Taupo to Tongariro National Park

Phew today was a toughy, more mentally hard than anything as we woke to the dreaded rain.

After quite a bit of pontificating the conclusion from Phil was that we're here to cycle, so into the precipitation we went.

It's hard in the rain, to see more than anything else! Was glad of my see through safety glasses☔️

We skirted the edge of lake taupo for some time then through a eucalyptus forest, where the rain brought out the smell of the leaves, fantastic. Perhaps the one advantage of the rain today!

A welcome coffee stop at halfway and a chance to look really freakish to the locals, as our sodden lycra clad gaggle descended on a bakery.

Then it was back out into it. It's not cold, just rather unpleasant! I can totally see why babies squawk with nappy rash💩

 

Once over a big hill the warmth and humidity hit us and the rain jackets were off. One more climb and we were well into the National Park area, moor land with volcanos! 

Not much ununusual roadkill to see today, the last few days there's been all manner of possums, cats and hedgehogs. No minor birds either today, which apparently are viewed here as a pest.

Two miles from the Discovery Centre I knew the forboding raincloud ahead was gonna have me and sure enough goodbye sun, hello apocalypse! Thanks for that!! At least my drowned rat appearance seemed to facilitate our rooms now being ready!

55miles today and feeling so glad to be back cat-like soaking up the sun with my roomy. 

Rotorua to Taupo

The day started, much to Jan's horror, with what looked suspiciously like rain. Phil's mudguards (from nowhere) weren't needed on this occasion as the light drizzle was soon out-cycled and by 10am the jackets were off!

Really loved the ride today, reminded me of cycling through Scotland and the lowlands, almost constant ups and downs and a bit longer than those so far on the adventure. The hills are coming!

Almost to the minute after one hour my fidgeting starts. Two hours in it's regular shuffling on the rock. I'm without doubt caught between a rock and a hard saddle.

At the coffee stop, 30m in, I was greeted by an enthusiastic English couple who were passionate about cycling and very envious of the trip. They came from Romney Marsh so I enjoyed talking about my homeland of Kent. The bike had yet more admiring looks😍

Back on Highway 1 for a bit then off into the pine forests. The deep green everywhere was a feast for the eyes. 

Jacket back on as the temperature dropped a bit again and I zipped along. Nature seemed to give me a turbo boost today. Or perhaps it was the 9 hour solid sleep, unheard of for me, except on cycling holidays!

It's funny how seemingly random songs can pop into your head, for this stretch I had Phil Collins on a loop "two hearts beating in just one time" tra la la❤️ 

Cruised into Taupo and along the lake front. Quite busy as there's lots of events this weekend and got my first glimpse of all the stereotype NZ backpacker student types. Stopped for a coffee and cake on the water edge and contemplated life a bit😃

Then on to the motel. Had already decided I was sufficiently full of beans to do my long run. Had planted that seed weeks ago actually and it's a rare day one of my seeds doesn't see fruition. So I decided to go and find the Huka Falls, armed with phone etc (mum and dad!)

Asked some locals a few times as it wasn't straight forward but once on the Huka walkway it was a runner's delight. The river looked fantastically blue and the trail was really fun. Got to the falls, marvelled some more at nature and then ran back. 

By the time I got back to the shore I was dry as a bone so had possibly the tastiest smoothie I've ever had. Then guzzled some orange juice and wished I'd slowed down a bit, as usual. 

65miles today and can feel a sleep pb on the cards.

Matamata to Rotorua

Left the fennel aromas and grassy hills of hobbit land behind this morning and with a warning of no civilisation until Rotorua, we cracked on into the headwind. 14miles in and we'd strayed off the route, so back we went.  Glad we did as some smashing quiet roads ensued. Highway 1 hadn't looked much fun and Steve's route is best adhered to! 

Then back into the headwind! No let up til 45miles, quite tough climbing in that too and even had my emergency gel as had run out of snacks. By now the others were further back with their own windy battles.

Once off the Highway 5 stretch it was great to enjoy some descent, my mood was high and caught a glimpse of Rotorua lake sparkling away.

Got to town and went for a little detour on the lake front, egg sandwich aroma everywhere.

At the motel, found another great size room (with hot tub!) got out of my cycling shorts and ambled off to the fruit shop. Plums here are rather moreish so ate too many.

The others arrived and after a little relax walked to the Redwood Forest, with a detour via the geothermal walk. Seeing the sulphur bubbling away and coming out of the ground was quite something ( especially with all the danger signs around). Strange how so many birds settle nearby out on the desolate stinky terrain. 

Great to see the huge Redwoods, one of the places I'd wanted to visit and yet another chance to be in awe of nature.

67miles banked.

Miranda to Matamata

New Zealand names are all w's, k's and repeated syllables! My Maori pronunciation is having some attention from Donna, a fellow cyclist from NZ.

