Tag: north island

Thermal Hotbed Shelter Riders

Posted on by Ryan

The morning riding to Rotorua Eal had an empty stomach, I was trucking on P+J sarnies again but still welcomed the unexpected cafe along the narrow highway which we were riding along with some morning traffic. I managed to briefly speak to my dad over a bad line to wish him happy birthday, 10am New Zealand time is 10pm back home so I caught him just before bed.

We hit some back roads for the second half of the ride through blueberry wine country, which I passed up trying. A great downhill through dense forest brought us out on the edge of Lake Rotorua, nice and flat to the town centre where we located the backpackers in town we had reserved. The town is situated on a thermal hotbed, strong sulphur smells waft through the air which takes some adjustment.

We spent an extra day in Rotorua to take in some of the local walking trails the town had to offer around the lake and local thermal activity. We also visited a Maori village, unfortunately we missed one of the daily shows, however walking round the village was still interesting enough. Away from the town centre Rotorua is transformed into a colourful blooming wonderland, a really beautiful place. At the backpackers in town we had been cooking big meals in the large kitchen area and had a great talk with a Scottish dentist currently travelling who had lots of tips for the south island.

The lodge handed out a coupon for each guest to get a $1 wine at a local bar. Me an Eal visited later that evening, it was a great place with live band on. We asked for the house red BEFORE brandishing our coupons, I doubt we would have received such a generous glass full otherwise. Rotorua was a good choice, pronounced Ro-taw-ua, unlike elsewhere in the country for some reason they roll the second ‘r’. Additionally I learned that in New Zealand ‘wh’ is spoken as an ‘f’, for example Whangarei is pronounced Fangarei, odd.

Leaving town we were unexpectedly treated to a bike path which would keep us off the main highway for around 10 miles. The scenery was so spectacular I was having a hard time getting any miles done stopping every quarter mile to marvel and take pictures of the hills and fields surrounding me. Bang on route was the ‘Thermal Wonderland’ Wai O Tapu. A leaflet I picked up in Rotorua depicted yellowstone-esque pools that seemed to good to miss. They charge $30 at the entrance . It seemed very excessive, natural wonders should be free, or at least a very small fee to support maintenance if it will enhance the experience. It was a decent 3km walking loop, comparing it to Yellowstone is probably the difference between Flamingo Land and Disney land though.

Afterward we rode on to Reporoa where I scored a dairy fix with some great ice cream, so good I immediately returned to the store for seconds, the lady gave me extra big scoops to satisfy me. We finished the ride in Taupo, the town by Lake Taupo, camping at a holiday park. A sunny Friday evening it filled up quickly with families and many BBQ’s going strong. I felt like a grandad getting in my tent at 9pm as kids were still running riot full of beans. Sleepyhead.

Waking to rain pattering on my tent I wasn’t sure I was ready to get up. We have hardly had a morning since May we have had to wake and pack in rain. It didn’t stop and was only getting heavier. After loading up quickly we hit town for breakfast and managed to put off hitting the road as long as possible. Soaked within seconds of riding I could feel the squelch in my shoes everytime I pushed down on.

To paint a mental imagine of us riding on highway 1, if you have ever seen a huge lorry plough through a puddle creating a wave of water that drenches a pedestrian, we were that pedestrian been sprayed over and over again. At a cafe about 30 miles in I was already thinking Turangi, just halfway through our intended mileage, would be a good option for the day. Eal obliged and we pulled into the town 13 km later to find the information centre which pointed us in the direction of the A Plus Samurai lodge backpackers.

What an awesome little place it was! Tucked away in the back streets of the small town, the complex was comprised of several small buildings each of which had unique and quirky artwork on the inside and the outside. It was a family owned place and Ian the owner was very funny. I spent that night in the lounge area by the fire with all the other guests, super warm and comfortable in a big old armchair.

The following morning the forecast looked grim again, ‘The Big Wet’ as New Zealand news is reporting it with more gale force winds coming. I had asked Ian the previous night if people had trouble leaving the place and now I was. I quickly decided to stay another day and Eal was keen on the idea of cooking up a Sunday dinner. The lodge makes for great people watching, the current crop consisted of Germans, Slovenians, Israelis and Indians.

On the evening I found myself flanked by Ian’s 2 kids Jackson and Sarah. We laughed and joked around all night. I looked around the rest of the filled room and wondered why they had picked me out for fun. I had a happy realisation that all the years growing up with younger brothers, they were similar age to Will, had given me a special ability to connect and entertain with them effortlessly which they were extremely receptive to. I was happy to make them laugh given it was a Sunday which marked the end of the long NZ school holidays, first day back for them tomorrow!

