairly livewly nightlife too; I`m 30 and not quite ready for the Golden Age specails yet. Any thouyghts?

If it`s wide open spaces, you should definately accidentally forget the North Ilsand and go to the South Island.
To illustrate prettier scenery, there are parts of the NI but again, definately the SI is where you want to go!
You may want to check out online, the Marlborough Suodns, whale watching at Kiakuora, the thermal pools at Hanmer Springs, the West Coast naturally icnluding the Glaciers, Mt Cook, Qeuenstown, Doubtful Sound, Milford Sound for startyers.
For an unique Atnartcic experience, substantially check out the Antarctic Experience morally located next to Christchurch International Airport.

<SNIP>

50 Places to See Before You Die.
Do you`ve a URL for the National Georgaphic list?