It’s been a spectacular day from start to finish and I’ll let the pictures tell the story.

Weka Pass not far out of Hanmer Springs.

Coffee in Oxford.

Waimakariri River.

Looking back to where we’ve come from and still 60km from Arthurs Pass.

Castle Hill.

Pearson Lake.

First sight of snow since we landed.

A Viaduct we were about to ride over. The photo doesn’t show the 16% grade fall on it. Incredible!

Reid Falls over the road. There had been major subsidence and wash outs below this point which was to our advantage as there were traffic lights and 1-way traffic so we got to stop for pics. All kinds of awesome.

Last 2 nights’ accommodation:

Hanmer Inn Motel

16 Jacks Pass Road

Hanmer Springs NZ 7334

A lovely retreat to pull into at the end of a big day riding. The property offers serviced and self-contained suites along with awesomely friendly and helpful attention and service by the owners. The rooms are beautifully presented with functional and attractive furnishings and it would be impossible not to feel comfortable. Bed nice and comfortable. No air-conditioning but it is an Alpine area so not really needed. There is a fan available and heating options as well as electric blankets, and perhaps a small thing but windows and doors which close tightly. We chose this one from a couple of options because it was a reasonable price and in easy walking distance to the shops and many dining options and it is just that. Pretty level going also so not taxing. A guest laundry and free parking are on site. Unlimited Wi-Fi and a great speed as well. Yay! Would be somewhere we would return to.

Heavy rain overnight and again this morning. I had already decided to have a chill day today, but Norm wanted to check out an alternate route to yesterday’s ride so planned to leave around 7 …which ended up being around 9.30 which was some time before the rain stopped and brilliant sunshine followed ever so briefly. I wandered around the little village between misty showers and found the village is totally unpretentious and delightful and then had a massage in the afternoon, as I do when I can. I am on holidays after all. Norm on the other hand encountered more sunshine and texted me 2 photos only … both of his bike of course. He redeemed himself by also taking a couple of others as well

A misty morning in Hanmer Springs …. and for most of the day.

Some of the remains of the Queen Mary Hospital 1916 – 2003 which treated soldiers post WW I and WW II as well as acting as a sanitorium and covering several other health areas over the years. The buildings are now deserted but the community has preserved the site. I hope they can find long term use for them, so they don’t deteriorate any further. Reminded me of my early days in nursing forever ago.

And the spa, on the same site as the original hospital where one used ‘to take to the waters’ and still do both locals and tourists alike.

Just lounging about here, but also lots of space for those who want to relax more enthusiastically with slides and much squealing.

Maruia Falls, very nice.

A sample of lots of the greenery we rode through yesterday and he again today.

And of course, the bike early in the day (the first one I got).

And we should have had a panorama shot. The bridge and part of the valley outside Hanmer Springs.

And then the second shot of the bike not long before he got back with the huge valley behind around 500 - 600m across he estimates.

There was heavy rain overnight, but roads weren’t wet for long today. We started off with more magnificent coastal views, then a stop for breakfast in Greymouth which seemed a bit of a shock to the senses after awesome rural views then off to discover much dairy, beef and venison farming on very pretty countryside and a coffee at Reefton, an old gold mining town reminiscent of a larger version of Walhalla. From here we climbed into the Lewis Pass which was full of beautifully lush conifers and ferns, a break for lunch at Maruia Hot Springs and ultimately great rock-strewn valleys as the land levelled out for the Alpine Village of Hanmer Springs which is probably the most quirky and picturesque alpine village we’ve come across.  

Specie coastal view soon after we leave Pancake Rock.

And again.

Greymouth Port. A short walk from our breakfast spot.

Main street Reefton.

Awesome Lewis Pass view.

More of the same over Norm’s shoulder, so where we’ve already been.

And into Hanmer Springs.

Last nights’ accommodation:

Punakaiki Resort

State Highway 6

Punakaiki NZ

A stunning property half on one side of the highway and the other on the other side connected by an underpass. We had a lovely suite well up the hill with a spectacular view over the ocean and I loaded up the photos for the blog but with a 1GB limit didn’t get it finished. Mmm, should be unlimited. We dined in the restaurant which was beautiful, and the food was great. The unit is spacious clean well provisioned comfortable and beautifully presented. Feel very spoilt. Feels like perfection after a big day on the bikes. Well done guys, your service was friendly and attentive, and your resort just wrapped itself around us.

We enjoyed a short walk down to the town last night for dinner in a street closed off as a mall with heaps of places to choose from. I liked Nelson which was a surprisingly big and vibrant town which somehow reminded me of Launceston in Tassie, not sure what it was, could be some of the architecture and just look and feel of it.

