Upper Moutere We were just outside the Nelson region but we stopped at the Nelson Sun Club at 'Sunrise'. We got soaked for the first time in NZ! Just once riding the 5km from the nearest shop to the house in the club grounds. We survived. Otherwise the weather was disappointing. And this is the area where Lesley has been looking to stay all the time we have been there. Nelson We moved into Nelson proper on Friday 10 February and the weather tried to soak us again but we just made it to the Information Centre. And then we could walk under cover to our motel in the centre of town. We are now off to the Golden Bay. The market was full of good food and excellent art today. And the Suter Gallery in ... read more

From Greymouth up to Westport This has proved to be not as bad as the prospect looked. The road is not too hilly, the weather is not too wet (in fact it has been dry nearly all the time), it has not been cold (in fact we are now avoiding a very hot sun out there) and the welcome has been just as good as everywhere. We even swam in the sea and it is not too cold. We swam in the Nile river which seemed warm. We rented a small house just on the beach at Charleston, a very small place which used to have 18,000 there in the 19th century. Further north to Westport before we head inland to make our slow way up to Nelson which Lesley assures Michael is the best place ... read more

Central Otago We had a lovely ride, mostly down, from Arrowtown. Arrowtown was a small place built for the goldrush. We saw King Kong there in a very small cinema. We had two intervals where drinks were sold and a plate of cheeses available. Very civilised. Then we carriered down the Kawarau gorge and valley which was great. We made excellent time to Cromwell and then Clyde where we joined the Otago Rail Trail through Alexandra where we stayed with a Servas host, Kay, who took us all over the place. Then we rode up the trail and over to Middlemarch. We caught the Gorge Trail at Pukerangi and ended up in Dunedin. The Trail took us three days. Otago Peninsula We saw yellow eyed penguins, albatrosses, shags and basking seals which was wonderful. Swam in ... read more

Adventures in Queenstown We have now done Queenstown with a trip on a Jet Boat down the Shotover river, a lovely wine tour (we only remember the first part of that for some reason) and a trip over the lake to the Water Peak Station for dinner. We also went up the gondola but it tried to snow in us so we returned to town. Now, we are off to Arrowtown, Alexandra and Dunedin.... read more

Aoraki Naturally 36 hours in Mackenzie country. Star Gazing from the Mount John Observatory till 1am up early for horse trekking in the hills around Lake Tekapo then a 70 min flight over Mount Cook and the glaciers including Fox and Franz Joseph. All amazing and yes rather hectic after several very quiet days at the Naturist festival but as we have found you have to take advantage of the fine weather when it is here. Off at 6.30 the next morning to Mount Cook This was a sublime ride hard in parts but with views of the mountains and lake at all times with snow topped Mt Cook getting closer all the time. Great weather and even a slight tail wind to assist with the gradient. Ok we paid for it the next day with ... read more

Christchurch We took the shuttle to the door of Mark and Elaine's house in St Albans, a part of Christchurch and made very welcome again. Next morning it was blowing a real gale but very warm. We needed a new saddle and some bits so we set off for town to find it more or less closed. We got the saddle and then set off to do the Gardens' Tour of the city. A lovely place obviously trying to be a little bit of England but pleasant all the same with rivers and parks all over the place. Next morning we caught the 7.30 bus to Lake Tekapo and got the bike to take a whole (of three) compartment of the bus. Some cyclists wanted to get on at Fairlea but could not because of space. ... read more

Gisborne Spent two nights at a Homestay in north Gisborne and then we hired a car to take us all the way to Wellington at New Year. Eventually we got the bike into a Corrolla and ventured further south. At the Information Centre first thing we met again our intrepid cyclists from Malvern, Harvey and Catherine, who were staying in town as well. Then off to stay with Don with whom Lesley stayed with last time, a lovely man, who lives in a small bungalow in Hastings. And off to the Hawkes Bay Sun Club where we were greeted by a single member who then left for Rotoroa leaving us on the site on our own! We were in an old partially reconstructed home of three bedrooms but a bit needed doing. Next morning Lesley had ... read more