Leaving on 4 wheels

Friday 06 March. Breezy and heavy showers, still warm 23C. Drove 172km.

Oh boy can it rain here, I know because it decided to throw it down just as we crossed the road to get to our breakfast. Within minutes there was a small river flowing down Parnell Road as we ate toast and jam. Several other drowned rats joined us watching the staff pull down the blinds to stop everyone getting wet. Almost immediately the staff had finished closing the blinds, the rain stopped, of course, so we almost stayed dry on our return to the hotel.

Bags packed and stored at reception, we left the hotel by bus for central Auckland. It was a slow journey as traffic lights in NZ seem to stay red for an incredibly long period of time. Just to make the journey perfect, as we got off the bus the heavens opened again as we squelched and paddled our way into the car hire office. The car was ready for us and apart from making several bits of important paper very wet as we dripped on them whilst signing, we were quickly on our way back to the hotel.

Of all the impressions I had of what Auckland would be like, a city of traffic jams wasn't one that came to mind, but leaving the city and joining the motorway south, it was jammed solid. Eventually, we wriggled out of the traffic and quickly headed down to Drury and escaping the motorway.

Reading placenames in NZ can be challenging as you drive, pronouncing them correctly at the same time is near impossible. The only saving grace, so I am told, is that all letters have to be pronounced. Good start, but then where do you put the stress, beginning, end or middle? Good luck with reading them here.

From Drury we followed the SH (state highway) 23 to Pukekohe and Tuakau. At the former, we visited a branch of the local supermarket and got some basics to last us the next few days. South of Pukekohe traffic really thinned out to point that at our lunchtime stop, only two cars passed us in 20 minutes. Shortly before Raglan, we joined the SH23 which quickly took us into Raglan.

The centre of Raglan really only consists of one road, Bow Street which has all the commerce a small town needs including at least three estate agents. After a short tour around to view the available accommodation options, or what we believed at the time were all the options, we plumped for the Raglan Palm Beach Motel. A waterside location and neat, clean and well equipped rooms persuaded us that it was a good deal (NZ$ 105 pn). For our money we got a kitchen, dining area, settee, TV, bathroom and separate bedroom, all very cosy.

After eating in our room, we walked into town via the campsite and estuary, a pleasant stroll, but as we subsequently discovered, unlit.