Journal Entries

Stunning scenery and apparently gets better! Absolute cracker of a day today makes it even better.

Feel the serenity! Lake Rotoiti is the second of 3 lakes we cycled past on the way out of Rotorua.

Yousd swear you in England. It’s green and lush and after battling headwinds for twenty Ks we’ve just devoured some ham and cheese sangers and continue on to Whakatane.

Just about to start! It’s a beautiful clear and crisp Rotorua morning. Apart from a struggle with Chris front brakes, and an elegant Chinese woman burping in our faces as we were trying to fix it, everything has been going swimmingly.

4 days to go until we fly out to New Zealand. I’ve even started packing which has to be a world record for me in preparedness. Here’s the route map and elevation. It’s mainly sealed roads except for the last two days when we cut up through the mountains back to Rotorua. Hopefully we will have gained some fitness by then because it looks a wee bit hilly!

Chris and Dennis are embarking on a cycle in 3 weeks time around the East Cape to celebrate Chris’ retirement from the only full time job he’s ever had. We’re not camping this time, but staying in pubs and air bnb’s. I think about 80ks a day should do us as it’s a wee bit hilly in New Zealand and we are no spring chickens! I need to get away from the consulting room!

YES!! A rest day. Slept in ate breakfast drank coffee had lunch drank coffee had snooze and about to have beer! Seems so much easier than cycling 100ks! Managed to duck down to the local beach and play in the sand, and who did we bump into but John and Cathy Preston. Sprung! I thought John was helping Bill in Sydney and Cathy had gone on a 3 day Pilates course, but no they’ve ducked off for a romantic break. Back on the road tomorrow. Can’t wait!