North Island Journey – New Zealand

Posted on Mar 4, 2017 in Journeys

Beautiful people, amazing food & hours of stunning scenery.

10 days, 9 beds, 3 apartments, 1 cabin, 2 motels, 1 villa, 2 flights (1 shower in the sky!) & 1,810km driving (in 23 hours, 50 minutes)

Day 1: Sydney – Auckland (3hr, 30min)

Yes, we flew first class (thank you Frequent Flyer points!) and yes, I probably would pay real dollars for it because Emirates rocks! Comfort, service, food/wine offerings – all are outstanding. And no, I didn’t use the shower… on the first flight!

Pre-departure… one of the benefits of the First Class (and Business Class) experience with Emirates is the limo pickup from home (within a certain distance of course) but… that little gem is immediately off the table on the Sydney/Auckland leg or if the ticket is purchased using Frequent Flyer points. Try as I might to see that as a business decision, I still think it’s just plain mean!

First step… Sydney Airport

I have to be honest – I love walking up to a check in counter with no queue, three and a half hours early and receiving immediate attention and I’m sure anyone would say the same, if they were honest. What I don’t love is the death stares from the hordes waiting at the Economy check in but I have thick skin… After whizzing through the express lane at immigration and doing a once-round of the duty free store, it was up the escalator to the lounge.

As we booked through Qantas but were flying Emirates, we had the choice of lounges but being Qantas’ home base, there was no doubt they were going to have the best and damn it’s good entering that beautiful door and seeing the immaculately dressed concierge. Past the lush, green hanging garden and up the escalator to an attendant who greets you by name (obviously given the heads up by old mate in the tux at the front door) and asks if you would like to be seated in the lounge or prefer breakfast in the restaurant. When Neil Perry is guiding the restaurant, it would be a shame not to take a look at the menu. So… two macchiatos, one eggs benedict and one egg white omelette with roasted capsicum, ricotta and chives. Champagne? Yes, please – two glasses of Perrier-Jouet. Oh yes, this is my happy place! (*insert fist pump*). The food was excellent. I won’t go into further details.

Eating finished, champagne was topped up and we were quickly whisked away to comfortable lounges overlooking the tarmac. Would I like to book into the day spa? Tough decision but I went with no. While a relaxing spa treatment is always nice, I can never get enough time watching an international airport in action. So there we sat for a couple of hours. Newspapers, champagne, magazines, champagne… coffee was good too! About 30 minutes after other passengers on our flight were asked to board, our new friend in the lounge came to us personally and suggested that the crew were ready for us. So sadly, we left the lounge.

A short walk to our gate and we were on board and shown to our private suite. We chose our seats in advance so our suites were adjoining however, there is a privacy screen to be raised if the person seated is a single traveller or your travelling companion is annoying. As soon as we were seated, the drinks menu appeared and lunch orders were taken. Snack baskets and a mini bar of refreshments were already in place as were pillows, noise cancelling headphones and skin care products to freshen up at any time. Seats were well padded and provided a wide variety of options all the way down to fully lie-flat and controls were simple. Each suite has privacy doors that slide shut with the touch of a button, a number of ambient lighting options as well as a ridiculous amount of leg room and loads of storage (so much in fact that it wasn’t until I was inside the terminal in Auckland that I realised I had left my passport wallet safely tucked away in one of the huge pockets!).

The first class cabin on this version of the A380 has just fourteen seats but on this particular flight, there were only three guests (including us) and at least four staff. I’m sure the customer/staff ratio made this trip easier than it could have been for the crew but I’m going to assume they’re always as happy as this group. They were relaxed, fun and attentive, stopping by often to check on us and quick to respond to requests. In fact, I recently heard that Emirates had introduced new moisturising pyjamas in first class and although this was a day flight, as soon as I enquired about them, two amenities sets arrived – jute carry bags, the aforementioned pyjamas and leather pouches full of Bulgari skin care products. Very generous!

Food and drinks were outstanding, of course; as good as most silver service restaurants I’ve been too. I opted for Salmon Trout Confit as a starter, followed by Prawn Biryani and as much as I would have liked to try the cheese plate for dessert, I enjoyed my savoury courses so much that there was no room left. To make the meal even more impressive, it was served on Royal Doulton bone china with real cutlery – no plastic here! The food was complemented by a wide variety of wine, beer, mixed drinks and non-alcoholic beverages and after a glass of Dom Perignon, I’d had my fill of champagne so I moved on to one of my favourites, the Mount Mary Pinot Noir. Spoilt!!