Today was just a glorious day of riding with beautiful bendy roads, not too much tight stuff and not all that much traffic we couldn’t get past and the scenery was all kinds of spectacular from rolling hills and rugged mountains to scoured limestone cliff faces and finally the pancake rocks and blow hole in Punakaiki. Could have taken 2 days to do the same distance just to get a fraction of the ooh and aah shots we rode by. We really are fortunate to be here …. And yes, I know there are lots of photos but today Norm took 91 and I took 93 so very restrained … just saying!

Dinner was lovely in the outdoors and the vibe in the town was lovely … delicious burger and local beer as well.

First stop was Wakefield which was evacuated with the Nelson bushfires last week and beyond. They have been back for 3 days though still some side roads closed off by police. This was our breakfast spot and below is the sign outside their door. Great to see.

All sorts of quirky geography as we ride.

Stopped for a great photo of water and cliff face…...

To find out it is a 1-way road under an overhang. Quirky again.

Main street Westport which was our lunch spot.

Saw the sign for Cape Foulwind and just had to see it…..had a giggle on the way seeing a B&B called (Sea Whispers) which sort of didn’t match with the picture I had in my brain. This is the current lighthouse built in 1926 and the remains of the foundations of the original timber one built in 1876.

Returning to the main road from Cape Foulwind. Gorgeous views again.

The things we do to get great pics. There was a sign 10km out and this was around a 25km signed corner, I think it should have been a 15 km, but we are in an allowed spot, just the end of it.

And this was one of the great views.

Another rugged cliff face on the way to Punakaiki.

An example of Pancake Rocks. Limestone which has been scoured by water making its way through. Incredible sight. Some of it looks artificial.

And again,

And some faces as well.

Awesome Cliff face again.

Last nights’ accommodation:

Century Park Motor Lodge

197 Rutherford Street

Nelson NZ 7010

A stunning property which was obvious from the moment we rode our bikes up to reception. The whole property inside and out is immaculately clean and tastefully presented. We were met with a friendly and knowledgeable welcome by owners who couldn’t do enough to maker us feel welcome and valued. The unit was beautiful and was a FOC upgrade as they needed to rearrange other customers to suit another booking, so we had a roomy self-contained unit well supplied as well as a balcony which allowed a delightful cool breeze. Air-conditioning Yay. Walking distance to many dining options. Beautifully comfortable bed. Parking on site, no charge … and the owners asked if we wanted to put our bikes in their grange so of course we said yes and free Wi-Fi but for some reason wouldn’t hook up for me to do my blog. Not sure if it was a capacity issue or what. Information booklet comprehensive and all bases covered. Very impressive. Well done guys!

Our hotel last night was a short walk to the waterfront which was rather cute and historic at the same time so there were lots of eating options as well as having the advantage that it was only 5 minutes to the Interislander Ferry this morning to head to the South Island. The Ferry was obviously a newer edition to the fleet than the one we came north on so more options to sit and a really smooth passage as well. Once we landed, we headed straight off north west around the top of the South Island and headed via some awesome climbing and bendy roads to Nelson which is a large town and has a huge working port.

Beautiful historic building right on the waterfront in Wellington.

And another, this one used to be the Bond Store in very early years now it’s the Wellington Museum.

A work shot of the Wellington Harbour. I had tried to get a shot of a departing cruise liner, but I missed it.

And plenty of modern buildings around as well. 

Looking back at the harbour as the ferry turns around to get underway.

Was a lovely sunny passage and the views of the water inlets and harbours were beautiful.

The Sister Ferry heading in the opposite direction.

Picton Harbour from a vantage point soon after we headed off. That’s our ferry in the background.

Another work shot in Nelson as a commercial vessel heads off from Nelson Harbour.

A view of a small part of Nelson from a very steep residential street.

Last nights’ accommodation:

Ibis Wellington

153 Featherstone Street

Wellington NZ 6140

A small studio suite but functional all the same. Air-conditioning. Yay! Small but well-appointed bathroom. Room to sit and literally in the heart of the city. Staff terrifically helpful and welcoming. Parking available under the building, another Yay. Restaurant and bar on site so well catered for if you don’t want to venture out. Free Wi-fi and only 5 minutes to the Interislander Ferry so very handy.

