* New Zealand dollars($) LANGUAGE * English, Maori and New Zealand Sign Language MONEY * ATMs are widely available, especially in larger cities and towns,credit cards accepted in hotels and restaurants VISAS * Citizens of Australia, the UK and 56 other countries don't need visas for New Zea (length-of-stay vary). MOBILE PHONES * European phones will work on NZ's network, but not most American or Japanese phones. * global roaming or a local SIM card and prepaid account. DRIVING * Drive on the left; the steering wheel is on the right side of the car(...in case you can't find it). When to Go * HIGH SEASON (DEC-FEB) Summer: busy beaches, outdoor explorations, festivals, sporting events. Big-city accommodation prices rise. High season in the ski towns is winter (Jun-Aug). * SHOULDER (ATAR APR) Prime travelling time:fine weather, short queues, kids in school,warm(ish) ocean. Long evenings supping Kiwi wines and craft beers. Spring (Sep-Nov) is shoulder season too. * LOW SEASON (MAY-AUG) Head for the Southern Alps for some brilliant southern hemisphere skiing. No crowds, good accommodation deals and a seat in any restaurant. Warm-weather beach towns might be half asleep.  _  * Auckland International Airport Airbus Express-24-hour Shuttle Bus24-hour door-to-door services Taxiaround$70; 45 minutes to the city * Wellington Airport Bus----Airport Flyer from 6 am to 9.30 pm Shuttle Bus-24-hour door-to-door services Taxi-around$30;20 minutes to the city * Christchurch Airport BusCity Flyer from 7.15 am to 9.15 pm Shuttle Bus24-hour door-to-door services Taxi-around $50;25 minutes to the city Driving Around New Zealand There are extensive bus networks and a couple of handy train lines crisscrossing New Zealand, but for the best scenery, flexibility and pure freedom it's hard to beat piling into a camper van or rent-a-car and hitting the open road. Scanning the map you might think that driving from A to B won't take long, but remember that many of the roads here are two-lane country byways, traversing hilly landscape in curves, crests and convolutions:always allow plenty of time to get wherever you're going. And who's in a hurry anyway? Slow down and see more of the country:explore little end-of-the-line towns, stop for a swiinlsurfi beer, and pack a Swiss Army knife for impromptu picnics at roadside produce stalls. In the author's opinion, when you have a chance to visit New Zealand,  _
hurry all the time because driving is difficult there drive quickly enough to enjoy more surfing and picnicking don't hurry because two-lane country byways will help you save time find enough time because of too much to enjoy and the difficulty in driving