In addition to individual seating, there is also a lounge area which we didn’t feel the need to use but I’m sure it would be a useful diversion on longer flights.

Unfortunately, I was too busy enjoying the hospitality to put the entertainment system through its paces but with thousands of channels of music, movies, TV shows, news and games on demand, it appears to have something for everyone. I did enjoy the inflight tracking options and the large touchscreen makes it easy to view from the comfort of my reclined seat all the way back…. (too much?).

Our three and a half hours went too quickly but on the plus side, arrival at Auckland Airport was on time and we were out within minutes (even after the double back for the passport wallet).

A note about the trip from the airport to the city – in peak hour, our taxi into the centre of Auckland cost approximately NZ$100 so if you have the option of a transfer for less, I suggest you take it.

Auckland: Fresh and clean, vibrant and modern and just a little bit funky. I found Auckland to be very user friendly with a fun and welcoming vibe, not crowded and tired and grungy like many big cities.

By the time we settled into our accommodation, we had just enough time to walk along the harbour front and stop for a beverage to congratulate ourselves on a very pleasant travel day.

Accommodation: 99 Customs Street West, Auckland
Exactly as stated on Airbnb – trendy, waterfront apartment. Communication after booking was smooth and helpful. We were due in a little late so the key had to be collected at another location but it wasn’t a huge problem. The apartment was compact and modern with a nice little sitting area and well located, overlooking the Viaduct so lovely views and close to everything. Great for us as we were in town to socialise but the noise from revellers at night could be a little disturbing for some. It had everything we needed – iron, hair dryer, glasses, coffee/tea. The bed was comfortable and there were lots of soft pillows. The washing machine and dryer were a bonus. Wifi was patchy but worked most of the time. The apartment was well furnished and while it wasn’t necessarily dirty, cleaning could have used a little more attention.

The biggest negative for us was the smell of cigarette smoke but I expect this was due to the last guest and being a non-smoking apartment, I hope they were penalised accordingly because that odour is not coming out any time soon!

Day 2: Auckland
We started the day with a walk to explore the city. Initially heading west from the Viaduct, we wandered through the Wynyard Quarter (lots of cafes, restaurants and coffee stops) and then away from the water, south west to Ponsonby Road.

After checking out the breakfast options along this trendy stretch, we had a winner.

Breakfast: One2One, Ponsonby Road
What a surprise! We stopped here because from the front it looked like a character-filled, traditional Italian café with a modern edge but the twist was more apparent when we ventured into the garden courtyard at rear. With a light breeze and a smattering of conversation from the kitchen, it almost felt like sitting in someone’s garden. The other revelation was the menu – quirky! I chose Cashew Yoghurt with fresh fruit and flowers and aside from being deliciously light and tasty it was super pretty. The fried eggs with chorizo crumble was also scrumptious.

To burn off breakfast, we ventured south west and upwards to Mt Eden for spectacular views of the city and surrounding harbours. Well worth the walk or you can drive and park at the bottom (but it’s still a little walk!). After catching our breath and taking some happy snaps, it was time to head back down the hill and into the city from the south side, past the University, through Albert Park and down to the centre for lunch and a spot of shopping. All up, about 4 hours walking through back streets, parks, malls and tourist destinations but by the end we found that we gained a good feel for the city.

Lunch: Some pub in the city (I seem to recall it was fine but just sustenance)

Drinks: Euro, Princes Wharf
I didn’t look at the food but the drinks menu was huge. Expensive but worth it for the setting and view.

Dinner: White & Wongs
While this is a big place comprising of a number of different seating areas, it didn’t feel like a barn. The waterside setting also assists in that regard and the modern, open style is relaxed and perfectly suited to a quick bite or a long evening. Our reservation was quite late on a weeknight but even when we arrived it was still busy. Regardless of that, service was friendly, attentive and efficient. Drinks came out quickly and refills were easily available. And then there was the food… outstanding! I don’t often choose Asian style restaurants unless I’m in Asia but I’m glad I made an exception this time as it was exceptional. Full of clean, fresh flavours, serves were perfectly sized for sharing and priced accordingly. I’m usually sensitive to the presence of MSG but my radar didn’t detect anything here. It was a fun night with delicious food and yet another reason to return to Auckland

Day 3: Auckland
Exercise is always easier by the water so we chose another direction and saw a little bit more of this beautiful city and then rewarded ourselves with breakfast.

