BROOK SABIN/STUFF New Zealand's tiny towns are home to some of our best hidden gems, from an emerald lake, to cliffs that look like they're from the moon. It involved a night in the cells, but the summer of ‘61 was still the best summer of Kevin Bateman’s life. Fairly new to the North Island and keen to see the sights, Bateman had talked his flatmate into hitchhiking around with him and things went well from the get-go. Williamsphotography.co.nz/wikimedia commons Kevin Bateman and his flatmate had no problems hitching around the North Island in 1961. Pictured: Spirits Bay, Northland.