New Total raised so far

450 pounds or NZ$1100.
Donations still welcome and very much appreciated...

Are you a computer head with some spare time??

Re-cycle are wishing to build a new web-site so if you think you might be able to help please e-mail: info@re-cycle.org or call (+44) (0)1206 863111

Funds Raised so far and Re-cycle`s latest projects

A HUGE thanks to:
Steve Mills
Charlotte Auty
Chris Wilson
Karen Ringrose
Anna Wilson
James Romain
Philip Chklar
Susan Wilson
Derek Balcombe
Bill and Janet Ligon
Catherine Speak and family
who all made a donation to Re-cycle.
The total comes to around 400 pounds/NZ$1000.
In a few weeks we will choose where the funds raised by the trip will go.
Given the hundreds of people I met along the way I was hoping it might end up a little more so if you are reading this and thinking of making a contribution it would be great to see this figure increase
Just to give you some idea of the current projects Re-cycle is involved with here is a brief outline. (More details can be found on their website: www.re-cycle.org )
Main partners are
Ghana (The Village Bicycle Project)Major focus on mechanic training and getting bicycle tools into the country. Was selling them below cost price to stimulate the market, now selling at wholesale. Mechanics helping deliver the training get discounted tools. Set up by ex peace corps man David Peckham.
Namibia (The Bicycle Empowerment Network)
Major focus on providing bikes to AIDS/HIV outreach workers. Set up by Michael Linke, who used to ride pedicabs in London
Uganda (Bicycle Sponsorship Project and Workshop BSPW)Have received 2 x 40-foot boxes from Re~Cycle, including light metal working tools to make their famous Bicycle Ambulance.
New partner in South Africa just getting together, and Lesotho will be getting going soon.

Goodbye Monty...

Ah its been good...
It has....
Well you`ll soon be hairing about Sticky Forest which is much more exciting than boring old tarmac.
Yeah I guess...
Ha! I knew you`d be back once the novelty wore off. 5 years is a lot to throw away Jimmy.
I know Max, you don`t need to worry.
How about a camping trip up to Lake Hawea next week?
Ok sounds good boyo sounds good.

And finally...

After a pretty quiet night in Auckland (OK the cars are only mental on the weekend) got the train from Auckland to Wellington. Pretty cool train. At the rear is a huge picture window and near the front is a little area to stand outside and watch it all go by. Fine views of Mount Ruapehu. The driver had something to do so he let me drive the train the last half of the journey. I wasn`t sure what all the knobs and lights meant but he gave me the list of station stops and told me to obey the speed limits unless we were running a bit late.
Hooked up with Holly and friends for a few drinks and enjoyed my comfy double bed for about 4 hours before getting up for the ferry to Picton. I took the Bluebridge one this time which had a fantastically cheap cafe.
The train ride to Christchurch was beautiful. There had been a typhoon passing pretty close the day before so the ocean had huge ways and a lovely sea mist between the hills and the sea for much of the journey. Beats the bus hands down. And this train has a really big outdoor viewing area.
Ryan and Katie met me at the station.
Coupla days in Christchurch and then, at last, back to Wanaka.

Sand surfing

Public transport all the way now....
So ended up on a the return half of a tour which unexpectedly turned out to have sand-surfing on the itinery which was a lot more fun than I expected it to be. They are about 60m high and you can really catch some speed on the way down and you steer with your toes. Then we hurtle down 90 mile beach in the coach which is quite strange at first but becomes normal as these things do. Stop halfway down at a spot with a little shingle beach and also a Kauri museum come sles place. Awesome table at awesome price. The wood has been taken from fosilized trees dug from a nearby field perfectly preserved as if it had been chopped down the day before.

Camping up at the Cape

Tapotupotu DOC campground 2 bays east of the Cape surely must be one of NZ`s most beautiful places. Had a very relaxed couple of days here. On the 2nd day I went on the coastal walkway for a few hours which winds around the cliffs up to the lighthouse and then back down onto a huge beach. The Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean meet here and well, they really do meet, with the waves racing towards each other in a sort of big triangle and crashing together. Very strange to see. The photo here was taken when the sea was quite calm but when it was rough it was very impressive.
Then round into beautiful sand dunes and back upto the road through cool dark Hobbity manuka forest. Such colourful country. The dark greens of the manuka forests, rust red coloured sandstone, brown sugar custard sand dunes, pale yellow sandy beach, rich green fields, the darker rippling purplegreen of wild grasses and the infinite blue blue sky. And I met one person as most people who go up here just go to the lighthouse and then walk back to their cars or buses.
On the way back to the campsite I noticed a womens weekly magazine lying at the side of the road with the pages open at an article explaining how Princess Di would be living if she was still alive.
A little macabre I thought. Though I then found myself turning the page which compared various celebs wearing the same designer gress and which one looked best and deciding if I agreed with their choice and then deciding i had been crouching by the road reading a magazine in the gutter for about 10 minutes and there were probably better ways of leading my existence.

Funds raised so far

Thanks very much to everyone who has so far made a donation. I have all the names and in a couple of weeks i will make up a list of names on the Blog. Current totals stand at around the 400 pound/NZ$1000. Keep `em coming!
in a couple of weeks (thereabouts)-camping up at the Cape and the trip back south on the train which was great. Right, I`m orf to not do very much and not cycle ANYWHERE for a couple of weeks before I go back to work in Wanaka at the YHA. Take care good folk...

Bloody made it!!!!

February 3rd 6.30pm. 3596k, 2 months, 2days after setting out from Bluff.

Monty we did it! Good work mate!

Well, I couldn`t have done it without your legs.

Errr... no, right.

Almost....

