The man behind the desk at the rental company swivelled his computer screen to show me a photograph of a car with its roof crumpled like tissue paper. “That’s one of ours,” he said. “They didn’t have insurance.” He… Read More ›
road trip
The West Coast: a Road Less Travelled
Mention to anyone that you’re planning a road trip in the South Island and they will immediately tell you stories of spectacular coastal roads and rugged mountain passes. “Picture postcard moments around every corner” they’ll say and they’d be right…. Read More ›
Leaving Lawrence
It took me a minute to realise that the man behind the desk in the Information Centre was flirting with me. All I wanted was a road map but he really wanted to talk. Within 5 minutes we’d discovered our… Read More ›
Take your time in Warkworth
Warkworth is only 64kms from Auckland, not quite far enough to need a leg stretch or a coffee break if you are heading north so it’s easy to miss it. Recently, I stopped and discovered that there’s a lot that… Read More ›
Havelock: gateway to the Sounds
There are 2 Havelock’s in New Zealand. The one I visited recently is right at the top of the South Island. The other one is in Hawke’s Bay in the North Island and is called Havelock North to avoid confusion…. Read More ›
Bolshy Blackball
The thing I like about road trips is that you never know where you will end up for the night. On the first day of a 5-day adventure, I had a vague notion to head west from Christchurch across Arthur’s… Read More ›
