tuesday 1st feb

i have actually met another u.k. lone female cyclist! Helena, who has just finishes her accountancy training, but no longer likes accountancy has another 2 weeks of her 2 month trip, she was staying in greymouth yha.Anyway have been leap frogging the same route since then - she is faster than me ,but is not carrying a tent (plus is a lot younger) so has to stay in hostels. both of us are staying at the franz joseph glacier yha tonight.
yesterday cycled from greymouth to Ross- am now traveling south down the west coast. Crossed over the Arahura river on a single lane bridge which also took the train track- 200 meters in distance. lucky no trains came!- goods only. Camped at Ross another old gold mining town now a very small village, then a 67 mile cycle to here tonight. Am staying in yha for 2 nights because have booked a glacier walk for tomorrow.

sunday 30th jan

crossed the lewis pass on Friday reaching a height of 905 meters, a cracker of a ride, just like Scotland. cycled 66 miles and reached springs junction, which comprised a petrol station/truck stop, motel and cafe, made use of the cafe, but had to cycle back 5 miles to the DOC free campground. Initially I had been wary of staying there by myself, but by the time I returned there were a couple of campervans. Mind I was abducted in the evening and taken to John and celests van to be forced to drink scotch whisky!
Next day sheeting with rain so just went the 30 miles to Reefton put up the tent again, out came the sun so things dried up. Reefton is the heart of the klondyke area and there are old gold mines all about. There is also one working mine, apparantly it looks a bit like a quarry the sludge and rubble is excavated out then roughly sorted, what appears to be valuable ore material is put on trains and taken to greymouth. I know this because 3 of the guys working there were staying in cabins on the campsite. The lads had a fresh skipjack tuna fish which they had been given and cut into steaks, they fried these (taking over the whole kitchen) then ate them with salad and new potatoes, now for the good bit they also fed me, the only draw back to this will be that I know i will never taste such good tuna again, it was absolutely delicious!
today I have cycled down to Greymouth following the railway line. I have passed old coalmines, and smelt coal burning in the air (coal is still mined in the area), and am staying in the YHA and using the washing machine.

thursday 27th jan

yesterday cycled a hilly 56 miles from kaikora to waiau, beautiful ride if hot, dipping in and out of valleys, and crossing "whales back saddle", passed mount lyford ski area, and collapsed in their cafe for a ginger beer, actually it was more like an expensive restaurant, but the lovely girl serving sent me upstairs to sit on the coach and admire the view , then i got given a bit of hare pie they did not appear to have any customers but she liked cycling! _ it really does pay to cycle alone
spent the night in waiau campsite with one other campervan, a nice spot. it used to be the workcamp in the 1950's for unemployed people who were sent to remove nassella grass an unwanted import from south America. This interloper has no nutritional value thus depleates the land value for sheep and cattle grazing , largely through the process of manual "grubbing it has now been removed.
There were to men staying there who were building a new health center. the young lad cooked a mammoth amount of bacon thus making himself bacon butties for his tea breakfast and lunch bait. The rather uncouth older man had a supply of tasty dishes in the fridge supplied by his wife she had even made him a weeks supply of lunch bait rolls - personally he did not look much of a catch so i am not sure why she bothered.
today cycled to hanmer springs have had my peddles changed as the barrings had disintegrated, been to the spa/thermal/swimming pool, and head up over the lewis pass tomorrow

tuesday

A bit of bother with my peddle so second day here to try to get it fixed the bearings have gone anyway the young lad could not do anything with it, so it is safe if annoying to ride so will carry on tomorrow. Spent day walking around kaikaoura peninsular (kai - eat, kaoura-crayfish) i have a small bit of fish for my tea, but the crayfish which look a bit like lobsters are out of my price range!. loads of seals basking on rocks and even in the car park at the point _signs warn you to keep a distance but a bit difficult for one car owner to do that! No sign of whales, there are sperm whales in the area but they dive to large depths for long spells so are difficult to see from the land. the blue whale migrates from the Antarctic along this route but it is the wrong time of year
Long conversation with the surfing dude checkout lad at the new world stores supermarket. i learnt that he came from north London but left home age 17 and has been traveling ever since.

