Christchurch Jan3-5/09

When I phone Michaels' in the morning, his son answers they are away in Nelson and won't be back until 6:30PM.

Peter and I decide to stay another night at the backpackers so we can run errands today. We are fortunate as the hostel is fully booked otherwise.

We leave mid morning and go to the I-site to check information. After we have a bagel for lunch. I go to the library, check emails and research Nepal but run out of time although I do locate a budget hotel that will pick you up at the airport. I send Michael and email to let him know that we will stay at the backpackers for another night.

Before we get too far, it starts to rain and as Peter doesn't have his jacket we walk back to the hostel. We just get in the door and it starts to pour and hail and lightening.

Unfortunately it is after 5PM when we head out and most of the stores are closed. I feel frustrated as we had the whole day and accomplished very little.

We end up walking to Pak & Save (as we don't find the shuttle) to pick up vitamins, groceries, toiletries, etc. On the way back we stop at a Soualaki place for supper. It is very busy and takes quite a while but it is very tasty.

When we get back around 8:30PM I do a load of laundry. After a couple tries I reach Michael and we arrange to meet at the hostel around 10AM and he will take us to finish up errands.

We watch the rest of Good Day Vietnam with Robin Williams. I am feeling the fleeting time left before Peter and I part for 3 months.

As we are bringing out our bags, Michael arrives with his "loser cruiser" as his son refers to it. It is good to see him again, he is so courteous. He is kind enough to endure the hassle of me completing my errands and then head to his home.

We sit and chat with him and Pamela and then enjoy a lovely spread for lunch. In the garage I check my paniers for any bugs before taking them in the house. Before we leave for a drive I manage to book the hotel in Kathmandu and send them an email with my flight details so that they will pick me up at the airport. It is a relief to have that arranged.

At the mall I fuss (it takes awhile) about the vitamins and calcium tablets to pick up and pick up a grammer book and flash cards. Afterwards Michael and Pamela take us for a drive along the coast and then up a steep windy road with tight corners. Even being on the inside of the road I feel somewhat nervous but the view is awesome.

Back at their house, I have confirmation from the hotel that they will pick me up and we have a snack before the tasty dinner of chicken, kumara and veggies that Pamela made.

Thankfully, Michael and Peter start working on boxing my bike as I sort out my luggage-I finish with my luggage shortly after my bike is boxed. I am so thankful for their help with the bike otherwise I would have been up very late.

Michael is very handy with his hands, he made his own bike rack for his bike and other things, just amazing. We meet their youngest son, Ryan, he will soon be leaving on an exchange. I sit up for a bit and chat (looking at The Far Side) but have to shower and go to bed.

Peter and I chat about some percautions in Nepal.

We have a good breakfast and I take their photo before Pamela leaves for work.

Michael drops Peter off with me at the airpor to pick him up in about an hour. I feel very nervous and emotional parting with Peter. He offers me some reassuring words.

I only have to pay a $15 oversize charge. It is a short flight. I chat with a woman that is a teacher and she gives me some teaching tips.

It is easy at the airport and I call the hotel for a pick up.

After getting my luggage resorted I phone to reconfirm my flight to Nepal then have Lamb Biryini and Naan bread for supper.

When I get back to my room another traveller is reading, she is leaving at 3:30AM so she has the alarm set but will reset it for me. She is finishing up a year and half travel (she spent 6 months at a ski hill in BC).

While watching TV and updating my journal I get a message to phone Peter - I wonder if something is wrong. As I only have $1.00 left on my phone card and it is too late to get one at the store I am not sure how I will phone him back. Finally I use my credit card to make the call, but have to leave a message.

Shortly after I get another message to phone again, so I go back to the payphone and reach him. Nothing is wrong, he just wanted to find out how I made out. Again I ask him to tell Michael and Pamela how very much I enjoyed visiting them and to thank them profusely for their help.

Ashburton-Christchurch Jan1-2/09

The other cyclists beside us are already gone when we get up. As it will be another hot day I wash my cycle shirt and wear it wet to help keep cool-I wish I had thought of this idea sooner.

It is fairly flat and direct so we make good time about 40km in 3 hours. We stop in Hinds at a convenience store for a snack. We have the side road to ourselves most of the way. There is a bit of a crosswind but it is okay.

