yesterday left queenstown to cycle towards te anau did 7o miles and reached as far as mossburn. passed the home of the kingston flyer at the base of lake wakatipu - this steam train used to operate between invercargill and the then goldtown of kingston apparently reaching speeds of 60kms per hour! recently it did a little tourist run down the valley but sadly that ended in 2009 and steam train and carriage's just sit at the side of the road on the track gathering cobwebs. Passing through very scottish countryside, sheep being sheared and villages named things like Athol. night spent camping in best sight yet, on a farm with goats llamas (just sheared) chickens and a peacock. in the kitchen 2 old boys in their 80's on a fishing trip drinking home brew beer - they have 3 bottles every night then have their tea of stew (brought from home in daily portion packs), potatoes and carrots. also present, a few other fisherman plus a German couple conversation went thus first a discus ion on coronation street, then rugby, then fishing (brown trout not native to nz which led to rather a brutal talk about different ways of exterminating non nz species (the brown trout are responsible for the reduction/extinction of many original species). then and here i could really sport my knowledge trains the German obviously a train buff (he had photos of all the different types of German trains on hand to show round very odd.)
Today just cycled the 40 miles remaining to te anau, but cycling directly into a headwind so it has aged me a whole year. tomorrow as a result going on a scenic cruise down doubtful sound.
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