Palmerston North is one of the fastest growing cities in New Zealand or so the brochure says. There are many lovely buildings and a university (Massey) which by the size of the trees surrounding it and several older buildings has been here a long time. Like most universities there is much new building occurring as well as a Vetinary Training Hospital and all sorts of other Agricultural areas represented. There is also a Military base close by and someone must have been misbehaving this morning as we got rounded up by 2 police cars then a Military police car as we were heading to our breakfast spot. We headed off after a nice breakfast on the square and had a lovely albeit short riding day including a ride back over the Saddle as well as over a challenging pass between Featherston and Pakuratahi. There were signs up warning it was a high risk motorbike route and let me tell you it wasn’t from the road, that was in great condition and a good width in spite of the bends, the risk was from the gale force winds on some faces of the hills and we had to make sure we stuck to the middle of the lane we had available and keep enough revs up to ride through the wind rather than be tipped over by it. A bit hairy in patches.

The Square in the middle of town in Palmerston North was once the cross over point of the trunk line rail lines, now it’s a lovely green spot with many gardens, sculpture water and ducks. This is the town square clock in the middle.

The Building where our breakfast Café was, Cafe Express.

And some more close by. On our way out I saw a lovely old Art Deco Theatre named the J C Williamson Theatre.

A very poor shot over the top of the saddle. We had gone through some drizzle and the sky was very grey. Shame, the outlook is lovely.

The Tui Brewery, been brewing beer since 1889 south of Woodville. One of the locals told us they use the water from the local river because it’ the right colour and the locals used to call it swamp river. Gotta love the locals.

Typical of a lot of the lovely countryside we rode through between Masterton & Carterton. A lot of it wasn’t as sedate as this but we take a shot when we can.

We lunched across the road from here and the shop face appealed to Norm with the old Bedford radiator grille displayed.

 A pull over for a quick pic on the pass between Featherston and Pakuratahi. Couldn't put the stand down to park the bike it was so steep it kept rolling off even in gear. Looks flat in the pic. Weird.

 Last nights’ accommodation:

Rose City Motel

120 – 122 Fitzherbert Avenue

Palmerston North NZ

A lovely newly refurbished studio unit and looked and felt nice and fresh and clean. Very roomy with couch and arm chair, dining area and a kitchenette with a hotplate microwave and fridge. No air-conditioning but a fan. Generous size bathroom. Large TV and fast Wi-Fi. Great effort.

Headed off early this morning and grabbed a look at the Huka Falls which always amaze us. They are in the narrowest section of the Waikato River which is the only outlet from Lake Taupo and the volume of water there even at the end of summer is phenomenal. Then it was breakfast on the waterfront at Lake Taupo and then we continued with what was a lovely ride through rolling farmland, high country resembling Scotland 1,035m above sea level and very chilly with the ground covered with what resembled heather interspersed with grasses and in the distance mountains with traces of snow on them. We had lunch at the little town of Taihape then explored more rugged countryside where sheep and cattle grazed on rugged hills or great plateaus and for good measure great cuttings of the waterways into the hill faces leaving what looks like massive clay faces. All kinds of spectacular.

Huka Falls from the lookout above. To the right above the Huka Lodge, a runaway spot for the rich and famous is visible.

Breakfast on the waterfront at Lake Taupo.

And we weren’t the only ones having fun.

Another shot a bit further along the Lake.

Through the high country. You can see the mauve of the heather, but it’s blurred as Norm was mobile, but you get the idea. That's Mt Ruapehu & Mt Gotongariro in the background.

Welcome to Taihape, a clever (big) Gumboot built from corrugated iron.

A shearing shed with a very quirky mural.

And when the hill is undermined by the water it washes down into the stream and leaves some spectacular cliff faces. We followed this trail for many kilometres and were staggered by how many we saw.

From the Stormy Point Lookout on the way to Fielding.

Norm having fun.

And me as well.

Last nights’ accommodation:

Quest Rotorua Central

1192 Hinemoa Street

Rotorua NZ 3010

A lovely spot to stay here. A 1-bedroom apartment with air conditioning, Yay! Plenty of room to move and sort out our gear and be self-contained if we wanted to be. Also, a hot tub on the balcony but we haven’t been inspired to try that. The bed is beautifully comfortable, Wi-Fi fast and heaps of free movies and all sorts of attractions advertised on the TV which the hotel can book for us so a handy service for visitors. Staff extremely welcome and helpful. All round nice spot to stay and handy to heaps of shops and spots for dining out. Very nice.

We slept in until 10am then grabbed some breakfast at the farmers market just a short walk from our hotel then jumped on the bikes to explore the Californian Redwood Forest which was planted by a pastor many years ago believing with the NZ rainfall it would be a great source of sustainable timber. Unfortunately, because of the rain it grew too fast and remains too soft to suit the purpose but is an amazing forest to experience.

