NZ

Thursday 5 Apr 2012 15:12

Back in Sydney waiting for bike and feeling like death. Fortunately darling Pam will fetch me from CBR

Posted: April 5, 2012, 5:12 a.m.

Wednesday 4 Apr 2012 14:55

Big Kauri is big

Posted: April 4, 2012, 2:55 a.m.

Tuesday 3 Apr 2012 8:51

Because they have standards in K road cafes

Posted: April 2, 2012, 8:51 p.m.

Monday 2 Apr 2012 13:07

Hot Vietnamese coffee on a rainy day in Auckland

Posted: April 2, 2012, 1:07 a.m.

Monday 2 Apr 2012 8:03

Breakfast of champions. (real food is on the way)

Posted: April 1, 2012, 8:03 p.m.

Sunday 1 Apr 2012 19:08

Still on a train

Posted: April 1, 2012, 7:08 a.m.

Sunday 1 Apr 2012 7:30

All aboooard for Auckland. 12 hours on a train ahead of me.

Posted: March 31, 2012, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday 31 Mar 2012 11:54

Waiting to get on the ferry to Welly

Posted: March 30, 2012, 10:54 p.m.

Friday 30 Mar 2012 18:58

Back in Nelson, back at the Pizza Bar, on my way to see The 39 Steps at the theatre

Posted: March 30, 2012, 5:58 a.m.

Thursday 29 Mar 2012 14:17

Styling' cafe in Westport

Posted: March 29, 2012, 1:17 a.m.

Thursday 29 Mar 2012 10:18

Then you come around a bend to this

Posted: March 28, 2012, 9:18 p.m.

Wednesday 28 Mar 2012 19:22

Another day done. 8 more sleeps til my darling

Posted: March 28, 2012, 6:22 a.m.

Wednesday 28 Mar 2012 13:52

Ahh, so the pancake rocks at Punakaiki aren't actually made of pancakes? Well that was a waste of a trip

Posted: March 28, 2012, 12:52 a.m.

Wednesday 28 Mar 2012 10:40

People equate the Greymouth-Westport Rd to the Great Ocean Rd. I get that

Posted: March 27, 2012, 9:40 p.m.

Tuesday 27 Mar 2012 12:07

Leopard themed room for the win

Posted: March 26, 2012, 11:07 p.m.

Monday 26 Mar 2012 19:32

Well Sock World and Sock Knitting Machine Museum - I could easily stay another week but I should probably press on let other people have a go. Short hop to Greymouth tomorrow.

Posted: March 26, 2012, 6:32 a.m.

Friday 23 Mar 2012 14:51

Finally I can reveal the true purpose of my nz trip - a visit to the sock knitting machine museum

Posted: March 23, 2012, 1:51 a.m.

Friday 23 Mar 2012 14:40

Just beyond the fence

Posted: March 23, 2012, 1:40 a.m.

Friday 23 Mar 2012 14:07

With a cold possibly coming on and rain forecast, this might be the best view for the next few days. Beach is just beyond the bushes.

Posted: March 23, 2012, 1:07 a.m.

Friday 23 Mar 2012 12:54

Guess which way the prevailing winds blow

Posted: March 22, 2012, 11:54 p.m.

Friday 23 Mar 2012 10:32

Pretty sure this is the one that has been biting me. Rot in hell giant sandfly

Posted: March 22, 2012, 9:32 p.m.

Friday 23 Mar 2012 10:23

So green

Posted: March 22, 2012, 9:23 p.m.

Thursday 22 Mar 2012 16:06

Hari Hari - "landing" site of the first solo trans-Tasman flight. There's a nice mural of an upside down biplane in a field surrounded by a group of unconcerned looking people but the perpetual drizzle is discouraging me from strolling down for a pic. Maybe later.

Posted: March 22, 2012, 3:06 a.m.

Thursday 22 Mar 2012 11:47

Looming

Posted: March 21, 2012, 10:47 p.m.

Thursday 22 Mar 2012 10:15

Noice

Posted: March 21, 2012, 9:15 p.m.

Thursday 22 Mar 2012 9:09

Plus side to the weather

Posted: March 21, 2012, 8:09 p.m.

Thursday 22 Mar 2012 8:38

Overcast and drizzly - more what I was expecting. Fingers crossed it stays like this or gets better

Posted: March 21, 2012, 7:38 p.m.

Wednesday 21 Mar 2012 10:13

End of the glacier

Posted: March 20, 2012, 9:13 p.m.

Tuesday 20 Mar 2012 16:21

Does anyone feel like riding the last 10k? I'm happy to do it, just wanted to share the joy

Posted: March 20, 2012, 3:21 a.m.

Tuesday 20 Mar 2012 14:10

Beached as

Posted: March 20, 2012, 1:10 a.m.

