St. Arnaud to Westport

St. Arnaud is the gateway to Lake Nelson Nstional Park and the surroundings are beautiful. When finally after two days the heavy rain ceased to fall out of the sky, we head for Murchison. It was a beautiful day, although at times the wind was so strong we had to get off our bikes. For the next 3 days we would be following the Buller river, an impressive and huge stream that hollers from Lake Nelson towards the sea. Cycling on these roads in such impressive landscapes has been one of the best cycling experiences we have ever had. Nature here is so overwhelming, it made us feel like tiny little ants.

By the time we got to Owen River the weather started to turn ugly and we were doubting if er should continue as the risk of heavy rain was getting higher. Just when we thought to set up camp at Owen Junction, Ben and Saskia, our dear friends who helped us out in Turangi, drove up the car park where we had lunch! Vanessa and Ella hopped on board of the campervan and I cycled the remaining 20 km into Murchison through some serious rainfall.

In Murchison we decided to stick together and have New Year´s Eve together in a tacky motel called "Mataki Hotel". I couldn´t have said it better myself!

New Year´s Eve was awesome. It was brilliant to spend it with Ben, Saskia and Dixie Lou.

First week in the South Island

Hello hello guys and dolls,

We arrived at Picton on the 20th of december late at night and in the rain. No worries though, we had booked a cabin the day before in probably the smallest campsite we have ever seen. We left for Havelock via the coastal road which works its way in and out of the Marlborough Sounds bays and it is spectacular. Although there are some hills to climb it is not heavy cycling and the fact that there is hardly any traffic allowed us to enjoy the amazing views. Havelock is a quiet little town with a lot of history and one of those places most overseas tourists just fly by but wrongfully so. It is well worth a visit and it is set in beautiful surroundings. Travelling as we do on our bicycles we get to see places most tourists do not. At times we would have preferred to advance a bit more but the legs, weather or our little blonde tornado does not allow for it and I think that´s a good thing. We get to see the real people of New Zealand. The fishermen, hunters, nurses, supermarket personnel, builders, carpenters, newspaper deliverers, couriers, postmen, mechanics,...all tell their story and the most beautiful thing is, we have time to listen to what they have to say. We get so many different views from people from all walks of life, New Zealand to us now has so much more meaning and history, Vanessa and I love it.

On the 21st we set off to Nelson, knowing that it was going to be difficult to get there in one day. The weather was beautiful and the roads and traffic were kind to us. Although we were on the highway, cycling here is completely different from cycling on the North Island. There is far less traffic and no aggression from drivers. Nice.
I can´t remember why but we arrived late at our first lunch break and we were wondering if we should leave the two big hills that we knew were in foront of us for tomorrow. Vanessa thought we should at least try to get over the first hill so off we went. It was hot and soon the road started to ascend. The first kilometer was pretty heavy going but we didn´t have time to panic because we got over the hill in no time, easy.
Another 6 kilometers of easy flat cycling until the picnic area of Graham stream where we decided to put up the tent.
The next day we had an early start and a big hill in front of us. Just like the day before, the hill´s gradient at the beginning was pretty steep but after about 2 kilometers it became an easy ascent and we were surprised to see that we started descending without suffering too much. After a long and beautiful descent we got to Hira where we had a bit of lunch in the gasstation/shop. From hereon the way into Nelson was very easy going, The weather was perfect, with the sun lightening up the day and the wind pushing us straight into town. There is a cycle path all the way into Nelson so we didn´t have to go on the highway.

The next two days we spent in Nelson, celebrating Christmas with a big steak. Ella had a massive veggie burger but she was only interested in the fries.
Christmas in Nelson is busy and we enjoyed every second of our stay. The views from the campsite are amazing, the people are lovely, the beaches a delight. At low tide, Ella had a playground so big she couldn´t believe her luck. She ran and swam in the pools, ran after the ducks and couldn´t get enough of playing with all the other kids on the campsite.
On Christmas eve we hitchhiked into town and we ended up having coffee with the couple that gave us the ride in. We inmediately got on like a house on fire and they invited us for brunch the next day. We gladly accepted of course and we met with their son, daughter in law and grandson. After brunch we al went to have a walk along a river near Nelson. A perfect afternoon filled with good conversations and laughs. I tell you, if we would be running the world, things would look quite different. We had some good ideas on how life on earth should be!

26 of december and we are off to St.Arnaud. From Nelson to Richmond we followed the cycle path and from then on it´s very easygoing. We got to Belgrove and somehow we unfortunately fell without juice in the legs and decided to stop. Except for the local tavern, there are no facilities in Belgrove but the owners let us camp in the backgarden. A few beers with the locals and we were as new. We still can´t believe the hospitality of our hosts, we had a great time and had good fun.

27 of december and we woke up from the rain on the tent. This is the South Island, while the weather can be nice this side of the hill, it is pouring with rain on the other side. The rain was falling heavy and we were stuck. Our hosts suggested a solution. They would give us a lift into St.Arnaud but I was too keen on cycling so we decided to get Vanessa and Ella into the car while I was going to cycle to St.Arnaud. I was not going to regret it. Although at times it was raining very hard, it wasn´t cold and the scenery here is just amazing. Nothing but forest for 60 kilometers and the low clouds made this journey so dramatic...a day I´ll never forget. Although the clouds were covering up most of the mountains, we could still appreciate the grandeur of the place. When I arrived, Vanessa had checked in into a backpackers because the campsites were fully booked. By evening fall the sky opened up and before our eyes, from out of the backpacker´s kitchen, nature´s spectacle is beyond words.
We are living a dream and we don´t want to wake up.

Picton to Nelson

Hi everyone,

Sorry we haven't been in touch. We have been cycling for three days to get from Picton to Nelson without any internet access on our way in. We can't yet upload any photos because the internet connection on the campsite is extremely slow. We just wanted to say that cycling in the South Island is like cycling in a different country. The roads are less busy, car and truck drivers respect us and the scenery is absolutely stunning.

We leave Nelson tomorrow and head for St.Arnaud. We will very likely have no access to internet so we would like to wish everyone a merry christmas and a very happy new year.

By the way, again we had some very nice comments on how bad we are at raising our child and that we are a bunch of assholes. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for those kind and intellectual comments, they keep us going and knowing that we are doing the right thing.

Merry Christmas everyone!!!!

Wellington

Yesterday we arrived at Wellington by train. The last few days we stayed at a backpackers in National Park Village where we sat and watched the rain and snow ruin our chances for a decent walk in the Tongariro Park.

We decided to not cycle the remaining 350 km to Wellington because we feared for Ella's and our safety on the too busy North Island roads. We realise that this changes the outlook of our challenge since we are not exactly cycling the full length of New Zealand. We do apologise sincerely to everyone who has supported us and made donations to Forest and Bird. We hope everyone will understand the reason for our taking public transport on the stretches where traffic is too dense; Ella's safety is more important than anything but we will continue our challenge to reach Bluff.

Sunday we will be taking the ferry to Picton and hopefully in the South Island traffic will be kinder to us.

Regards

Turangi to National Park Village

When we got to the visitor´s centre this morning, we were told that the Intercity bus was not going to take our bicycles on board. The 14.30 and the 15.15 buses were full as well. It seemed like we were going to be stuck in Turangi for a while. Another option was to take a shuttle bus from Turangi to National Park Village to take the train from there to Wellington but the shuttle was quite deer. We decided to do this anyway as we didn´t want to stay in Turangi but when the lady of the visitor centre tried to book the train, surprise, surprise, there were no more seats available for today or tomorrow. We were running out of options and to take the shuttle to National Park Village where the weather apparently was turning really bad did not seem like the smartest idea.

