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Flying is the best way to see the country's main attractions & destinations if you have limited time. Air New Zealand, Qantas and Origin Pacific are the 3 main airlines operating within New Zealand.

Since the rail network in New Zealand does not cover the whole country so be prepared to use other transport modes in some parts of the country. Three main long-distance lines run across the country - the Overlander, which runs Auckland to Wellington; the TranzCoastal, Christchurch to Picton; and the TranzAlpine, Christchurch to Greymouth. You can get yourself a Scenic Rail Pass for around $210 to $245 for 7 days which includes one ferry crossing and enables you to discover NZ by train at your own pace.

The Intercity and Newman's bus services are cost-effective ways of getting around. With a comprehensive coach network spread over 600 towns and cities daily, you can plan much of your sightseeing over coaches.
If you're planning to rent a car, then be warned that drivers in NZ are aggressive creatures and distances are deceptive.

Though short in km terms, the roads can often be narrow and winding. If you're staying for a while, you should consider joining the Automobile Association. AA offers excellent breakdown services and advice to drivers. If you belong to a similar organization in your home country, membership is free, so don't forget to bring along your membership card.

A ferry service runs between the two islands at least twice a day for you to crossover during your trip.

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Madrid has an extensive and very, very well oiled and convenient public transport system comprising the metro, bus service and train transport.

The metro has been revamped and expanded now stretching it's service right up till Barajas airport and Arganda del Ray in the far south of Madrid. A one-way ticket on the metro costs $1.45 or you can buy a taco (a 10 trip ticket) for $6. A Metrotour Card is also valid for 3 to 5 days of unlimited travel. The metro runs from 6 in the morning right till 1:30 am at night.

An extensive bus network with over 150 routes services the city and suburbs. The buses are especially fast and efficient since they travel along special lanes and each stop has a schematic diagram depicting the route in detail. The tickets are available for $1.45 and can be purchased even at most newspaper kiosks or shops selling tobacco and stamps.

The Bonobus ticket for $6.15 can be used for 10 trips and is valid even on the metro service. A $4 ticket can be bought for 10 trips valid only on buses.
The Madrid bus system is one of the best in Europe divided into the $1.45 common red buses and the smaller yellow microbuses.

Lookout for an illuminated Libre sign on the roof when you hail down your taxi. Cab fares are rather reasonable. When you flag a cab, its meter should show 1.35 euros. A extra charge is levied for trips to the railway station or the bullring as well as on Sundays and holidays. The rate of the extra charges is also fixed from 2 euros for railway trips to 1.35 euros on holidays and Sundays.
The Aerocity shuttle service operates 24 hours and will take you in air conditioned comfort to your doorstep. Depending on the number of people, it could be cheaper than taking a cab.

Make sure the meter is turned down when you get in and is on the correct starting rate. Avoid taxis without meters unless you're hiring them for a day or afternoon. For a metered cab look out for black cabs with horizontal red bands or white cabs with diagonal red bands.

Renting a car in Madrid is a madman's decision. If you drove down to Madrid, just leave your car in the nearest garage and forget it there till you're ready to leave. Parking is a nightmare in the city and expensive affair. The roads always look like rush hour. Save your car rental for excursions out of the city and just leg it or bus your way within!

Just keep in mind that in Spain, a time change occurs the first weekend of spring. Adjust your watch or face missing your plane by arriving too late at the airport!

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Getting around Aruba is best by mopeds and motorbikes. By best I probably mean most fun. The terrain is flat and you can rent scooters for $30 a day and motorcycles for anything between $45 and $100.
On the other hand you could rent a car. Roads are good and parking's free everywhere on the island.

The main bus station is in Oranjestad and inexpensive and reliable public buses run between towns and hotels on Eagle Beach, Palm Beach, San Nicolas and Oranjestad. Touring the island in a 4 wheel drive is rather a pleasant way to explore.

Taxi are not metered and you should check the fixed rate before getting in.
Ferries depart daily to De Palma island from the mainland. Between 10 to 6, crossings run every half an hour.

Get around the island with the method that suits you best. Rent a vehicle or hop on to a bus.

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Getting around Kenya is fairly simple. There is a good network of around 250 domestic airports with flights that service the coast, major game parks and Western Kenya. It's a relatively cheap way to cover much ground and you should buy your tickets in advance. Another common air travel system are the chartered flights which usually charge a set rate regardless of the number of passangers. Charter companies offer individual and group charter in a range of aircraft and are particularly convenient if you want to get to a remote area.

Renting a vehicle in Kenya is easy but rather expensive. Estimate up to $80 a day for a Corolla and $150 perday for a 4 wheel drive. If you've got your own car you should get a free three month permit at the border as long as you have a valid passage for it. Certain routes in north-east Kenya require police permission, so be sure to check that out. Driving at night is not advisable.