Tuesday 20 Mar 2012 10:33

Suddenly this

Posted: March 19, 2012, 9:33 p.m.

Tuesday 20 Mar 2012 9:37

Just km after km of this.

Posted: March 19, 2012, 8:37 p.m.

Monday 19 Mar 2012 17:56

I could've stopped at 144km but it's a beautiful riding day and I wanted to notch up my first (imperial) century - 100 miles - so I rode another 8km out of town then back.

Posted: March 19, 2012, 4:56 a.m.

Monday 19 Mar 2012 16:37

Trees get mossy here in Haast with all the rain

Posted: March 19, 2012, 3:37 a.m.

Monday 19 Mar 2012 14:31

Suddenly, mountains

Posted: March 19, 2012, 1:31 a.m.

Monday 19 Mar 2012 13:50

Nice sort of day really - 88.51kms down, 55.49 to go

Posted: March 19, 2012, 12:50 a.m.

Monday 19 Mar 2012 9:54

Beats work

Posted: March 18, 2012, 8:54 p.m.

Sunday 18 Mar 2012 13:32

Beat the rain to Wanaka. Tomorrows ride will be twice as long though so I'm readying myself.

Posted: March 18, 2012, 12:32 a.m.

Sunday 18 Mar 2012 10:04

What do you know, the grass actually is greener on the other side of the fence

Posted: March 17, 2012, 9:04 p.m.

Saturday 17 Mar 2012 18:19

It's traditional to have Korean food on St Patrick's day right?

Posted: March 17, 2012, 5:19 a.m.

Saturday 17 Mar 2012 14:34

Just an icecream by the lake kinda day

Posted: March 17, 2012, 1:34 a.m.

Friday 16 Mar 2012 14:26

Nobody likes a show-off, Milford Sound

Posted: March 16, 2012, 1:26 a.m.

Friday 16 Mar 2012 9:52

Still on the road

Posted: March 15, 2012, 8:52 p.m.

Friday 16 Mar 2012 8:03

On the road to Milford Sound

Posted: March 15, 2012, 7:03 p.m.

Thursday 15 Mar 2012 15:53

Just one thing missing

Posted: March 15, 2012, 2:53 a.m.

Thursday 15 Mar 2012 14:17

Don't suppose anyone feels like assembling a bike for me?

Posted: March 15, 2012, 1:17 a.m.

Wednesday 14 Mar 2012 23:49

The Dirty Three

Posted: March 14, 2012, 10:49 a.m.

Wednesday 14 Mar 2012 21:30

Endless Boogie live up to their name with a 30+ min opening song

Posted: March 14, 2012, 8:30 a.m.

Wednesday 14 Mar 2012 15:18

Cute city

Posted: March 14, 2012, 2:18 a.m.

Wednesday 14 Mar 2012 13:12

Hi Auckland airport, what's that? Give you a stupid amount of money to box and store my bike overnight? Well sure.

Posted: March 14, 2012, 12:12 a.m.

Tuesday 13 Mar 2012 18:58

Apparently the best chips in New Zealand 2011 - a hotly contested title - Oppie's of Rotorua

Update - not bad at all

Posted: March 13, 2012, 5:58 a.m.

Tuesday 13 Mar 2012 18:16

Another day, another cider. Passing through Rotorua. I'll be back Roti, (if you do something about that unfortunate smell)

Posted: March 13, 2012, 5:16 a.m.

Tuesday 13 Mar 2012 12:16

Let's try that again in a town with something open

Posted: March 12, 2012, 11:16 p.m.

Tuesday 13 Mar 2012 11:44

Lunch in Bulls - what could go wrong?

Posted: March 12, 2012, 10:44 p.m.

Monday 12 Mar 2012 12:49

At the Weta Cave looking at nerdy things

Posted: March 11, 2012, 11:49 p.m.

Sunday 11 Mar 2012 18:58

Dinner at Fidel's on Cuba st. Wellington.

Posted: March 11, 2012, 5:58 a.m.

Sunday 11 Mar 2012 13:02

Curses, missed it by one day

Posted: March 11, 2012, 12:02 a.m.

Saturday 10 Mar 2012 17:34

The hot springs in Taupo - awwww yeeeaaahhh.

Posted: March 10, 2012, 4:34 a.m.

Friday 9 Mar 2012 18:56

Checking out Napier, the art deco city

Posted: March 9, 2012, 5:56 a.m.

Friday 9 Mar 2012 14:59

Watching the Kaka

Posted: March 9, 2012, 1:59 a.m.

Friday 9 Mar 2012 13:06

Quick break in the quirkiest cafe in Masterton. Darlingface is disturbed by the camera

Posted: March 9, 2012, 12:06 a.m.

Thursday 8 Mar 2012 11:51

People watching in a hip Wellington cafe

Posted: March 7, 2012, 10:51 p.m.

