Dream ride: Paradise found in New Zealand

The frothing river looks deep, which makes the GS feel twice as heavy the second it dips its toe in the water.

Alissa decides to wade across and recce any deep spots for the as-big-as-a-house BMW. Our boots had only just dried from last night’s rain, so Alissa takes hers off to walk through.

Ten steps in and the water is above her knees, a slight slip and in she goes… along with her boots.

She catches and clings to one like a rubber ring, but the other is snatched by the laughing river and nearly thrown over the edge of this miniature Niagara before being caught by a rock.

It bobs away threatening to go over any second, but Alissa can’t move as she’s crying with laughter. There’s no time.

The BMW transforms into a speedboat and blasts across, I flick the sidestand down and run in to grab the boot just before it disappears.

We’re soaking wet, panting and only ten minutes into our off-road ride along the Rainbow Road…