I just finished uploading the photos from my cycle tour of the North Island of New Zealand. I have also finished doing the google map which shows the route and cycling stats, to have a look click the image below. Please note that Internet Explorer seems to have some issues with displaying these google maps.
Well that’s the end of my North Island of New Zealand trip. I was expecting an easier tour but strong winds, knee problems and stuff at home, made this quite a testing trip. One thing is for sure, I definitely wont be flying with Qantas again, they seem to go out of their way to make life difficult for the cyclist. Anyway enough complaining, I’m looking forward to going home.
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. )
