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!