As we were hanging around the visitor centre wandering what we should do, a belgian-english couple walked in and they offered to take us to National Park Village in their van. Just when we thought we were going to be stuck for almost a week, again we were lucky to meet fantastic people! We booked the train tickets to leave on tuesday.

We just about got all gear in their van and on the way to National Park Village we stopped for a short walk along a beautiful lake. Ben, Saskia and their daughter Dixie-Lou decided to stay at the same backpackers in National Park Village and we had a perfect dinner at the only Pizzeria of the village. The rest of this little town exists entirely of backpackers. Quite quaint.

Taupo to Turangi

We got on the bus at around 14.30 and an hour later we arrived at Turangi. We didn´t want to cycle from Taupo to here because there is only the highway to get here and as I explained a few days ago, I am not willing to get on busy highways again. It´s a real shame we couldn´t cycle this because the route is very scenic.

We got off the bus and put the tent on a huge campsite where we had good fun with swiss cyclists who also had enough of trucks and crazy drivers. There was also a group of Israelis who wanted to adopt Ella! Their cooking made everyone else leave the kitchen, they just filled it with black smoke!

At the visitor´s centre we asked for different tracks we could do with Ella but the weather forecast for the coming days was not very promising. Winds of up to 100 km/h, gail and snow. We had to change our plans because we couldn´t possibly cycle or hike in this weather. We decided to book a ticket for the bus straight into Wellington but the bus company Intercity does not guarantee that you can take the bikes and trolleys with you. It defies all logic but that is the company policy and we found ourselves stuck in Turangi. The only chance we got to get on the bus is to go to the busstop and hope for the best. That means we have to get all our gear together, cycle to the busstop and hope the driver lets you on. We´ll see how that goes tomorrow.

Taupo

In Taupo we checked in at the Tiki Lodge because it is a backpackers located in the centre of town and we wanted to make it easy for ourselves and Ella. From the Tiki Lodge we had playgrounds and shops at walking distance and a superb view over the lake. We went for a walk to the Huka Falls, a nice walk of about an hour and a half along the river. The Huka Falls are quite spectacular, the amount of water that goes through this narrow passage is very impressive. We were going to walk along the craters of the moon as well but it started to rain and we got a lift back into Taupo.

We spent the rest of the day exploring Taupo town. It´s a small town but nice to walk through and you can see by the amount of pubs that this place will soon be full of summer tourists. Tomorrow we are taking the bus to Turangi from where we intend to cycle again around the volcanos and do some hiking.

Golden Springs to Taupo

I find it hard to write a negative note on New Zealand because ever since we arrived we have been enjoying kiwi hospitality and everyone we meet has been so kind and helpful. It doesn´t seem very fair to criticize but being on the road today has been the worst experience of my cycling life thus far and I don´t want to go through this again. Vanessa does not share my opinion so this piece is how I feel about cycling in New Zealand.

We started off on the highway today and traffic was absolutely horrible. A lot of trucks and cars all seemed to be in a hurry and they passed me so close that at times I felt their rear view mirror was going to clip me. We decided to get on a back road called Broadlands which goes all the way into Taupo but it was worse. There was no shoulder and traffic couldn´t care less if we were there or not. A lot of the car and truck drivers here don´t even slow down when they come near us. It is an extremely dangerous and nerve-racking situation and I started to get very concerned about Vanessa and Ella´s safety. Maybe it is my inability to block out bad thoughts about what might happen but I had enough. I am not enjoying this and I am getting more and more agressive. I found myself much of the day screaming at drivers that didn´t respect neither distance nor speed. There is absolutely no regard for cyclists in this country and I decided even before getting into Taupo that I was not going to cycle on the highway again. I wouldn´t cycle on the Route Nationale in France either but there at least you have cycle paths, considerate drivers and back roads without heavy trucking traffic. I am not taking Ella on these roads anymore.

I know we are cycling for Forest and Bird and the challenge is to reach Bluff cycling but at this point I can only think of the safety of my child, everything else comes in second place.

I suggested to Vanessa to skip the North and go to the South Island where hopefully the roads are less busy and traffic is kinder to us. We will work our way to Wellington on public transport.

In my opinion, a single cycle path from North to South will not solve the issue for cyclists. What this country needs is a cycle path infrastructure that allows for people to cycle from the suburbs into the town centre without having to share the road with all these maniacs. You need cycle paths all over the country so as to create a cycle culture. Once you have the infrastructure, more and more people will start cycling and a new generation will grow up learning to drive a car with loads of cyclists about. People will become more conscience about sharing the road and life will be a lot less aggressive for everyone. What happens to the Kiwi when they get into their car, I will never understand it. So friendly, patient and understanding when not behind the wheel, and so aggressive, impatient and suicidal when given a car.

Waikite Valley to Golden Springs

No sooner had we left the campsite and the road started to climb; a hill so steep so early in the day was a real shocker. This was definitely the toughest hill we had faced so far.

Vanessa soon had to get off her bike and I tried for a while longer but it was just impossible. I pushed my bike up the hill where the slope got a little gentler and went back down to help Vanessa push the bike up the hill. It took us 30 minutes and a lot of energy bars to do 3 km. Once we conquered this giant we were rewarded with a long gradual descent with spectacular views everywhere we looked. The descent continues until we got to the highway but we took a backroad towards Waiotapu, a site known for its spectacularly colored lakes. We decided to pay the 30 dollar entrée fee and have a walk through the strangest landscape nature has to offer.

The fun was over when we had to get back on the highway, again those horrible trucks and inconsiderate drivers that fly by at tremendous speed. Frankly, I am getting pretty sick of these roads. Luckily enough we could get off the highway and get on a back road towards Reporoa, where according to the map there should be a campsite. Once again, the map was wrong and we had to get back on the highway towards Golden Springs.

At the risk of being very repetitive about this issue, I need to express my utmost disgust for the New Zealand highways. Who in his right mind would want to cycle here for pleasure?? Instead of enjoying the landscape, you are constantly worried about the traffic that is approaching from behind at devilish speed. Every time I here a truck, I brace myself and hope there isn´t a car right behind it that can´t see us. It´s madness.

The campsite at Golden Springs is a bit rundown but we found a great spot for our tent. It is very hot today. The pollen from a Poppler has turned the grass into a white carpet and we have good fun causing the white pollen to fly up in the air. It is Christmas after all!!
Less funny is the pollen in the tent, it´s everywhere!

Here also there is a hot stream at 40 degrees and we just sat down in the stream to have a hot bath. The Golden Springs supermarket is covered with spiderwebs so no chance of buying dinner here. The campsite owners sell us eggs and bread and with some broccoli, two potatoes and rice we made ourselves a very fine dinner indeed!

Rotorua to Waikite Valley

It was hard to leave Rotorua this morning. We ended up staying five days, partly because of the bad weather and bicycle breakdown we had but more so because there is so much to do and see in this very cosy town. We have seen mudpools, geisers, hot water springs, Maori dancing and chanting, Paradise Valley, Redwoods mountainbiking heaven, the government gardens and the museum, Okere Falls.

Add to all this the incomparable Rotorua hospitality of our Forest and Bird friends and the amazing experience of speaking to the children about our trip, and you can see how we had the best time ever. Ella also enjoyed our stay at Rotorua. She got to be the star at both our presentations, she had the perfect friend in Jorg at the home of our hosts and Rotorua must have more playground than the whole of Spain. Even at the Maori dance and chant spectacle she had the time of her life. When the men performed the Haka she wasn´t scared at all and started sticking out her tongue as well.

