Ibis Budget Auckland to Kawhia private car — Tiare's conference trip

The Ibis Budget near the airport can be a bit of a holding pen for travellers, a place where people settle in for the night before an early flight or, as in Tiare’s case, a long drive south.

I arrived a little before the agreed 8:00 AM pickup. The air was already holding that thick, early-summer warmth that promises a sticky day for Auckland. Tiare, a woman with kind eyes and a bright floral dress that spoke of warmer islands than these, was waiting just inside the lobby doors, her single suitcase placed neatly beside her. She’d originally hailed from Rarotonga, she told me as we loaded her bag, and this was her first time travelling to the mainland for a specific event: a horticulture conference in Kawhia. It sounded like an interesting niche, and her genuine enthusiasm for it was palpable. She was one of the speakers, presenting on sustainable growing practices in warm climates. I remember thinking how fitting that was, given her origins.

The usual slog through South Auckland traffic was, thankfully, not too bad for a Friday. We chatted intermittently, mostly about the weather and the long drive ahead, but also about her home. She spoke of the trade winds, the scent of frangipani, and the close-knit community. It painted a picture so vivid it felt like a brief escape from the concrete sprawl we were navigating.

As we cleared the Hunua Ranges and hit the open State Highway 1, the landscape started to broaden. Rolling green hills, dotted with sheep, began to unfold. We stopped at a service station near Huntly for a coffee and a leg-stretch. Tiare bought a couple of local newspapers, seeming keen to catch up on what was happening in the country she was visiting for the first time. She commented on how different the air felt here – cleaner, perhaps, or maybe just less humid than back home.

The route from Hamilton to Kawhia is less travelled than the main arterial routes. It winds through farmland, past small, unassuming towns like Ohaupo and Pirongia. The road narrows and coils, demanding a bit more concentration from the driver. We passed fields of dairy cows, and I pointed out the peak of Mount Pirongia in the distance. Tiare seemed fascinated by the dairy industry, asking questions about herd sizes and milk production, comparing it to the smaller, more localised agriculture she was used to.

As we got closer to Kawhia, the scenery became more coastal. The air grew salty, and the vegetation shifted towards flax and gorse. The roads turned to gravel for the last few kilometres, a gentle reminder that we were heading to a much quieter part of the country. Kawhia itself is a small, sleepy harbour town, its main street lined with a few shops and a scattering of houses. It felt a world away from the bustling city I’d left that morning.

When I pulled up outside the small community hall where her conference was being held, the sun was starting its slow descent towards the horizon. People were milling about outside, a mix of serious-looking individuals and those looking more relaxed, presumably after a day of lectures and discussions. Tiare thanked me, her eyes crinkling at the corners. She mentioned she was looking forward to meeting fellow growers and sharing ideas. Her suitcase was unloaded, and with a final wave, she disappeared into the building, a splash of island colour against the muted tones of the small town.

The drive back to Auckland was quiet, the headlights cutting through the deepening dusk. I thought about Tiare and her passion for plants, her journey from the warm Pacific to this quiet corner of the Waikato. It’s trips like these, the ones that take you to places you might not otherwise visit, and introduce you to people with such distinct perspectives, that make the long hours on the road worthwhile. It’s a reminder of how many different worlds exist within our own country, even on this island.