Nearly

To Cape Reinga/Te Rerengawairua

Lovely open road in the morning, big country. Stopped in Te Kao`s very cool little grocery store which is the last one before the Cape. Inside a kitten slept on the newspapers and Ella and Louis sang sweetly on a stereo. And if you don`t know who they are ask your Mum or Dad. Te Kao also had a rather strange mosquey type building but with Te Reo (Maori) writing on it so I don`t know what the story of that is. Should have asked at the shop I guess.

Stopped again for some food at Waitiki Landing and then the last 20k which is a steep windy gravel road but with stunning views of enourmous sand dunes and the sea and Manuka (tea tree) forests and rippling native grasses and green fields. Bloody hard work though.

Mangonui - Rarawa Beach - The Far North Feb 2nd - 1 day to go...

Nice open road as i finally hit the far North road. Good south-easterly too. Lovely quiet DOC campground at Rawera Beach. The camp manager`s friends were visiting with 4 kids in tow who were very curious as to my trip. Hi guys if you`re reading this. Felt Shoulda taken your picture.

Felt quite excited to almost to be at the top

Mangonui

Nice little harbour town, stayed at Maori Point reserve off by the water and had a pint at the pub so pretty mellow evening really.

Dinosaurs and Meteors

Well that got my attention. A small museum by the side of the road with indeed meteors and dinsoaur bits along with many other random yet interesting things including a mummuified rat. The curator, who was quite a character, had also made a Wetarie. Now Wetas are Nz`s big scary looking insects. well they can be. The Wetarie was basically a tall thin tunnell made out of brick and concrete and once you`re eyes adjust the walls are seething with Cave Wetas. There were one or 2 males on the roof that must have been 4 inches long.

He also has a very interesting project underway that I cannot disclose.

And he also has a cool dog.

Kahoe

Kahoe is a small town on the way to Mangonui. It is notable for its Jandals fence which someone told me about way down south. Near Wanaka there is a bra fence and a bit further on there was a bike fence. Monty told me not to linger

Three thousand three hundred and thirty three kilomtres Jimbob!

Yes Monty, you wouldn`t want to say that after a few pints would you?

No

Actually what would you know about getting drunk?

Well, you know, sometimes when you think you`re in a safe spot and you don`t lock me up?

Yees.

Well...you know sometimes us bikes, late at night, we hook up, go for a little freewheel down to the river, crack open a few tinnies...

Kerikeri

Just a short hop over a couple of hills really to stay with Catherine`s (who is friends with Ana and Marcus) father Derek and his wife Monica. Monica made a nice dinner and we talked about her family (she is from Germany) who have a very interesting history. Its a long story and perhaps not my business to tell it here. Anyway it so happened that she and Derek were in Berlin just after the fall of the Berlin wall and on their mantlepice they have an original piece of it.

Paihia

Right, where was I...

Had a pretty quiet evening in Paihia and stayed at the very spic YHA. The managers have a nice dog.

Pukunui 2nd Feb 75 k to go!!!!

ETA CAPE REINGA SUNDAY FEB 3RD!!!

Bay of Islands/Paihia

Headed out quite late so decided to stop for a long black and a cheese and onion toastie. A nice one, not that special but cheap with fantastic presentation I thought. I`ve never seen a vertical toastie before. Ah, I live on the edge, eh. Soon off the main highway onto Russell Rd and a real nice windy one through farmland and forest and made good profress. Had lunch and a swim at Helen`s bay and found a great campsite right on the beach a few k`s on at Whangaruru South. Next day really hot and not really into it but a beautiful road, up and down, passing many little beaches. At one point 2 parrots flew out near me all multicoloured, don`t know which birds but so beautiful. I looked for them in the trees but I couldn`t see them. Eventually arrived at Russell after going by quite alot of really nice swampy wetland where I got a refreshingly slow old ferry over to Paihia

Auckland to Whangarei

Got the ferry to Gulf Harbour to try and escape the worst of the traffic. Was very busy pretty much the whole day but had a tail wind and head down and ended up covering a decent distance. Stayed the night at a campsite at Mangawhai. Set up my tent in my designated site and was talking to the grandson (I assume) of the couple camped next door and essentially bragging about my great little tent and about how the material is 5 times as strong as most tent fabrics. 5 minutes later a girl runs straight through a guy rope and, yes, rips the mooringy bit off the end of my tent. Talk about instant karma or wot....Anyway on inspection not too disastrous and hopefully I can get it fixed in Kerikeri at a sail-makers there. Then the next mrning as I was pumping up my front tyre my inner tube burst. Grrr...Anyhow cycled off to find my neighbour waiting for me 5k up the road by his car holding my puncture repair kit that I had left on the grass and not realised. How kind. Decided the angels had returned.

Whangarei not far but not really into it though had a nice big stop for lunch and a swim or 3 at Uretiti Beach. Whagerei YHA really nice old little place up on hill above the main part of town with a very comfy lounge area.

Auckland

`Auckland - City of Sails` (makes sense-lots of boats by the sea etc.) or as the new slogan is `Auckland the Big Little City`. People get paid good money to come up with this nonsense.

Anyway it is a nice city to arrive at by boat. Central Auckland at night is full of idiots in cars with no bonnets who think its cool to rev their car engines alot and suffocate anyone in the local area. Having said that had a pretty good coupla days. It was Auckland anniversary weekend so they had fireworks at the harbour and Helen Clarke was on the Spirit of New Zealand a big old clipper ship and there was also a more traditional Maori vessel. She said that this was the weekend `when Auckland meets Rio` which seemed a little optimistic. I`ve seen the Rio carnival on telly and well...The fireworks were pretty impressive to be fair though. Next day met up with my dad`s partner Karen`s step-son (complicated enough for you?) Marcus and his partner Ana who made me a really nice lunch and then we went to the beach on the North Shore which looks out at Rangitoto Island. In the evening went to see the new Ang Lee film `Lust Caution` which was obviously great. Very sad.