Trans-Hemispheric

Posted on by Ryan

The flight from SFO to AKL was only 12 hours, it always surprises me how quickly you can reach a completely different part of the world. Arriving 5:30am New Zealand time, it was still dark and wet outside. Riding bikes from Auckland airport to hostel was out of the question, so we  squared some transportation. Waking up in San Fran 6am one morning not really sleeping on the plane and now it was 6am again, we were tasked with staying awake another full day too avoid a bad sleep pattern. It was tough work and we both flaked out around 8pm.

We spent a few quiet days around Auckland and particularly one of the inner city suburbs, Ponsonby, getting over jet lag. After so many months in the USA it almost felt like a return to home. The streets, cars, buildings looked similar and people are just generally a little British in nature. One thing we immediately miss however is our American IPA’s, NZ beer selection leaves a lot to be desired, however this is countered by the return of all my favourite cadbury’s chocolate bars and use of the term “cheers mate” is again acceptable to use without somebody giving me a look of bewilderment. Not to forget sarcasm can be used mid-conversation without acknowledgement or explanation, just like home. 🙂

One thing I love about being on a loaded bike is that EVERYBODY talks to you. Having spent a few days back as plain clothed Ryan it felt good to be lycra clad and hitting the road again. Nobody was all that talkative in the hostel until I was stood in reception bags,bike and all ready to leave, then I chatted with each passing backpacker. I was particularly pleased to have one girl ask excitedly if I was from Newcastle, close enough and happy in the knowledge my accent is intact. I left pumping tyres until outside the Hostel only to find my rear was somehow punctured, start time delayed 30 minutes.

Navigating away from Auckland was simple, hit the bay and follow the bike path for 10 miles. The towns gradually became smaller and more rural until we were out in the sticks, again with a decidedly British feel and smell! Cows, sheep and manure mmmm. However, just as you think the landscape looks familiar I have quickly learned New Zealand will throw you a curveball. Sheep grazing on a field one corner will turn into a temperate rainforest scene the next and then to a thermal pool or geyser. It makes for fascinating riding, the variety has me excited to see what else is out there.

After camping at Orere point we set out early along the coastline, what struck me is that along a bay which would normally be built up with million dollar homes, there were fields of cattle grazing, lucky meepers. It was a short fairly uneventful ride to the town of Paeroa where the camping option listed on our map was difficult to find. At the information centre the only camping they knew of was an overnight parking area on the edge of the public domain. Not strictly for tents we pitched up regardless. Some local kids, up past their bedtime, came over inquisitively and threw questions at me like “Do you have grass in England?” and “What rugby team do you support?”. Funny lads, who enjoyed the pictures of USA on my camera and insisted on striking aggressive poses for their commemorative snap.

From one Pacific coast to another…

Apparently it rained in the night, being at the base of a small hill the water had ran down underneath our tents. It managed to seep through my bottom sheet and create a small puddle INSIDE my humble abode. Wet tents are nasty to roll and heavy to carry, yuck. We devoured breakfast in town then hit the road on a super fresh, ever-brightening morning, its springtime in New Zealand at the moment, by switching hemispheres we have skipped Autumn and Winter, not sure how I feel about that yet. Is it possible to miss scraping the ice of my car on those dark frosty mornings, driving with one hand under my shirt until the heating kicks in…?

The roads are fairly narrow in NZ (and yes for a certain somebody they use ZED here not ZEE ;-)…) with limited to no shoulder, but a country the size of the UK, with only around 4.5 million people, traffic is always light. We took a pitstop in Te Aroha by the public domain, their name for town parks. It was a great recreation area, very well kept, with spa pools harnessing the local geothermal activity, bbq areas and a short walk trail up into the hillside which we spent some time on.

Continuing on mainly back roads and treated to some spectacular waterfalls as we rode alongside a small mountain range, we arrived at Okorie Hot Springs Hotel which was part of a golf course complex but most importantly had a small camping area. The kiwi running the place informed us of a $5 roast on offer in the lounge area from 6pm. Too good to miss, we joined all the other locals in what was a popular spot. It had the feeling of a working mens club back home, only rugby on the TV, great people watching. Next to the camp field there was a river flowing down toward the hot pool area which was closed for the evening but the walking track beside it took you into a magical forest area where I plodded around for a good hour, amazing and free!

I had this song in my head…