As with any country, if you are considering where to live, it helps to have an idea of what natural hazards pose a risk to your new lifestyle. Here is a quick summary. EARTHQUAKE New Zealand is known as "The shaky isles" and is located on the Pacific "ring of fire". Major fault lines run the length of the country, and small localised faults may also cause damaging quakes. In the North Island, the high-risk zone includes Wellington, Wairarapa and the entire East Coast (Hawkes bay and Gisborne). Northland and Auckland are comparitively low-risk and the rest of the island is moderate risk. Bay of Plenty and the Central plateau have also been noted for having swarms of small earthquakes in...

We can make quite a few sweeping generalisations about New Zealand houses: 1) A high proportion (by world standards) of New Zealanders own, or are buying, their own homes rather than renting accommodation. However, the pre-recession property boom put owning a house further beyond the reach of many people. 2) The majority of housing consists of detached houses on freehold sections. Inner-city apartment blocks are a relatively new phenomenon, with most being built in the 1990s. 3) New Zealand houses tend to be cold compared to those in Europe or America. Insulation did not become mandatory until 25 years ago (and then at a fairly low rating), and double glazing was a rarity, although it is now a requirement in colder...

PAEN Communications Ltd is the best place to translate your documents (http://www.paen.net/). Registered with the New Zealand Immigration Service (NZIS), New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) and the Land Transport Safety Authority (LTSA) PAEN can translate official certificates as well as all your multilingual business documentation needs.

Nylon tracksuits and a busload of other tourists not your thing? If you want to try REAL travel that broadens the mind and the heart, check out Intrepid Travel. They have offices in Auckland, Sydney, Brisbane and London and also sell their tours through travel agents. This is a tour company with a difference, from their commitment to being carbon neutral by 2010 to their sponsorship of community development projects. They are taking the steps the travel industry urgently needs to in these more enlightened times! If you're interested in small group tours that get you off the beaten track and really experiencing life in interesting countries - this is the way to go. http://www.intrepidtravel.com/

If you don't have a German bakery around where you live why don't you try Dovedale bread instead! It is very similar to typical German wholemeal- and sourdough bread. They only use organic ingredients and no added yeast. The bread is dairy free and there are no emulsifiers (preservatives) added to it. The producers use a process of vacuum packaging and gas flushing. This way the loaf remains fresher far longer than with regular packaging. Plus all their Breads are risen with the traditional technique of leaven, just like in Germany. I must admit though it is not quite as good as a fresh loaf of bread from the German bakery in Auckland (see relating article on goGunter). It is a...

If you have an hour or two to kill before your boarding time at Wellington airport, hop in a cab and get yourself to Seatoun, 5 mins. from Wellington airport. Step back in time into this 50s film set masquerading as a sleepy suburb of New Zealand's capital, and enjoy the Breakers' delicious food and coffee. Then take a stroll along the beach & have a last sip of that fresh, salty Wellington air. Don't forget to order your taxi to bring you back to the airport, e.g. phone 04-3844444 (Wellington Combined Taxis).

The easiest and probably cheapest way to get from and to the airport is using Super Shuttle. They pick you up at home and drop you off at home. You will share the van with some other people that they pick up/drop off on the way. But it's quite cheap (between $20 - $30 from the city). I find this service very handy, especially when you have heavy luggage or when you need to get to the airport at night. It's cheaper than a taxi but more comfortable than catching the airbus from the city (the airbus usually costs around $20 incl. return, but you will need to get to one of the busstops on their route; also the bus doesn't...