We left Paradise Valley in beautiful sunshine. We followed the highway for about 15 km and then took backroads towards Waikite Valley. Narrow and winding roads through green hills, Vanessa was flying and I couldn´t keep up. A gradual climb until I caught up with her when she was already preparing lunch under a big pine tree in the garden of a farm. It was hot. A dog approached to see if he could steal some of our lunch but Ella wasn´t having none of it. According to the map, a campsite had to be quite near but when we got to a junction where the campsite was supposed to be, we found nothing. We continued for another 5 km and there it was, Waikite Valley Campsite. The sun was now burning relentlessly and we were happy to put up the tent, some 5 metres of a 97 degrees hot stream! The facilities on this little quaint campsite are amazing. There are at least 8 hot pools that very in temperature from 42 to 27 degrees. The steaming hot water from the steam is diverted into an artificially created cascade which serves to cool the water down. Before the water enters the pools, it if first thrown into the air to cool it down even more and then it flows into the first and hottest pool. It is an extraordinary place to be and a piece of paradise off the beaten track. Ella couldn´t get enough of the pools.

Rotorua day 5

I went to the Redwoods Park this morning to try out the world famous mountainbike tracks that have been carefully made in this area. Some people call this the Disneyland for mountainbikers and once you have tried a few tracks, it is easy to see why it is called that way.

There are numerous tracks that are divided by level of difficulty. They go from very easy to very difficult and although there aren´t any prelonged uphills, it is still quite a demanding exercise and after 3 hours I was beat. I started with intermediate level tracks and worked my way gradually towards more difficult tracks but I had to get off the bike on more than one occasion. Some of the sections are for suicidal maniacs and I was not going to break my back here. One of the more difficult tracks is called the "Rockdrop". I went to have a look and could not see how someone could jump off this rock, absolute madness but there are tracks for beginners so anyone can enjoy this. A great initiative and I loved cycling here, so much even that I wrecked my shoes and I had to buy a new pair.

I was just in time to go to Jorg´s school where we were also invited to talk to the children about our trip. Once again it was a great experience and the amount of questions that these children ask, it is so rewarding. I hope we have been able to get the message across to some of the kids that cycling is really cool, it keeps you fit and it´s great fun. We had our last dinner together with our hosts and although it is very tempting to stay, we really need to get going.

Rotorua day 4

Today we went to Te Puia, a sort of open air museum that features hot water pools, mudpools and geisers but more importantly, it is a place where Maori culture is very present. Visiting this site is a good way to learn about how New Zealand must have been before the first settlers arrived and you get to see a Maori village, a marae, a carving workshop and the museum introduces you to Maori history. Because the Maori did not have a written language, their sculptures and carvings are very important to understand the culture.

On the same site there are plenty of mud pools, hot water springs and a geiser that we saw erupt. It is quite eerie to be walking in an area full of holes in the earth where al this bubbly stuff and steam comes squirting out. It is hard to believe that nature can produce these bright chemical colors on the rocks and soil. The different colors come from sulphur, alkaline and other minerals and chemical components that are pushed up by underground activity.

We took the bus back into town and strolled through the Government Gardens and visited the museum, housed in a beautiful colonial building, certainly worth the visit.

After a long and full day we have the perfect finale, another great dinner with our hosts.

Rotorua day 3

Day number 3 in Rotorua and we got in touch with a Southafrican couple, members of Forest and Bird who offered us a place to stay. There were plenty of people who had offered a place to stay but because of the hellish ride in and the bad luck with my rear tire, we checked in in the first campsite we found. The second day, because of the rain we decided to stay at the campsite again but today we could not refuse the offer and moved up to a place called Paradise Valley.

Our hosts, Pier and Volna made us feel welcome from the first moment, Pier even arranged for a trolley so he could take us all the way to their place. By that time my bicycle was ready and once we were installed in their beautiful home, Volna took us to Okere Falls, just outside Rotorua. We were going to join the protest that was organised to avoid the damming of the Kaituna river. On the projects-page we will list more information on this issue.

We had a lovely dinner with Pier, Volna and their son Jorg.

Rotorua day 2

The rain was still coming down us and we decided not to make a move. My bicycle is in pretty bad shape so we went into town and left it at the bike shop. It should be ready by tomorrow. At 12.30, we were picked up by the principal of a local school called Kaharoa where we were going to have a talk to the children about our trip. The school is what in New Zealand is called an environmental school, which means that activities are included for children to carry out and learn about nature and conservation. One of the projects is the constuction of a building dedicated to the Kokako-bird and also the implementation of a pest controlled area. A conservation school and the work they do is extremely valuable as they teach children from a very early age to understand that our planet is vulnerable and needs to be treated with care.

The chat with the children was absolutely brilliant. We told about who we are, what we are doing and why, and they loved it. They were especially interested in how long we still had to go and if Ella was enjoying it. All the children loved Ella and she was really stealing the show. A great experience. We spent the rest of the day strolling through Rotorua, window shopping and laying about.

Okoroire to Rotorua

The weather this morning did not look too bad and we got off to a good start. The beautiful road out from Okoroire onto the highway passes a golf course and rolling green countryside. Once we got on the highway, everything changed. These type of wider roads are made for cars and trucks to go fast. The sides of the road are cleared of obstacles and plant growth so as to improve visibility and avoid things falling on the tarmac. Fair enough if you are driving a car but not very attractive if you are cycling. The smaller roads allow you to be in touch with nature, you are surrounded by it, while these highways are built for speed.

Again, Vanessa seems to not mind too much but I hate cycling on these roads. I don´t understand why anyone in his right mind would enjoy riding a road where cars and trucks pass you at 100 km/h. It makes me nervous.

The highway 5 into Rotorua is a long, gradual climb and once you get to the top, it sort of keeps rolling up and down until the real descent begins. We were still on the rolling section when it started to rain heavily. We looked for shelter and found it in a nearby farm. It seemed abandoned but there was folk that did not mind us hiding in from the rain for a while but did not seem keen on socialising any more either. Fair enough. By the time we got to Rotorua we were exhausted, wet and again nervous and annoyed with the too many drivers that pass too close. I for one have had enough of highways. I am not enjoying this.

We quickly find a campsite and get a cabin. The rain is falling down heavily and we prefer a little luxury. The cabin has a double bed, a kitchen and a TV!

Rotorua is quite a strange place. Everywhere you go there is proof of volcanic and thermal activity. On the campsite itself, just 10 metres away from our cabin, there is a hole in the soil and you can see the mud bubbling and the steam rising out of it. I don´t really know what to make of this. Is it ok to breathe in this steam? How hot would it be? Where does it come from and how do they occur? Maybe the ground underneath us might give away any minute now and we´ll barbecued in two seconds. Instead of running away, we do as all Kiwis do, we relax and say "good as gold".

Okaiura to Okoirore

A cyclist´s nightmare usually has the reocurring elements such as wind, rain, narrow and busy roads, big trucks,...

Our nightmare today was pretty complete with big trucks blowing us, literally, off the road and rainfall that got us looking like a chicken that fell into the sea...absolutely soaking.

