Brass monkeys

Don't believe all the hype: contrary to reputation and Neighbours, Oz does actually get some weather that's more Bognor than Bondi. My uncle had told me that Christmas Day in Melbourne last year was 42 degrees, leading me to thoughts of Factor 40 and barbies on the beach; what he hadn't mentioned was that Boxing Day was a shocking 19. And this is their summer remember! This year's Christmas was even more schizo - oscillated wildly between rainstorm and blazing sun all day; and today was just bleedin' freezing. Or at least it seemed so to me: I've found (surprise) I've got used rather quickly to days of at least 30 degrees, and am in no way nostalgic for the British winter. Sorry Blighty.
New plans are afoot: seeing as I'm a lot closer right now than I ever will be again (and, furthermore, a very generous friend has invited me to stay), it looks like I'll be having a look at New Zealand the month after next. To anyone who's already been: tips? Recommendations? Hopefully I should be in Wellington for a few days before enjoying a leisurely pootle around South Island for three weeks or so. After that I'm likely to be stony broke and shining people's shoes or something.
Hope you all had lovely Christmasses and got everything you wanted (one of my presents seemed almost too apt - the latest edition of the Darwin Awards, I wonder if I'm a future winner?), take care of yourselves.