Heading North

Two day trip up to Hamilton was longer and tougher than I'd anticipated. Weather and distance was against me. Ferry delayed by rough seas meant riding late at night, in the dark, through low cloud, up and down big mountains. Not pleasant. Before arriving late at hotel with no wifi - hence radio silence...

The next day required even more distance to be covered. Had I bitten off more than I could chew?

Fortunately, the formidable BMW took it and me in its stride - delivering me safely, if shattered, to Hamilton and to the next part of the adventure - meeting up with my son Oli and his wife Lauri (who graciously overlooked my complete exhaustion!)

So I guess that brings the biking bit of the trip to an end, and therefore the blog

In the meantime, Steve has been flown back to UK, bolted together again and now home getting some well deserved TLC

So sorry he couldn't complete the trip, missing out on such a fantastic experience and a load of banter along the way. It wasn't the same without you mate

Arthur's Pass

Breakfast with the East Java Harley Chapter. Delightful guys who charmed a local WI group also staying at the hotel

Despite low cloud all day, it remained dry. So disappointing photographs, but thankfully nice safe riding

This was the flip back across to Christchurch, completing the South Island circuit

Followed route known as Arthur's Pass - first used by Maori tribes crossing to the west coast to find pounamu (greenstone) Boy they must have really loved the stuff, as it was challenging enough by bike, let alone on foot and weighed down with their haul

Stopped at cafe on top and shared coffee with group of 'mature' British bikers travelling opposite direction, doing a circuit of airfields and vineyards (each to their own). They'd got soaked on way across, recommending getting waterproofs on. Somehow and happily, I avoided it

Finally got back to the hotel, to be greeted by Vaughn and a new bike. I've been upgraded to a big shiny BMW 1200. Looks huge, however Vaughn assures me it is the bisso - we'll see!

Gentle Readers

Many apologies to the thousands of you unable to comment on our blog

Unfortunately IT support (Steve) has just let me know that their appears to be  a malfunction with the software

Apologies again

The Coast Road

Woke to drizzly, overcast morning (clearly I shouldn't have jeered at the Royal party). Faced with reputably 'the best motorcycling in the world', thought I'd hang on for an hour, to see if weather cheered up

And it did, just enough to stay dry all day. If fact, as I sit and write this, the rain has just started thumping down. Perfect timing

Morning settled into, now what seems, a familiar routine. It easy to get blasé about the achingly beautiful landscapes and spine tingling ride. Today's added spice was the Tasman Sea, keeping me company most of the day. Powerful rollers crashing onto a white beach. In Britain, we expect some flotsam and jetsam. Here it is trees with complete root systems being washed up and left on the tide line. Can't emphasise enough just how colossal everything here is.

Demanding ride, diving back through rainforest and out again onto the coast road, eventually brought me to Hokitika. Joined local biking couple for coffee, who wanted to know more about the Triumph Tiger, as they were considering retiring from track racing, now they were in their fifties. Interestingly, both on their own racing machines and not a clean panel on either bike!

Hokitika is the centre of pounamu/greenstone carving - an ancient Maori art. One showroom shared fascinating stories behind the history of this work and yes, obviously presented a retail opportunity

Also tried Vodaphone NZ shop to improve internet connection by using local data SIM card. Sadly assistant couldn't sort out a workaround

By now I was itching to get back on the tarmac. And next section was just sublime. No real speed involved - just visor up, wind in face, wriggling around and diving into corners like a stabbed rat. (Tiddles, you may have lost your 2012 NY eve wiggling crown to the NZ coast road!)

All too quickly arrived at Punakaiki and the pancake rocks. Sadly tides all wrong for the blow holes to be blowing. However, would make a juicy rock hopping destination on a future kayaking trip and did return to my bike to find a new friend, busy pecking at my tyres...

Hotel location, right on the beach with room overlooking the sea. Window open and wonderful sounds of crashing waves, taking me back to Seaweed Cottage, Cornwall

Steve you are much missed - good luck with the op. You'll be dancing the fandango in no time...