monday 24th jan

Picton onsaturday was holding its yearly marine gala, so that evening we attended the free abba concert in the park- one suspects a tribute band but they were very good. next day left keith at the ferry sheeting with rain - absolutely pouring I retrace my path of 2 weeks ago as far as Blenheim, now I have only been cycling for 10 minutes when I am overtaken by a local Blenheim cyclist out on his regular Sunday morning ride, who insists on accompanying me I think due to the bad weather and the main road, then taking me home and giving me coffee and muffins - thank you David.
Weather clearing so carried on reached seddon (pouring) very depressed German cycling couple sitting in cafe having 2nd cup of coffee I asked them to keep an eye on my bike whilst I used the pay phone to book my nights accommodation _ the reply went along the lines of "who the ---- do you think is going to take your bike in this weather if it is like this tomorrow mine is going in the river"
Arrived at special cyclists hostel, remote ,peaceful clean jack russell dog ,hot shower. Only one other occupant Mark who had not been able to go mountain biking he told me I should lock my bike as he had 3 stolen, the hostel was 1.5 kms up an unsealed road then through a field and the bike was on the veranda plus sheeting rain. however he did have a bottle of wine which he shared with me and if you think I am slightly mad he was going walking up a river gorge today. thank you mark for the company.
Today no rain but Orkney style headwind, seals basking on the rocks along this coastal route Kaikoura mountain range on the other side. Camping tonight in Kaikoura the "whale watching capital on nz" very touristy will leave tomorrow.

sat 22nd jan.

Yesterday cycled from Nelson to picton, a lot of signs of bank damage from Tuesdays"s storms. Stayed at Havelock the green mussel capital of the world, bags of mussels being taken off boats on the wharf. Today have cycled by the scenic and therefore very hilly route back to picton keith takes the ferry back to north island tomorrow,we have cycled over one thousand miles. I will be heading south then making my way to the west coast. Sarah.

Well. it's been quite a trip and I could go on. Highlights for me were Kerikeri and the Waipu Forest area. i enjoyed arriving in Gisborne after cycling East Cape and the Art Deco architecture of Napier was very special. would like to travel on but have to return to UK now.
Keith

wed.

Well the shopkeepers of Takaka certainly had a good day yesterday. the torrential rain meant that everybody and their dog hit the small high street, never could the organic coffee shops, the hospice charity shop, or the arty gift shops have had such through input. Before leaving today we did cycle to the Pu Pu springs, a magnificent river with small lake into which bubble gallons of pristine clear water from underground sources hence the springs. We have now hit Nelson and have 2 nights here. The surrounding area was famous for apple orchards and large quantities do still get exported from the nelson wharf, we are staying in the old customs house, from the window I can see containers waiting to be loaded onto ships. Whist having a cup of tea on the steps backing onto the perimeter fence an official came up to check the ant traps- making sure no stowaways are creeping through. NZ takes its bio security very very seriously.

tuesday

Yesterday we traveled up the peninsular to takaka partly by bus, as the route takes you up 800 meters and has more bends than any other route in nz, not advised for cycling! Aim was to spend today cycling to farewell cape and back, to Takaka for night. - but-
"The remains of tropical cyclones Vania and Zelia will combine with a Tasman sea depression to produce a rain-making system likely to produce 150 millimeters of rain across much of Nelson and Marlborough from this morning until midnight"

Fated not to reach tips of islands tomorrow have to work our way to Nelson and back to Picton as it is Keith's last week.

sunday 15th jan.

