Lets cut the middle man and get to the source!

I don’t know where this dog came from but it appointed itself as my guard dog and watched over my tent all night. I gave it some cheese and cornflakes in the morning, it liked the cheese but too fussy with the cornflakes. I know a certain border collie which doesn’t mind cornflakes at all.

A church out in the middle of nowhere. I guess even out here you need something to keep the evil spirits away.

I spent yesterday reading my book in the tent while the storm tried to uproot and flood the tent (with some success). Today has been a different day, it has been the most pleasant ride of the trip. The road between Opotiki and Te Kaha has light traffic and nice views of the active volcanoe on White Island off the coast. There have been many climbs but not like the ones on Coromandel. The sky has been mainly clear and the temperature a pleasant 20 degrees. Plus I met the first cycle-tourist for this trip, I was starting to think I was the only one on the island.

Here I am with a gang of seagulls taking some time out from the madness of the last couple of days - the Labour Day weekend. The campgrounds have been packed with screaming kids and their parents. And today was the worst on the roads, I felt much safer on the roads in India! I’m begining to think the North Island is just too busy for cycling. Sure there have been some nice scenery but I haven’t been able to enjoy it because I have to look out for the maniacs heading towards me while they are overtaking the speeding car which has been holding them up. I’m heading to the East Cape which is a more remote part of the North Island, maybe it will be more peaceful there.

Giant tourist buses fly past me down the hill towards Rotorua, irritated that a two-wheeled vehicle without an engine dares to use their road. As I get closer, it smells as if the city needs to have its nappy changed. Everywhere I look there are bubbling pools of mud puffing out sulphurous fumes in my direction. Suddenly I am engulfed in it all… Where am I? Will I ever be able to get out of this place?

Alright Mr Rabbit, don’t make me come in there and get you…

I must have offended the wind gods at some point in my bumbling life, they have been really in my face lately. No matter which way I turn the bike, there is an icy headwind. Where is it coming from? Antartica? My kidneys have been put into deep-freeze and somewhere around the 40km mark my saddle turned to stone and started rearranging my sitting bones.
But then I arrive somewhere like this, with the stream bubbling in the background and the hot showers bringing my kidneys back to life. Tommorrow I have forgotten all the pain and do it all over again. ( Come to think of it, maybe I’ll stay here for another day. )

Here’s a wise fella I met on the road. I asked him why it rained so much in New Zealand, he said if it didn’t rain then the place wouldn’t be so green. Which makes sense… thanks Mr Donkey.

Why couldn’t I go somewhere other than New Zealand where there are not as many hills? Somewhere that I wouldn’t need to carry a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat and the kitchen sink. I could be having breakfast at a market stall in Thailand before cruising down to the next town to stay at a very reasonably-priced hotel and then flip-floping down to the night market for some Pad Thai and mango pudding.
Oh well, better keep pushing.