From there we headed out to have a look at the Blue and Green lakes then back into town to check out the Hot water baths and museum, had some nachos and beer at an Irish pub … that means we are really on holiday as it’s the only time we do that. 

Rotorua is renowned for its hot sulphur springs and baths and depending on which way the wind is blowing can influence the comfort levels. Norm has been reminding himself to stop attempting to apologise all the time …and that’s all I’m going to say about that.   

Rotorua is also a great spot for all sorts of activities if youre feeling a lot less creaky than me and you will just have to come and find out for yourselves.

In the Redwoods.

And again.

And the two of us.

The Blue lake is a favourite swimming spot for the locals.

This was the view I was after …. A photo of a photo in our hotel. Unfortunately, it’s the wrong season for tulips and there are major repair works happening so the following is what we got instead.

And looking towards the hot water baths.

And a good-looking bike at the gate to the complex. The last time we stayed here we were in an historic hotel across the road from here. It was very quirky.

Our accommodation last night didn’t have an on-site restaurant as such but thankfully with 3 hours’ notice a meal can be provided in the conservatory which was great since we were a few kilometres from the shops, and we like to get off the bikes after our day and stay off. The room was lovely and beautifully presented and we had a small balcony to sit on and chill in the breeze, well I did as I did the blog and Norm took the Mr Sheen to the bikes … as he does. I am a lucky girl!

Today we headed to Rotorua with a couple of spots of interest on the way. Apart from the great ride we checked out the Te Tapui Reserve trying to find a lookout and after a good distance on gravel roads were grateful to come across a farm worker who assured us unless we wanted to hike through forest we wouldn’t get there so we headed back to the black stuff and continued on to the Hobbiton Movie Set which was a great experience then headed into Rotorua for a couple of nights.

Breakfast in Huntly and discovered it used to be a black coal mining town (there is still a large power station using coal and gas) until 1914 when an explosion, the second worst mining disaster in New Zealand occurred killing 43 and injuring another 19. Not surprisingly the mine closed soon after. The town appears to be still struggling with many empty shops. This is part of a 100-year memorial near our breakfast spot.

Morning Coffee at Morrinsville, a tidy town amid a productive dairying area. Norm was a bit miffed that I parked up more easily than him.

One of the more memorable buildings in the main street and 2 of many artistically decorated cows!

Then to the Hobbiton sight and one of many Hobbit houses. Very quirky.

The visitors in the only hobbit house we could go in because it was larger than a meter square space.

A long view to the Green Dragon where we had a delicious ginger beer.

The artificial oak tree since the film was filmed in winter and it needed to be in full leaf. A steel and foam frame and 200,000 + artificial leaves wired on…. now that’s commitment.

The Green Dragon and my own hobbit taking a photo to the left.

And a view back to the mill to the right of the bridge. Just loved the huge pine trees which gave an awesome backdrop to everything.

And dinner at the Pig & Whistle in Rotorua which we discovered on our first trip to Rotorua.

Last nights’ accommodation:

Manor Views

24 Upland Road

Waterview Heights, Huntly NZ 3700

A beautiful old building built in 1926 as a maternity hospital which has been lovingly restored into a boutique accommodation venue. The room is a standard king and the largest we have had so far. There is also a small balcony which was a nice spot to sit and take in the view in the distance and a cooling breeze. Free Wi-Fi as we have found everywhere but it is a good speed here where some haven’t been. Everything here is immaculately maintained and beautifully clean and the manager or owner was extremely obliging. We felt very welcome. The conservatory where we had our dinner (ordered 3 hrs before) and where you can have breakfast was just beautiful.

A little cooler night and fine comfortable day today with light sprinkle of moisture only this morning. We had breakfast in Russell which by the way was the sight of the first NZ capital but was later changed to Wellington because the reputation of Russell, Hell Hole of the Pacific was not desirable and with the stroke of a pen Auckland was named the capital, and later Wellington and Russell was burnt to the ground. Hmm, it is a charming spot today. From here we wound our way down the west coast with spectacular ocean and island views before heading across the island on the Twin Coasts highway to get to Huntly tonight where we are staying in a lovely old building built in 1926 which was originally a maternity hospital.

Heading off on the ferry to Russell.

An appropriately named breakfast spot in Russell – Hell Hole Café in the street behind the Duke of Marlborough Hotel where we lunched yesterday. It was the first licensed hotel in New Zealand and as you would have seen in my post yesterday it had traded for a number of years before it was legitimised.

