23rd January 2019. Sat navs!!

We are hoping that the middle of the night cup of tea thing is not going to last forever. Either side of it though a good 3 or 4 hours so we felt much better this morning.

Excellent breakfast choice at the Auckland Pullman so we are happy to return in a couple of days time! Then off to collect the hire car. All very simple except it is fully automatic and neither of us have ever driven one before. Then we need to navigate back to the hotel to collect our luggage. The Satnav was on but it was struggling to find a signal and when you are in a 4 lane highway and it’s one way you hope you are making the right choices! So the first few miles were a bit stressful as Geoff got used to the driving and I found the New Zealand road map as I like to understand where I am going and not just look at a coloured line on the satnav and listen for instructions, useful as they are in the middle of a city!

The countryside as we drove north was very green and pretty. It was more than rolling hillsides. More low alpine country. No arable crops, but lots of cows and pasture. We had elected not to use the toll roads when setting up the satnav for today’s journey. We didn’t know how much they would be nor how to pay and as we had no loose change we decided to take the scenic route. We managed well, ignoring our sat navigator when she got very cross when we deviated and followed the sign for coffee. We even managed the same system for lunch.

Things only went awry when there were signs for another toll and she took us off the main route north. We didn’t question. All had gone so well before and we were enjoying the scenery, the blue and white agapanthus lining the roads, the tree ferns in amongst other deciduous trees, pretty houses and gardens. Then we were instructed to turn left. A bit strange as it said there was no exit, yet it was definitely the correct road name. Unfortunately the map I had did not have enough detail to show such small roads, and sure enough a mile or so further on we came to a dead end!!! As we overtook the same tractor driver for the second time a bit further on we wondered if he was shaking his head at the tourists who meekly follow satnav! (Btw, did you know predictive text when trying to write satnav is Satan?! 😂😂😂)

So now we are in Paihia, the bay of islands, and how beautiful it is. Particularly with blue skies and temperatures in the high 20’s. What’s not to like! We did have a little snooze to keep us going, and Geoff had driven about 150 miles, but after that it was down to the sandy beach so Geoff could indulge his love of swimming in the sea. I have photographic evidence which is not for public viewing, yet!! I paddled and looked after his things. Always happy to do that, although I have to say the water did feel quite warm.