Akaroa to Dunedin

Since it is not always easy to find fast internet, if any, it took me a while to send some pictures of the trip so far. Here is a link to the pictures from the part Wellington to Akaroa.


http://s254.photobucket.com/albums/hh106/AnitasTourDeAotearoa/Welly%20to%20Akaroa/

In Akaroa we spent some lovely days - sunny and warm weather and we just enjoyed this nice village and drank and ate a bit and were very lazy. The only way back to Christchurch from here was via the same route as we came, so we decide to take a bus back. Yes, lazy, I know! In Christchurch the first thing I have to do is looking for a bicycle shop that has my 28" tyres, since it seems a good idea to replace the outer tyres before moving on. The first shop we check is run by a Dutch immigrant (can't be a coincidence) and he has the required tyres, so that is easily fixed. The next day we explore the surroundings of Christchurch in the rain and cold; we cycle via Cashmere, Sign of the Kiwi, Governor's Bay, Lyttleton, Sumner back to town. Especially the bays, Lyttleton and Cashmere are very nice parts of Christchurch.

Then it's Saturday morning and the alarm clock rings at 5:45am, since Marco has to catch the train to Picton. I join him to the train station and wave him goodbye. He will go on the ferry and be back in Wellington that same afternoon. (maybe he will write something about his whereabouts on http://www.anitamarco.waarbenjij.nu/ ?). I am off to Ashburton via a very boring route, but with some excitment, being a few shoulderless bridges, one of which is 2km long. I must say I was very relieved when I finally crossed that one and was still alive and kicking. The large cattle trucks and campervans nearly drive you off the bridge. When there is one big danger with cycling in NZ, then it is these bridges and the big trucks, but there is not a way to avoid these. I arrive in Ashburton after 85km but it's only 11:30am. I have an early lunch and decide to move on, since there is still a tailwind and I want to make the most of it. This brings me in Temuka, there are 150km on the teller now and here I am lucky to find a bar with Guinness on the tap - I decide I deserve 1 pint. The next day the wind has turned and it is going to be a hard day. After 20km I already stop in Timaru to have my second breakfast of the day - hot cakes at McDo (no comments please!). The landscape after Timaru is still evenly boring as the day before: grassland, sheep, cows. I am heading for Moeraki Village but soon I realise that I am not going to make it this far today with the headwind, but stop in Oamaru. This is a pleasant small town and I find a neat small campground. The biggest attraction of this area are the penguins and I book a trip to have a look at these funny creatures. First of all we are going to view the Yellow-Eyed Penguins, one of the world's rarest penquins, which is said to be endangered. A lot of effort is being done by DOC (Department of Conservation) to secure the protection of the areas where these penguins breed. We see a few coming on shore in the distance and closer by, but hard to get them on the picture. They are around 70cm high and they have a band of bright yellow around the back of the head which passes through the line of the eyes. The next stop is the Blue Penguin colony close to the Oamaru harbour. Here a huge grandstand is built where this evening around 150 people are waiting for the penguins to come ashore. These penguins gather off shore in a group known as a raft and come ashore as it gets dark. We see one small and one big raft coming ashore. It is great to see them wobbling over the rocks and to the nest buildings. They exactly know where to go. I can recommend this trip to anyone who ever passes through Oamaru. After this long and exciting day I easily fall asleep.

The next morning I still have not decided whether to move on or the stay for a day in Oamaru. At 10:30am I move on further to the south because it seems to be a good cycling day. For the first time since leaving Christchurch I make pictures again, because the scenery now changes dramatically. I now go through rolling green hills and although it is hard at times, this is compensated by the views. This day I come as far as Waikouaiti (no clue how I have to pronounce this). Then it is time for the last stage to Dunedin on Tuesday 8 January. Soon after leaving I come on a cycle route to Dunedin which leads me along the coast via a spectacular route. Unfortunately, my gears are causing me trouble today and it takes me a long time to cross all the hills. At one stage I even wonder why I am not just sitting somewhere in an office at a desk (?!). At the same time, however, I realise that I am very lucky to be able to enjoy the beauty of this country by bicycle. The last part brings me over Mt Cargill (400mtr) and I am very relieved when I see Dunedin in the distance and go downhill again. I pass Baldwin Street where a few tourists are making pictures, of course I join them. Baldwin Street is the steepest street of NZ, with a gradient of around 38%. It will be impossible to cycle up this street (Hanneke, you win!), but there is a competition every year where people try to get up and down this street as fast as possible - this must be good fun!

From the city I have to go up hill again to the campground. I did not realise that Dunedin is at least as hilly as Wellington. For the first time during this cycling trip I have to get off the bike and walk for about 1km during which I have to stop every 100 mt or so, to catch my breath and find a bit of shade. It is about 24 degrees and that's hot in NZ! I book the camping for two nights, because I am sure I do not want to cycle one metre for at least a day.......

Greetings from very sunny and warm Dunedin, that I am going to explore right now.

Anita