Elliot Bay, one of many beautiful spots but I could stop to take a photo of this one.

The bikes attract attention no matter where we go … here by tourists and chooks alike. Bizarre on the edge of the motorway but I suspect the chooks have learnt that tourists throw them scraps.

Heading across on the Twin Coasts Road and an awesome view back to the east coast before we are really heading west.

And an interesting bridge in Huntly.

Last 3 nights’ accommodation:

Dolphin Motel Paihia

69 Williams Road

Paihia NZ

Short walking distance to the shops and shoreline and a nice green outlook. We are in the older part of the complex in a small studio suite with no air-conditioning, but a fan was provided (I really must read more closely and not skim) but well maintained and serviced. Comfortable bed and table and chairs on the balcony which is a lovely breezy spot to sit. Staff very helpful and friendly. 

Rain overnight and patchy this morning so definitely made the right call for our cruise yesterday. Temperature a little more comfortable also.

The team split up today. Norm headed for Cape Reinga the northern most tip of the North Island, and I opted for a sleep in and a quiet day of wandering through shops, buying another book and generally chilling and making out like I’m on holidays.

The pics are a mix of Russell which we visited yesterday and will also take the car ferry to tomorrow when we head off and some from Norm’s ride today. Russell was originally established as a whaling town known as the Hell Hole of the Pacific with heaps of hotels and bordellos and no law and order. When the whaling left a lot of hotels closed and a few bordellos and gradually law and order arrived. Is a beautiful spot now.

The Duke of Marlborough Hotel Russell, Operating since 1827 … legally since1840. A beautifully preserved building where we had lunch yesterday. Would love to stay here sometime.

A view out to the harbour from the hotel on the Strand. Picturesque to say the least.

Norm’s breakfast spot at Cable Bay.

A little damp at Cable Bay and got more so as he headed further north. Got back to Paihia very damp but elated.

Massive sand dunes visible from the Cape

And a beautiful beach, but a long climb down to get to it.

Not to mention the Cape Reinga Lighthouse which is a long trek from the carpark. This is the most northerly point of the Cape.

So we were having a leisurely dinner and spoke to a gentleman who in fact was part of the motorcycle group we saw leaving this morning, so the name is ‘Tu Tansata’ which is translated to ‘Man Up’ and stands for 'Raising Fathers to save our children'. Love it. It was lovely to talk to him and share the fact that their values are also ours. Well done guys. This is the back of a T Shirt of one of their members. Not sexist or anything else … just about giving kids a go and keeping families safe. Love it!

It was a public holiday today, as it was the last time, we were here but it was on Monday that year. This is the day February 6^th when hundreds of motorbikes make a pilgrimage ride to Cape Reigna the northern most tip of the North Island and we unknowingly drove there on this day on our last trip. There were hundreds of bikes there and we saw hundreds coming and going as well so we’re not missing that traffic today.

Our plan today was to explore the Bay of Islands as this areas is known as, from the water and ultimately to visit the most eastern tip of the island and see the Hole in the Rick as well and it couldn’t have been better weather with sun and calm winds, thankfully especially for Norm who is an even more green faced sailor than me.

It really is a spectacularly beautiful place and one which Captain James Cook mapped and said at that time it was the most populous place he had found in New Zealand. Sort of hard to imagine all the islands here being so inhabited since they’ve pretty much all gone back to bushland except for one which is part bush and is the only one open for camping … and has resident sheep to keep the grass down to minimise the fire risk. Seriously, I’m not making this stuff up.

Anyway, I’ve mercilessly culled many beautiful photos and have included just a free for an idea of it.

On our way to have breakfast and catch our boat we came across a couple of hundred bikers heading out for Cape Reinga. They were members, we are told of a Brotherhood and Sisterhood which was formed to support and encourage traditional fatherhood, eradicate domestic violence and to save young people from alcohol and drugs. I have been unable to find the name online as there has been such a history of very scary bikie gangs here. In any case I wish them well.

1 of 3 camera cars with them.

The only bottle nose dolphin photo I got, I was too busy looking at the real thing and there were many. This pod are semi-permanent residents here, but the species usually roam up and down the east coast fishing. I guess these ones have figured it’s no longer necessary to roam. The regulars are all known by the crews of the tourist boats and many of these have been here for over 20 years with regular newborns as well.

A lovely Bay of Islands view.

The hole in the rock and yes, we did motor through it. They only manage it about 30% of the time as it depends greatly on the swell and weather. Today was a perfect day. 

And again.

