While the best place for many was under the air conditioner, spare a thought for those who have to work this weekend and in jobs that really make you sweat.
At Francesca's Pizzeria, Ciro Sannino is quite literally cooking.
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"It looks like we are in Italy here, you know it's true," he says.
"This is the first year it's been very, very hot in New Zealand."
He reckons the temperature inside his wood-fired oven is more than 200degC. It's so hot it's causing him to drink six litres of water a day.
"I just keep drinking," he says.
"I just keep sweating. You have to replace all the time, to replace the salt."
They're also struggling to handle the heat in the kitchen at Queenstown's Patagonia Chocolates.
"It's hot outside, but here it's almost 50 degrees, so it's super hot and I'm almost dying here," says one worker.
It's also steaming hot for Michael Liu, who's busy in his drycleaner's sorting out his customers.
"Like a sauna," he says. "This week [was] really hot."
Then there are those decked out in much heavier fabrics labouring away on our roads.
"It's like a waterfall in this shirt," one worker says.
"Crazy just crazy," says another. "It's ridiculous this year and it's just started."
For those lucky enough not to be working, a popular place for many was the beach.
But St John says its advice in this weather is to stay out of the sun if you can, and if you do go outside sunblock is a must.
Newshub.
