Zeal the deal

Part II. Paul continues his adventures from last month as a passenger in a Scania R730 livestock truck crossing New Zealand

- PAUL O'CALLAGHAN

Our first collection of the day is situated in some stunning scenery in the rolling hills near Dannevirke. This really feels like the back of beyond where the roads are empty and habitation is sparse. A saddled horse is tethered to the timber railings - a trademark of the New Zealand countryside, while a collection of no less than 13 dogs, mostly the NZ Huntaway breed bask in the sunshine as the young farmers help Andy load the bulls.

Although the roofs are open air design, nets are pulled over the top, mainly to discourage cattle from getting ideas and jumping out. “It’s not a good look coming down the road with heads sticking up” Andy adds.

State highway 5 from Napier to Taupo is now firmly on my list of favourite roads in New Zealand. Named the Thermal Explorers Highway, it crosses from the Hawkes Bay region, into the bottom corner of the Bay of Plenty, then into Waikato. The terrain is mountainous and at one point we were climbing for a full 15 minutes, the growling 730 working to maximum capacity, diesel being burnt at an eye-watering rate and the speed down as low as 35kmh. Negotiating a steep descent Andy sets the cruise control on the retarder, laughing as he points to his stocking feet which are both sitting comfortably in the space where a clutch pedal was housed in the days of old; “You can’t do this with a bloody Eaton Road Ranger!”