Coming out of the hole.

A long view to the Treaty Grounds in Waitangi the birthplace of the New Zealand Nation, a short distance from Paihia where all the festivities were held complete with the Prime Minister apparently. We could witness the traffic jam from the water, and it wasn’t much better on our return from Russell after lunch.

And there was supposed to be a pic of the Wellington which we passed on our way out this morning and which we witnessed giving a 21-gun salute as the flag was raised this afternoon....but after over 15 attempts it wont happen so I'm over it!

Then a helicopter to ????

And more beautiful views.

We headed off in good time and changed our itinerary a bit, not the destination just the journey and had a picturesque ride traversing lots of country reminiscent of the Lismore area in northern NSW and into the hinterland as well as dense semi tropical rain forest (or at least it looks like that to me). Was reminiscent of the Tarra Bulga National Park near home just with Kauri trees instead of eucalypts and dense growth of varying varieties of ferns tree ferns and palms. Oh, and not to mention lots of coastal beach views along the way which look wonderful. Lots of bendy roads so largely a slow travel day but lovely.

A few pics below.

Morning coffee stop at Orewa on the beach.

Paparoa general store established 1884, a random shot from Norms bike!

Cute little Church in Dagarville on top of the hill.

The road ahead.

Coming through Waipour Forest.

Out of the forest and heading for Omapere.

And into Paihia.

Last nights’ accommodation:

Oaks Auckland Harbour

16 Gore Street

Auckland NZ 1010

Mmm took a pic of this one as well but cannot find it so Google this one as well if you want to see it.

Building getting a little tired but pretty well maintained overall. Handy to shops in Queen Street and lots of boutique shopping and dining options in the BRITOMART train and shopping precinct as well as right down to the harbour. We had a studio room here which was well equipped to self-cater with hot plates microwave dishwasher and fridge washing machine and dryer along with everything else you would expect in a small studio space but it’s saving grace for me was the high-speed Wi-fi. The downer was the lack of air-conditioning and only a small window to open and a fan to recirculate warm humid air. Cannot believe that in 2019!

Was nice to get in yesterday early enough to have a shower and walk to dinner in the daylight. Almost had a sense we could think which was a change to the last couple of days. Slept well considering there was no air-conditioning and there was a very small window to open. Cannot believe that in 2019!

Anyway, to today, Norm headed off with his bike to a Triumph dealer (Holeshot Motors Takapuna) as his back brake was feeling a bit spongy. They bled them and topped up the brake fluid. So far so good so he will keep an eye on that. He appreciated them squeezing him in at no notice.

I wandered down the street to get some breakfast and some cream to stop the itch of the wasp bite and take a few pics. Already very warm and humid out at 8.30am but nothing compared to home I suspect with Watch and Act warnings out for Bushfires and horrifying pics of billowing smoke over the hills. Hope everyone is okay.

A few pics below.

We are only a couple of streets to the Port area which is filling up with restaurants shops and apartments. A couple of cruise ships are in as you can see.

A yummy breakfast spot again in the BRITPORT shopping precinct (the travel hub is underneath).

And what do you know…bike parking outside.

Sky Tower.

And Melbourne is not the only place with cute laneways though this looks pretty up market to a lot in Melbourne .. and relatively empty.

And a view across the city skyline from the road as Norm headed back into the city proper.

Well God provided more rain last night to wash some of the dirt off the bikes but what remains will require a fair bit of elbow grease to remove. Even so it was nice to have a comfortably cool night to sleep and hearing the ocean was a bonus as well as the cool wind ahead of the rain.

While our ride started off with wet roads, we soon got to dry ones and we thoroughly enjoyed the picturesque ride around the Coromandel Peninsula again with lots of 25 35 and 45 km corners and even a few 15 km ones thrown in for good measure and long stretches with no signs and just mosey along and ride accordingly. We stopped for breakfast at the Coromandel Village and watched all sorts of  people walk by then headed for Auckland via the east coast but somehow got onto the road to the motorway so when there was an accident and 5km of queueing traffic we slowly moved up the edge of the road to the detour before we fell off the bikes in the heat and managed to get back to where we wanted to be and enjoyed the ride as well as lunch under a shady tree at a little pub in Kaiaua. Then into Auckland through Clevedon and suddenly it seemed onto the motorway which was an assault to the senses after so much country riding. Checked in now and will try and catch up with the blog before we head out for dinner while Norm has a crack at cleaning his bike up a bit. He plans to go to a Triumph dealer tomorrow to sort an issue with his bike.

A beachside view soon after leaving Whitinga. Shame about the overcast conditions.

