Jan 14th

Poured with rain all night so all day we wore our wet weather gear but it only started to rain as we cycled into Wanganui. Given a great send off by our hosts with Ron insisting on taking our photos. Then embarked on our most difficult cycling day ever anywhere. It was incredibly hilly, long and steep hills. a long run down into the next valley and then up up a long hill to top of valley and so it repeated itself for hour after hour. There were no settlements, no cafes. nothing for 55 miles. We had to call at a farm to get water to replenish our water bottles. We followed rivers virtually the whole way; there was very little traffic and the scenery was spectacular. Eventually cycled into Wanganui, a pretty town on the side of the Wanganui river and the Tasman Sea. Victoria Street in the centre was by far the prettiest street we have encountered in NZ with some impressive late 19th and early 20th Century buildings. Our accomodation went from the sublime of last night to a backpackers lodge.  We survived but was not quite what we have got used to in that all facilities apart from our shower and loo were shared. Took the bike to a cycle shop as the gears had been playing up and the  back tyre was so bald that Jeff was having diffisculty holding the bike straight which made for some hairy moments descending on wet roads! All sorted very satisfactorilly. Outside our 'lodge'  was prevailed upon by a very large man to let him have a go on the tandem. When we refused he asked if we were worried he might fall off. No we replied we are more worried about the tandem!