New Zealand’s swift-flowing rivers dissect steep, broken country making them ideal for generating cheap hydro power. The vast amount of energy contained in major river systems like the Waikato and the Clutha has been tapped through a series of hydro dams. The stored water is converted.
New Zealand dress code is pretty much a reflection of the casual Kiwi lifestyle. Living the good life in ‘Godzone’ as Kiwis describe ‘God’s Own Country’, means dressing informally. This easy-going lifestyle is exemplified by the popular, sizzling backyard barbecue. To dress ‘a la mode’ in this situation.
Prevailing westerly winds have a major effect on our climate bringing warm, moisture-laden air in from the Tasman Sea. The South Island’s Southern Alps act as a barrier, creating annual rainfall of up to 7000 mm on the West Coast. By contrast the Canterbury Plains, lying in the rain shadow.
New Zealand proudly boasts a ‘clean green’ image and compared to other developed world countries we are seen as a great place that provides fresh unpolluted air, low cases of disease, easy access to fresh organic produce and clean drinking water.
A Visitors Permit is an endorsement in your passport allowing you to visit New Zealand. It states the expiry date of your permit and allows you to visit as a tourist, see friends and relatives, play sport or perform in cultural events without pay, undertake a business trip and/or undertake medical treatment.
New Zealand has an efficient transport system that is designed to move visitors around the main tourist routes with a minimum of delay. Advance bookings are essential in the summer high season (December-February) but at other times there is much less pressure on transport services.
The range of choice in larger centres is wide, from upmarket exclusive lodges and five-star hotels, through budget hotels, motels, motor inns, bed and breakfast guesthouses, homestays, farmstays, hostels, backpackers, holiday parks, holiday homes, motor camps and Department of Conservation.
New Zealand’s South Island is a spectacular land, which has been uplifted by prodigious earth forces. The South Island landscape is so different from the rolling green hills of the north that crossing Cook Strait is akin to travelling to another country.
New Zealand’s North Island is blessed with a mild maritime climate ranging from subtropical in the Far North to temperate in the rest of the island.
We have all used Google Maps at some point in time. While some people may not be dependent on Google local maps and Google map directions, everybody knows what an immensely useful tool it is.
It would be hard to imagine a more shopper-friendly city than Wellington. The capital has a huge variety of stores, conveniently situated in shopping arcades, underground malls and clusters of shops along the ‘Golden Mile’ of Lambton Quay, Willis Street.
Wellington’s stellar attraction is undoubtedly Te Papa (Our Place) - the national museum, which provides a treasured link between New Zealand’s people, land and culture. Its interactive displays are at the leading edge of virtual experience.