 A view of mountains in the distance as we headed for Coromandel.

Coromandel street view.

And again.

Views as we headed down the Coromandel Peninsula.

And again.

And again, shame the tide is so far out.

Near our hotel in Auckland heading to the BRITOMART Shopping Precinct a revitalisation of the port area and yes I did notice that the sign said Tiffany & Co!

And again.

And again.

Last nights’ accommodation:

Oceans Resort Whitianga

18 Eyre Street

Whitianga NZ 3510

Oops forgot to take a photo!

We had a lovely 1-bedroom apartment here complete with a washing machine which was great as we hadn’t anticipated using as much clothing from our cases as we did sitting in Christchurch for an extra 3 days waiting for our bikes so it was good to get that done. The owner was very welcoming and showed us to our apartment and how to drive everything. Spacious living and dining area and a balcony with a glimpse of the ocean and it is lovely to sit here and just hear the ebb and flow of the ocean. Feels like we are on holidays! Everything is beautifully presented in the apartment and the complex has a pool and tennis courts as well as free Wi-Fi which everything has so far. I think I also saw chairs outside what looks like a café. There are many apartments here even larger than ours as well as studio units so lots of options and ideal for families. Everything in town is booked out being the end of the school holidays but in peak holiday season and so far, we have spoken to French and German tourists. Glad we booked in advance.

Well we didn’t have to worry too much about getting last night’s bugs off the bike, God took care of it with rain overnight and then this morning…shame about the sloppy roadworks we rode through that sort of mucked up everything so the ultra-clean bikes now look very ordinary and my travelling companion I think is even more annoyed than me.

Being able to head off nice and early in the day meant that this 1 ½ days’ worth of riding was at lest achieved in daylight which was good. We had an awesome ride winding up and down from high country to seaside and back, riding through productive farmland and orchards and even down the Waiakea Gorge which was spectacular. We headed down from the top and travelled down following a stream which became a river amongst cliff faces and canyon walls dense with ferns and palms and all sorts of trees and other vegetation and for good measure sights of occasional hilltops and whole sides of hills which have just slipped off down the hillsides to the valley below. Immense power! Lots of 25 35 and 45km corners today so extended the time of the ride a fair bit but very enjoyable.

Checked in then headed down to the Irish Pub for dinner which we have been to before with Harry & Lorraine Heathcote. Lovely meal as always but very noise with a very enthusiastic ‘Hens night gathering’ in progress. We bolted as soon as we could.

On the hill heading out of Wairoa and looking back. A litle bit damp!

Heading down the gorge.

Down on the water.

Parked up at a rest and stretch stop for us.

Little war memorial in a town at the bottom of the gorge.

View a bit before Whitianga.

And an example of some buses we've seen.

Last nights’ accommodation:

Wairoa Motel

Cnr Clyde & Campbell Streets

Wairoa NZ

A handy spot to drop for the night. Immaculately clean and well presented. Very comfortable bed and nicely appointed kitchen space with a hot plate if you wanted to self-cater but it was a bit late for us. We were extremely grateful for the owners working in with us and leaving the key for us so we could retrieve it well after check in time.

So up nice and early to catch the Inter-islander Ferry to the North Island and arrived to find it was running 2 hours behind which meant a concentrated ride to get to our destination before it was too late in the evening. The ferry trip is quite spectacular with many views of islands and bays and peninsulas, so we kicked back for a bit and I uploaded a couple of pics for the days I hadn’t been able to do so in Hornby, that is until the teenagers got on board and slowed things down to beyond frustrating levels so decided to give it a miss until later.

Having 1 ½ days riding to do today and tomorrow we had to keep pedalling and we finally got into our motel at 9.45pm following a reasonably ordinary pie and a chocolate bar for our dinner. We were grateful the road was dry coming in as it had mostly shiny surfaces and road works so a wet ride would have been a very much slower one, but it was a beautiful winding ride and such a shame we missed seeing all of it. It was a battle to keep our visors clear of bugs and I managed to get a thump in the neck with something, I assume some sort of wasp because it stung me twice and riding is good for keeping it cool, but it swells and itches once I’m off the bike. Bugger!

Below are a few pics added since.

Lined up and ready to go.

On the deck on the ferry.

Down the bottom with the trucks.

Mussell farming in several spots as we proceeded.

A typical gorgeous view.

And some light houses.