The Ice Road

As there is no road immediately North out of Fiordland, the trip yesterday brought us inland, describing a big 'U'. So today's ride was all about getting back across onto the West coast, to head north. And what a beauty! Scorching hot day and clear blue skies - and this is NZ autumn

Not sure which courtier's taking responsibility for the filthy weather on the Royals NZ visit, imagine he's in the tower already

Regular pattern of wide valleys interrupted by stonking great mountains. In Milford, the fiord (it's not actually a Sound) and it's mountains are sharp and jagged, either hewn by glacier action or chopped by the axe of a mighty ancient god - depending on wether you're listening to a geologist or Maori chief. Up here the mountains look softer, more benign, wrapped up in their rainforest blankets

However, the rides up and down, equally as steep. Just time enough to recover with a breathtaking lake or river crossing - then down the gears to chase up the next one. Couldn't take many pictures today, because I couldn't take many pictures today. Too busy driving! Road also seemed to ride differently - much harder on the suspension (and me) Perhaps the substrate or method of construction varies across the country

Did jump off once to take in the Blue Pools walk, a world renown, must see highlight, in this wilderness region. Very beautiful

Strong smell of ozone suggested the coast was close - then suddenly the rainforest finally opened up to reveal the Tasman sea. Ride up the shoreline was sensational. The road eventually winding back inland to avoid the huge glaciers blocking our way. Staying tonight at Franz Joseph glacier. At 19km, the closest any glacier at this latitude, has advanced to the coast

From the snow capped mountain range ahead, looks like tomorrow's going to be another goodun!

Love you long time

Happy to be rolling back up the wonderful Milford Road again.  Practice making 'a little less' imperfect

Very cold, particularly in the deep shadows of the forest. Wet moss in the centre of the road to be avoided. Finally break free of the chill, emerging into liquid sunshine and watery vistas. Mile after mile, all the way back to Queenstown, wonderful

And strangely enhanced by experience of being stuck behind a police car. Weird how much more you observe when cranked back a little

Hitting Queenstown, GPS route cuts through to the back of the town. Suddenly a climb is on, up to the Crown Range. This is big country... and I mean BIG. The pass is high at 1000m - and adding frisson to the moment, just as I was beginning to groove 2nd gear for the climbing hairpins - they decided to resurface the road. Yep, corner itself was sealed, while  exit covered with loose gravel!!! Thank god there's so little traffic, as had to stand bike up and 'goosey' through the next half dozen turns. Then, can you imagine the ignominy, when I checked my mirrors, to discover a 4x4 on my tail! Embarrassment/ego meant he wasn't there for long...

View from the top. If you take the trouble to click on the picture and zoom in, you'll see this place is vast! The climb eventually flattened out at Cardrona providing the perfect excuse for a late lunch at picture perfect historic NZ pub (I'm guessing I've probably got shirts older than this)

All that was then left to do, was a gentle roll into Wanaka, heart of NZ skiing country. And my immediate thought was, if you had freedom to live anywhere in the world....

It's been a long day in the saddle and though tired, has brought both excitement for me and welcome relief to my aching feet!

Fauna and Flora

Day started well within my comfort zone, a dawn kayak trip down Milford Sound. Within minutes our tiny flotilla had been all but consumed by the leviathan landscape. Perhaps it was our lack of significance that afforded the opportunity to get up close and personal with the local aquatic life - both dolphin and seals

The photos might have been better, but it took a while to get Mel C, in the front of my double kayak, out of shot

Jimmy, our leader, reckoned we'd struck gold - with beautiful weather and a competent group, all of whom were strong paddlers (we were amongst the very few to complete the 20km trip)

During the paddle Jimmy kept raving about a local high walk - Gertrude's Saddle, being the best in NZ - so I thought...why not? It also gave me the excuse to ride a way back up the fantastic Milford road

Left bike in gravel car park, at base of mountain, where the walk started. Wonderful approach, striding through dense rainforest and exotic flowers - at this point was feeling a little like Indiana Jones. Sadly, the feeling didn't last. In fact, the reality was, the climb beat me

Both equipment and operator failure. My kayaking shoes struggled to provide any meaningful grip and I lost confidence about 30mins from the 1500m summit. In the middle of nowhere, on my own and with clouds descending rapidly, I decided to descend rapidly too. Right choice, my feet absolutely shredded by the time I got back to the bike

Given the trip's casualty count, beaten but not broken, was a reasonable outcome