Breakfast: Amano
And what a reward it was! Frittata of courgette, ricotta and basil. Sweetcorn, poached eggs, chilli and salted ricotta. Outstanding coffee. Friendly service. A truly beautiful space in a rustic, semi-industrial setting. What’s not to like! I only wish we had time to visit for dinner.

Instead we picked ourselves up and toddled off to the ferry wharf en route to Waiheke Island. There are a number of islands close to the mainland here and the crowds can be intense so get there early if you want a specific ferry or risk waiting for the next one. We had just missed one so were at the head of the queue for the next and secured front row seats for the beautiful 35 minute trip. If you’re travelling with little people (or severely hung over) there is a little shop on board and for the record, it also sells alcohol if you’re really keen (possibly only on the way back though). Arrival on the island is congested with people weighing up their options. Shuttles and taxis are readily available but we chose to walk up the hill and enjoy the surroundings. Scattered along the way between bushland and walking tracks, there were a number of what looked like holiday houses. Apparently they’re referred to here as bach’s… as in ‘bachelor’ I guess (and that explained why I saw so many advertisements mentioning what I thought was classical music!). The walk was delightful but the big smile factor for me was the lovely young man standing on the side of the road selling honey from his parents hives. He was so enthusiastic and welcoming and when we said no thanks, he even wished us a nice day.

Lunch: The Verandah Restaurant, Cable Bay Vineyard, Waiheke Island
The planning Gods bestowed their blessings on us and we happened to book a table at The Verandah Restaurant on a Friday afternoon… happy Friday long lunch! The space is of a high standard but still casual with stunning views across the bay to Auckland city. With the exception of a little bit of confusion when we arrived, service was outstanding – friendly, knowledgeable and relaxed. We shared everything – ceviche, meat and cheese platters – and all were exceptional in quality, presentations and servings. With the exception of a beer or two, we chose Cable Bay wines to accompany our meal and with recommendations from our friendly attendant, everything paired beautifully. I love a good glass of wine and the chance to enjoy it in a superb restaurant onsite is rare.

Dinner: Beirut
A dark and moody space that suits the Lebanese fusion food beautifully. The menu consists of a number of tasting plates varying in size that can be put together to form a small meal or large banquet. Staff were friendly and relaxed, explaining the clever menu in great detail. Our first choice, the slow braised goat, wasn’t available but there were so much choice that we had no trouble finding alternatives. Soft fluffy bread was served with four dipping salts (can’t for the life of me remember what they were!) and it was very difficult to say no when extras were offered but we knew we had more bread coming. So… Persian flat bread and whipped garlic (yum!); smoked yoghurt labna, citrus burnt ghee, date and chickpea served with scorched flatbread (so creamy); burnt eggplant, sujuk, toasted sesame and black cabbage (perfectly balanced); and lamb basturma, roasted garlic, black tahini, lettuce chermoula and crystallised pumpkin seeds. The lamb dish was the only disappointment for us. It was perfectly fine but after the excitement of the other meals, it was just a little plain. The richness of the Equinox pinot noir from the Waipara Hills district was a terrific match for delicately balanced spices of the Lebanese food. My biggest regret of the meal is that we couldn’t sample everything!

Day 4: Auckland – Whitianga (2hr, 29min)
Met a friend for breakfast at a local café before collecting a hire car at Snap Rentals – the service was smooth, friendly and helpful and we lucked out with a late model which was comfortable with all the bells & whistles. And we’re on the move…

We only have six days to get back to Auckland for our return flight and we’ve decided to focus on the south of the north island so this morning our southerly direction also had an easterly slant and a slight detour back to the north to explore the Coromandel Peninsula.

