I wake up at 12am and then at 3.30am. I’m pretty wide awake at 3.30am but tell myself I’m not getting out of bed until it’s light. Snooze and get up at 7am. Ursula and Peter politely tell us that some buzzing insect has woken us up, but then spoil this by making comments all morning such as “I never knew the breakfast cafe was open this early… “ We drive into Whangamata and have a big breakfast (well at least John and I do). Ursula and Peter stick resolutely to museli. Then we head off for the hills and go for a short (by Kiwi standards) hike along the cliff faces down to a completely secluded beach. Muck around and take a few timer-set photos and then head back. Back at the beach bach (house) we hitch up the boat and head for the open sea. Spend a wonderful afternoon boating, snorkelling and water-skiing (attempting in my case)- John is brilliant on the water skis. I am hopeless but also paralysed by laughter attempting to get into the skis and out of the water. There is not a boat or another person in sight. We return for late/lunch early dinner (yes – another BBQ!). Late afternoon we head back to Auckland in Ursula’s mother’s car this time – it’s a merc and will never break down – even under interrogation. Ursula drops us off at our posh B&B – Braemar – www.parliamentstreet.co.nz. John & Susan – the owners – are the friendliest people I have ever met. In the space of half an hour they have offered us tea, a glass of chardonnay, suggested they make a copy of a history programme on DVD for John they thought he might find interesting; offered to introduce us to people in the software and museum industies; suggested we invite our friends over here and offered to order us a Thai meal. Being British we’re overcome by this enthusiasm and head out smartly to a restaurant. Several glasses of wine later we return and collapse into a super comfy bed at about 10pm.