Kenya also has plenty of scope for off road and mountain biking. But be alert on the main roads for unruly traffic and come with your own basic repair kits though competent bicycle fundis or mechanics can be found in most towns. One of the most popular cyclist destination is Hell's Gate National Park. If you're like me and start puffing after the first half hour of cycling then maybe you don't want to travel this way and just rent cycles for half-a-day to explore willy-nilly.

Within the large cities, taxis are widely available and convenient. So are the increasingly popular Auto-Rickshaw or Tuk-tuk. But since they are not metered, be sure to fix the price in advance. Get local advice for correct rates. An interesting mode are the cycle-rickshaws called 'border-borders' as they were the popular means of accessing the Ugandan border.

Though buses are known for speeding and are generally crowded, they are a cheap and convenient way to travel with services running within a city, between cities and even across the Kenyan border to Uganda,Tanzania and Ethiopia. There are regular morning buses leaving for major cities. Some of the safer and far more comfortable bus services are Easy Bus, Eldoret Express and Stallion Bus.

The most popular form of public transport is the Matatu. These mini-buses or Nissans are brightly painted, music blaring, often over-crowded but essential part of the Kenyan experience. They operate on set roues and compete with each other for passengers often resulting in a 'tout' (the man responsible for collecting fares inside a matatu) walking off with your luggage. Be firm and you'll find that striking up an easy relationship with a tout is invariably a valuable source of information. The tout is usually a young man dressed in the height of fashion, the bus driver will drive like a maniac and your fellow passengers are likely to be goat and chickens, and you have to shoutto be heard... don't miss it for the world. Keep your luggage in view, your hand on your heart and enjoy a ride on the matatu at least once.

Hitch hiking in Kenya is quite simple. Just stick your hand out with palm downwards to signify you want a free lift. Chances are you'll get one with a free lunch thrown in. Taking a lift from a local is fun. You get some local color and it's far more comfortable and fast. Though it is primarily safe, be sure to hitch hike in pairs and at a decent hour from a nice place on the highway. Now I probably sound like your mother.

Kenya's rail system is currently being privatized. The train system is comfortable, some of it luxurious but rather a slow way of getting around. The overnight Nairobi-Mombasa trip is the most popular with tourists. The passenger line runs between Mombasa-Nairobi and Nairobi-Kisumu. It is also possible to take a train to Kampala. The Uganda passenger train was discontinued years ago.
There is a special tourist train - a steam exxcursion which takes place every second saturday of the month. Book in advance since it only runs if there are enough passengers!

Sail down the East African coast in a dhow for a memorable travel experience. Board popular (and expensive) dhow cruises from Nyali opposite Mombasa island.

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Either you get to the Gold Coast airport at Coolangatta or you reach Brisbane from where it'll take you about an hour by road to get to Gold Coast.
Once there, the Surfside Busline runs 24 hour buses along the highway and can drop you off at all the main shopping malls, roads and theme parks. You can explore Gold Coast by buying a 24 hour $30 ticket and touring the spots at your leisure.
Gold Coast is one of the leading leisure boat destinations and ferries and water taxis connect islands and canal estates. You can hire jet skis, speedboats, houseboats, fishing charters, et al.
An unusual way to see the Coast is to be part of a tour on an amphibious vehicle called the Aqua Duck that gives you a tour of the streets and waterways at the same time.
Renting a car, cycle or a good old monster bike to ride with you is another way to see the Gold Coast.

Read through some good tips to getting to and around Gold Coast before you get there.

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Austria is a car lover's country but finding parking space in the cities might not be the easiest thing. Fortunately, it has a very good public transport system comprising train and bus routes that complement each other with many bus timings matched to suit arriving trains.
You can get to most places in the county using train or buses, though maybe certain rural spots might be too out of the way and you may need to rent a car or cycle.
What's convenient is that you can get yourself a travelcard covering all forms of public transport in a particular zone. You could get one for a day, week or month depending on your plan.
Trains are fast, clean, comfortable and punctual! The bus service fills any gaps left by the rail. A reason to assume that a bus in Austria can get you anywhere is that one kind of bus service in the country is run by the post office... and if a letter need to get to an out of way place... you certaily can!
Take a boat ride down the Danube or buy a 15 day special ticket that gets you on excursions on any scheduled boat.
Cycling in Austria is a delight with cycling lanes and routes marked in cities and in the countryside. You can rent a cycle at railroad stations for $18 a day or get it reduced to $11 a day by showing a railroad ticket to the point of rental.
Get details on getting around Austria and make your trip so much the smoother.