Just returned from traversing able Tasman national park coast. First day by sea kayak with instructor, rest of group all Germans! went into some very choppy water, then camped at bay. Second day on our own progressing around to next camp sight, began well calm voyage around sandy bays, bit of trepidation as we went around foul point but managed to negotiate the rocks well. however, into next section north came the wind from the north west, very strong pushing us right however hard we paddled and steered left, but in true spirit we conquered the course and made it to bay as planned. next day walk and water taxi back. keith even quite enjoyed the camping and cooked our meals on the camping stove, as a treat now spending night in cabin. heading up towards farewell spit tomorrow.

wed 11th jan

Cyled over 68 miles from nelson lake area to able tasman national park yesterday. the cycle rides just get better! anyway today is a rest day, have been swimming in the saltwater baths, and eating. Keith brought some very NZ shorts for wearing in the evenings early in the trip and they are now falling off him do he needs feeding up. Tomorrow we head to Marahue and are taking a three day kayak trip up the national park peninsular, this will be an organised trip, but involves camping!

monday 10th jan

yesterday had a great 60 mile cycle from Renwick up the Waiau valley and across a small pass to St Arnaud a walking area but we also passed a ski area, wind behind us so great. Today we have climbed mount Robert, and are living frugally as the prices in the one shop are astronomical. The D.O.C. camp sight which was very small was full so staying in a hostel room in a motel, very good kitchen sitting room etc., keith is delighted!, personally I am quite happy camping.

sat. 8th jan.

left Napier yesterday, had been kept awake at night by the seals in the marine park opposite barking, i think they were lonely, the park was shut because the performing dolphin had died and well can not be replaced!. traveled by bus to wellington with no problems and arrived at the ferry terminal for the trip across the cook straights, got a ferry straight away as it was running late. i have never seen so much cargo being loaded train tracks entered the boat (cycle went on the train deck so got a good view). Spectacular entrance to south island along queen charlotte sound, camped at midgy sight last night and cycled to renwick today. bought cherries onions, spinach along way plum tree above tent tonight, avoided buying apricots nectarines and peaches as could not carry them. Also prevented keith buying 35 dollar bottle of wine after a tasting at one of the many vine yards we have passed (7 dollar bottle from shop instead) also visited agricultural machinery museum and saw hundreds of old tractors.

pics

Thurs 6 Jan

Still in Napier. Loving it,





As requested, Here are some photos..................

wed. 5th jan

have now left gisburn with its streets named after British prime ministers, and arrived in Napier by bus. have now learnt that we have to take out the seat , fold down the handle bars ,put the labels on and have the bunjees ready for securing to the side. Napier lovely art deco city very relaxed feel will be here for 2 nights, staying in yha hostel looking out at sea and 5 mins walk from centre of town.

29th dec until 3rd jan 2011

Happy new year, as at the time we where ar te Araura on the east most point on nz we were the first people to see in 2011. We have cycled nearly 400 miles since leaving roturoa and been traveling around the remote east cape. This area has a high Marae population, and as you cycle along you pass horses tethered to gates, boys swimming in the very wide rivers, and jumping from the long narrow wooden bridges. We have been passing marae meeting houses with ornate carvings,and camping at night.
As we cycled we moved from the camps dedicated to nz boat and fishing fanatics with their signs in the camp kitchens telling you not to store beer in the fridge, (they did however always present us with a cold beer on arrival in camp) to the quieter areas were you could cycle (i measured it) 29 miles without passing a shop or cafe of any description. We missed the roadside stalls selling fruit, but now that we have arrived in gisbourne have picked them up again.
On the road are several people cycling including one Australian guy who reminds me of john (brother) his cycle he found and repaired, his clothes are 1970s and he works as a horticulurlist running his own company but always takes home fruit and veg supplies from his clients (
He was horrified to find an empty orange juice carton in the bin of one client for whom he had planted an orange grove),. Also cycling at a slow but steady pace are a German couple with a 2 year old in a tag along. Now I do not want to make you think that this means the terrain was easy, there have been some mighty big hills, plus today it has been over 32 degrees.
We have also passed the southern hemispheres longest Pier built in the early 1900"s to accommodate ships transporting grain. Visited a vineyard run by a Yorkshire man through we only met his wife, with whom i had a long discussion about the best way to cook the hare she had just been given. anyway we are now in gisburne but unable to get our bikes on a bus south until wed, but with this heat a rest day will be very pleasant.