Lunch: Hot Water Brewing Co
I was expecting something bigger but when we found this little place I was a bit sceptical. Tucked away in a camp ground, it seemed a bit deserted but we went in anyway and were rewarded with a friendly welcome which included a beer tasting. The menu seemed to have a few options that suited us so we decided to give them a try. I opted for the Chicken Mole Tacos with Pinto Beans and the husband had a Clucking Good Burger. I’m told the burger was good but he insisted I try the chips and I totally agree with his announcement that they were the best chips in years!!! I can only guess it was a combination of things… fresh oil, hand cut, some skin still in tact and a liberal sprinkling of salt. Everything was lovely but I would go back just for the chips.

According to the local tourist literature, Hot Water Beach is high on the list of things to check out in this part of the world so we had a quick look. Apparently if you dig a shallow hole in the sand, you can have yourself a DIY spa pool. It’s certainly pretty but unless you need a free warm bath, I don’t see the attraction.

Leaving the beach, we followed instructions from the navigator (GPS) and ended up in Cooks Beach, looking across the bay at our destination with only a passenger ferry making the crossing. Holding on tight to our sense of humour, we doubled back and eventually made our way into Whitianga about an hour later than expected but it was a pretty drive.

Dinner: Poivre & Sol
A boutique, French restaurant in a quaint setting, a little bit ‘Fawlty Towers’. The menu is small but well put together and everything we tasted was lovely – fresh, nicely presented and authentic. We arrived early and we’re told “it doesn’t matter, sit down and we’ll get to you when we can”. It sounded a bit harsh but I’m sure it was just the language barrier. Given that, I wasn’t surprised that we had to wait quite a while for our first drinks (and subsequent refreshments) but ordering was also very delayed and food was slow to come out. We were attended by the teenage children of the family run establishment and their service was friendly and quite professional given their ages. If I was a local, I wouldn’t feel the need to rush back but I certainly wouldn’t be against going again.

Accommodation: Mercury Bay Holiday Park
Location was good, the unit was well laid out, lots of fresh bed linen and white fluffy towels and reasonably clean. Ample supply of crockery, cutlery, etc. Beds were a little hard but not necessarily uncomfortable and as it’s essentially a caravan/camping park, we didn’t expect bit things. It’s located just out of the centre of town, a five minute walk and very quiet. One surprise – this was one of the few places we’ve encountered where wifi was an extra charge. I find that hard to understand these days. In comparison to other places in town, I think it was good value but still a little more expensive than I would expect for a cabin in a park.

Day 5: Whitianga – Gisborne (5hr, 57min)
Morning walk around the beach and harbour – there are some big boats here! A very relaxed (some may say slow) beachside vibe.

Loaded our trundle up with travel snacks (that’s Kiwi for shopping trolley!), jumped in the car and started our drive south. We knew this would be a long one but it didn’t seem arduous at all. The highlight was the spectacular scenery – apparently this is where much of The Lord of the Rings was filmed but that’s lost on me! It was windy and steep in parts, and quickly changed from dense forest to rolling hills and stunning beaches. Great swathes of mountains were bare from logging however, it does seem that they are replanting just as fast. At least I hope that’s the case. We passed through tiny villages and small towns, felt the sand between our toes at Ohope Beach, stopped for a photo op (for a friend) at Opotoki and eventually made it to Gisborne.

Lunch: Port Ohope General Store
Delicious food, friendly and helpful young service staff in a cute-as-a-button old fashioned beach café atmosphere. The fish and chips were exactly as we hoped – fish was fresh and firm in a light, crispy batter and chips were thick and crunchy.

Dinner: The Rivers Hotel
Not much open in Gisborne on Sunday night so this pace was busy. It wasn’t outstanding but it was filling.

Accommodation: Asure Alfresco Motor Lodge
Clean, comfortable and friendly A warm welcome, clean and modern furnishings with a well stocked little kitchenette. Firm bed, crisp sheets and soft pillows, fluffy towels and boutique toiletries are not normally something I would associate with a motor lodge so lots of bonus points here. It’s a long walk to shops or restaurants but it is quiet and taxis are easy to get if you choose to have a few drinks. A terrific little place and a pleasant surprise given the cost.

