DRIVING TO WAINUI BEACH
Escaping the winter of Japan and the first snow falls to the summer in New Zealand is an annual event. This year it was different, as while Christmas was important, my family and friends were not fooled. Within an hour of landing in Auckland I was in my MACH SR7 for a quick flick around the neighborhood. I was equally amazed matching the first drive several months before.

Monday morning the plan was to leave Auckland at 5am with my daughter Kahli as the co-driver. A dark chilly morning with misty rain soon opened to stunning weather as we zipped over the Kaimai Ranges. Kahli was soon behind the wheel enjoying the world of open car motoring. I have become an absolute fan of WILD BEAN CAFÉ for gasoline for several reasons. The café has seating in the window allowing you to enjoy a short break while your car is highly visible. The MACH SR7, like all open cars, becomes a spectator sport. I am sure that 99% are harmlessly curious but that 1% who looks at such cars have an urgent need to add a pinstripe with a coin or any other destructive object. This is a sad aspect of our society, as I do not know many 7 owners who are not willing to share the stories of their cars.

It was great to arrive back in Gisborne and it was not until I parked the car at my holiday bach that I realized how the colors matched…um! Kahli was quick to share the car with willing passengers, smiles were abundant and the MACH SR7 quickly became a local talking point.