Auckland Int. YHA nice and calm in the centre of the city

Waiheke Island

The ferry from Coromandel at Oriapu on the South East part of the Island. Steep windy road through forest and then up into the hills. Very hot and sweating buckets but great riding. Eventually arrived at Onetangi Beach and found a cold beer in a cafe (not something I have done much on this trip) but it was very welcome. Then headed for the one and only campsite which isn`t actually signposted anywhere. Anyway realised I`d gone the way after a few hills the wrong way and spotted a lady doing some gardening. After telling me it was a way back Trisha offereed me a stay at her place which was a rather smart place being decorated. Basically with its own private beach with water clear as glass I had a nice swim at sunset and then relaxed in the Spa Pool under the stars before my comfy bed. http://www.heartsongretreat.co.nz/ if anyone fancy`s a luxury retreat on Waiheke.

Next morning headed off to the ferry terminal which had a very exact parking sign for those of you who appreciate life`s details.

3000K!!!!!

3000k Monty!

Not bad Jimbob. Have we raised much money yet?

Well Monty, had an update on funds today from Re-cycle and actually its hardly anything.

Oh, thats a shame, we`re almost there.

Yeah it is really. They do great work and have several new projects on the go at the moment that need funds to support them. They sent over 5000 bikes in 2007 alone. Bikes last a long time and can make a huge impact on peoples lives in the kind of places that Re-cycle work in.

So......if you`re reading this and have made a donation, Thankyou thankyou! If you e-mail me at: bigadeboo@yahoo.co.uk and let me know that you have I will put it into a seperate folder and at some point during March or April I`ll let you know exactly whats being done with your money and also attach 5 of my favourite pics from the trip which you could print off or put on your desktop as wallpaper or project onto the ceiling of your nightclub or bedroom. If you do make a donation (see the link on the right of the Blog) please let me know when you do and I`ll do the same. (unless you`d prefer not, obviously)(in which case you wouldn`t, even more obviously)

Beautiful Waiheke Island and Auckland coming soon...

Cliffs and flowers

The Coromandel roads are often cut out of beautifully coloured stone a rich reddy orange. There are also lots of beautiful flowers. I also met this praying mantis heading west to crush Waiheke Island beneath its giant legs. (it seemed to have left before I arrived)

Ngarimu Bay and on to Waiheke Island

Pretty gentle day as I was going to see Pete and Jacqui who i met on the East Cape who invited me to stay at their house which has an awesome deck. Lots of lying around and swimming on the way and such like and spent a really nice evening with them. Jacqui made a really nice risotto and I had a big comfy double bed.

Headed off after breakfast and had another laid back day. Great little beach at Wilson`s Bay and then got the ferry at Coromandel harbour in the late afternoon. Beautiful road with a couple of big hills but fantastic views and nice and sunny so well worth it. Bumped into fellow bicylist Terry who I met the day before who has been moseying around the North Island. He told me he`d been done for speeding twice on his bike. Once in the UK where he was actually taken to court and fined by the police. He has the certificate framed. This also happenned in New Zealand but I think the cop gave up the argument in the end. He is clearly a dangerous man. I hit 70k per hour downhill the other day so I shall obviously have to be careful. On the way there were some kids selling tangelos which was very welcome.

Coromandel

Nice road and a big climb upto the hill over looking Coromandel. Beautiful silver light with all the islands spread out below. THe motor camp there wanted $28 for the night which seemed a bit steep so found a spot a few kilometres south of the town in a feild by a side road after checking it seemed to be empty and put up my tent there. Full moon, clear sky for the first time for nearly a week. Weird hissing noise in the night sort of like a very large snake with a bit of a cold. Anyway didn`t seem to get any nearer so eventually went to sleep. Next morning a ute came by just as I was getting up and a guy told me I shouldn`t really be there though on learning of the price of the campsite agreed he`d have done the same. Then he asked me if I`d seen the big old ram which apparently usually hangs out further down the field round the corner.

Do rams hiss?

Opoutere - Opito Beach

Lovely windy road and nice cool misty weather. Stayed the night at Hahei not far from Hot Water Beach. If you find the right spot at low tide and dig a shallow hole in the sand you can make your own thermal pool. Well low tide was 11.30 pm so I`m wandering around the beach with my torch until after about half an hour my feet are suddenly hot but the waves are still rolling in while I stand there feeling a bit foolish. It was kind of cool (well hot) but possibly not worth the extra bike ride and effort involved. Was talking to someone the next day and it turned out the offshore typhoon meant that the tide was much higher than usual.

Next day went to Cathedral Bay which is a 30 minute walk from near Hei hei. An awesome little bay with a big old rock in the most interesting shape and a big cavern open at both ends. (hmmm there`s probably a word for that isn`t there dear reader)

Got the little passengar ferry over to Whitianga and spent the night north east of there off a side road. Beautiful remote place called Opito which had a great simple campsite. I camped next to a haybarn which was good for breakfast as it was pretty windy. Barns smell so good. (Well this one did anyway)

Flowers and ferns and stuff

Opoutere

What a great place. Beautiful trees and beach and the YHA has to be in one of the most impressive settings I`ve ever seen with a view of the eastuary from the garden and cliffs behind. There are free kayaks you can borrow. It was too windy to go out into the estuary very far but there is an inlet you can follow for a while . One of the nice things about Kayaking is that if you don`t splash about you are pretty quiet and there are lots of cool birds in that area. Came close to some Pukeko and right up to a heron perching on the bank.

