Part One: Long Hauls, Open Roads & the Call of Aotearoa In January 2026

For the last couple of years, we’ve found ourselves returning to somewhere that holds a really dear place in my heart, for so many reasons. Some places just stay with you, quietly weaving themselves into who you are. Luckily for me, it also happened to feature on Craig’s Top 5 Travel Destinations list — another slightly silly but surprisingly meaningful thing I got us to do in the early stages of our relationship.

Travel and freedom have always been core values for me, and in many ways this place — and the act of returning to it — has helped gradually bring my life into alignment with those values. We’re incredibly fortunate to be able to continue travelling while the house build at home slowly progresses, bit by bit. From the very beginning of the build project, I was clear about one thing: I didn’t want us to put life, or travel, on hold for years just because we were building a house.

After all, we already have a home. Admittedly, it’s a cabin — now often referred to as a “tiny home,” even though it’s a two-bedroom house that meets our needs perfectly well most of the time. It allows us the freedom to keep living, not just planning for a future version of life.

This particular trip was originally meant to be split between two places: just south of the Coromandel, and then further north to the Bay of Islands — a place that has held a special space in my heart for over 20 years and was really the beginning of what you could probably call my love affair with Aotearoa (New Zealand). But five days in, the plan changed course, which isn’t unusual for us.

The journey itself was a long one. We flew out of Gatwick, which is simpler for us with kid swap-overs, parking, and avoiding congestion charges that come with Heathrow. Emirates took us to Denpasar (Bali) via Dubai — about 6.5 hours — our first time transiting through Bali on the way out. We had a four-hour stopover before connecting to Auckland via Sydney with Qantas.

That’s a lot of changes, and while it’s not the most we’ve ever done, it definitely takes it out of you. For me, long-haul flights require extra care due to a non-moving blood clot/haematoma in my left thigh caused by a surfboard accident a few years back. Aspirin, compression socks, and plenty of movement — on and between flights — are essential.

There were, thankfully, some welcome pauses along the way. A cold coffee at the Hard Rock Café in Bali airport was very welcome, and the absolute treasure that is the health club at Dubai airport once again came through — a swim, spa bath, and shower. Both times we’ve used it, we’ve been the only two people there, which still feels a bit surreal.

Two days after leaving the UK, factoring in time differences, we finally arrived in Auckland.

First stop: picking up the car and heading to the storage unit. It’s always a bit like Christmas — what did we leave here, and what will we suddenly realise we need?

Exhausted but happy, we drove south to Thames, on the lower Coromandel’s southwest side. Once again, we booked accommodation last minute and struck gold with the Comfort Inn Sunset. Set right on the coastline, it’s a single-storey motel with stunning views, and we were upgraded to a three-bedroom unit with a kitchen and multiple bathrooms — far too big for just the two of us, but very appreciated. I’d happily stay there again and highly recommend it.

After a much-needed morning coffee, a beach wander, and stocking up at Pak’nSave (the last proper supermarket before heading further north), it was time to prepare properly. Once past Coromandel Township, supplies are limited to a farm shop and the general store in Colville. A stop at Hunting & Fishing Thames for bait and tackle was, of course, essential.

Then it was time to head north to Port Charles, stopping at favourite spots along the way — including that farm shop for a cuppa. The roads soon turned to gravel: bumpy, remote, and incredibly scenic. We always hire a 4x4 or AWD SUV — partly for the space, but mostly because of roads like these in more remote areas.

I’d booked a two-bedroom, beachside Airbnb cottage in Port Charles, again on the day, just for a couple of nights. The aim was simple: to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. “Remote” doesn’t quite do it justice — overlooking the sea, a river, and a vast expanse of farmland, it felt like another world.

In the evenings and early mornings, we could hear kiwi birds — those strange, almost dinosaur-like calls that never fail to make me smile. The cottage felt like a real home from home and even had a washing machine, which is invaluable when you’re in the sea, on the beach, or fishing as much as we are.

It didn’t take long before we were down at the wharf, rods out, officially kicking off the fishing part of the trip. The weather was a bit hit and miss, but my feet still found their way into the sea — it would’ve been rude not to. While fishing, we spotted what was likely a bronze whaler shark, a beautiful ray, and caught a small trevally, kahawai, and a snapper — perfect for the freezer and for dinners for me, and even Craig, who tends to prefer the meatier fish.

After a shower, dinner, and a quiet walk along the beach, we were both completely sparko, collapsed on the sofa, and called it an early night.

And just like that, the trip had already begun to shape itself into something different than planned — exactly how we like it.