At first it did not seem that bad but soon the drizzle became proper rain. By the time we passed Matamata the sky looked so menacing that we had lost all hope of staying dry today. Our main goal now was to get to Okoroire as fast as we could. Luckily the countryside in these regions are dead flat so we made good progress but we had to get on the highway for about 15 km and that was horrible. Twice I got blown off the road by logging trucks and it is scary. Some truck drivers do not understand that when they pass us at 100 km/h and so close to us, the mere replacement of air caused by the sheer volume of these huge monsters pushes us off the road.

We took the backroads again as soon as we could but by now the rain had started to fall very heavily and we could hardly see. We seemed to be lost as well so we asked a passing farmer if he knew of a campsite. It was right in front of us and we did not see it. There was a hotel as well so we decided to get a room so we could dry our stuff. There was one of those little air-blowing heaters that smell of burned hair after a while but it got our clothes dry.
The hotel could well be the set for Fawlty Towers, a retro style that must have been grand in the seventies and the owner-farmer-hunter sure was a character of a million stories. Vanessa and I ate two massive hamburgers and drank a few beers to forget today´s weather and traffic perils. Ella loved the hotel. She just could not stop running through the bar, the foyer, the restaurant, and there was all this new stuff she could not keep her eyes off. The bar with all the bottles, the billiard table, the deer and wild boar heads on the wall, the paintings of landscapes,...

Vanessa is not too worried about the roads but I am. I am having serious difficulties to get on the road without thinking about traffic and how unsafe it is. Tomorrow we are having to do 40 km of highway and I am not looking forward to it.

Te Aroha to Okaiua

Our day off yesterday was spent looking outside the window of our cabin we rented for the night. It rained all day and we felt like zombies wandering through a deserted campsite. Luckily, Ella provides for plenty of fun.

Today we were going to get closer to Rotorua, even if that moment getting wet, and it looked like bad weather again so we left with a very heavy soul. There were clouds everywhere and you could see rain thrashing down in the west over the plains and in the east on the mountains. It did not look too good...

We agreed we were going to cycle only in the morning in order to avoid the risk of getting soaked so our next destination was Okaiua, not a village but a campsite near hot springs.

We initially were going to take the "Gordon road" but it was right at the foot of the mountain and we could see how the rain was coming down there heavily. We decided on another road, parallel to this one and that decision kept us dry. Rain everywhere except where we cycled, can you believe it?

We could have cycled more because we arrived very early at the campsite but we were not going to challenge the weather for much longer. We checked in, had a visit from Luke, Nina and Ellis and for the rest of the day, we watched the rain fall down very, very heavily. A good thing we called it a day.

Karangahake to Te Aroha

We departed in depressing drizzle this morning but the road was dead flat. When we got to Paeroa the drizzle turned into heavy rain and it did not look too good. Passed Paeroa we got off the highway and took another small backroad and it stopped raining. A long, straight and dead flat road with some dramatic scenery as the clouds concealed the peaks of the Kaimai Range. It was a very impressive sight; whilst we were cycling through a very wide valley, the Kaimai Mountains seemed to rise out of nowhere. We got to Te Aroha, a cute little town with hot springs and an interesting history. A few very beautiful buildings in old colonial style but we had to make our way to the motorcamp before the rains returned. We did our shopping, and when we arrived at the campsite we decided to take a cabin rather than pitch the tent. Late afternoon we took a hot bath in one of the hot springs on site, with the mountains in the back, a sensational feeling after 7 days of non-stop cycling. An outdoor bath at 40 degrees looking out over the Kaimai Range. A belgian beer would have sent me straight to heaven. Tomorrow we are taking the day off.

Waihi to Karangahake

Before departing to Karangahake, a local cyclist couple offered a place to stay and some good advice about an alternative route to avoid the highway.

We took backroads all the way to Karangahake and it made the ride so much sweeter. Via Endowmnent Street we cycled parallel of the highway. The landscape is not very spectacular but it was still a beautiful route and enjoyable to do. After some 15 kilometers, the road bends towards the highway but just before getting on it, we took a walkway that crosses the Karangahake Gorge. Although the path was rather rough, it was very nice to cycle without traffic. Our personal advisors had warned us of a 1 kilometer long and dark tunnel but nothing could have prepared us for what we were about to experience. There was barely room for our trolleys in this pitch black and wet tunnel. What a sensation! Ella was singing and shouting the whole way and we joined her. It seemed to go on forever and when we finally got back into the daylight, the bridge in front of us was even narrower. Vanessa had 30 centimeters at each end of the buggy, just perfect. To get off the walkway we had to lift the buggies over a barrier...another great cycling adventure set in the spectacular scenery of the Karangahake Gorge.

In the afternoon we spent some time with our hosts at a farm and although Ella seemed to enjoy most of it, any animal bigger than a rabbit was seen as a serious threat and would not be approached by any means. The weather turned nasty.
There was still some time left for a walk through the spectacular gorge. The track takes you via a hanging bridge along the old railroad and gold mines that used to be here. It is quite a peculiar place and certainly worth a detour.

We had a lovely dinner with our new found friends and were lucky to sleep in a real bed yet again!





We were received and treated as king that afternoon at our guests´ house in Karangahake. Thank you guys for a great time, great food, good cycling advice and a lovely little playmate for Ella. We hope to see you one day in Spain so we can do some cycle trips together. We slept in a bed...again!

Whangamata to Waihi

Today was actually a lot easier than expected. The first 15 kilometers were rather flat and nice to cycle. There is a big hill before entering the town but we loved it. We got there in no time and the motorcamp of Waihi is beautiful. We pitched the tent near a little stream, which might not have been the best idea seeing that it was a sandflies infested area.

At first we don´t notice them but as soon as you are laying down the tent, we get the first bite. I think the first fly, after biting, then calls in all his buddies and attack with viciousness. Who knows, maybe they are angry because we pitch our tent on the spot where they usually play cards at night. I would be upset too.

Tairua to Whangamata

When cycling, take nothing for granted. We will always remember Tairua for the lovely people we were lucky enough to meet and the last three days had been simply sublime. The people, the scenery, the beaches, the perfect weather and great cycling roads made us feel like the most fortunate family on the planet. Leaving Tairua probably was one of the toughest decisions we had to make but without a campsite and the urge to keep advancing, we got on our bikes to head for Whangamata. We could not have felt better after the luck and great times we had the past 3 days but the weather was going to give us a reality check. No sooner had we left town, a ridiculously strong wind came head on. We struggled to get forward even downhill. At times we were cycling at 8 km/h downhill! The first 10 kilometers were agonising, with strong gusts of wind constantly trying to throw us off the road. When we got to the junction to turn onto the highway, Vanessa saw a sign saying it was another 22 kilometers to Whangamata, while our map stated 14. After 10 kilometers of suffering in the wind, this was the last thing we needed. We stopped to have a break as we could see how not only were we in for a much longer ride, the road also started to go uphill.

Just as we were struggling to find the energy and moral to continue, an Australian couple we met in Whitianga pulled over and joined us on our improvised break. A few laughs, encouraging words and energy bars made in Australia did the trick. A big thanks to our Aussie friends! Believe it or not, although it was a long and though climb, we had no trouble overcoming this one. The scenery here is quite dramatic, with a lot of pine forest for logging industry. Where logging has just been carried out, whole moutainsides are devoid of trees and look like it has been bombed. Not a very pretty sight but I could not help but enjoy it somehow. Maybe because it was so different from everything else we have seen before and the impact of logging at such a scale really is quite impressive. Pine forests are not native to New Zealand and most conservationists would like to see them replaced with native forest and I agree but still I have to admit I love these pine forests. The aroma is great and it reminds me of the south of Belgium. Majestic pine with that long grass undergrowth, these forests have a peculiar type of quietness and mystique about them.