Really nice walk to the beach through some forest. I camped at the hostel the 2nd night right underneath a peach tree and found a stepladder and picked a very juicy one for my tea. Yum

The Coromandel - to Opoutere

Left pretty late amongst some pretty heavy traffic but it was a bit cooler and I enjoyed the riding. Spent the night at Waihi Beach. Was going to sleep on the beach as it was fine but really windy so I ended camping in a park in front of a bunch of houses near the beach which is not something I`d normally do. Anyway it was OK and once I`d decided that I`d probably rather not be conscious as me and my tent was hurled into the sea I managed to get some sleep. Next to a picninc bench which was very convenient for breakfast. Headed on to Opoutere via lunch and a swim at Whangamata which had a great sign, all you need in the world really and the traffic slacked off soon enough so pretty good day and much cooler.

Yeah right....

So while many drivers show great consideration to your humble bicyclist quite a few frankly don`t give a rats arse.

So here is an ode to you guys. (not that you`ll either be reading this or care)

May your head grow bald as your tyres,

May your jokes wear as thin as your brake pads,

About your large metal gear shift I shall say nothing,

And won`t even use the word,

knob.

May the price of oil force you behind the wheel of an old Toyota Starlet with smelly seats

And a Broken radio.

May your girlfriend leave you for someone with stronger legs.

V. Grumpy Hotnortherly

Tauranga

Long old ride but flat terrain tho there was a pretty strong headwind and still obscenely hot. Stopped by Jules and family for a cold beer which was nice and then headed into Tauranga via the port which was very industrial compared to the kind of country I`ve been in for the past week. Nice YHA with a great garden full of funky sculpures and stuff in the garden. There was an incredibly lively girls softball team from New Plymouth at the National tournament on in Tauranga who made me feel quite old and tired despite my current mission. Went to the movies and saw `The secret life of words` which was excellent excellent excellent.

Opape - Whakatane

Still hot - nice ride though through Opotiki and then some beautiful wetlands. Stopped near the beach soon before Whakatane for a picnic and then a couple in a motor-home kindly gave me a cup of coffee and some biccies. Almost dark by that time. As I was ataching my head torch to Monty a couple pulled up in a car and kindly offerred me somewhere to camp. So I camped in Chris`s back garden for the night and enjoyed a good shower and an omellette that Manu made made me.

Surely one of the most random signs ever, painted shipping container, Roadside memorial, another post-box and yes we did indeed keep left...

Opapi Beach - where I get to wear John Lennon`s sunglasses

Hot hot hot ride. Stayed at a Opape Beach which had a really nice little motor camp and another beautiful beach. As I was having breakfast I met Brian who is an interesting person. He has done lots of things and knows Mr Dow of Dow Chemicals and has spent many years fighting for recognition for the damage of Agent Orange to soldiers in the Vietnam War and a similar chemical used as a pesticides in New Zealand in the 1970s. Anyway he lived in the US for many years and these sunglasses were made a gift to him by the John Lennon society. He says that he is not 100 per cent sure they were John`s but they certainly look like they could have been made in the 1960`s and are beautifully engraved on the rims.

He also gave me a letter of introduction to Jeannette Fitzsimmons, leader of the Green Party but unfortuneately I wasn`t in that part of the Coromandel when it came down to it.

Maraehako Bay

Good ride with no big hills. Ended up in beautiful bay round the north coast of the cape with a great campsite. Couldn`t find any replacement gas cylinders for my little stove and so i`d run out but Pete and Jacqui kindly let me use theirs and invited me to their fire with some fellow campers. So i made my dinner and was then plied with Macadamia chocolate and some fine port. Next morning I borrowed Jacqui`s kayak and went for an awesome little paddle on the sea. There is a little bay you get to through a little channel out from the beach and it was so beautiful. Surfed my way in on a wave. Good way to start the day.

WARNING - COWS ON LONGBOARDS

Well it seems that cows in the North Island have gone one up on their southern counterparts. I think a longboard actually would make a lot more sense in those rolling paddocks rather than skateboards which must really only be useful on the road.

Flower, fence post, xmas lights, and a weird doll in the window

Tologa Bay - Te Areroa

Another pretty short day the next day to Waipiro Bay. Great windy hill to shoot down at the end and a nice cool southerly to help me on my way. Camped right by the ocean. The next day headed on to Te Areroa which is at the North East point of the cape. Warmed up again but the road was not too hilly really. Tony who was with the lady who gave me the water at Pouwa beach told me to stay at `Sunrise` there which is a campground and B&B/Backpackers. Great little place with a walk through a couple of fields to a deserted beach. Tony`s father, Albert lives there on his land in a little bach and he gave me tea with manuka honey and home baked fruit bread which was delicious. When I asked if he`d been there for a while he suggested i might want to re-phrase the question and explained that his family had been there for 1100 years. `How many Europeans can say that about a peice of ground?` he asked me and stamped his foot. And I thought about it and couldn`t really think of any. No-one I know, anyway.

The East Cape Begins - Tologa Bay/Uawa

Pretty short ride but Tologa bay is so lovely and has such a nice freedom camping area I just had to stay the nice. Famous for having the longest wharf in NZ or the southern hemisphere or something. It is indeed very very long. Met a friendly cyclist, Stuart, who had a puncture in exactly the same place I got my first of the trip. Anyway caught up with him in Tologa Bay and he and his wife Marylin kindly bought me a coffee and a bun and an ice lolly.

Later after i had had a swim and relax on the beach a big group asked me over for tea and fine fine banana cake and tangerines picked off the tree that morning so I didn`t really need dinner after all that.

2000k!!

How you feelin` Monty?
Good Jimbob
You ready for the next 1000?
Pedal on, Jimbob, pedal on...

Napier to Pouwa Beach

Set off from Napier pretty late and arrived at beautiful Lake Tutira which had a nice DOC campground. The road was grand skirting a big valley.

