In the end, it was a wee bit of a let down. British TV show Top Gear's episode featuring Northland has aired in New Zealand.
It was a little like parts of Lord of the Rings - big on scenic shots, not so much with the dialogue. In fact,unless you know the region well, it was a challenge to pick up exactly where host Jeremy Clarkson was.
For the record, Clarkson was racing from Coromandel to Spirits Bay on land, against fellow host James May who was on a yacht. Petrol versus wind power and all that.
There were few verbal references to Northland, one being host Jeremy Clarkson's observation about 90 Mile Beach not being 90 miles long.
And that was it. Although a hire car firm in Kerikeri got the plug to end all plugs when the episode diverted from its "we don't really want to reveal where we are" mantra to show the firm's name and phone number.
Here's hoping that international viewers of the show will be sufficiently intrigued that they will want to find out where in New Zealand the footage was shot. And that they won't head to America instead, after being confused by the fact May was aboard the United States Americas Cup catamaran Oracle.
Before shooting took place, there were rumours Clarkson would be driving a supersonic car along 90 Mile Beach. He drove a red Toyota hire car. Northlanders who recognise where Clarkson is may be confused by the scenes beforehand which locate Clarkson in what looks like Warkworth, and then, seconds later, driving into Kerikeri.
In England, they won't have a clue that the editing is geographically inaccurate. Who cares because it looks great. The coastal scenery is lush and vast, with its ocean vistas, and it's green - ticking all those stereotypical views of Enzed that folks overseas have.