I keep wanting to reply with an Aussie/ NZ accent for some reason.

The first 20m could have been the fens, flat as a mat, canals to the side and straight roads. Glad of Donna's chat and the chance to talk about my frenchie🍌

Then within a few miles we were in what looked like the lake district, then the setting for the more recent King Kong film! Was that filmed here too?!

Today was the only flat day in February so warned to make the most of it. Flat here is still not flat flat!

Hot here again ( it's tough haha) and humid. Had cultivated a nice little salt beard by the time we stopped at Te Aroha for a pit stop. I was flagging a bit, so topped up my fuel tank with a custard square and about a pint of cappucino. Much easier cycling after that! 

Met a spanish cyclist who was touring round carrying everything. He told me a Pinarello was his dream. Bet it was after lugging all that gubbins around.

So after that we went off the route to visit Wairere Falls, armed with our trainers in our bags. Locked up the velos then off we went up through the jungle vegetation.

Left my fellow walkers behind and enjoyed the many cicadas singing away as I got a sweat on climbing up. Felt nice to get my parts off the saddle😀

My feet loved having a soak at the bottom of the falls, so much so I had to make two stops. Was tempted to get my bum in there too but thought better of it. 

A few more weeks on the saddle and I'll be right in there though!

65miles today.

Auckland to Miranda

The journey has begun! We set off all together at just after 9, fuelled on muesli and bananas.

The first 12miles were spent creeping out of Auckland. Within two miles a local had shouted "you crazy, don't you read the papers?!" Cycling is somewhat controversial in NZ. Best to avoid the propaganda rags in my view.

We then pottered along next to the water for some time, people meditating there gives some idea of the tranquility of that stretch. 

Then off into the hills, which spread us all out. I like hills. Nice ups and downs til 35miles then down to kawakawa bay, where phil and jan caught me up. Stopped there for coffee and nuts! There were a few takers for the first NZ pie but not sure it aided them up the hills that immediately followed haha.

I zipped along then, a nice little tail wind and long open roads. 

Miranda is well known for shore birds and I spotted some unusual black beasties with pointy red beaks, so thinking of mes parents decided to pull over and try and snap them. Well, I did a classic move, unclipping one foot while on a camber so consequently fell off. No harm done, just looked a bit of a prune and now have a scabby elbow. The pesky blighters watched the whole debacle then of course flew off!

Got to the Miranda holiday park and there's the largest thermal spring pool in the southern hemisphere next door! As I was back first, took myself for a run. It so looks like Kona it was easy to slip into Chrissie mode for 6m of road to nowhere. Doing that marathon after 112m is gonna be a journey.

Got back, Jan commented on my red face then we were off to waft about in the thermal pool. It was like a massive borderline too hot bath, where someone had done a monster eggy fart a few minutes before.

More pleasant than I've described haha

So that was day one,62miles. Ready for my chicken supper :-)

T minus 1

Jet lag seemed to have been evaded as we both slept right through and woke up at 7am ready for action on our 'rest' day.

And what could possibly be more relaxing than some exploring of Auckland on our two wheeled companions.

Phil's 12mile test the bikes out turned into 34 as navigating upside down proved somewhat tricky! 

But I wouldn't have wanted it any other way as who can ever complain about riding around a new city with the sun beating down.

After lunch stop on the quay side we zipped along the coast road to Mission Bay and I could hear my inner voice on wow repeat mode. The sea is so turquoise and has so got to be swum in soon (will be careful of sharks maman!)

Got back to base and then walked to the Auckland Olympic Pool with Jan to see how I would fare against the speedy Aucks ( are people from Auckland Aucks?!)

Conclusion was: not too shabby indeed!! 

So, tomorrow we're off and rather excited to begin the journey down, although quite muddled about what is down/up/north/south! Nothing is as it was. I take that back, Jan's love of a cheese sandwich, cup of tea and ridiculously low factor suncream remain a constant☕️🍞☀️

The transition

Transitting is something of a challenge, but like most uncomfortable things soon forgotten. Now I just have a sore bum bone from being sat on it forever.

Not sure about the whole jet lag business , slept possibly 20minutes from London to Dubai as other transitting revellers behind had elected to stay awake, plus its nigh impossible to sleep not on my side!

A very bizarre flight of an unknown amount of hours to Sydney. Got in a right muddle as I'd adjusted my watch on to Dubai time then NZ time, then lost track of how long we'd been on the plane anyway. 

Concluded it didn't matter too much, it was just a crazy long time in a confined space with shouty children.

Watched 4 films in the end, Rush was the best. Niki's story was really moving indeed.

So, to conclude today, which is actually two days: settled in the motel in Auckland, bike shiny, set up and ready to start soaking up the miles, it's much hotter than anticipated, kiwis are very agreeable even customs ones and my tired twitchy eyelid has now developed into more of a tic! Let the holiday begin☀️