Meandering around Te Ika-a-Māui, New Zealand's North Island in early 2020

[IaninSheffield]

Day 32: Wellington Wanders 2 (4 miles)

Interislander Ferry heading off for the South Island​

Starting your day with a view from your window like this one is pretty special; it must be amazing to enjoy it every day like my hosts Hamish and Tricia can. Before heading outI enjoyed a good long chat with Hamish about life and careers. That's perhaps (for some) an advantage of staying in someone's home as part of an AirBnB or Warm Showers - getting a little better acquainted with the people and culture of the place you're visiting. Then it was off downhill, gripping the brakes for dear life as I made my way towards the city-bound cycleways. My first stop was parking my bike, where I took advantage of a two-tier, undercover bike station close to the Cable Car where I would be adding another form of transport to my New Zealand experiences. NZ$5 buys you a single to the top of the hill where several tourist features offer some distraction. I opted for a look around the small but informative cable car museum which brings together the history of the cable car in Wellington with a brief look at more general tramway development in the city.

Looking out over Wellington as a cable car reaches the top station

One of the elderly, retired Wellington cable cars (I know how it feels!)​

This vantage point provided views across the city and bay which almost rivalled those from Victoria's Mount the other day. Today I seemed to be sharing the views with passengers from the cruise ship which had docked in the harbour last night. Leaving that multinational contingent behind, I strolled gingerly back down to the city using the network of paths through the Botanical Gardens and headed for my second target, the Wellington Museum. This is another of the docklands buildings, the Bond House, repurposed to serve its new function of portraying the history of Wellington. It's well laid out, doesn't hide the building's origins and provides context from both Māori and paheka (incomers) histories.

A short stroll around the seafront then took me to the City Gallery (the one with the big hand atop it's roof) where they had a contemporary art exhibition, mostly produced by Kiwi artists. I've always struggled to appreciate contemporary art, but keep exposing myself to it wherever I get the chance in the hope that one day it might begin to speak to me. That day wasn't today.

Drone video footage taken during the New Year's Eve fireworks display was playing on these screens. It was supposed to help you feel immersed in the event. ?!​

I then had a mosey round town, but with the temperature noticeably dropping and the skies looking increasingly ominous, I decided to beat a retreat. A supermarket on the return journey afforded the opportunity to grab some comestibles suitable for an evening meal and which might stretch to something for tomorrow's train journey. After that it was another ascent of the lungbuster up to my lodgings, not that it felt much easier with the bike unloaded. I wonder what it must be like facing that at the end of every commute/ride?

Over my meal, and as Hamish prepared his and Tricia's, we chatted once more about a whole range of topics of mutual interest, some provoked by that evening's news report. The coronavirus outbreak seemed to have escalated drastically since those early days when I was just setting out. Apparently, not only had the number of tragic deaths in countries other than China increased markedly, but stock markets had taken a dramatic plunge. I began to wonder whether the joke I shared with Matt a couple of weeks ago about becoming marooned in New Zealand was becoming more likely?

 

[IaninSheffield]

Day 33: Wellington - Auckland (5 miles)

Somehow I hadn't processed that when my alarm sounded, it would be early enough to still be dark. Fortunately I had lights for the bike, so long as they had held their charge over the past few weeks. Perhaps I should have checked last night? There was just the slightest hint of rain in the air as I descended from Hamish and Tricia's amazing property, but thankfully it never developed fully as I made my way into the centre amongst the numerous commuters, both in cars and on bikes. I think I've seen more cyclists in the past few days than in all the preceding weeks of my tour.

Arriving at the railway station at seven meant I was in good time to check in for my Northern Explorer train. Getting my tickets proved to be a painless process, although they surprisingly came with luggage labels. Having attached said labels, I then took the bike and panniers up to the luggage car to be stowed. I noticed three other bikes already there, so with mine that made four, twice the number that the website said could be carried. No matter, so long as my bike ended up at the same place as me. I first grabbed a coffee and bite to eat, then took my allocated seat in the car just in front of the observation deck; that would be handy. These trains have an open observation car where you can stand, admire and photograph the passing scenery. By the time we pulled away from the station, no-one had occupied the adjacent seat so I had the luxury of extra space. In fact the car I was in was only just over half full. The carriages are an interesting mix of modern and classic with seating similar to that found on UK Intercity services, but with extensive wood paneling and large panoramic windows for excellent viewing.

