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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