Next day the road wound up and down through a gorge and crisscrossed the railway. Finally arrived at Wairoa and stayed in a campsite by the river which I lost no time in jumping in as soon as I arrived. Very swish campground with music in the toilets and that sort of thing. Waroa also apparently has the second biggest cinema screen in the country but unfortunely I was late for the movie so I missed its bigness. Very very hot the next day again but I had the wind behind me for the first part of the day and sailed through. The final hill of the day was brutal and i thought i was going to implode. However ended up at a nice beach at Muriwai, just camped in the picnic area and had a swim in the morning.

Then on through Gisborne were I stopped for a rather elongated coffee and toasted sandwich which a chocolate muffin was soon added to and then on to Pouwa Beach which was the first of a few freedom camping areas provided by Gisbourne city council. No water there though but someone came by and offerred me some so that was fine.

Napier

Spent a pretty leisurely couple of days in Napier. Bit of bike maintenance. Went to the hot water salt baths which have a variety of hot pools and also a sauna and steam room. Nice old YHA built in 1921.

.

Where we`re going, we don`t need roads.....

That`s right Jimbob.

Blackhead Beach - Napier

Great start to the day. Followed the beach for the first 10k round to Pourerere. 4wd track so the sand is pretty compacted nearer the sea and was a beautiful ride.

Then up into the hills between two ranges and gradually back down into Hastings and then onto Napier. So so hot and I must have drunk about 6 litres aof water and had 2 ice lollies and a bottle of pop.

Pretty knackered when I arrived at the YHA in the afternoon.

Another field, another mailbox, some beehives and some sheep which have to be involved at some point

Blackhead beach

Veery hot and windy road the next day and a northerly so hard work though another fine place to end up in. The road passed a hill named `Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu` which as you might imagine is the longest place name in the world. (See the photo for a translation) though the Welsh town of `Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyll-llantysiliogogogoch` defineately comes a close second which translates as `The church of St. Mary in the hollow of white hazel trees near the rapid whirlpool by St. Tysilio's of the red cave`

Blackhead`s campsite wanted $35 from me to camp there which I pointed out was a bit steep for me and my little tent. It was then pointed out that I could put six people on the site to which I pointed back that that didnt help me terribly much as there was only one of me. So...on advice from a helpful camper I headed along the path out a bit into the dunes and found a little hollow. Sometimes these things are meant to help us and this was certainly the case here cos I didn`t bother with the tent it was so nice out. Woke up at moon-rise to find the milky way directly above me (well once I`d dug out the old x-ray specs of course) Then woke up again at sunrise to find everything golden.

Wait a minute! I have just counted the letters up and unless I am mistaken Llannfair(etc.) wins by 3 letters. Hum. On the other hand it has got lots of l`s in it which technically perhaps make it shorter.

2008 - Herbertville

Rather vaguely left for the seaside the next day and wound my way via a rather leisurely 3 hour lunch break in a field for lunch to Herbertville which was a fantastic long beach. Camped in the dunes for the night and went to the pub for an ale or two.

Wellinton to Pongoroa - New Years Eve

Good ride out of Wellington. (OK I lie, I cheated and got the train to Upper Hutt cos of the traffic but its only 30k) and then big old hill and then down onto the main road as night came in. Ended up in Carterton in a campsite for the night and then pushed on to a place called Pongoroa on the smaller east coast road. No traffic and beutiful countryside all rolling hills and bits of forest here and there. Big day, over 110k but the wind was behind me and I wanted to get to somewhere with a pub. Put up my tent in the domain near the sports field and went to the pub. People were very friendly and Len and Dianne (it was Len and Dianne right? If not and you`re reading this then tell me that actually its Dave and Amanda and I`ll make amends) invited me to a party. So we went and it was fun for a bit only I decide to partake in things I don`t partake of any longer and within about 15 minutes my brain became scrambled eggs and I was incapable of independant (or dependant) thought. So pretty useless really. Ah well lesson learned. I hope. Anyway Len and Dianne kindly gave me a bed for the night and also made some nice food despite my gibber.

THE NORTH ISLAND! Wellington

Had a good couple of days in Wellington and caught up with my friends Lucy and Cindy which was really nice to see them. Lucy and Craig made me an awesome dinner and I got into a Pool Room with Cindy and Nigel in my jandals as the bouncers happenned to be taking a smoko.

Went to the grand Embassy cinema near the excellent YHA which is a real picture palace all newly renovated recently. Saw `This is New Zealand` which was made for the Japan World Expo in 1970. Originally it used 3 projectors all running at the same time and has recently been re-mastered onto one big screen. (and the Embassy screen is very very big.) Really cool. Only 20 minutes long and really just a series of images of nature and people with music, everything from factories and offices to forest and mountains. There were also 2 short films, one about the expo and the other a promotional film made in the 70s for the Australian tourist market which was very funny and called something like `Why don`t ya come on to New Zealand`. Well worth it if you`re in Wellington.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! ;-)

Tiles

Now the ferry had quite busy tiles on the upper deck. Do you remember those Magic Eye books? You know, the ones with the pictures that you stare into the middle distance with and you can see shapes of animals or cars and stuff once your brain adjusts. Well you can kind of do the same thing with these tiles only you don`t see pictures but it all goes kind of extra dimensional and clearer and slightly bigger. And I wondered if it would come out on a computer. Well it does, try it. This is an excellent alternative to work for you office workers out there.

Jimbob, you`re a freak.

Wha`evahh.

The Interislander ferry to Wellinton

Got up and had a swim which woke me up and quickly packed up and went to get the morning ferry at Picton which turned out to be full. My body told me that it served me right for not giving it coffee and breakfast before pedaling off. I concurred and found a cafe where we consumed a medium quality toastie.

The ferry ride was grand when we finally set off. You go right out to the sea through Queen Charlotte Sound and there is a deck at the top and also this atrium thing out the back where you can sit surrounded by a big glass viewing area.