Wednesday 7 Mar 2012 16:51

At last.

Posted: March 7, 2012, 3:51 a.m.

Wednesday 7 Mar 2012 11:25

Wellington - a blurrier city than I was expecting

Posted: March 6, 2012, 10:25 p.m.

Wednesday 7 Mar 2012 9:09

Farewell South Island, don't go anywhere

Posted: March 6, 2012, 8:09 p.m.

Wednesday 7 Mar 2012 6:58

Red sky at morning, have a safe ferry ride. Isn't that how the saying goes?

Posted: March 6, 2012, 5:58 p.m.

Monday 5 Mar 2012 15:23

Queen Charlotte drive, easily the best ride of the tour

Posted: March 5, 2012, 2:23 a.m.

Monday 5 Mar 2012 13:18

I was all set to take a pic of my trip odometer rolling over to 1000 Kms but apparently it only goes to 999.99.

Posted: March 5, 2012, 12:18 a.m.

Monday 5 Mar 2012 11:17

Pretty

Posted: March 4, 2012, 10:17 p.m.

Sunday 4 Mar 2012 15:52

Enjoying a feijoa cider next to a gig yurt, how's your day going?

Posted: March 4, 2012, 2:52 a.m.

Sunday 4 Mar 2012 12:17

Classic cars and wearable art in Nelson

Posted: March 3, 2012, 11:17 p.m.

Saturday 3 Mar 2012 9:46

Nelson Cathedral - odd mix of gothic and brutalist. (don't ask me, I'm not an architect, something like that)

Posted: March 2, 2012, 8:46 p.m.

Friday 2 Mar 2012 13:21

Kaiteriteri - one of the south island's most popular beach spots. I get that.

Posted: March 2, 2012, 12:21 a.m.

Friday 2 Mar 2012 9:24

Trying a new form of riding today

Posted: March 1, 2012, 8:24 p.m.

Friday 2 Mar 2012 9:07

New contender in the best road signs stakes

Posted: March 1, 2012, 8:07 p.m.

Thursday 1 Mar 2012 18:11

Locally brewed ginger lager going down well after Takaka superhill. I thought I'd reached the top when I went to the caves only to discover I had another 5k more to climb. (I'll show that hill though - taking the ferry back to Nelson tomorrow instead - take that big lump of marble)

Posted: March 1, 2012, 5:11 a.m.

Thursday 1 Mar 2012 13:04

Hanging out in Ngarau, you've probably never heard of it, it's pretty underground

Posted: March 1, 2012, 12:04 a.m.

Thursday 1 Mar 2012 10:04

6k into a 10k climb - not bad if you like that sort of thing

Posted: Feb. 29, 2012, 9:04 p.m.

Wednesday 29 Feb 2012 14:50

Something else I like about NZ - they take steak sandwiches seriously

Posted: Feb. 29, 2012, 1:50 a.m.

Wednesday 29 Feb 2012 14:18

Still waters in Motueka. This stretch of road, a couple of blocks from the main shopping strip is deserted.

Posted: Feb. 29, 2012, 1:18 a.m.

Tuesday 28 Feb 2012 16:43

Really liking Almond House hostel in Nelson. They have a nice vibe, free wifi, cool art on the walls, a kitty and a free mame arcade machine.

Posted: Feb. 28, 2012, 3:43 a.m.

Tuesday 28 Feb 2012 15:18

So which way do I go now? Oh, thanks road sign

Posted: Feb. 28, 2012, 2:18 a.m.

Tuesday 28 Feb 2012 11:14

Pretty parts

Posted: Feb. 27, 2012, 10:14 p.m.

Tuesday 28 Feb 2012 9:54

Flat road, decent shoulder.

Posted: Feb. 27, 2012, 8:54 p.m.

Monday 27 Feb 2012 18:27

Shrek burger (named for Shrek the runaway sheep) and Epic IPA

Posted: Feb. 27, 2012, 5:27 a.m.

Monday 27 Feb 2012 12:07

Looking at all the WW1 planes at Omaka aviation heritage centre

Posted: Feb. 26, 2012, 11:07 p.m.

Sunday 26 Feb 2012 16:23

Hooray - hostel office doesn't open for another 40 mins and the speakers are playing the crappiest commercial fm station ever. Cultural experience I guess. Also, 132.53km today, new record

Posted: Feb. 26, 2012, 3:23 a.m.

Sunday 26 Feb 2012 11:30

Time for a spot of lunch - just under half way to Blenheim. (though the last 40k is hills - boooo)

Posted: Feb. 25, 2012, 10:30 p.m.

Sunday 26 Feb 2012 10:32

Sheep and sea

Posted: Feb. 25, 2012, 9:32 p.m.