I think that it is only another 5km to Ashburton but it is still 12km so I have to keep going.

Close to town we get on a bike path. The I site is closed but Peter has the address of the motorcamp so we carry on.

The Maori at the motorcamp jokes that it is $100/night for a shady spot-I say that we should have brought our tree with us.

There is a shallow pool, so once our tent is set up we take a dip. After a good shower we ride into town for supper at KFC.

Back at the camp we chat with a Kiwi beside us for quite awhile. He is on vacation for a month and just driving whereever he feels like it (although he does race cycle). I find out as he was in forestry that the huge plastic covered mounds in the field are called "silage". It becomes feed for the cows after breaking down for years.

It is late when I am getting ready for bed brushing my teeth. I hear a woman moaning and making odd sounds so I go outside. A woman is lying on the ground half clothed. She is shaking and it looks like she has blood on her face.

One of the Maori fellas comes by and then another fellow to help. I suggest that an ambulance be called but they know the woman and just help her back to her room.

When I finish in the bathroom, the men including the owner are in the kitchen chatting so I go to ask about her. They say that she had been binge drinking and has spewed up on her face. The owner intends to kick her out.

I tell Peter about this as he is still awake.

After breakfast at our picnic table we pack up.

As it is too far to cycle to Christchurch in one day we arrange to take the Atomic Shuttle but the morning one is full so we have to spend the day in Ashburton until the 6:30PM shuttle.

After arranging the shuttle and checking and sending a few emails at the I-site we hang out under the trees in the park as everything is practically closed today. Except for a little walk and getting lunch at Pizza Hut, we sit on the bench all day.

Later in the afternoon for about an hour the wind picks up-very strong gusts, gale force (read later on the internet 120KPH). While waiting for the shuttle Peter gets me to book a backpackers, YHA is full so I book Charlie B's.

The shuttle is 1/2 hour late. There is one woman waiting for a bus and every 30 seconds she walks out to the road to look for the bus and then back to the shelter of the doorway. The road is straight so she wouldn't miss the bus if it pulled up.

Just outside of Ashburton the bus takes a detour as a tree is leaning on a power line and the road is blocked by the police. We wouldn't have been cycling in the wind unless it was behind us.

It is warm and pleasant when we arrive at Charlie B's. It is an nice older buiding, clean and well kept/organized.

After getting settled in our room we walk to Burger King; I am famished.


Day 59 cycling 68KM (last day cycling in New Zealand)

Timaru-Geraldine (New Years Eve) Dec30-31/08

It is still hot in the morning when we leave. I find out that the temperature has been around 38 degrees (no wonder the tar seal is melting). We get on back roads but have to consult the map frequently as the route is not direct-rolling hills.

Along the way my bike stops shifting to small chain ring in front so I can not shift into low gear. In one of the few shady spots, Peter trys to fix it by adjusting the screws. It works temporarily then stops working. We eventually give up, however I hear squeaking so I stop and try to fiddle with it again, still no resolution.

It is a long hot ride and some of the roads are gravel which are tricky to ride on especially downhill to brake gently so we don't go too fast or skid. I am tired of the hills.

We stop at a B&B to ask about the motorcamp but there are only a couple cats around
so I convince Peter that we should continue onto Timaru as we did not see a sign for the motorcamp.

A few kilometers before Timaru, we see the sign and turn off as it is very close. It is a family motorcamp with a swimning pool that many children are enjoying. I am really wiped, I just collapse on a chair and relax while Peter chats with the owner.

After a good shower and supper, I watch a fellow playing football with some children, whenever another child shows up that wants to play he says "Sure mate".

After turning my bike upside down I manage to dislodge a couple of small stones that caused the gear not to shift. I am glad that this is resolved.

Another hot day. We leave at 10:30AM and make good time in the morning, about 20-30km we reach Pleasant Point. It is a cute little town and we stop at "Legends" as recommended by the owner of the previous motorcamp.

Legends is in a heritage building, we enjoy ice cold water (2 jugs) and I have two tasty meat pies.

Unfortunately after lunch we have a headwind against us. Although the route is direct it is a slow go especially the closer we get to Geraldine.

It is New Years Eve. The motorcamp is full but the owner squeezes us in, understanding that we are on bikes and another 10km is a long way after a long hot day of riding.

