Rotorua roadie

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After reading how annoyed Intercity bus drivers get if you're not at the stop 15 minutes before the bus is due to depart, I made it a super efficient 25 minutes early and still wasn't the first. Stan our driver looks pretty ancient. I think it's the knee length socks setting off his wrinkly knees that gives this away. But he doesn't look that scary so when a couple of lads roll up 2 minutes before we're due to set off I'm not surprised that they escape with a bit of a whinge rather than a full blown rant.

As we start to make our way out of Auckland I notice how many prefab style buildings there are, most with wooden shuttering and some with corrugated iron roofs. They actually seem quite cute and homey and I doubt they're expensive to build or buy either. We so need something similar in the UK. Cheap self-builds or even ready built by the look of some of them. Dotted about I see some of the upside down pine trees I've seen in other countries. Still don't know what species they are.

Across the bay I spot the unmistakable volcanic cone of Rangatoto island. I'm planning a trip there right at the end of my time in New Zealand. The sun is shining and cotton fluff clouds decorate the glorious blue sky. I smile to myself and feel blessed I have the opportunity to travel to far flung places.

The bus is great - comfy seats, seat-belts, loads of knee room, clean windows (essential for photo taking) and free WiFi. I reckon I've had my $1s worth about five minutes into the journey. I didn't let on to any of the other passengers that I was the one with the 'golden ticket' - think I might have pissed them off!

As we carry on the bus begins driving into the sun and our wrinkly kneed driver has to stand up to grab the blind and pull it down to shade his eyes - while still driving! This could turn into one swervy trip to Rotorua this sunny day.

At one pick up point we see police cars and tape barricading a road. It turns out there was a shooting there last night and two people died. So much for New Zealand being safe!

As we pass through the Bombay Hills (!) we realise we've gone slightly off course, reroute via Delhi and carry on our bus ride to Rotorua.

Getting back to the prefab style houses, it seems they are everywhere and I was right they can be moved into place in the finished state. We pass a 'house re-locator' with loads of houses bunched together waiting to be moved.

We've entered the farming countryside of Waikato now with both cattle and goats in the fields but strangely no sheep. In the distance are folded hills iced with trees. We stop at one of the small towns, Moinsville, and it seems cow fever has hit. Instead of dragons or gorillas or elephants here they have brightly coloured cows. One is turned into a helicopter and another has each foot in a pot of paint.

Just before we reach Rotorua we pass through the Perongia Forest Park, a gorge encrusted with lush trees falls away from the side of the road where we get tantalising glimpses through the undergrowth. There are some beautiful tree ferns interspersed between the more abundant species.

There's an different odd species in the seat in front of me. A lady has re-fixed her bun about ten times!! I'm sure I could do it for her I've seen her method so many times only I'D ADD A FEW MORE GRIPS!

With Lake Rotorua coming into sight we know we are nearly there but it seems too many people have been equally distracted as a roadside sign reads 'Eyes on the road, focus on the drive' sod that, I'm not driving! Rotorua here I come.

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