Sofitel Auckland Viaduct to Ohope Beach private car — Tua's conference trip

The Sofitel Viaduct Harbour always feels a bit like a preamble to somewhere else. Shiny brass, deep carpets, that faint hum of expensive air conditioning. Even on a bright November morning like this one, there's an artifice to it, a sort of controlled calm. My ute, a little dusty after a couple of longer runs the week before, felt appropriately grounded parked out front, waiting for a passenger who was heading out to the edges of the Eastern Bay of Plenty. Tua M. arrived precisely on time, a tall man with a calm presence, carrying a single, smartly packed suitcase and a laptop bag.

He was in town for a Pacific Nations business conference, he explained as we merged into the usual Viaduct traffic, heading for the motorway south. It was his first time in Auckland, and though he'd had a brief, whirlwind tour for the event, his main focus was the upcoming meeting in Ōhope. He was travelling ahead of the main group, he said, just to settle in and get his bearings. We slipped past the city traffic and onto State Highway 1, the urban sprawl giving way to the green hills and the familiar rush of the Southern Motorway.

The journey south towards the Bay of Plenty is usually a steady rhythm. The landscape unfolds gently, a patchwork of farmland and bush. We passed through Pokeno, where I always eye up the ice cream shops, and then into the Waikato heartland, past Hamilton and Cambridge. The air conditioning was set to a low hum, and Tua seemed content to watch the scenery blur past. On trips like these, once the initial pleasantries are done, there's often a comfortable silence that settles in. It's a chance for me to focus on the driving, to keep an eye on the road conditions, and for the passenger to gather their thoughts or simply rest.

Around midday, we stopped at a small cafe just off the main drag in Tirau. It’s one of those places that’s been there forever, unchanging, with the corrugated iron sheep and dog sculptures outside. I got my usual flat white and a quick bite, while Tua chose a light salad. He mentioned he was looking forward to the coast again. Back in Samoa, he said, the sea was an ever-present part of life, a constant companion. He spoke about how the Pacific islands, despite their distance from each other, shared a common thread, not just in culture and language, but in their relationship with the ocean. It wasn’t a long conversation, just a few observations shared over a quiet lunch, but it gave me a deeper sense of the connection he felt to the destination.

The final stretch towards Ōhope took us along State Highway 2, past Tauranga and Whakatāne. The bay opened up, a spectacular sweep of white sand meeting the turquoise water. Even on a weekday afternoon, there was a relaxed holiday vibe. Tua pointed out a few points of interest as we neared his accommodation, a few familiar landmarks from research he'd done. He was staying right on the beach, he mentioned, a significant change from the concrete and glass of Auckland.

As I pulled up to his hotel, the scent of salt and warm sand was already noticeable. Tua thanked me, his voice carrying a quiet gratitude. He seemed ready to embrace the change of pace, to trade the conference room for the rhythm of the waves. I watched him take his suitcase from the boot, a man stepping from one world into another, ready for the quiet beauty of the Eastern Bay of Plenty coast. Driving away, the afternoon sun glinting off the sea, I thought about how many different journeys, both literal and metaphorical, unfold on these roads.