The camp is packed, cheek and jowl with vehicles and tents. After some take away in town, I decide that I will try to face paint as there are many children around.

I walk over to the playground area and sit down at a table where a father and his 3 children are. One child asks what I am doing and I tell her I want to face paint...so after a few faces I have a line up of kids around the table waiting there turn and 2 hours passes quickly. I tell the children what I am doing and that I am going to volunteer in Nepal and they wish me luck.

After a shower, Peter and I walk through the camp listening to the drunk?? people singing karakoke. It is a fun night just seeing all the groups of people.

I try to stay awake for midnight but Peter has to wake me up.

Day 57 cycling 57KM
Day 58 cycling 57KM

Oamaru-Waimete Dec28-29/08

We chat with a couple of cyclists that did a commercial tour in Nova Scotia.

We do a tour of the little oceanside community of Moreraki. It is quite cute. There are a couple sheep sculptures made out of different coloured scalloped sheet metal...cool.

We turn off to see the "Boulders" like marbles. We have fish and chips at a Take Away. It is quite hot as no shade.

After 10km we turn off on an alternate road along the coast. The water is a beautiful turquoise colour with whitecaps. It is a nice change of scenery to be on the coast again.

Beach Road is closed as the pavement becomes dirt, however we take it and the pavement resumes. Further along half the paved road has been eroded by the ocean but it is only a short section and safe for bikes.

As we approach Oamaru we climb a long steep hill then descend into town. There are lots of historic buildings. As I am waiting outside the tourist info for Peter it is "baking hot" as there is no shade.

I am wiped by the time we reach the motorcamp. We have some unique take away items at a cafe across from the motorcamp. I wanted to see the yellow penquins but too tired to cycle there tonight. The motorcamp is very busy-we are squeezed in.

There is a line up of women and little girls for the shower, so I am glad that I took mine the evening before. Today is hot and sunny and cloudless. After stocking up on groceries we leave town.

After a short distance on #1, we turn off on #83 then get off on Ferry Road which is flat and straight...we cover 26km in an hour.

We get back on #1 to cross a 1200m bridge then stop in the shade at a reststop for lunch. After a short section on #1 we again veer off on a side road. There is only one big hill going into Waimete but the tar is so hot...the tar seal is melting...that it is sticking to our tires and picking up gravel.

Our tent site is amongst tall trees so it is well shaded from the heat. A short ride into town for groceries, popsicles in the shade then back to camp for a shower and supper. AT camp, we meet Rob & Peter and I am able to talk them into a game of cards. We play until 11PM, it is a fun evening.


Day 54 cycling 46KM
Day 55 cycling 57KM

Middlemarch-Moeraki Dec26-27/08

It is a better day to cycle, sunny & warmer. We chat with the woman who stayed at the camp with us over Christmas. She is an older woman cyclist and very independent.

It is rolling hills and only 26km to the turn off for the country road to McRae Flats. We climb for couple kilometers and then stop for lunch. After lunch we carry on and are passed by 6 carloads of young people. They give us the finger and yell at us. Fortunately they do not stop to hassle us.

I catch up to Peter and we agree to ride closer together. The road climbs, drops, then climbs again to McRae Flats (48KM). There are some historic stone buildings here and a hotel but it is closed today.

It is climb out of McRae Flats past a gold mine with a cross/tail wind.

At 58KM we cycle up a dirt road off the highway that ends with forest growth. Peter walks into the woods to find us a place to camp for the night hidden from any Yahoos.
It is a good spot well hidden with a soft bed of needles.

Fortunately there are less earwigs to clear from my paniers then Middlemarch (they hide in the folds of the top of my paniers). There is a bit of climb then a good descent to the road junction at Dunback then another 15KM to Palmerston.

We have a good lunch at a bakery. After stocking up groceries, we take Horse Ranch Road, it rolls a bit then a steep climb 190m over 3km. I have to push my bike up most of the way.

Fortunately it is a good descent, although windy, narrow and turns so I don't let it flat out. Be bypass the gorge as it is only 36km mileage so we continue on to the junction of the highway and then 3km to the turnoff for the motorcamp.

It is windy and a bit cold so the shower feels great! I discover at the motorcamp that I have lost my $5.00 shell necklace that I like...probably back at our rough camp in the woods.


Day 52 cycling 58KM
Day 53 cycling 48KM