After the climb we had lunch underneath some pine giants before completing the last 10 kilometers. For the first time on our tour, however, I fell without juice in the legs and I was feeling very weak. Vanessa was going strong and Ella was singing in her buggy but I struggled all the way to Whangamata.

There is nothing wrong with Whangamata but I saw the place through the eyes of an exhausted cyclist. I had to find energy from somewhere to pitch our tent and shop for our dinner. I didn´t like the campsite, nor the town. Things got really strange when after having set up camp and wondered into town, we met a couple we had encountered a few times before and once even way up North in Mangonui. They offered to stay at their place and so we found ourselves going back to the campsite to get the tent. By that time I was with energy again and we had a great evening, a beautiful dinner and a real bed to sleep in. Ella had a horrible night.
I am sure we will meet our friends Daniel, Tina and their cute son Fritz again!

Hahei to Tairua

Cycling from Hahei to Tairua via the Link road and Hot Water Beach road to then get back on the highway 25 is unbelievable. There is a big hill to climb just before entering Tairua but the scenery before that is just stunning. We had the Coromandel mountains with the Pinnacles at the horizon during the whole ride and we simply forgot we were cycling. Once we got on the highway it didn´t take long before the road started ascending. At first it is a very gradual climb but soon the gradient got nasty and in the heat we were struggling to get to the top.

The highway goes through the Coromandel Forest Park which provides for the perfect background of lush green forest. We stopped what we thought was the top but we still had quite a bit to go. In what I can only describe as an improvised car park, we thought to have a quick lunch when a man called Pete appeared from out of the forest. A jolly Londoner that had been living in New Zealand for the past 30 years. The modern world rat race had sent him into a deap and dark depression but he had managed to overcome these horrible times and now he was living a new life in Tairua. His new life, however, was tainted in a spectrum of reborn signs and visionary dreams that told him how to live, what to do and write. He seemed to me like the typical bloke that would not hurt a fly but I tend to avoid spending time with people who go on and on about their life and how we all could live without money and fear. Their presence drains all energy out of me. He offered to stay at his place but I did not feel like talking all night about his visions. He also told us we should cycle barefoot so as to allow the earth´s energy to flow freely. Is this guy out of touch or what. Did he not see the sharp teeth on my pedals? What kind of energy am I going to get from flesh wounds on the bottom of my feet? Anyway, it´s just anecdote and if Pete is reading this, no offence my friend, I just didn´t feel you.

After this brief encounter with the Holy Spirit, we made our way to the other side of the mountain and the scenery is just...well...this must be Coromandel at its best. Forest coloured with all sorts of green in every direction and the ocean at the horizon. A clear blue sky and we are smiling a big smile when we cruise downhill into Tairua.

We follow the motorcamp signs but we can´t find it. We ask a man on the street for the campsite and he tells us it has been closed down. A night at Hotel Self Proclaimed Jezus seems inevitable but the friendly man offers us his beach house for the night! We cannot believe it. Just a minute ago we were without accommodation and the next we find ourselves in a huge beachfront villa. Vanessa and I take Ella for a walk into town where we do our shopping for the evening. Tairua is a very cosy little town with a relaxed atmosphere. The ocean on one side, the town is set in a huge bay. There is a great playground where Ella is having the time of her life. A group of boys are jumping from the bridge into the bay.
That evening we have dinner in a real house, on the terrace with spectacular views over the ocean and tears in our eyes. It simply does not get any better than this. Vanessa, Ella and I would like to thank our friends in Tairua for their hospitality and friendship. We hope to return the favour one day in Barcelona!

Coromandel

Good morning everyone,

We are sorry we havent updated the website for the last 4 days. We are doing fine and advancing slowly buy surely. We are hoping to have some time tonight to reply to all the emails we received and to update the website with the latest news and photos.

Coromandel is an amazing place to cycle and after spending a day in out tent in Coromandal, we made it to Whitianga via the 309 Road, which has been a magical experience. We then stayed at Hahei where we think it is best not to be after Christmas but out of the season it is an extraordinary spot.

Yesterday we arrived at Tairuna from where we wll be leaving towards Whangamata. We are taking it slow because it is too beautiful here to just rush through.

Thank you everyone for the encouraging comments, donations, tips and questions. We will soon get back to all of you. Sorry for the delay!

Whitianga to Hahei

After the 309 experience of yesterday we thought to do another 30 or 40 km along the coast but when we got to Hahei we decided to stay on the beach for the rest of the day. Ever since we got to the Coromandel Peninsula we find it hard not to stay longer at the places we cycle through. In Coromandel we would have loved to go all the way to Port Charles but it would have been another two weeks of cycling.

Being on the road on a bicycle really is the way we are visiting a country but sometimes we just feel we miss out if we don´t take the time to stop. The more places we stop, the more difficult it becomes to get to our final destination. Today we decided it was time to relax and spend time on Hahei Beach.

In Whitianga we took the passenger ferry to cross the bay, an adventure in itself as the bikes and trolleys hardly fit in the ferry. After a very short climb we entered a new world. From the lush mountains inland we now found ourselves cycling along some astonishing beaches. A perfect blue sky, the heat of the sun had released that sweet barky scent from the pine forest we drove through, the ocean breeze filled our lungs with perfumed air and the mangroves gave off a strong seashore aroma...absolutely divine!

It is a relaxing and easy drive to Hahei. There are hardly any cars and as we cycled our way out of the bay, the road makes its way through pine forest and rolling green fields; in the distance the bay with its mangroves that turn into wetland before grassland becomes the playground of hundreds of scruffy looking cows. I say scruffy but these might actually be naturally skinny cows. In Europe we are used to see these big mamas with big hooters and thighs like tractors, and are probably fed pure muscle protein through a blender. A hawk seemed to be following us for kilometers and all of a sudden, a few 100 metres in front of us, we saw what looked like a possum or rabbit struggling to cross the road, intermittently getting up to advance half a meter and then fall down again. We first thought it was a rabbit that got hit by a car but it turned out to be a stoat dragging a rabbit he probably just caught and he had a real hard time trying to get it to his kitchen. Unusual to see this sort of thing during the day but I guess the stoat must have had a lucky day.

The beaches on the way to Hahei are of pure white sand and the ocean water is so clear, it has this milky greenblue colour that makes you feel you´re in paradise and you are the first one to discover the place.

We took the afternoon off and spent the rest of the day on the beach. Pohutukawas cling on to some extraordinary looking cliffs and it looked like the perfect spot to have lunch. So it was, with a view over the islands that are at the horizon of this gorgeous bay, but Ella decided to put her sandy feet into our plate. Thus endeth our lovely beach lunch.

From Hahei there is a nice walk to Cathedral Cove, a beach we unfortunately could not go as we heard it is an amazing place.

An unforgettable sunset made us feel very very happy to be there.

Coromandel to Whitianga

Yesterday we spent the whole day watching the rain fall out of the sky and there really is not much more to tell so what follows is the story of our journey from Coromandel to Whitianga.

After spending a whole day in the rain, wondering around in a deserted Coromandel town we were more than keen to get back on our bicycles and see some of the Coromandel Peninsula. We still hadn´t decided on taking the highway or the 309 gravel road when we were already cycling through town. Vanessa and I were literally asking each other which road to take and we just couldn´t decide. We had the highway on our left when we were still undecided on the issue. While Vanessa kept asking me what road to take I kept replying I did not know. We passed the highway arguing and ended up laughing as we realised the highway was now behind us. 309 it is then.