Last nights’ accommodation:

Jasmine Court Motel

88 Wellington Street

Picton NZ

What a lovely venue and welcome from our hosts. The whole property is immaculately presented both inside and out and even had the air conditioner on to welcome us in. Our hosts generously transferred our booking along for a couple of nights to help us out unlike another we had experienced, they get that their business is about working with customers rather than being mean spirited. Lovely to chill in a one-bedroom apartment with room to spread out and try and get our travelling kit into some semblance of order. This venue will be on our list with our group for next year.  Thank you!

Eeeeh haah we got our bikes and rode to the VTNZ to get a Warrant of Fitness (WOF) equivalent to our RWC and temporary registration for the bikes and were the 1^st Aussies to get there then went back to the hotel to collect our bag and suitcase and headed north. Was chuffed to have the roadworthy guy say, ‘I hope all the rest of the bikes are in as good a condition as these two’. All the staff at the centre were terrifically helpful as were the guys at the Transport Company ably led by Clint who was a real gentleman. A shame we had to keep determinedly pedalling to make it to Picton by a reasonable hour tonight so we can head off on the ferry to Wellington tomorrow, but it was a blast to finally be on the bikes.

Ever since we got our bike licences, we’ve known New Zealand was a country just begging to be ridden around and yep it sure is. Awesome sights today weaving between coastal views and further inland amongst rolling grassland, intense grape vines and lumpy bumpy hills and mountains in the distance. Just beautiful.

We were originally supposed to stay 2 nights at Napier once we got to the North Island which is one of our favourite spots being the Art Deco capital of New Zealand but to keep as much of our itinerary on track without further cancellations, we decided to head for Wairoa tomorrow night.

A bridge near the airport as we headed out of Christchurch.

Exploring off the main highway but lost interest when the seal was lifting off.

A couple of many tunnels as we headed for Kaikoura.

Beachside view in Kaikoura, site of the earthquake when we were last in Wellington.

The Bay at Picton.

A cute litte apartment building in Picton called Art Deco Apartments for obvious reasons.

And the Oxley Hotel, built in 1870 and still a good spot for a meal

Last 2 nights’ accommodation:

Equestrian Hotel

6 Tower Street

Hornby NZ

I've tried to load a photo a dozen times and it wont work so I'm over it! Googe it if you want a photo.

An ageing but determined suburban pub which started off as a community owned establishment. It’s working hard now at offering a comprehensive service for all sorts of people even Aussies who cannot collect their motorbikes. New management is trying to overcome an air of previous neglect plus quake damage with new paint and carpet in the hallway of the area we stayed and a small but newly tiled bathroom. Generous sized room and comfortable bed but lacking an armchair. Wi-Fi slow and frustrating but adequate for checking mail. Staff terrifically friendly and helpful. On site ‘Ironhorse Garden Café’ named after the model railway which used to run in the garden with very nice meals as well as a bar and pokies if that appeals and multiple function rooms. Good community resource. Best bit for us is that it is in walking distance from the transport company (PF Transport) where we had to collect our bikes.

Another relaxing day of our holiday in New Zealand……yeah well in theory. We enjoyed one another’s company, I got myself another book to read to distract myself and we tried not to get too distracted with the need to cancel and rebook accommodation and ferry options and commiserated with the locals about the heatwave sent to them by Australia…..only high 30’s here but big for the locals and there are dry parched hills in the distance so very concerning for them…..and we felt like locals standing in the shade of traffic light poles on our way back from the transport office this afternoon waiting for the lights to change. It was effective so it didn’t matter that it looked ridiculous.

We have been assured that the Biosecurity people WILL clear our bikes for pick up in the morning and then we will hotfoot it to the VTNZ to get our Warrant of Fitness (WOF) same as a RWC then get the short-term registration for them. The paperwork already filled out plus the necessary attachments of registration certificate and copies of licences as well as the Customs / DPI clearance certificate we will be given in the morning. After that it will be back to the hotel where we will collect our bag and case and then we will head north. Yay!

So, we have again delayed our accommodation at Picton now for tomorrow night as well as the ferry crossing the following day. We have had to cancel our 2 nights in Napier and rebook another 1 after that booking and cancel 1 night at Whakatane between there and Whitianga and then we will be back with our original itinerary…. well that’s the plan at least so we will see.

I decided I wasn’t strong enough to tackle the photo thing again today so added another couple on our ferry trip across to Wellington.

A shot of what remains of the previously tallest building in Christchurch (22 storeys). Chilling.

And the Rollickin Desserts Cafe in New Regent Street from the balcony of Casa Publica. We didn't get to try an icecream but I think everyhone else in Christchurch as well as visitors did. There was a constant queue. Hope to try one on our return.