Day 34. Motueka. Twinned with Stoke Newington.

Other than spending about a month on the south island and a month on the north we haven't really set ourselves an itinerary. In fact, our only gameplan is to try and stay one step ahead of the rain; if it's sunny we hang around, if isn't, we move on. And because New Zealand has such localised weather patterns this has been working a treat.

Well, we ballsed things up good and proper this morning. It was bright and sunny when we set off from Carters beach, and throwing it down when we pulled into Motueka.

Not too bothered though, because this small town on the north coast is right up our street. The towns and villages we've visited up until now have been pleasant enough; there's always a good choice of places to have a beer or some scoff and generally everything is geared towards making a tourist's life cosy.

And yet, and yet...they've all been a bit souless. Bland even.

Motueka on the other hand is a little place with a lot of character. The main strip, with its string of coffee shops and eateries reminds us of good old Stokey Church Street. We counted four bookstores, two curry houses and a chippy within 200yds. There is even a joint flogging pipes, papers and other essential bits & bobs - evidence indeed that we're heading back towards civilisation.

Best of all was the Gecko cinema. The auditorium is the size of the Holloway Odeon's popcorn counter, and instead of the usual rows of seats the audience sit on sofas and easy chairs. For those who wanted to get totally horizontal, pouffes are available on request.



Kevin Spacey's 'Beyond the Sea' seeing as you ask. Most enjoyable it was too.

Slept in a carpark on the edge of town. One and a half quid it cost.