Ponsonby Airbnb to Hamilton private car — Astrid's business trip

The rain had cleared, thankfully. March in Auckland can still throw a bit of a curveball, but by midday it was looking like a decent autumn afternoon, the kind that makes driving comfortable. My pickup was in Ponsonby, a small Airbnb tucked away down a side street. It’s always a bit of a treasure hunt finding these places, especially when the owner hasn’t left out clear instructions. I circled the block twice before spotting the little blue sign.

A young woman, Astrid, met me at the gate. She looked every bit the typical traveller ready for a business trip – neat carry-on bag, tablet in hand, a professional but approachable air about her. She was Swedish, originally from Gothenburg, and this was her first time in New Zealand. She mentioned she was meeting up with a team for a few days in Hamilton, working on a new tech project.

We got going, merging onto the motorway heading south. The city was starting to unwind after lunch, the usual Friday crawl easing up. Astrid was quiet at first, taking in the passing scenery, the mixed urban-suburban sprawl giving way to the green fields of the Waikato. The air, even through the car windows, still held that clean, post-rain freshness. I pointed out the Bombay Hills as we passed, a familiar landmark on this route, and told her about the traffic jams that can happen there on a busy day, especially going north. She nodded, eyes wide, absorbing it all.

Around Pokeno, I suggested we stop for a coffee. It’s a decent place to break the journey, just off the highway. While Astrid ordered a flat white, I topped up the tank. The conversations in these moments are often the most relaxed. She told me a little more about her work, how it involved some innovative use of AI for agricultural tech. It sounded fascinating, quite a leap from Gothenburg’s shipbuilding history. She also spoke about the challenges of international collaboration, the different time zones and cultures you have to navigate.

Back on the road, she seemed more at ease. We chatted about New Zealand’s geography, the volcanic heart of the North Island, the distance to the South Island. I explained that while Auckland to Wellington was a solid day’s drive, we wouldn’t be heading that far today. Hamilton was a manageable distance, and the drive itself was always pleasant once you got past the initial city arteries. She asked about the names of the towns we passed – Tuakau, Mercer, Ngaruawahia – and I gave her the short versions of their histories or meanings where I knew them.

As we got closer to Hamilton, the landscape shifted slightly. The fields remained, but there was a greater sense of settled industry, a feeling of productivity that suited her reason for being here. The Waikato River eventually came into view, broad and calm, reflecting the softening afternoon light. Astrid had her phone out, capturing shots of the river and the approaching city skyline. She mentioned that her team had booked her into a hotel right in the city centre, making it easy for her meetings.

We arrived at the hotel ahead of schedule. The traffic into Hamilton was light, a welcome change from some of the congestion I’d experienced earlier in the week. Astrid thanked me, a genuine smile on her face. She said she’d enjoyed the drive and the brief glimpse of the countryside. It’s always satisfying to deliver a passenger smoothly to their destination, especially when they’re here for something as constructive as business. As I pulled away, heading back towards Auckland, I thought about the global interconnectedness of things – a Swedish woman in town for tech, all thanks to a private car and a few hundred kilometres of highway. It’s a small world, really.