We would not regret it, although I was very nervous as we were told this route was tough, steep and unsealed. The first part up to the Waiau waterworks and falls was not too bad and the track reminded us of our hometown training grounds in Spain. The gravel road and gradient were surprisingly similar to the mountain tracks back home.

The Waiau Waterworks is a funny place. The artwork is very touchable and appealed very much to us. The sculpture of a huge spider against the side of the road announces the entrance. You don´t want to miss this. We stopped at Waiau Falls where Ella had a field day. She loved the ice cold water and she indulged in her favourite passtime - throwing stones in the water. By now the sun stood high in the sky and it was hot.

The 309 got steeper and steeper and the gravel got wetter, turning to mud. It felt as if we were cycling on a spunge. The trolleys sunk into the mud and at times it was just impossible to stay on our bikes.

Closer to the top the scenery is quite impressive with mountains dressed with ferntrees, Kauri and other huge emergent trees everywhere you look. I think it is Manuka with their flowers in bloom that looked like a white carpet far up the mountain. Plenty of birds here. Fantail, tui, whitehead were amongst the birds we recognised.

The descent into Whitianga must have been the slowest we have ever done. I soon lost Vanessa as I constantly had to hit the breaks. The trolley would slide from one side to another and I thought it was best to secure the buggy and go slow rather than risk a major breakdown. I did most of the downhill at 10 km/h; I would have loved doing this one at full speed but going slow meant I enjoyed the scenery all the more. Crossing the Coromandel Forest via the 309 is quite an amazing experience and only the photos can give you a little clue of what it is like.

I would advice everyone to cycle the 309, alhough not with a roadbike.

Once you are at the bottom of the valley, there is a lovely recreation area besides the river, a perfect spot for lunch. As we had our food nicely laid out on some rocks, and Ella was running around happy and naked, she suddenly stopped right in front of us and while we were having our well deserved sandwiches, she started to go really red in the face. Vanessa and I knew what that was all about. NOOOOOO!!! Ella, not now. Yep, you guessed it, Ella just did a poo-poo all over our lunch. Nice one darling. Some flies didn´t even wait for it to cool off and we know why. These were NZ flies waiting for a Spanish paella! Anyway, enough talk about the indigestive system of our daughter. She loved it here by the river and we struggled to convince her she had to do another 5 km in the buggy.

Whitianga is a nice town with a beautiful beach. We couldn´t be bothered to cook tonight so we all had fish and chips. Gastronomic off road cycling, the new hole in the tourism market! At night the wind blew very strong and the tent got a good quality check.

Response to Anna Garratt

In the Weekend Herald of Saturday 21 November, Anna Garrat expressed her concerns about our travelling mode so we thought it was very important to explain not just to Anna but also to the general public how Ella is experiencing the trip and how she is travelling. The following is how we responded and how we hope our response will be published:


"In response to Anna Garratt of Rotorua, rest assured we only travel when Ella is happy to do so. The average time on the road is around 3 to 4 hours per day, while the rest of the day she has time to chase the birds we see on our travels, laugh and shout at the cows and sheep we see on our roadside lunches, play for hours in the campsite kitchen with the other kids (Ella loves to trhow the pots and pans around), throw herself on the tent because it bounces, spend time on the campsite playgrounds, explore the beach for stuff she can find and throw in the sea, socialize with all the lovely people we meet, marvel at the dolphins we saw in Bay of Islands, run freely through the campsites, watch Baby Einstein on our little laptop but most of all she enjoys spending all her time with us rather than having to be in daycare 8 hours a day like most children. We sincerely believe our child is enjoying so much more freedom than most children that are put in the car to get to daycare and have to spend most their time inside the house. Ella gets to enjoy the outdoors. To compare six months of undivided attention from both parents and having to spend a few hours per day in a buggy while she's asleep to prison is quite a stretch.
We would like to invite Anna to have a coffee with us when we pass through Rotorua as we might have given the wrong idea about how we are travelling. It goes without saying that the baby's interests and safety go first.
Kindest regards
Wouter and Vanessa

Coromandel Town

We took the ferry from downtown Auckland to Coromandel town and when we got to the pier Ella was not in the mood to get into the buggy so we spent 45 minutes watching her play on the beach. By that time Rex of Forest and Bird made it to the pier on his bicycle to give us a warm Coromandel welcome. Once Ella was ready we cycled the 10 km into the lovely little town. The sun was shining, the bars and cafes were fille with people and the campsite was perfect, just like our day.

Rex and Lynette took us for a tour to the beautiful surroundings just north of Coromandel where you can find stunning beaches with spectacular views. It was however the Kauri Grove Walk that impressed us most. The track will take you through a small but lush forest with plenty of native trees. Forest and Bird members have done great work over the years to replant Kauri and restore the area.

The Coromandel area is in great need for volunteers to keep F&B's work going so if you want to make yourself useful and help with restoring your natural heritage, contact Forest and Bird!!

We heard that the northern most point of the peninsula is of extraordinary beauty and that there was a great project in the Mouhau Range being carried out, but as has ocurred before on our journey through New Zealand, we had to give it a miss. It is simply impossible to do and see everything, especially when there is so much of it. We were starting to forget that the actual cycling is what we will see of New Zealand. In the end, we will have seen more than most campervan tourists but the bicycle can also be a restriction at times.

From our tent we could see the highway out of Coromandel and our legs were shaking already, what a hill! I couldn´t keep my eyes off it and think of the inevitability of having to go over while Vanessa thought that was the stupidest thing I had ever done. Stop looking at it! But, Rex had talked to us about an alternative route: the unsealed and infamous 309 gravel road, known to swallow cyclists whole. Rex had told us this also was a though climb and it wasn´t going to be easy with the buggies on the gravel. What to do? We will decide tomorrow.

Back on the road

We just wanted to write a few thankful words to everyone who have reacted to our articles, have been so kind to make a donation to Forest and Bird and have offered us challenges and places to stay. It is much more appreciated than we can ever express via a quick post on our blog but we hope you all realise that your support is giving us wings!

We are starting to become aware that the cycling issue is a hot topic in New Zealand and if our experiences and comments help to improve the situation, we will keep reporting as we go. Tomorrow we will be back on the road so email-responses might come in slower but we are doing every effort to stay in touch.

A lot of people have also come back to us, worrying about our safety. After a traumatic ride from Kerikeri to Paihia, we realised that only non-highway roads are to be cycled in New Zealand. We are making sure that we take the safest routes and we will make sure to let you know which they are.

Also, many people have commented that we should cycle the West Coast of the South Island so we are considering changing the route.

Again, many thanks for your support. Keep track of us.




Kindest regards

Notes on cycling in New Zealand

In Europe, New Zealand is portrayed as one of the most beautiful and spectacular countries in the world to visit. We decided to cycle its full length because we are used to do long cycling trips through Europe and we find it the most rewarding way to travel. Pedalling New Zealand from North to South is something we always wanted to do and the challenge got another dimension when Ella was born. She is now 14 months and is joining us in her little buggy.

Before we arrived in the land of the long white cloud we knew from other people that NZ roads aren't particularly made for cycling, but then again, apart from Holland, is there a country that has an extensive cycle path network? The answer should be a careful yes, as some countries are trying to build a similar network and are partly getting there. In California, for example, the government and local communities promoted the construction of a huge cycle path network, although the vast majority of people were taking the car for whatever distance. Why thus spend money on cycle paths you might ask? 10 years later, the vast majority of people are cycling to work and cycle their children to school because it is healthier, less stressful and safe again to do so. Give people the opportunity and they will rise up to the occasion!