Day 6: Gisborne – Napier (2hr, 47min)
A morning walk to the top of Titirangi gave us a view over Poverty Bay and provided an indication of exactly how much timber is being shipped out of this area. It’s staggering! Picked up a takeaway coffee – the ‘barista’ gave me the impression that we were disturbing him so we should have known the coffee would be crap.

In the car again and after another beautiful drive south through constantly changing scenery both mountains and coastal, today we finish up in Napier – art deco capital of the world apparently! A quick bite for lunch and then we wandered the streets checking out the architecture. Our visit was only a few days before the annual Art Deco Festival so the city was dressing up and putting on it’s glam best with vintage cars, street musicians and appropriately dressed characters everywhere. In reality, the centre is just a shopping mall but it was a pleasant place to wander for an hour or two.

Lunch: The Gin Trap
Overlooking the river that flows out into the busy commercial port, this was a nice spot to enjoy the sunshine and a refreshment. The fish tacos were particularly good!

Drinks: Speights Ale House
A casual, Irish pub atmosphere with friendly service overlooking the water on a gorgeous end of summer evening. Food looked terrific and I wish we had more time but not on this trip.

Dinner: The Thirsty Whale
Not bad but we really should have stuck with our policy of never ordering a seafood platter. The Crab Farm pinot noir was excellent.

Accommodation: Fairley Motor Lodge
Spick and span and well located. Staff are friendly and happy to share recommendations for wineries and restaurants. Rooms are spacious and well maintained with a large bathroom and a well provisioned kitchenette (quality coffee and plunger!). Beds are comfortable with lots of big, soft pillows and crisp sheets. Good location – not in the centre of Napier (10 minute drive) but only a short walk to harbour front restaurants and bars. Wifi was great too. A pleasant stopover in a lovely town.

Day 7: Napier – Martinborough (3hr, 29min)
The foreshore walk in Napier is a beautiful way to start the day with a well maintained public walkway separating parkland and playgrounds from the black sand beach on the edge of Hawke’s Bay. We parked at the north end and after raising our heart rate a little, we returned to a little coffee shop setup in a shipping container at the end of the beach – damn fine coffee too!

After a slow start, it’s back in the car for a slightly longer drive. Still heading south and the scenery is changing now – more open and browner rather than mountainous and green but still very pleasant driving. Just after Masterton, we followed instructions from Google Maps and left the #2. Detouring down single lane roads between vineyards and farmhouses for half an hour, all of a sudden we were in the picture postcard town of Martinborough. It was a delightful way to arrive.

Lunch: Poppies Vineyard
Outstanding hospitality from a delightful couple who are obviously passionate about their craft and it shows in their output. After tasting their lovely wines, we were lucky to snare a table with big leather arm chairs and a view of the garden. They don’t have a full restaurant but instead they serve an outstanding antipasto platter and it was a highlight of our trip. It had everything!

Drinks: Martinborough Hotel
Located right on the town square, it’s well worth a stop.

Dinner: E10
Lovely young staff but just average pub food.

Accommodation: The Claremont, Martinborough
Super friendly check in with lots of recommendations for our short stay. Although on the edge of town, the property felt rural and spacious with units thoughtfully situated for privacy and well maintained gardens. Our unit was a two storey, mezzanine villa with the bedroom upstairs, a decent sized kitchen, small dining area, a nice sitting area and an outside deck with seating. Bathrooms are large, beds are comfortable and facilities are well planned. Parking was right outside the door. It was a short (15 minutes) walk to the centre of town with many wineries situated close by. Considering the vineyard/city getaway feel of the town, it was definitely value for money.

Day 8: Martinborough – Wellington (1hr, 20min)
Just a short drive in front of us today so after a slow start, we wandered the short distance to the beautiful town. It was a crisp and clear morning and although it was a weekday and getting close to mid-morning, everything was quiet and things were moving slowly. We had a coffee at the deli/café on the square – very relaxing.

