Time to move on. We packed the cases the previous night, so just had to add bits and pieces. After breakfast we vacated the room and I left K in the kitchen area whilst I walked down to get the pre booked car. It took about twenty minutes to get there. I spotted the Auckland train station on the way - looking pretty impressive - so I headed for a quick look, only to find that it had been converted into apartments.
I found the hire place and collected the car. I was early, but they just put the hire back an hour. The young chap who processed me was from Preston in the UK. A trained teacher who had a kiwi girlfriend. I asked him when he would return to live in the UK? He answered "Never". The car was a Nissan. The only odd thing about it is that it had a foot operated parking brake. I picked K up and we headed for Paihia.
The motorway North has one toll stretch. We stopped at the BP station before this for lunch. We both had beef and cheese pies - K had a gluten free version. Yum. The chap at the hire place suggested that we left the motorway at exit 398 to take the scenic route. We did this and passed through a place named Orewa - my daughter and I stayed there at a backpackers lodge named Pillows eleven years ago. It was still there!
A long drive and a miscalculation on our part to follow a 'Tourist Route' which took us 20k out of our way meant that we got to Paihia in the late afternoon. It was very hot. We have a great double room at the YHA, and it's four minutes to the beach
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