The only way to get to Sri Lanka is by air. Since there are no domestic passenger flights in Sri Lanka, their land transport system is what you'll have to get used to.
The bus system in Sri Lanka is prolific with Central Transport Board buses as well as private buses. You won't have to wait around long for one but getting a seat is not guaranteed... people often hang out of bus doors!! Forlong journeys, get a private airconditioned bus.
For travelling within a city, there are also auto-rickshaws. Fix a rate before you get in to avoid hassles. It's a convenient way to travel.
Trains in sri Lanka are slow, late and unpredictable - an adventure in itself! Having said that, they're a pretty way to explore the country. You can book a sleeper berth in the over night ones. The third class seats are dirt cheap but rather overcrowded. Second class is a good option though you won't get a sleeper berth here.
If you can ride, rent a motorbike, either in Hikkaduwa or Kandy. It's a great way to roam the island.
And if you're in a group, renting a car and driver is surprisingly cheap. You can arrange a flat fee inclusive of the driver's food and accomodation or you could always just rent a car to drive yourself. But that's rather expensive - as much as Rs.3500 to Rs.5500 a day including insurance, tax and the first 100km.

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You might get to Mallorca by flight, ferry or in your own car (you can't put a hire car on the ferry to Mallorca) but once there how do you get around?
Well... considering every place on the island is just three hours away from Palma, you get the picture on how convenient and fun it would be to have your own car. So if you didn't bring one along with you over the ferry, then you can rent one either in Palma or in Soller.
If not, youy could cycle around over scenic routes, catch the train lines to Inca or the tourist train to Soller. Palma is also the hub of a well connected bus system and the main ferry terminus.
I'd opt for the car so that you can order your own day and so that if you wander by a tucked away village or stumble upon a breathtaking lanndscape, you can just... stop!

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If you're in Alaska during the summer, you have quite a few options to get around.
State operated ferries can move both people and vehicles around localities.
Taxis and water taxis both operate with water taxis available for short trip hires as well for dropping off campers and kayakers.
Buses function within the cities and interstate buses wil ply you from Anchorage to Seward, Homer, Denali and Fairbanks.
If you have the stamina, cycle up the Alaskan highway into the state or get dropped off by ferry or buses at a chosen place and cycle where you please in Alaska. You'll find many bike shops for repairs and supplies. It's a lovely way to see the countryside.
Of course you can also rent cars, but you need to book them in advance since supply is limited. If you want to drive yourself off highways and into the Arctic Circle or other spots, you will have to rent a SUV in Fairbanks since most car rental places only give use of their vehicles on paved highways.

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Travelling in Istanbul can be a big headache till you get used to it. The traffic jams over the bridge are infamous, the only thing going for them (if you're the silver lining kind of person), is that atleast you can indulge in some serious, uniterrupted Bosphorous gazing while stuck in one place.
By 2008, work is expected to be complete on a tunnel crossing the Bosphorous that will be partly underwater!
But to more information on travelling that can be useful to you now -
There are dirt cheap trams that provide swift transport to most tourist spots. Besides these you can get an Akbil (smart ticket) that will get you discounts on most public transport within the city.

From taksi's to Dolmus'(collective buses), private and public buses, a metro, tram, ship, motorboat, a ferry car or sea bus to take you to neighboring cities, there are loads of choices for travel in Istanbul and possibly the best way to go is with public trasport, sparing yourself the trouble of cussing while on holiday. Just sit back and enjoy the ride.

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Okay… let’s not get ahead of ourselves! You’ve just reached Venice after all.
If you have set foot on Aeroporto Marco Polo or Aeroporto Treviso, then the prettiest and easiest way to make it to the main town is by boat. You have a choice of public and private boats. The trip could take anything between 25 minutes to an hour depending on traffic and destination.

You could also catch one of the regular shuttle buses or the local bus to Piazzale Roma and shift to a vaporetto from there. Though the local bus is cheaper, handling luggage might be a problem. The journey by bus takes 20 minutes.

If you’ve hit Venice by bus, then you’re likely to first step off at Piazzale Roma. The bus terminal here is connected by buses to various destinations in the city.
If you’re planning to drive down to Venice, then you must be warned.. traffic on the roads just outside of Venice is notorious crowded and once in Venice you might have to pay for garage and parking space.
Imp. Note: Don’t be fooled by tricksters claiming to be officials who can arrange parking space for you!

Reaching Venice by train might require you to switch trains at Mestre. Just remember that if you switch your regional train at Mestre for an Intercity or Eurostar, you’ll need to upgrade or risk a hefty fine.

For traveling within the city, you could economize by using the water buses instead of the pocket pinching gondolas (unless you’re on your honeymoon… even if it’s the nth one). Day passes for the water buses are available. You could also hire a sleep –aboard cruiser for not too much or hire a self drive boat! (And get this… you don’t even need a license.)

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