haha Thanks for all the continuing info! In some respects, it'll be worth it if I can pick up some gear there... for example a jacket a workmate was looking at was around $500NZD, or $160USD... but they wouldn't export. The plan is to find a store around where i'll be, compare prices with the same or similar products in NZ, and base the purchase around those prices.

And yeah... finding wide shoes is an issue... so thanks for pointing that out. I'll definitely try them on rather than just ordering and hoping they fit when they arrive.

Thanks everyone