Our experiences when cycling our first stage from Cape Reinga to Auckland, tell us that New Zealand is in desperate need of a similar cycle revolution. It will make cities a safer and much more pleasant place to roam. Imagine a city where you can just leave your children to run free? It is feasible, in fact, it already exists. In countries like Belgium, Holland, Denmark or Germany youth mainly cycle to school or university. Most youngsters probably think that it is a lot better to spend their money on beer than on a car. It is very common in belgian cities to have so many bicycles in front of a pub that you can't even see the facade. I do not condone drinking and driving but the first accident of a drunken cyclist with a pedestrian still has to be recorded.

We have very mixed feelings on cycling in the North. The first 70 km we were almost the only users, we hardly saw other people on the road. The few cars and logging trucks we did encounter respected us and got well out of our way. In turn, when the visibility was almost nil, we tried to signal when it was safe for them to pass. We only had kindly looks, extremely friendly drivers cheering us on and showing mutual respect.

From Awanui on, the situation changed drastically. The roads got busier and drivers, apart from not guarding enough distance, did not reduce speed while passing us by. That is a very dangerous trend that is only seen in countries where most youth never had the experience of cycling. It is not fair on NZ-drivers to say they are the worst and it is dangerous to demonise them. If you do not have the infrastucture to promote cycling, people will not understand the culture. You can hardly blame the car driver for something he/she has not been taught how to deal with. It would be a huge mistake to accuse car users to intentionally wanting to drive cyclists off the road. There might be the odd one out, mentally deranged enough to claim the road is not for cyclists and therefore to blame if somehting awful might happen. That sounds more like the type of comment and behaviour suitable for a regime that caused millions of deaths some 50 years ago in Europe. It is best not to waste any energy on extreme views such as these, and rather lobby for investment in cycling infrastructure, as this will solve most of the current issues.

We have used our bikes all our lives in Belgium and Spain, cycled the length of France, Spain, the Southwest of Ireland and England. We can assure you that the situation in New Zealand is not unique. In Spain, we do not even get on the main road because it is too dangerous and some Spanish drivers are hotheaded maniacs. In Ireland, we were literally blown off the road by a huge truck. The Portuguese share the same crazy behaviour as some of NZ drivers: even if there is a car coming from the opposite direction they will pass you, thus creating one of the most dangerous situations a cyclist can find him/herself in.

Europe is not the safe haven for cyclists as is suggested at times. We might have a far better cycle culture than NZ, but that is only true for a few countries and certainly does not apply for any of the meditterranean countries.

One of the main differences between New Zealand and most European countries is that they have a vast and extensive road network. In Europe, if you find yourself on a too busy road, you consult the map and will easily find an alternative. This is not the case in New Zealand. There are only two roads that take you straight from Cape Reinga to Auckland, all other alternatives go from west to east and it is a struggle to find a less busy and sealed road. Personally, we don't think having so few roads is a bad thing, it keeps the country wild and inaccessible, something most Europeans miss badly. It sounds like a contradiction but putting cycle paths in place will not jeapordise the vastness of this country.

After our experience on the busier main roads of the North, we now know that we need to stay on the smaller, less busy roads, whatever happens. The coastal road, for example, between Russell and Helena Bay is highly recommendable as an alternative to the Highway and although it is tough cycling, the views are stunning.

We hope to find better roads further south. We will let you know. You can follow our exact route on the interactive map of our website.

Regards

A FEW PHOTOS OF OUR TRIP IN THE NORTH:

Bird and Native Forest Sanctuary: Tiritiri Matangi Island

Tiritiri Matangi is an island off the coast of Auckland and it was the stage for one of the most ambitious replanting programmes we have ever laid eyes on.

The replanting programme began in 1984 and its success is thanks to the support and involvement of thousands of volunteers. The programme was completed in 1994 with over 250,000 trees being planted. The establishment of a tree nursery was central to the replanting project and Pohutukawa, New Zeland's Christmas Tree, has been the main tree planted initially. This fast-growing tree forms a canopy for other slower-growing species such as taraire, kohekohe or puriri, shading out the thick grass and providing shelter from the exposed conditions. The droppings of seed-eating birds help to spread seed and contribute to the regrowth of the forest.

New Zealand's island sanctuaries help to ensure the survival of many rare and endangered plant and animal species. They are especially valuable because they are easier to keep free of predators tham mainland areas.

Many island sanctuaries such as Little Barrier only allow the public restricted access to ensure that there is minimum disturbance of wildlife.

Visiting Tiritiri Matangi is easy. You take the ferry from downtown Aukland and book the guided tour, which is essential if you want to understand the history of the project and know the birds that reside on this reforested island.

For the first time since we arrived in New Zealand we understood what an extremely delicate business nature conservation is in this country. We had to stop comparing the fauna and flora situation in Europe with what is going on here. New Zealand never had any big land mammals and its native birds never had a natural enemy but all that changed with the introduction of predators. Rats, stoats, possums, cats and dogs are making it extremely difficult to restore the population of native birds and this was never the case in Europe. We were very unpleasantly surprised when we cycled for two weeks and hardly saw wildlife. The same species of birds kept showing up while in Europe all kinds of species live just around the corner. It all becomes clear when visiting Tiritiri Matangi. It took almost 30 years to restore this island and reintroduce native species, and it only takes one inconsiderate visitor to release a few rats to put all this work in jeapordy. We now understood how hard the conservation task must be on the mainland, where predators are difficult to control and farming is the main pollution factor. It can be changed and the situation can be improved but it seems even harder in New Zealand for the reasons mentioned above.

Personal note on nature conservation: I can't stop thinking about how to make nature conservation a big bucks business. Maybe it is because I have worked for big companies but it seems obvious that the corporate world and thus politicians would only jump ship if interesting investment opportunities are involved. Sure, we know by now that natural resources are extremely valuable and worth a lot of money but nature conservation should be profitable in its project form, not as a resource. There has to be a way of making money out of preserving our natural heritage. I hope I am mistaken but it seems to me that nature conservation costs money and is mostly carried out by volunteers. There will never be enough political will and corporate involvement if there is no hard cash to be gained. I would like to see this blog to become a think tank on the subject.

In the meantime, I hope this article encourages to go and see Tiritiri because it is one of those magical places that you should not miss, and where you can spot rare birds like the hihi, saddleback, takahe, kokako, rifleman but alse the rare tuatara, a reptile endemic to New Zealand. When in New Zealand people refer to bringing back the birdsongs to their forest, this is exactly what they mean. New Zealand's forests have been devoid of the songs of their native birds and they are desperately trying to bring them back. Now, how can we make big bucks out of those efforts so that the cold and merciless corporate world sees the benefits of protecting our fauna and flora??

Russell to Whangaruru (Bland Bay)

Our time in Russell was up but it was an unforgettable stay. Getting the ferry from Pahia to Russell with all our gear made our arrival quite special and we felt a bit more adventurous than usual.
The campsite we stayed on is beautiful with great cooking facilities and we met some fantastic people here. If you are reading this Steve, you must have made it over the Helena Hill and I am sure you agree it was an easy climb! We hope to see you somewhere on the way south. We are in Auckland at the moment until saturday. We took the Northern Express from Whangarei because we just could not find a decent alternative route for the Highway 1 into Auckland. Safety first ofcourse but we still feel bad about not having cycled the whole way. Anyway, go for it Steve and don't smoke too much!