How do I look Jimbob?

Very Bling Monty.

You should have got me some fairy lights.

You know, I worry about you sometimes Monty. You`re a hard-tail mountain bike not a lady shopper or a girls 10-speed.

I can be in touch with my feminine side too Jimbob.

Elaine Bay - Aussie Bay

Nice short ride to Elaine Bay the next day(well aside from the fact it was another bloody great hill) but at only 17k pretty cruisy day. Lovely weather and nice little DOC campground near the harbour. There was a hammock near my tent which I used and all very relaxing.

I had asked at Akiwi Bay if it was possible to cycle along the walking track which connected with Tennyson Inlet, a few k`s around the coastline. Oh yes, you`ll have no problem the guy told me in a sort of `couldn`t be easier you barely have to pedal` sort of voice. Well, set off, and followed a logging track and all pretty mellow and then the path got thinner and more overgrown and then some streams to wade through and fallen trees blocking the path and various other things and greasy tree roots where the bike slips from under you nearly tumbling me into the forest below and then I caught my foot in the wheel and cut my toe and it turned into the kind of mission that I really wasn`t up for and nobody in their right mind would want to do. So.... covered the 9k distance to the proper road in about 2 hours which is actually slower than if I had walked it, which is of course what the track is intended for. Grrr....

The road out was awesome massive long climb but fantastic view of Tennyson Inlet and then with the wind behind me the rest of the way practically flew past Pelorus Bridge and Havelock and arrived 15 k before Picton at a little DOC campgound by the sea called Aussie Bay.

Nelson to Marlborough Sounds

Didn`t leave Nelson till late after some bike tinkering I had to do aided with the YHA`s ample tool kit and soon enough the rain began. And then it really began. And then the hills began. And then re-began further. And the map was wrong. It said 27km to the turn off to the sounds but in fact it was about 47km. And then it got dark. And I carried on up into the hills thhrough the misty rain and entered a sort of zen like state where my legs sort of seperated form the rest of my body and it was kind of cool in a strange sort of way. Picking my way round the hairpin bends trying to follow the white centre lines so I didn`t inadvertantly cycle off downhill into the forest. Anywayss....finally made to Okiki Bay campground at 11pm and thawed out with a hot shower and eventually put my tent up. Beautiful place and the next day (xmas day) didn`t do very much and had some luxury xmas afternoon tea and a bottle of wine which I was fooled into buying by its big discount. It had a win a $20,000 dream holiday sticker on it which should have warned me really. It was yuck. But never one to stand in the way of alcoholic progress I finished the whole bottle anyway which left me feeling like the village drunk and a bit grumpy.

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St Arnaud to Nelson

Relatively easy and short ride to Golden Downs Lodge where I stayed the night with Willy and Rewa and their daughters Rosa and Ashley (It is Ashley isn`t it? Rubbish with names) and their friend Richard. I haven`t seen them for about 5 years. Good folk. Willy made a nice dinner and then we sat outside with a fire and hot chocolate and it was a beautiful clear night with an almost full moon. Another easy ride to Nelson today and i am sat here at the computer in the YHA.

Hamner Springs to St Arnaud - The Rainbow Road

In many ways this was probably the highlight of the trip. The road cuts through the middle of the country and rises to nearly 1400 metres A real grunt at the final bit although I had a tailwind helping me out. Its for 4WD vehicles only and is great on a bike even though Monty`s tyres were a but thin at times (1.35 for my fellow bicyclist nerdys out there) Anyway just awesome. Mountains like mountains on Mars (well they might be) with strange smooth sides. Just huge country and so beautiful and remote. Passed the first 1000km of the trip. Stayed in a great little DOC hut that had 6 bunks in it although I had it to myself and made a fire in the woodburning stove and it was very cosy. Next day was sunny and warm and followed the river out to the main highway although the wind was not in my favour anymore and by the time I got to St Arnaud I was pretty knackered. However the DOC campground by beautiful Lake Rotoiti turned out to have hot showers to my surprise which was extremely welcome as my left foot was numb due to several fords earlier on in the day with some pretty freezing water.

Christchurch to Hanmer Springs

Rather wet start and headed out of Christchurch entirely the wrong way. Anyway went the right way. Not really very interesting until leaving the main highway and then some hills but nice scenery and not much traffic. Camped in a domain in a small town and arrived at Hanmer Springs the next afternoon and made straight for the Hot Springs. The best thing there are the sulphur pools. Camped the night in a campsite in the Forest with a very nice kitchen/lounge and met some other cyclists who gave me some good tips about where to camp for xmas

Christchurch

Stayed at Rolleston House YHA which is always a pleasure. Nice old building and they are a friendly bunch. Didn`t do much really. Went to the cinema and saw the new Tarantino movie, `Deathproof`. Defineately not for everyone but I liked it alot. Had Pizza at Ryan and Katie`s new place and had lunch with Johno from YHA.

One day all traffic lights will be like this. Moo hoo hah hah hah. MOO HOO HAH HAH HAH!!

How you feeling Monty?

(Gulp) A bit rough Jimbob.

Did you drink your ginger tea like I told you too?

Oh shut up you bloody hippy. All I want from you is some spare brake pads when we get to Christchurch OK?

Wunderbar - The Coolest bar in Lyttleton and possibly anywhere

Took the little ferry over from the Peninsula to Lyttleton, Christchurch`s port to meet my friends Ryan and Katie. Wunderbar is above a supermarket and you can watch people do their shopping from little windows in the bar. Its also got lots of weird old stuff on the walls and they have two record players behind the bar and so the music is a series of LP`s. Oh and another post box.

