Day 11 - Paihia to Auckland

Up early to try and avoid the traffic, stopped for a coffee and then on the road around 0830. Drove back the same way as yesterday but this time the traffic was coming from Auckland and our side was pretty light. We drove through fog which looked nice in the valleys and on the hills but made the going slow.
We made good time but it still took about 3 hours. Dropped the bags off at the same motel as before then took the car back. Wandered around the city for a bit then stopped for lunch at the oldest pub in Auckland (apparently) where we both had fish and chips and I had a beer. The weather was sunny and warm. There wasn't much to do in the city so we took a ferry to Devonport, a small suburb with some quaint shops and cafes. Spent about an hour there, stopped for a strawberry smoothie then back on the ferry to Auckland. We went to get a bus back to the motel but the public transport was rubbish - the bus stops didn't have the bus numbers on them but a list of destinations with the number of the stop. We walked to the bus stop but there was no timetable. So we walked the 30 minutes up the hill.
Checked into the room and watched tv, and booked a pick up to the airport for the morning.
So that's our New Zealand trup. South Island was spectacular, the mountains and lakes incredible. The North Island wasn't as rugged but the rolling hills and valleys were nice.
Next year is back to Europe.