This morning we said goodbye to Auckland and got a bus transfer back to the airport to pick up our car hire for the next 31 days.

After navigating our way out of a wet and windy Auckland morning we headed north. Late morning we had a food stop at Dairy Flat Bakery, a true Kiwi institution where they make the most amazing selection of pies.

After much deliberation Michelle went for a steak and kidney pie, whilst Andy had a chicken in white wine sauce. Both were huge in size and a meal in themselves.

We then drove on for a further 2.5hrs before eventually arriving in Paihia, known as the gateway to the Bay of Islands.

Our new motor is a hybrid and the first we’ve experienced and it’s such a quiet and efficient drive. Whilst the weather for most of the day was cooler and wet, we did manage to find some openings in the clouds when the sun made a brief appearance and we walked along the long sandy beach.

What we have already picked up is how ecological the New Zealanders are and how keen they are to look after the environment for the coming generations.

As a result the roads and sidewalks are clean of rubbish and a great deal of respect is had to the local wildlife.

After checking into our hotel, we went for a wander around the town and inevitably the rain reappeared.

We booked ourselves on a cruise around the Bay of Islands tomorrow, as the weather is predicted to be sunnier with a lighter wind making for a more pleasant experience.

With another break in the clouds we headed out of town up into the hills to see Haruru Falls, a lovely spot about 3 miles out of Paihia.

We enjoyed a wander around the falls before returning to the centre of town and made our way to the wharf for drinks at Zane Grey’s restaurant & bar. We settled in with a couple of drinks and were entertained with some live music on a relaxing Friday night.

Post our Friday evening drinks we retired to our hotel room and readied ourselves for tomorrow’s trip out on the water.

The cruise will take us past numerous islands up to the Hole in the Rock and provide the opportunity of sighting whales and dolphins along the way.