And just like that, it was time to leave the peace of the country and into the city – Wellington actually and it’s only a 90 minute drive so I can totally understand why Martinborough is a popular weekender. After you leave that precious little pocket of countryside and rejoin the #2, the road rises steeply over the mountains and if you can find a spot to pull up on the narrow and winding road, the scenery is stunning! Unfortunately, this gorgeous stretch doesn’t last long and very soon it’s all downhill into suburbia. From Upper Hutt, it continues to build slowly until you’re winding around the harbour into the centre of Wellington. Even though it’s officially the capital of New Zealand, it isn’t ‘big city’. Research paid off and our accommodation was right in the centre, a block back from the harbour and the Te Papa Museum and just across from Commonsense Organics which was a treasure trove of goodies I hadn’t seen before. After checking in, we did a lap of the central area (only 30 minute walk) before coming back down to the harbour for lunch. With cafes, restaurants and bars, the waterfront area is definitely a pleasant spot to watch the world go by.

Drinks: Mac’s Bar
Good for people watching, expensive drinks, menu looked ok but we weren’t ready to eat

Lunch: The Crab Shack
Very popular, lots of crab going out but we were saving ourselves for dinner so stuck to small dishes – a haloumi taco and a crab dip/tasting plate. It was all nice.

After a quick bite to eat, we strolled back to our apartment to take care of a few errands before heading out for the evening.

Drinks: Golding’s Free Dive & Hanging Ditch
Our evening amble centered on the Hannah’s Laneway area between Eva and Leeds Streets. First stop was Golding’s Free Dive. It’s an eclectic craft beer bar decorated with recycled materials and while it’s a little bit cool and a lot quirky, I’m not a fan. There was an extremely limited wine selection and I have to say, it’s the only place (in recent memory!) that I can recall leaving a glass of wine behind. It was not good so we went next door…

Hanging Ditch, on the other hand, oozes relaxed, smouldering style! The décor is delightfully moody yet fun and modern, and the alcohol hanging from the ceiling only adds to the ambience. We were greeted with a friendly welcome as soon as we arrived and after checking out the extensive drinks list (wish I was in the mood for a cocktail!), my chosen glass of pinot noir was exactly as I would expect in NZ – delicious. Apparently the Old Fashioned wasn’t too bad either.

But it was time for the main event.

Dinner: Shepherd
We had secured a table at Shepherd and judging by those being turned away, I’m glad we booked in advance. Although there were a few vacant tables in the room (obviously other clever people who reserved), we were thrilled to be seated at the kitchen pass. The menu was exciting, food was exceptional with a well chosen wine list and service was first class but witnessing the professionalism, comraderie and skill of the Shepherd team only added to our experience. They actually looked like they were having fun working! The high standard of this experience was a complete surprise (due only to my ignorance, I’m sure) and I would travel to Wellington again just to eat here.

Accommodation: At Home
Everything about our experience ‘At Home’ was positive. To start with it’s easy to find, warm and helpful reception, and extremely early check in was an added bonus. The hosts were a delight – quick to supply maps, information about current events and things happening around Wellington. Our apartment was fresh, modern and well laid out with all the requirements for a great stay. Beds were comfortable, plenty of fresh, fluffy towels. Our unit had a washing machine/ dryer, dishwasher and small kitchen and I think it’s the same for all. Even though instant tea/coffee facilities were provided in the units, a table in the hallway also offered an alternative coffee supply (capsules) and treats for the sweet tooth as well as magazines and newspapers. I will definitely stay here next time we’re in Wellington.

Day 9: Wellington – Hamilton (6hr, 29min)
Well it’s time to start making our way home. Knowing we had a long day of driving ahead, we opted for a substantial breakfast.

Breakfast: Pandoro Panetteria
I’ve always had a soft spot for a bacon butty so that was an easy choice for me but in my experience, that’s usually lashings of bacon on a soft roll or fresh bread. This one was toasted and as tasty as it was, it wasn’t what I had in mind. Coffee was decent. Our timing coincided with the pre-work crowd and even though it’s probably busy every day, they seemed disorganised and service was slow. Still it was filling.

We headed off just after peak hour and with one wrong turn (only our second of the entire trip!), we still made it out of the city quickly. Although we were heading north again, it was all new roads and mostly inland with the exception of a short stretch just north of Pukerua Bay where we had a clear view across the black sand to the tip of the south island.