Similar to an airflight, passengers are given information booklets in the seat backs, together with headphones which can be plugged in for a commentary at significant points of the journey. This was a nice touch and although a little formal, certainly added to my interest and enjoyment. Amongst the many aspects of New Zealand's history and geography, I also learned what the difference between a swamp and a bog is!

I have to say what a peaceful travelling experience it was, similar to that in a 'Quiet' coach in the UK: fellow passengers are not on here to spend their time rabbiting on their mobile phones. They're here, like me, to enjoy their journey. It's a slow, gentle experience for the most part as the train bumbles it's way through the countryside rather than sprinting at a lick. You have more chance to take things in. This is especially true on the long climb up to the central plateau and through the settlements which capitalise on winter sports. This is tough terrain through which to build a railway and those early engineers took to chasing contours around hillsides and bluffs, rather than cutting numerous expensive tunnels. It's this slow contouring which makes the middle part of the journey take the longest, but that only allows longer to linger on the spectacular scenery.

This is looking back at the line along which we've just passed. This section of track includes the Raurimu Spiral, an ingenious way of avoiding steep inclines.

The northern third is relatively flat and the train made faster progress towards Auckland, until the last thirty kilometres when I guess it became tangled with commuter rail traffic. Even so, we arrived in Auckland around half an hour early; this gave me a better chance of getting to the hostel before reception closed. They have a key drop system, but I was keen to be introduced properly, this being my first time in a hostel since youth. I suspect things may have changed a little!

Having plugged the Oakland Lodge's location into the Garmin, it kindly obliged to provide directions and I soon found myself puffing up the lower slopes of Mount Eden. On reaching the hostel, the atmosphere seemed orderly but relaxed and the greeting from Ian the owner was warm and friendly. Thinking I’d get a better night’s sleep in a room for fewer people, I’d paid a little more and booked a bed in a three bed dorm. What I hadn't anticipated was that it was unisex, so on opening the room door I was greeted by a young Chinese woman who didn't seem in the slightest bit surprised to see a bloke walking in the door. I think I was far more uncomfortable than she. We chatted briefly before I showered (in the shower room!) then headed out for a bite to eat with my head spinning about the potential ramifications of sharing a bedroom with people I don't know … of the opposite sex … if that isn't a somewhat inappropriate phrase in this day and age. Maybe I was overthinking it. Maybe that's common practice in backpackers hostels. As a distraction I turned my mind to food; this seems a rather trendy area so there was plenty of choice. I settled on an asian-themed bar eatery where I ordered a local pale ale to accompany a seared-tuna noodle dish. Both beer and food were delicious, if not inevitably expensive. I'll do better tomorrow.

[Should anyone want to learn a bit more about this journey, there's a Channel 5 (UK) documentary following the Northern Explorer on tomorrow (08/06/2020) from 7pm to 8pm.]

 

[IaninSheffield]

Day 34: Abroad in Auckland 1 (12 miles, 661 feet of ascent)

Well I got past worrying about sleeping with in the same room as two female strangers, and enjoyed a good night's sleep. Not sure how my snoring affected my roommates though. I did have a long chat with the Canadian with whom I didn't get the chance to speak last night. We're of different generations, from different countries, have different skin colours, yet reassuringly we shared many of the same concerns.

I had a number of options for today which revolved around either sorting the things I need to resolve before my flight home, or doing the touristy things and getting acquainted with Auckland. My worrying self got the upper hand, so after breakfast my priority was to bookmark the bike shops within a reasonable cycling distance to see if I could blag a bike box. I first made for the one I passed on my way to the hostel last night - about a mile back down the road. I was ecstatic to succeed on the first attempt and as they sold ebikes, I managed to get a box of generous proportions … whilst also worrying whether the airline might deem it too large. Next I had to cycle back to the hostel to leave the bike, walk back to the bike shop to get the box, then haul it back to the hostel. The following day I had to get it, the bike, my panniers and me across to my other accommodation, which is about a dozen miles away.

