Tip #1 - You will forget things. Hopefully not the most important things, the most expensive things, or things that cannot be obtained at your destination.
Prescription medications, for example, you should try your best to remember as they can be difficult and/or expensive to obtain overseas. You may even need to pay for a doctors visit to get a new prescription. Luckily for me the worst thing that will happen if I go without my prescription is pregnancy or a ruptured ovarian cyst. I've had a ruptured cyst before though and while it would definitely put a damper on my holiday, I'd be fine fairly quickly (within about 4 hours if memory serves).
Feminine hygiene products are another thing you should try not to forget. Especially if you are picky about them as they likely won't have the same brands you are used to overseas. In fact, toiletries in general are likely to all be different than what your used to. Don't even get me started on floss. I'm very particular about my floss.
Tip #2 - the word "Universal" doesn't always mean what you think it will or would like it to. Double check your power adapter before you leave your home county. Not a costly thing to have to purchase when you get there, but potentially time consuming to find. Unless you get lucky like I did and there are three shops selling them within a short walk from where you are staying.
Tip #3 - read the instructions carefully when paying for parking, or purchasing public transport cards, or anything that you are paying for through a machine rather than a person. You could end up with way more or way less parking time/bus rides/whatever than you need.
Tip #4 - people in New Zealand are extremely friendly. It's the easiest place in the world to go to without any itinerary and find things to do because everyone you meet will be more than willing to tell you all of their favorite places, and ask you what kind of things you enjoy and tell you the good places for those things. Kiwis are perhaps the nicest people I've ever encountered.
Other than forgetting a few things and a tire blow out on my rental car within 5 minutes of picking it up (which has only served to heighten my anxiety about driving here)...day one of my adventure has been excellent. New Zealand is beautiful. While it is winter here still, I'm in Auckland right now which seems to be a bit like winter in Los Angeles. It's not hot, but it's definitely not what this PNW girl would call cold either. It's kind of perfect.
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