There are so many options for getting around New Zealand we've dedicated a section to this... GOOTing Around found on the left hand menu.

In short though you're options are the obvious choices, car bus or train... then there's cycling, hitchhiking, boats and tours. You'll probably use most of these at some stage while your here.

Firstly... we drive on the left in New Zealand, remember that and you'll remain reasonably safe. Another main (and slightly odd) rule to remember is to give way to all traffic crossing or approaching from the right.

Rental car companies will should provide a short list of the more important rules. You can read learn about the NZ Road Code here on the Land Transport NZ website.

New Zealand is basically an island and no matter where you go there's beaches beaches beaches. We have anything from a tame little paddling pool to wild and dangerous beaches where a number of lives of lost every year. Some advice given out by lifeguards:

• Swim at beaches petrolled by lifeguards
• Always swim between the red and yellow flags
• Listen to advice from lifeguards and heed safety signs
• Never swim alone and don’t leave children unattended
• Never run and dive into the water. Check water for depth and objects first.
•  Avoid alcohol - it affects your judgment and the ability to hold your breath
• Don’t depend on flotation devices, such as boogie boards, as you can lose them in large waves
• Be aware of rips (see below). Regularly check your position against a landmark, such as lifeguard flags, to help maintain a fixed position and alert you to dangerous currents
• Don’t wear street clothes in the water
• If you get into trouble, raise your arm for assistance, float and wait for help
• Stay out if you are not sure about the surf conditions or your own ability

Rips:
Rips are channels of swift moving water returning to sea. Often found at surf beaches a rip will catch swimmers off-guard and quickly drag them out to sea.

How to identify a Rip:

• Calm patches in the surf with waves breaking either side
• Rippled or ‘criss-crossed’ water
• Darker water due to depth or sand stirred up off the bottom
• Foamy water with debris extending beyond the surf break
• Watch the ocean for at least 10 minutes before entering the water and always avoid areas showing any of these signs.

If in doubt, stay out of the water or ask a lifeguard.

If you are caught in a rip

• Stay calm and conserve your energy
• If you are a weak swimmer, float with the current and try to swim parallel to the shore until reaching the breaking wave zone, then swim back to shore or signal for help.
• If you are a strong swimmer, swim at a 45 degree angle across the rip in the same direction as the current until you reach the breaking wave zone, then return to shore.

New Zealand gets some damn fine weather at times but beware we also get very high ultraviolet radiation levels, much higher than most countries. This means you burn surprisingly fast so don't wait to find out because it really hurts!

• Slap on sunblock (SPF 30+ or more is recommended)
• Wear a good hat with a wide brim (even if you don't look too cool)
• Cover up with a long-sleeve cotton shirt if you have to
• Use shade tents or beach umbrellas
• Wear good sunglasses with UV protection
• Don't get dehydrated, sunstroke can make you sick for days... always take a bottle of water with you. Beer on the beach just won't cut it I'm afraid!

You can use all major credit cards in New Zealand, some small operators may still be limited especially if booking online. Travellers' cheques are accepted at hotels, banks and some stores.

Bank hours are generally from 9am - 4.30pm Monday to Friday. ATM's (Automatic Teller Machines) can be used for withdrawing cash using International Credit Cards encoded with a pin number. ATM's can be found even in the smallest towns.

Banks will give cash advances on Visa and MasterCard, but for American Express card transactions you'll need to go to an American Express office. All airports and most hotels have currency exchange facilities as well as a number of dedicated exchange booths in the major cities.

We generally only tip in New Zealand for extra good service (tipping is not normal practice). You would tip around 5-10% in a restaurant if you feel you have received exceptional service. Cafés often have a tips jar (often named the Karma Jar) on the counter. You can put a little loose change in these. Tipping IS NOT expected.

The game is set-up with 10 cups, forming a triangle, on each side of a ping pong table or something similar. The best place to get these cups is from on of the Esquires around town. Do not feel discouraged if you end up going to several before you find one that will sell you the cups for around 50 cents each. Make sure to keep the cups, clean them and what not so this process does not have to be repeated.

The game begins by pouring 2-3 beers evenly into the cups so that each cup is about 1/4 of the way full of beer. Each side begins with one ping pong ball and on the count of 3 one person from each team will shoot while not breaking eye contact with the other team mate, this is like the "kick off" for the game. First team to make it into a cup begins. Both team members throw the ball into the cups of the other opponents. There are a few different outcomes for what may happen.

1. If both members miss it is the other teams turn.

2. If one member makes it the other team has to pull and drink that cup.

3. If both team members make it both cups are pulled and consumed and the team that made it gets to go again.

4. If a ball is bounced and goes into a cup then 2 cups need to be removed and consumed. (Once the ball bounces the other team may defend their cups by slapping the ball out of the air but only after it has bounced)

5. If both balls are bounced and go in then 4 cups must be pulled and consumed and the team gets to shoot again.

There are 2 "re-racks" which enable each time to have the cups repositioned to make it easier to shoot, this is most commonly done when there are 6 cups remaining and are put into a smaller triangle or when there are 4 cups left making a diamond.

The game continues until there are no more cups and the winning team stays on the table to play the next opponents.

There are many other rules that people play by but these are the most simple and straightforward so feel free to elaborate and get fancy with it. A fun way is to make one cup entirely filled with beer. Another rule often played with is that if you sink a ball into the cup that the other team is drinking while there is still beer in it the game is over and the team that made it wins. Another rule is that if after you shoot and miss the ball rolls back to your side you can shoot it behind the back and it counts as a real shot.