Is this the ultimate boys trip?

7 June, 2016

There’s no denying that getting out of town with your group of mates is undoubtedly the best thing one with hair on his chest, chin, and chops can do. It’s a sense of enjoyment like no other, and usually memories are made that will last a lifetime. A bond between man and his mates cannot be understood by the ‘other’ gender, and nor can the other half be trusted with the planning of a weekend away with the lads. Imagine that, you’d end up getting your nails and toenails done, followed by a tea party at some overpriced hipster cafe. Somehow I don’t think Geoff the builder will appreciate that too much.

Thankfully, for the lads that are interested in crossing the ditch to Aussie to check out an NRL final, Bathurst, or a Formula One event, there’s another mate who is the organized one, because let’s face it, Geoff isn’t the most organized when it comes to designing itineraries, booking flights and transfers, and hotel accommodation. The other mate, or mates we should say, are the team at Boys Trip, who specialize in planning that weekend away with the lads to numerous destinations and popular bucket-list events such as Bathurst. In fact, Bathurst is one of their most sought-after packages, and the team has this trip planned down to a tee!

Boys Trip have been in business for 10 years now, and their emphasis on becoming one of the lads has made them a striving business. No other business out there will give you the one-on-one attention like Boys Trip will, and they’ll ensure that you have the best experience prior to leaving for and during your planned trip.

“Getting to know our clients is one of the most important things that we have focused on,” says Director David Diehl. “We knew there were a few other sports travel companies out there and we wanted to offer a more personal service with flexibility that worked around what our clients needed.”

Around 70 per cent of Boys Trip’s trip packages are motor-sport related, so if you’re into Bathurst or Formula One, we’re confident Boys Trip will have you and your mates covered.

“At first, I think people heard the name Boys Trip and thought it was going to be a bunch of 20-somethings on a wild stag do, but that’s not what we’re about. Our clients are generally a bit older and want to do that once-a-year trip with their mates, but they are too busy to organize it, or don’t know where to start.”

It’s not just all about the boys though, as Diehl explains; “We cater trips for males, females, couples, families, solo travellers, and corporate groups,” he adds.

The question we’ve got for you, though, is which destination do you think would be the ultimate boys trip away?

For more information on planning your getaway with Boys Trip, visit boys-trip.co.nz, their Facebook page, or follow them on Twitter.

Grand Routier — in the french tradition

10 July, 2025

Sitting in Paddy and Patsy Williams’ Dunedin garage is a stunning example of one of these rare French grand routier sedans. It is a 1949 four-door Lago-Record Factory Berline sedan, to give its full name. Daughter Cath let us know how proud she was of her dad, who had been tinkering away in his garage on this car for so many years.
Without exaggeration, it has been a mammoth task. I first saw this Talbot-Lago in mid 2019. The long-nosed, sweeping, curved four-door saloon, clothed in its misty green metallic paint, was quite breathtaking. There’s more than a little English influence in it, too, harking back to company owner Tony Lago’s involvement in the Clement-Talbot-Darracq era. The long front wings and bonnet, usually multi-louvred, highlighted with artful touches of chrome bling, are typical of the era, but these were indeed luxury length. Interiors provided leather-clad, armchair-style seating and ample legroom, with touches of wood and surprising details such as dainty childproof interior locks — a far cry from today’s lozenge boxes.
Paddy, a retired civil and structural engineer, knows his way around a lathe. He has a well-equipped garage-workshop to assist in any machining tasks along with his other passion for restoring classic motorcycles.

The Great River Road

4 July, 2025

A few years ago my family, knowing my fondness for driving, gave me the book Unforgettable Road Trips: Thirty-Six Drives of a Lifetime by Martin Derrick. Most of the road trips listed take less than a day in places like Scotland, Monaco, and Australia, plus one in New Zealand. Most of these places were too far to go just for a short drive but four of them would take several days. My interest was piqued, and those four drives were added to the bucket list. To date, I have done three of them: ‘Route 66’ (USA 21 days), ‘State Highway 6’ (NZ 10 days) and ‘The Great River Road’ (USA 22 days). You can drive all of them in less time, but you could also fly over them. We wanted a decent immersion in their charms.
The great river referred to is the Mississippi. While the name conjures the deep south, the river actually starts at the bottom of the great lakes, before emptying into the Gulf of Mexico about 3800km later. The great road is more of a concept than a specific strip of tarmac, as you can drive down either side of the river on various routes. Regardless of which side you drive, time should be kept aside for detours to places such as Nashville, which is famous for something or other.

Is this the ultimate boys trip?

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