It was inevitable that we were going to be running late. As the day of departure approached we seemed to be busy doing other things assuming that, come the day of departure, we’d grab a spare pair of undies and a toothbrush and be off.

WOF for BMW on Thursday, Friday shopping for pants for Hannah and lunch with Hazel, off to Taumaranui Vinduro on Saturday, via Wanganui to pick up Paul Carter, home again by about 8pm on Sunday to find that my freeparking account had been suspended!

A large part of Monday was spent on the phone to User Support and Accounting. Can you believe that, at one stage, the story was that I hadn’t paid a $24 account from 2 years ago that they freely admitted they’d never sent!

11pm on Monday night Mark Gray wandered in, suggesting that maybe tank bag and GoPro were in new white shed. We went and looked by phone torch but no. Wandered through cowshed on the way back and, oh my god! There it was.

So, Tuesday morning. Original plan was to be on the road by about 8 a.m. Clothes still drying on rack, no idea exactly what to take. Did we need sleeping bags for Wairoa Scout Camp? They’d never replied so who knows? Swept the shed, backed the van in, finished dishes, topped up wood box, and it was now 9:30. Last 40 minutes was a blur but remember having to leave my bulky sleeping bag behind! Discs and laptop take priority. Hardly room for a few t-shirts, undies, and toothbrush.

Awesome weather. When we went to pull off new off-ramp at Otaki Hannah turned left instead of right. All a bit confusing. She was tired and so was I. We took our time and had a cold drink but were now, at least officially, running pretty late. Hannah was keen to make the ferry so we kept on. As it was we joined a stationary queue of cars – the lanes were packed!

We got on to find no ratchet tie-downs. I had some for the BMW but Hannah had to have Les the worker help her use some ropes. I stripped down to shorts and off we went.

Next minute Kane, Vinnie, and Marlena are sitting besides us. Kane had been looking for his BMW gear bag and, next minute, there it was riding past him on the way into the ferry! Played a bit of Bananagrams with them and got most of the listener crosswords done.

We also had the obligatory but massively over-priced ferry food. Next time might take a cut lunch!

Thirsty as so stopped at Blenheim New World for a few supplies. Oops. No room to pack what we hadn’t drunk immediately. Headed out to Riverlands Truck Stop for the night to find that they’d saved us a double. Hannah not keen to top and tail with her dad so we kept moving. Except it was getting late and now there was nowhere to get food. Rang ahead to Cosy Kitchen in Seddon who were just closing but offered to make us something to pick up. Flaxbourne Motel in Ward was perfect.

Really wished I could have rung my mum to tell her how happy I was to be on this trip with Hannah. The family had a trip south in about 1971 in our, then new, Ford Cortina station wagon. I was vaguely aware of how much planning my mum did and only now really starting to appreciate it. We were off to Balclutha to see Annette, Ron, Robyn, and Philip. We stopped at the Salt Works at Lake Grassmere, visited Abby up the Rai valley, some train and transport museum, Benhar pottery. Jean had a AA book of maps with a list of all interesting things to see and do. She studied it before and during the trip, trying to find as many interesting diversions as possible. I would give anything to be back in that car.