Oamaru to Banks Penisula

Not a whole lot to say about these few days as it was straight up highway 1 head down though I had a strong tail wind though kind of wet for the first couple of days which makes it kind of satisfying even if you do have milk tanklers screaming past showering you with spray. Saw a few Alpacas in the fields. They are a kind of a sheepy lama thing originally from South America much prized for their soft wool which are relatively common here now.

Crossed Aoteroa`s longet road bridge which is about 4 or 5k long and a bit unnerving on a bike though the traffic was pretty patient. Stopped first at Rakaia tea rooms for courage and had a fyne toastie which I would say rivals the Hari Hari toastie. Spring onions in place of normal onions, a trick Hari Hari has also been known to employ. I live on the edge huh?

Found a nice camping spot by the sea when I finally left Highway 1 just at the end of a side road and then on to the Banks Peninsula which was really nice.

Oamaru - where I get to ride a Penny Farthing!

Arranged to meet David Wilson (no relation) the president of the Oamaru Ordinary Cycle club who picked me up from the YHA looking very dapper and drove me to their new building where over the next few months they will be making a workshop in the back to build and maintain bicycles and in the front people will be able to rent Penny Farthings from the club.

So he asked if I`d like to get up on one, well, yes and then after helping up and then out to the square outside the building asked if I`d like to give it a go. How fun! Was kind of scary up there and requires great concentration as the incentive not to fall off at that height is pretty strong but rode around for a few minutes. What a buzz. I may also possibly be one of the only people to ride a Penny Farthing wearing jandals (flip flops). Thanks David!

Warning Cows on skateboards

Thankyou Transit NZ for this warning sign. Indeed a cow on Skateboards is a real potential threat to someone on a bike. I think something should be done. Rollerblades could be a compromise perhaps??

Cool House, Cool House-bus, and more Cool Mailboxes. Please tell me if you are getting sick of Mailboxes. I remember the microwave one from 5 years ago when I was biking tother way and I swear its been updated with a newer model.

Dunedin to Oamaru

Finally left Dunedin after sorting Monty out with some brake pads. Ended up just before dark in a farmers freshly cut field. Usually try to find somewhere more secluded and less obviously farmland but it was almost dark and I thought wouldn`t be seen. Got into tent in the dark, 5 minutes later some lights and an engine. Hmmm...Farmer said that he`d give me some money for the charity if he had any and to watch out for the rain tomorrow. How very very nice. Not a get orf my land in sight!

Next day to Moeraki Boulders. These are embedded in the cliff and over time have been left on the beach as the coast is gradually eroded. Like the Gods playing marbles. Very strange.

Then to Shag Point where I spent a bit of time Wwoofing 5 years ago for Steven who as it turned out is still there and has turned his old bach into a fantastic little house with an awesome view of the ocean. He gave me tea and fine cake made by an old lady. And as we all know old ladies make the best cake. In Oamaru and tomorrow I meet the man in charge of the Penny Farthing Club!

Dunedin

Nice coupla days. Hung out with my friend Liz and her boyfriend Patrick. Me and Liz went to see an Irish movie called `Once`. Great. Any Czech speakers out there who`ve seen it, what did she say when our hero asked her if she loved her husband???

Patrick`s new house has an excellent purple shag pile carpet. Dunedin YHA is an old hospital. Very cool building and a nice cat and funky little murals on the walls.

I also went to the Tropical house at Otago Museum. It is full of beautiful butterflies and moths flying around. There was one kind of moth the size of my outstertched hand. A beast! Obviously didn`t take my camera. Really great thing should anyone be in Dunners.

Parapanui Bay to Dunedin - Bye to the Catlins

Easy riding to Kaka Point where I had a very civilised night in a very neat campsite with a nice kitchen and hot showers and so on. Then on to Milton the next day. The wind had changed against me but pretty easy road. Then between Milton and Tairi Mouth thought I`d take the back road. Not such a good idea. Hill after hill and rough gravel road. My tyres are pretty thin for touring and because the road is cambered so much I just skidded around as farm utes patiently waited to overtake and then my back brake pad decided to wear out ALREADY and so I had just a front brake. All quite hectic. Eventually got to Akatore Creek and found a little grassy area tucked away off the road and put up my tent. Turned into a lovely evening as it is a marshland area and there were lots of cool birds and I took my dinner onto the marsh and found a tree trunk to sit against as the sun went down.

Next day through Tairi Mouth, really nice little town and then on to Brighton and Dunedin the road following the beach all the way except the last bit which had a bloody great hill and then finally into Dunedin.

Curio Bay to Parapanui Bay

Beautiful ride up and down the hills but the wind was behind me. Parapanui Bay is a deserted place with a DOC campsite which is really just the grass near the beach and some toilets. Beautiful rocks and a young seal kept me entertained in the morning. Stormy evening but the toilets had an overhang for me to cook my dinner under.

Cool Mailboxes

Cool Fields

Sunsets over the Pacific Ocean

Fortrose to Curio Bay - The Catlins

The Catlins is a beautiful part of the country. Curio Bay is an extroadinary fossilized forest. You can see tree stumps and fallen trees, even the grain of the wood and they are apparently 180 million years old. There are also fascinating layers of rock in the cliffs that look as if they have been carefully built up layer by layer which I suppose they have been in a sense. In the evening Yellow Eyed Penguins return from the ocean to feed their chicks who make lots of noise in the bush up from the beach. They are really cool but you have to keep a good distance so no photos unless you have a big lens. The other side of the headland is Porpoise Bay which has dolphins in the summer pretty much every day. Still a bit early in the summer so there were only a couple around which I didn`t see, though a couple of large seals swam right up to me for a bit and then headed to the beach were they sunbathed and yawned like a couple of tourists and seemed completely unfazed by the group of poeple who too photos a few metres away. Great campsite, very retro. Big development plans underway, seems a shame.

