Although many travellers enthuse about hitching in New Zealand - and it does enjoy a reputation of relative safety - the official advice is don't. Sadly, New Zealand has its share of unpleasant individuals and, with an extensive network of affordable transport and tours at your disposal, there's really little reason to take unnecessary risks . If you're determined to do it regardless, hitch in pairs (no guarantee of avoiding trouble but safer than going solo). Women , especially, should trust their instincts: it's better to refuse a lift than regret it later; there will always be another car. Always ask the driver where they are going, rather than telling them where you're headed, and keep your gear with you so you can make a quick get away if it becomes necessary.

Finding the best hitching spots around the country is generally a matter of common sense, or common knowledge on the travellers' grapevine. Some town and city hostels drop their guests at hitching spots as a matter of course; pick a spot where you can be clearly seen and drivers can stop safely.

A good compromise is car share , where the cost of travel is shared. You can organize this formally through organizations such as Travelpool in Auckland (daily 9am-8pm; tel 09/307 0001) and Travelshare in Wellington (daily 8am-9pm; tel 04/473 5558), to whom you pay a commission for the introduction service, before signing a contract with the driver to split the cost of the journey; obviously the more of you there are, the cheaper it gets. Casual car shares are also advertised on hostel noticeboards, which saves on commission but demands more trust on both sides.