Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
PRACTICALITIES
A
DVVDsKiwi DVDs are encoded for Region 4, which includes Mexico, South America,
Central America, Australia, the Pacific and the Caribbean.
A
Ele
ElecttrriiciityTo plug yourself into the electricity supply (230V AC, 50Hz), use a three-
pin adaptor (the same as in Australia; different from British three-pin adaptors).
A
NNewsLeaf through Auckland'sNew Zealand Herald,Wellington'sDominion Postor
Christchurch'sThe Pressnewspapers, or check out
www.stuff.co.nz.
A
Radio
dioTune in to Radio National for current affairs and Concert FM for classical and
jazz (see
www.radionz.co.nz
for frequencies). Kiwi FM (
www.kiwifm.co.nz
)
showcases
NZ music; Radio Hauraki (
www.hauraki.co.nz
) cranks out classic rock (the national
appetite for Fleetwood Mac is insatiable…).
A
TVWatch one of the national government-owned TV stations (TV One, TV2, TVNZ
6, Maori TV and the 100% Maori language Te Reo) or the subscriber-only Sky TV
(
www.skytv.co.nz
)
.
A
Weigh
ightts a
s and m
d measuuresNZ uses the metric system.
Climate
Lying between 34°S and 47°S, NZ is squarely in the 'Roaring Forties' latitude - meaning it
has a prevailing and continual wind blowing over it from west to east, ranging from gentle
freshening breezes to occasional raging winter gales. Coming across the Tasman Sea, this
breeze is relatively warm and moisture-laden. When it hits NZ's mountains the wind is swept
upwards, where it cools and dumps its moisture. When the wind comes from the south (from
Antarctica) it's icy cold - a southerly wind always means cold weather.
Rainfall
The South and North Islands, because of their different geological features, have
two distinct patterns of rainfall. On the South Island the Southern Alps act as a barrier for
the moisture-laden winds coming across the Tasman Sea. This creates a wet climate on the
western side of the mountains and a dry climate on the eastern side; annual rainfall is more
than 7500mm in parts of the west but only about 330mm across some of the east, even
though it's not far away. On the North Island, the western sides of the high volcanoes also
get a lot more rain than the eastern sides, although since there's no complete barrier (as there
is in the Southern Alps) the rain shadow is not as pronounced. Rainfall is more evenly dis-
tributed over the North Island, averaging around 1300mm per year. On the North Island rain
falls throughout the year; typically, rainy days alternate with fine days, which is enough to
keep the landscape perennially green.