Invercargil to Fortrose

Morning Feet, Morning Monty....Morning....Mornin`.

`How did you sleep on your first night`s camping Feet?` `Well, a bit cold at first but after a while was OK.` `Oh, you should have said.` `Well it was late, you know. Socks tomorrow night please Jimbob.` Right you are Feet, right you are.`

`What about me?` `Monty, you`re a Bike.` `Alright for you tucked up all cozy in your nice tent.` `Look if its gonna rain, I`ll try and make sure you have a roof over your head OK?`

`Hmmmph.`

Ride like the devil!

The Ride Begins - Bluff to Invercargil

OK so it was only 30K...
But the wind was behind me, the cycle computer got set up thanks to a helpful lady in the gas station who had a tape measure and off I went. Halfway to Invers a car stopped and the driver stopped to give me lift. Wasn`t that nice? But I explained my mission and that if I started accepting lifts that early in the day I might as well not bother really. Tuatara lodge in Invercargil have very kindly given me a luxury double ensuite room for a couple of days so I`m hardly slumming it. They also (incidentally) make the best toaties (thats a toasted sandwich to my European chums) I have ever had. And I`ve had a few. Upto now it was the cafe at Hari Hari on the West Coast (as featured in Goodbye Pork Pie!). Mind you the ones here are pretty outsize giant one so maybe the categories could be divided into normal size and jumbo. Hmmm... you can tell I`ve been eating dried food for a week can`t you.
Anyway camping by the sea tomorrow is the plan.

Rakiura/Stewart Island

BLimey Guvnor! That was a mission.

Set off with a very heavy backpack with food for 11 days from Oban. Was hot, sunny, dry road underfoot. Mud, I thought, what do they mean when they talk about mud.

So rather than give you a blow by blow account I shall break the trip into Highlights and Lowlights. Every day basically consisted of slithering around in ankle sometimes calf (moo!) deep mud, walking up streams and across rivers and all in a lovely place and usually a fantastic beach halfway. Sometimes there were nice easy patches just wandering through the forest. Most days you walk for between 4 and 7 hours between each hut. (All of which were well maintained, clean and relatively comfortable) Average walking speed usually about 2 or 3 km per hour due to the terrain.

HIGHLIGHTS

Saw 4 Kiwis at various points. They are so big and Rakiura is one of the only places they come out in the day time. If you stand still they come right up to you. The one I saw on the first day must have been about 6 inches away for a while. So cool!...

The view from Big Hellfire Hut. Only 200m up but on one side the big valley in the northern part of the Island stretches out for miles. I wouldn`t have been surprised to see a dinosaur wandering about down there it all looks so kind of primevil. Well obviously I would have been butcha know what I mean....

Long Harry Hut. Its a new hut just 4 years old and above the cliffs. Sun all day and it was nice and warm. It even has a solar shower. This isn`t as posh as it sounds but does the job. Fell into a Blissful snooze before dinner time. Someone had also left some apricot jam and couscous there which meant I was able to extend the rations into bigger portions the next few days. Felt uber calm...

Lucky Beach (btwn Christmas Village Hut and Yankee River Hut) Really strong winds usually in the same directions mean all the trees and bushes are all pushed in the same directions. Imagine someone dragging a giant hairbrush across the landscape and it staying like that. Well kind of like that....

Smoky Beach, at the end of which after you`ve waded through the river and the track leaves the beach and returns into the bush is one of the most beautiful places I think I`ve ever been in. Sheltered from the wind but no sandflies, sunny and all lush and jungly above. Even the rocks have stuff growing on them. And some fallen tree trunks to sit on and have lunch. Geoooorgous....

The Manuka trees near the beaches which are all small and clearly inteneded for Hobbits....

The 3 Moro bars I was able to buy from the River Taxi driver at Freshwater Hut on Day 9. Given what a bugger day 10 turned out to be they were much needed...

The shower at the hostel in Invercargill. I don`t think I`ve ever felt cleaner. The bottom of my feet seemed to have aged about 40 years, but you`ll be pleased to know they are getting more youthful by the hour.....

The whole thing. What an incredible experience. I`ll have to back one day...

LOWLIGHTS

Not buying chocolate despite several people suggesting I should. What was i thinking? Muesli bars just don`t cut it. Iiiiiiiidiot!......

Freshwater Hut to North Arm Hut. Maximum energy for no views, track horrible mixture of mud and branches and rocks and streams all at once for lots of the time. And the Last Bit does actually go on for Ever in fact I think i might actually still be there. So who`s writing this? Hmmmm, one to ponder......

Day 3 after leaving Port William Hut and cruising along for an hour or so and realising I`d left my waterproof overtrousers outside the hut. The pristine beauty of the forest was briefly punctuated with some rather non-pristine self deprecating expletive combos. *** ************ ****** ****!!! That sort of thing. Still a wise man smiles in the face of hardship and all that stuff. It was nice to walk for a while without my pack to go and retrieve them....

Not having any chocolate.....

Not having any chocolate.....

Not having any chocolate.....

Haircut in Invercargill

Off to get the ferry. Got a haircut in the street at Kaos hairdressers, bit different. Apparently the council don`t like them doing it cos the street belongs to the council. Boo to them I say.

5 more days left in Wanaka. Big shout out to YHA NZ who have given me some much needed Kiwi weather-proof clothing and extra bike bits for the trip and providing me with some free accomodation along the way. Johno for organising it, Jules for her general support and media savvy, Nicky for her technical expertise and Susie for her camera. Thanks guys!

Woo Hoo! Good Sports in Wanaka have decided to lend me a swanky brand new Avanti Montari mountain bike for my trip. Hats off to them!
Just been on the Otago Central Rail trail. Was awesome.

5 weeks to go ;-)