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CHILDREN New Zealand is a child-friendly place: nearly every town of
any size has Plunket Rooms, which can be used for changing nappies and
sometimes host play groups; family rooms are commonly available in
motels, and children are welcomed in most restaurants.
CIGARETTES AND SMOKING Smoking is outlawed on most public transport and
in many public buildings, and smoking in restaurants is strongly
discouraged if not banned. Cigarette advertising has long been outlawed
and now sponsorship has gone the same way, with the cigarette-tax-funded
Smokefree organization standing in where Rothman's and others have been
ousted. Consequently cigarettes are expensive and best bought duty-free
on arrival.
DATES New Zealand follows Britain's lead with dates, and 1/4/2000 means
April 1 not January 4.
DEPARTURE TAX A departure tax (to be paid in NZ currency) is charged to
everyone over the age of 12. If you are leaving from Auckland this is
$20, while Wellington and Christchurch charge $25. This is occasionally
included in the air-ticket price, but more often you have to pay at the
airport; keep some cash handy or pay by credit card.
ELECTRICITY New Zealand operates a 230/240volt, 50Hz AC power supply,
and sockets take a three-prong, flat-pin type of plug. North American
appliances require both a transformer and an adaptor, British and Irish
equipment needs only an adaptor and Australian appliances need no
alteration. Suitable adaptors are widely available in New Zealand and at
most international airports.
EMERGENCIES Dial 111
FLOORS What would be called the first floor in the US is the ground
floor in NZ, the one above is known as the first, and so on.
GST A Goods and Services Tax is charged at 12.5 percent on almost all
items and services and is included in the price quoted, except for some
business hotels where rates will be clearly marked GST-exclusive. GST
exemption is available on more expensive items bought at shops bearing
the "Duty-Free Shopping" sticker which are to be sent or taken out of
the country.
MEASUREMENTS New Zealand uses the metric system of measurements.
Distances are in kilometres, petrol is bought in litres, and food is
weighed in kilos .
PHOTOGRAPHY Film is widely available, but at a price - and processing is
expensive, too. For transparencies, Fujichrome Velvia seems to be
particularly good at capturing New Zealand's intense blues and greens
and costs around $27 for 36 exposures, plus $15 for processing.
SEASONS Don't forget that in the southern hemisphere the seasons are
reversed. Summer lasts from November to March, and winter from June to
September, with a couple of transitional months in between that pass for
spring and autumn.
TIME New Zealand Standard Time (NZST) is 12 hours ahead of Greenwich
Mean Time, so at noon in New Zealand, it's midnight in London, 7pm in
New York, 4pm in Los Angeles, and 10am in Sydney. From the first Sunday
in October to the third Sunday in March, Daylight Saving puts the clocks
one hour further forward.
TIPPING There is never an expectation of a tip, though reward for
exceptional service is always welcomed.
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