Auckland – Mangawhai Heads – Whangarei – Kerikeri - Paihia
Arriving in New Zealand, the plan was to catch up with friends, watch some rugby, drink some beer and put my feet up for 10 days or so after an exhausting 3 months in America. The last time I watched England at a world cup was in 2003 and we went on to win it, so the omens were good. It all started so well; England scraped a last minute win against Scotland (waiting to peak at the right time); My amazing hosts, Cat & Emily, threw us an amazing party even if most of them did dress as scots for the big game. I caught up with old friends now settled back in New Zealand and even squeezed in a winning return to water polo in the Auckland social leagues. The one thing I'd failed to do was put my feet up and rest, but to be honest I felt pretty good and was itching to get back on the bike.
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| Cat & Dave, dangerous Irish hosts! |
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| After 77 minutes of biting my nails, England finally scored a try to defeat Scotland! |
What I hadn't factored in was that normal people go to work Monday to Friday, and come Monday morning there was nobody left to play with, so instead I jumped on my bike and headed north. Unfortunately to head north, I first had to head west, the only viable way out of the city on a bike. A storm was brewing but fortunately the wind was at my back and it drove me out of the city as if it didn't want anything to do with me anymore. Unfortunately later in the day, I'd have to turn back eastwards to reach the coast north of Auckland and the wind would get its own back on me. Having ridden across North America, a short 96 mile ride to Mangawai Heads should have been no problem at all. However, New Zealand through weather at me worse than any I'd ever seen in America, driving rains, blustery winds, blowing me and my 45kg loaded bike all over the road. Descents became pretty hazardous as the rain impaired my vision and swept across the road and the wind blew my line all over the place. Waterproofs were useless, the rain found its way through in no time. And in all this I got a puncture (the first for 1,000 miles) and then another, and another still. By the time I arrived at Mangawhai Heads I was almost white with exposure and my host had started worrying if I'd ever show (I'd have called if it wasn't too wet to use my phone and too cold to stop). Emily's Mum gave me a bed a great feed in Mangawai, conversation was so good that she even managed to stop me rushing off in the morning and instead we headed out for a walk along the beach, meeting all the locals as we went. Mangawhai was stunning; the waves looked very inviting, though I suspect they would have also been a little cold!
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| Longview Estate Vineyard |
When I finally got on the road it was fortunately the calm after the storm and the coast road north out of town was gorgeous, back on the highway the ride was uneventful, with a short stop at the Longview Estate Vineyard just south of Whangerei. Unfortunately wine tasting wasn't enough and I ended up carry a bottle of wine for the rest of my NZ ride! Into Whangerei I found a great camping spot in the park and headed up to explore Whangerei falls, a beautiful little spot of course at the top of a nice hill! Unfortunately not much happens in Whangerei on a weeknight so there was no more partying for me.
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| Up and over the hills to the Bay Of Islands |
The next day was a change to ride along the coast to the Bay of Islands – hill after sweeping hill revealed views of little coves and rolling waves as the coast road hugged the shore. Definitely worth the detour off the main highway. I finally came in view of the Bay of Islands and caught the short ferry ride across to Opua followed by a stiff climb out of the port. My destination for tonight was just outside KeriKeri at the B&B next door to a house my sister still owns from her time spent here, but the main road seemed the easy option, so instead I headed past the Waitangi monument and off onto forest tracks north of Paihia. The forest was awesome, full of tree ferns, but the tracks were not the best, both me and the bike took quite a battering in the 10 miles it took to get out the other side and I looked like I'd been for a mud shower when I finally turned up at the B&B. My hosts were fantastic, and I heard a great many stories from around the world, and gained great insight into the value of New Zealand milk – the land of the most productive pasture in the world! I even got a trip by car to see more of the coast the next morning, sadly the weather didn't oblige and mist shrouded the views.
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| The sun even came out for the day along the coast into Russel |
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| Happy Days with the sun in the sky and smooth tarmac under my wheels |
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| Descending into the Bay of Island |
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| My hosts Tom & Audrey in Kerikeri |
There was still time for me to fit in the short ride to Paihia, a kayak around the Bay of Islands and a night at a quiet hostel before jumping on the bus back to Auckland. After 300 miles or so I'd at least worked of some of the previous weekend's excess and felt ready to go again, sadly England didn't perform in the rugby and me life as a good luck charm was over. My final days in NZ were spent either dressed as an 80s rockstar or catching glorious Snapper in the bay. Next stop Australia and, after 3 and half months, I'll be trying to get back into the working world!
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| Winning in the rockstar look at Jon Bon Jovi singstar house party |
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| Greg too me fishing in the bay and caught a snapper |
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| Dinner was fresh Snapper |
