One of the best things to do in New Zealand is to ski. For those who aren't familiar with skiing, this involves getting up in the mountains, and sliding down them with long wooden and fibreglass plank-like boards attached to plastic boots you wear on your feet. This might sound a weird way to spend a day, but it's impossible to have more fun without electrocuting your pleasure centres, to coin a phrase. Another way is just to have one wide board on the snow, with both feet attached to it. This is called snowboarding. If you can't afford a snowboard, you can do something pretty similar with a cafeteria tray.

New Zealand is probably the best place in the southern half of the planet to do these funny sports. The best time is in winter, June to September; and the best places to ski are in the South Island. Some places to go include Queenstown, Wanaka and Methven. These are small towns near skifields¹. Of course, skifields charge money to use their lifts; but compared to other places in the world, it's reasonably cheap.