This was the longest drive of our north island journey and the change in scenery over the day was fascinating again but the most interesting for me was the tundra-like landscape through the centre. The fact that it started raining during our drive through here only added to the feeling that it would be extremely unhospitable in winter. It was right about here, the little town of Waiouru popped up and not even our trusty Snap Rental car can go forever without fuel so…

Lunch: Angkor Wat Bakery
I’m not a pie kinda girl unless it’s light, flaky pastry full of vegetable or top quality meat but with limited options and my supply of fruit and nuts exhausted, I put my big girl pants on and I was pleasantly surprised! Pastry was moist but crunchy on the outside while inside was full with lots of finely ground meat, enough sauce so that it wasn’t dry and tasty layer of cheese. Yum! Somewhere in my subconscious I’m sure I’ve seen this place earlier in our travels so if you come across it, I can highly recommend it.

Back on the road and after lunch settled, we started to consider potential stops for the night and given that we needed to be at Auckland airport the next morning we chose Hamilton and we weren’t disappointed. A low rise, sprawling University city, it’s well populated with parklands and well populated with cosmopolitan restaurants and bars. After a quick re-pack for our flight the next day, we went in search of a relaxing refreshment. We had only walked a block down Victoria Street, where most of the excitement seems to be, when we came across an inviting, industrial style brewhouse.

Drinks: Good George Brewing at The Local Taphouse
I can’t say I’ve ever seen wine on tap before (although I’m not usually the one who goes to the bar!) but it was good. Apparently the beer was good too but potentially the most expensive we’ve had so far. There was also an open air casual/burger type food garden at rear but we felt like Italian.

Dinner: Piccola Italia
This little gem was the real deal. Small, family run, brightly lit with just a few tables inside and on the sidewalk. Service with a smile and huge servings of totally delicious food. The seafood pasta was overflowing with prawns, mussels, scallops, fish… all large, incredibly fresh and full of flavour and without a doubt, one of the nicest seafood dishes in recent memory. Alcohol options were small but well chosen and, as with the food, extremely good value. I’m a bit glad Piccola Italia isn’t closer to my home or I would be there all the time!

Accommodation: Quest on Ward
Spacious, fresh and well located. We called only an hour before arrival and although they didn’t have the room we requested, they quickly offered an upgrade for the same money. Parking was a little difficult but that was probably exacerbated for us by wet weather – never good when you’re trying to get bags out of the car. Reception was super friendly and helpful, full of information and careful to make sure we had everything we needed. Beds are comfortable, bathroom and kitchen are both large, washing/ironing facilities are available in the apartment and the little balcony provided an open air feel. It was a very comfortable last night.

Day 10: Hamilton – Auckland (1hr, 47min)
A stress-free drive back into the city and we even had time for a quick stop at the IceBreaker outlet store – we did some serious damage there!

Auckland – Sydney (3hr, 30 min)
Check in at Auckland airport did not open early but we were ready and waiting when they did. Again we were given the option of two lounges, Qantas or Emirates both included business and first passengers. As they were close to each other, we checked both – Qantas was packed and Emirates was almost empty so guess where we went? I believe that some lounges on the Emirates network are not so great but this one was terrific. The buffet (no restaurant here) was well stocked with many options and refreshments were high quality. Seating was comfortable, power and charging outlets were plentiful and the view provided entertainment. It was perfect for last minute business before boarding.

The flight itself… very similar to the review on Day 1 (did you glaze over back then?) but this time I used the shower and it was divine! After a friendly run down on how this shower differed from one on land, there were more products, fluffy white towels in abundance, a plentiful supply of coat hangars, a makeup mirror and fresh flowers.

Again, three guests and four staff and again, the food, drinks, service were all exceptional. So essentially it was same same but just a little bit different. Kinda like a beautiful, long Friday lunch with a chance to freshen up before moving on to the next stop.

I honestly view every opportunity to travel as a blessing and every flight as a privilege but surely this is the pinnacle of luxury travel. If that’s not the case, I look forward to being proven wrong.

Another on time arrival and we were through Sydney airport in record time. I’m talking 15 minutes from plane to taxi! I totally understand the complaints about our busiest hub and I truly believe it’s time we upgrade before it becomes an (bigger) embarrassment but on this occasion, I couldn’t fault it.

New Zealand has so much going for it and I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get there. People are super friendly and welcoming, roads are terrific, it’s very laid back, not overly regulated. Everyone was more interested in just making sure we were happy and having a good time. I’ll definitely look at checking out the south island sometime but I’m already looking forward to returning to the north.