A big hello to the lovely couple from California, get in touch!

Russell to us was more than just a nice colonial style town. We saw dolphins and a Bryde's whale with calf for the first time in our lives. It was the best experience you can imagine.

The morning we left we did not quite know what to expect because everybody kept saying how hilly the coastal road to Wakaphara was. No sooner had we left the campsite and we got confronted with a short but ridiculously steep hill. That should get the legs started. We did 34 km in total on seriously hilly terrain but we had the day of our lives. We were just unstoppable and climbed those hills like proper EPO-shooting professionals. I guess the scenery took our minds off the pain. The 34 km between Russell and Bland Bay via the coastal run through some amazing forests, bays and cliffs...and it's virtually empty as well. There are no villages and we hardly saw other people. We had lunch on a beautiful little bay infested with sandflies, nasty little creatures. I have to say we are a bit surprised not to see more wildlife. I don't know if this is because they are so hard to spot and more elusive than in Europe but we hardly see any birds and mammals are nowhere to be seen. It feels a bit empty.
The last 7 km to Bland Bay are through some amazing scenery of rolling green fields and a pine forest but we had enough of hills for today. When we get to the village, it turns out there is no shop and the campsite is closed. We are scarce on food and water and luckily we find a B+B right on the beach. Our hosts cook us a beautiful dinner with fresh mussels and veggies from the garden. I can't tell you how good that tasted after a hard day cycling.

Just besides the B+B is a Pa, an ancient Maori fortress with a buriel/battle ground in front of it. Our hosts tell us that from time to time, heavy storms uncover bones and skulls of battles long fought. You will do well not to touch them.

We sleep in a real bed for the first time in two weeks, not the worst experience I can tell you! Good night.

Kerikeri to Russell

After spending 3 days in the Hone Heke Backpackers in Kerikeri it was time to move on. Initially we were only going to stay 2 days in Kerikeri but Ella was not feeling too well so we decided to rest an extra day.

With Ella her usual hyperactive self again, we left the Backpackers at 10.30, praying the Cycle Gods would be gentle with us. 10.30 is a late start but we took our time to say goodbye to Kate and Duncan, the lovely couple that runs Hone Heke Backpackers who have made our stay the nicest experience. Kerikeri is not particularly our kind of town but its surroundings are beautiful and Hone Heke Backpackers definitely makes it worth the detour.

The road from Kerikeri to Paihia is rather easygoing and we made it in two hours to the docks to take the ferry to Russell.
Getting on the ferry with our two bikes and two buggies certainly was a challenge but Ella is enjoying every second of it as she hasn´t got to be in the buggy. She doesn´t know where to look first. At all the water splashing up, the boat moving away from the pier, the people on board, she is having the time of her life.

Getting the bikes and buggies off the ferry is even more complicated, why on earth are we carrying so much stuff with us? I should have just chucked one of the buggies overboard...

When we approach the Russell shore, we spot a group of dolphins at the horizon. On the banks we can see the Pohutokawas standing proud and it the midst of them a huge Ficus. Our captain tells us it´s not native but once we put up the tent, the first thing we do is get back to the beach to have a closer look at this giant. Its trunk is so twisted it seems to be in constant motion, a work of art only nature can produce. Russell is a very pretty little town with a long colonial history. The dolphins and the ficus made our day.

Visit to Kerikeri Lodge and Puketi Forest

Today we visited the Kerikeri lodge and the Puketi Forest with Forest and Bird member Rod Brown who was so kind to show us all the activities the Northern branch of Forest and Bird carries out through and with the help of various other organizations that operate in the area. It seems that the collaboration between these various groups are bearing fruit as we could appreciate at the Lodge in Kerikeri. The main activity at the Lodge consists of growing native trees from seed to plants of up to 4 years in a neatly kept tree nursery. The shrubs and trees are sold to other conservation organizations and the profits in turn provide funds to manage the nature reserves in the Kerikeri area such as the Puketi Forest. The different works at the tree nursery are carefully planned and carried out by volunteers. It seemed to us a perfect way to try and preserve the native forests of New Zealand and thus its native fauna.

Rod Brown explained to us that New Zealand faces numerous problems that affect its forests which makes Forest and Birds work so important. Pest control for example in New Zealand means to control predators that have been introduced only recently but have thrived on defenseless native species. Rats, cats and possums represent a serious threat to many of the native birds. Possums for example have grown in numbers up to 3 to 4 million in the whole of New Zealand.

Farming is one of the most damaging activities to the natural habitat of many of New Zealand´s species. The excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides damages much of the natural environment and a programme to promote a reduction of its use proves beneficial for both the natural environment and the farming industry. Farmers are being made aware of the fact that residue of cattle should not be simply washed away in streams which affect the quality of fresh water all over New Zealand. Fonterra, New Zealand´s biggest dairy company, has even issued a deadline to farmers who are not complying with new and more environmental friendly standards. A growing awareness for environmental friendly farming are encouraging signs that things can improve and that company profits on the longer term will benefit all parties and also New Zealand´s image of provider of good quality products.
On a personal level, our visit to the Puketi Forest was something of a being reborn experience. To enter this majestic tropical forest, unknown to most overseas tourists, is like entering a whole new world. Our native European forest consists of 2, sometimes 3 levels of plants while the tropical forest of Puketi has 5 levels of plants. The canope is represented by so-called emergent trees like the Kauri, a colossal tree that dates back to the Jurassic age. It is impossible to explain what it feels like to walk among these giants, flanked by other species of trees like the dragon leaf, vines, ferns and numerous other plant species. You can easily spend days exploring just a fraction of this forest and not get bored. It has been a mind blowing experience to us and we hope to encourage many more people to visit, enjoy and help to preserve this impressive little piece of natural world.

Wangharoa to Kerikeri

At 09.15 we said goodbye to Wangharoa and took off in the direction of Kerikeri, apparently a more touristy town with plenty of shops. We left more excited than other days as we were going to stop for a few days in Kerikeri. It was necessary we took a break because this was the 5th day in a row we were on our bikes and Ella in the buggy.

The road to leave Wangharoa was easygoing in the beginning but the wind turned and blew straight in our faces. We were warned of quite a steep hill once we would turn away from the riverbank and sure enough, there it was in front of us. This bloody hill turned out to be a wall of 2 km and it took us a lot of moral to reach the top.

We were over the moon and felt as strong as a thousand horses when we stood looking down on the valley below us. The views were stunning and a nice reward for our efforts. As we continued the road rolled forward but became increasingly more dangerous due to the lack of a shoulder and a sudden and strange change in driving behavior. All of a sudden cars did not care for us and passed fast and close.
A few kilometers a truck blew us both off the road and our day was ruined. I demanded the driver to come back as I wanted to smack the guy but I guess it was all a waste of precious energy.

After consulting the map we found a much less busier road into Kerikeri and we got there fine, although exhausted. After a few inquiries we found a beautifully located Backpackers called the Hone Heke Lodge. It is run by a lovely couple that will give you the warmest welcome and attend to your every need. The facilities are in perfect condition and there is a large common area where you can play pool, table tennis or just chill out and chat with other travelers. If you like a bit of fun during your stay, get one of the rooms near the area and you´ll be sure to have a great time. If on the other hand you would like to have a quieter stay, try to get one of the rooms further away and you´ll be absolutely fine.

Kerikeri is quite a lovely little town and perfect for us as it had a big supermarket where we could buy plenty of stuff that we will need for the coming weeks. Baby nappies are hard to find in the Far North.