On day 3 we headed north to Paihia, in the Bay of Islands. First we had to collect our hire car from Europcar. And before that, a short walk to find breakfast.

Having picked up the car we returned to the hotel to load our luggage, then headed straight out onto the ‘motorway’, over the harbour bridge and onto the toll road, then onwards to Northland.

Our hire car was a Kia. It had a lane sensing device that beeped when you crossed a white line and tried to straighten you up. You could feel it in the steering.

Q. Why didn’t the Kia cross the road?

A. Because it had a lane sensor.

We stopped for lunch – our first pie – at the Miner’s Rest Cafe, Hikurangi. I shouldn’t have chosen the lime flavoured milkshake.

On arrival at Paihia we discovered that someone else from Rowlands Castle had visited the Bounty Motel a few weeks previously. The owner remembered since a) his surname was Rowlands b) he used to be a cinema manager and had worked at the Odeon Cosham. We didn’t find out who it was though. Probably because I used the four letter GDPR word.

That afternoon and evening we did some food shopping, chose our Bay of Islands Scenic cruise to the hole in the rock, and had a lovely takeaway Valentine’s pizza.