And so to our last cycling day and oh no it's raining! Fortunately it was only a light drizzle for about 10 minutes and then dry for the rest of our ride. Our Kiwi friends reckon to get from Auckland to Invercargill over 3 or more weeks without getting wet is a record.
Our gears still playing up but somehow we kept them going. Cycled back 10 miles to the main road; we had considered going on an unsealed road but were warned not to by our motel hosts. Sunday morning and absolutely no traffic for first 3 hours. Now in the Southland Region and the vegetation is less bush and back to pasture.
Stopped for coffee at Fortrose with its very sheltered inlet with a submerged wreck in the entrance at low tide! Watched shags sitting on a washed-up tree looking more like vultures.
Met a tourer - a kiwi going through a mid-life crisis! He was wearing flipflops and no helmet. His mountain bike was held together by bits of wire and string but he seemed cheerful enough.
Final leg virtually flat landscape for last 30 miles to Invercargill where we stopped at the town sign and took photos of each other!
Our motel is the best of the whole trip and for Linda joy of joys it has a bath with a whirlpool - can't get her out of it! Our rooms even have 2 television sets - one in our bedroom although the programmes here are so terrible that 1 is more than enough.
Reflecting on our trip of 1,366 miles and 23 days we have not been disappointed or disillusioned. We have met some great people, the Kiwis are very friendly. The scenery is beautiful and in places spectacular and litter-free and so unspoilt. The cycling has been harder than our Lands End to John O'Groats trip because the hills are longer and more frequent! However we do intend to return and visit those parts of NZ we have missed on this trip. Accomodation has been first class. Now thinking about our next trip although before that we must find a way of getting back to Auckland. We are looking forward to the final stage of our trip which is to spend a few days with Nigel and Kath Prickett which will include a stay at their 'bach', north of Auckland.
Thank you for following our blog. Onwards and upwards.
Linda and Jeff
4 comments:
Well done to you both - amazing achievement...very proud!
big hugs
Rachel xxx
I had no idea it was taht far! Puts my 430 miles in the Rocky Mountains to shame :)
Congratulations and thank you so much for raising money for Baraka :)
big hugs
Jane x
Well Done to you both. What a lot of miles!!! Love Carol & Allan xxx
Well done the pair of you - very impressed and thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog. I did find having a map of New Zealand opened at the same time very useful!
Enjoy your few days with Nigel and Kath.
Love Clare, Nick & girls xxx
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