Sunday 26 Feb 2012 9:04

Signs I don't see every day

Posted: Feb. 25, 2012, 8:04 p.m.

Saturday 25 Feb 2012 10:51

Watching a dog herd ducks at the 100th Kaikoura Show

Posted: Feb. 24, 2012, 9:51 p.m.

Friday 24 Feb 2012 15:10

Kaikoura - the hostel may be full of hippy drummers but that's a pretty view

Posted: Feb. 24, 2012, 2:10 a.m.

Friday 24 Feb 2012 8:20

How's the serenity?

Posted: Feb. 23, 2012, 7:20 p.m.

Thursday 23 Feb 2012 18:22

DB Draught at Waiau pub going down well after 126k ride in 6.5 hours. Waiau pronounced why-ow - which is what my arse is saying to me.

Posted: Feb. 23, 2012, 5:22 a.m.

Thursday 23 Feb 2012 14:51

100 not out. 20 to go

Posted: Feb. 23, 2012, 1:51 a.m.

Thursday 23 Feb 2012 11:07

Darlingbike wanted to stop for lunch for a bit - I could've kept going but you know how cranky (get it?) bikes get when hungry

Posted: Feb. 22, 2012, 10:07 p.m.

Thursday 23 Feb 2012 9:07

That's odd, must have taken a wrong turn somewhere.

Posted: Feb. 22, 2012, 8:07 p.m.

Thursday 23 Feb 2012 7:43

Memorial for the earthquake 185 earthquake victims. People have put these all over CHCH

Posted: Feb. 22, 2012, 6:43 p.m.

Wednesday 22 Feb 2012 9:52

Welcome or warning?

Posted: Feb. 21, 2012, 8:52 p.m.

Wednesday 22 Feb 2012 9:23

Hill of the day conquered, time to enjoy a coffee and a view

Posted: Feb. 21, 2012, 8:23 p.m.

Tuesday 21 Feb 2012 20:05

Annemiek Poortman and Jorrit Thiele at Bully Hayes - Akaroa. Fellow cycle tourists just starting.

Posted: Feb. 21, 2012, 7:05 a.m.

Monday 20 Feb 2012 17:42

Oh hai - what's your name?
Or, salut, comment vous appellez vous?

Posted: Feb. 20, 2012, 4:42 a.m.

Monday 20 Feb 2012 17:21

Chillin in "the love shack" in Sunny Akaroa after a 93km ride over all the hills. (and then more hills just when you figure you are done)

Posted: Feb. 20, 2012, 4:21 a.m.

Monday 20 Feb 2012 15:19

7km of steep uphill and this view is the payoff.

Posted: Feb. 20, 2012, 2:19 a.m.

Monday 20 Feb 2012 13:41

Time for lunch at Little River - 2/3 of the way to Akaroa. Pretty sure that hill has my name on it.

Posted: Feb. 20, 2012, 12:41 a.m.

Monday 20 Feb 2012 11:34

Ok I guess the scenery is pretty impressive then. Also the feeling of doing my first big hill

Posted: Feb. 19, 2012, 10:34 p.m.

Sunday 19 Feb 2012 15:51

Back to Dux Live for tasty yakitori chicken and beer.

Posted: Feb. 19, 2012, 2:51 a.m.

Sunday 19 Feb 2012 11:29

Making new friends in Riccarton

Posted: Feb. 18, 2012, 10:29 p.m.

Sunday 19 Feb 2012 10:45

Delicious egg and bacon roll on Turkish bread with homemade tomato relish in this cafe attached to the possibly misnamed hidden garden shop

Posted: Feb. 18, 2012, 9:45 p.m.

Sunday 19 Feb 2012 8:24

Staying in an uberclean and mildly inhospitable hostel in a sketchy neighbourhood. I think I was spoiled by my first choice. It's just for another day and I can mosey off to nicer parts of town easily enough.

Posted: Feb. 18, 2012, 7:24 p.m.

Saturday 18 Feb 2012 12:13

Sitting in a beautiful park on a glorious day next to a tree covered in these freaky cicada husks. Contemplating Belgian beer and mussels festival.

Posted: Feb. 17, 2012, 11:13 p.m.

Friday 17 Feb 2012 20:50

Dux Live listening to soundcheck and drinking a local beer that is served in units that I didn't catch 3 times. Glass? 12oz?

Posted: Feb. 17, 2012, 7:50 a.m.

Friday 17 Feb 2012 12:28

Canterbury museum is fantastic and the World of Wearable art show gave me shivers.

Posted: Feb. 16, 2012, 11:28 p.m.

Thursday 16 Feb 2012 21:31

Sleeping in an old prison cell, just me and darlingbike. Managed to get lost within 3km of the airport. Will have gps tomorrow without fail. Christchurch is a pretty city though in parts.

Posted: Feb. 16, 2012, 8:31 a.m.