View of the Sky Tower and the Central Business District from Mount Eden
​

On my way to the bike shop I took in the views after cycling to the summit of Mount Eden, one of the several long extinct volcanoes scattered around the Auckland area. The views really were stunning so I decided to take in another viewpoint, Maungakiekie, One Tree Hill. I could call here on my way out to the airport to see if I could retrieve my mobile phone from lost property. I soon ditched the latter idea when I realised the round trip would be over thirty miles, however I still made it up One Tree Hill and once more became completely besotted with the panorama. Although far from sympathetic to the hill’s Māori heritage, if there'd been a cafe or ice cream vendor at the top, I might have stayed the rest of the afternoon.

Maungakiekie, One Tree Hill

View back to Mount Eden from One Tree Hill

You can just about make out the Coromandel hills in the far distance. If I'd had this view before I set off ...!​

Back in the present (or as I wrote this, the past!) I had other jobs to do, including arranging a shuttle to get me and the bike to the airport on the Monday. The Backpackers Shuttle as advertised on the notice board in the hostel came through at much less than other airport taxi shuttle services. So I booked that and could now start worrying about whether he'd turn up on time!

Next it was a supermarket shop to pick up the evening's meal - quiche, rice salad, green salad, bread and a pastry, all for little more than the beer cost last night. Back at the hostel other (young) folks were busying themselves preparing their evening meals and being much more extravagant than I chose to be. Kudos to them. The kitchen really was well appointed, much better than many of the campgrounds I stayed at. It was a little more expensive to stay at the hostel than at some, but I deliberately chose a low-occupancy room and the facilities (which included bedding) were great. The two nights came to NZ$78, which was much more reasonable than the cost of the night I had in a campground cabin in Taupo.

So I now needed to sort my logistics for tomorrow. I suspected buses wouldn't allow me on with a box so big. I didn't even have the right change to pay the fare, and there was no saving to be made (and only more logistics to resolve) from procuring an Auckland Transport payment card like the one I got in Singapore. So that settled me on the train where I would be able to purchase a ticket from a machine. Time to hit the timetables then.

 

[IaninSheffield]

Day 35: Mount Eden - Papatoetoe (15 miles, 306 feet of ascent)

View from my Oakland's Lodge bedroom window up to Mount Eden.​

Today began after a restless night's sleep. Not sure what the cause was; perhaps worrying about successfully 'getting things done' so I can travel home. It's the little things like having enough, but not too much cash, getting some duct tape so I can box the bike, and continuing to fret whether the airport shuttle will turn up. Breakfast first. That's something I could deal with. Yes, it was porridge, tortillas, banana, peanut butter and coffee; even after all these days I still look forward to it. My stay at a backpackers has been more relaxing than I would originally have thought, but I suspect it's this particular hostel that's well run and attracts reasonably sensible hostellers. They've been a bit loud at times, but rarely, and I suspect that's more likely due to my low tolerance threshold rather than it being louder than one might reasonably expect. But they certainly weren't responsible for my unsettled night.

So the train does take bike boxes. Just a pity the lines don't stretch to the airport.

Found the touchscreen of the ticketing machine somewhat problematic. I certainly haven't gained any offspring on the trip!​

First job then, get the bike box across to my next lodgings. This entailed a 2.3km walk, a train ride, then another 1.7km on foot. The box wasn't particularly heavy, but it was unwieldy and made walking sufficiently awkward that by the time I was done, I was very nearly completely done! Then I had to do the reverse trip without the box. On the outward journey I'd spotted a bakery near to Papatoetoe station so I called in for lunch on my way back. Lunch and not second breakfast, since I wasn't riding. A sign outside said 'Philipino breads' and that caught my eye; I’m always on the lookout for intriguing foodstuffs I’ve not tried before. The range of baked goods was much narrower than in other kiwi bakeries I'd visited, but I took this as a good sign. Since each item was smaller than usual and only a dollar or so each, I took a selection. Apart from the churio-like thing, nothing else looked nor tasted like anything I'd had before. All very different and all very unusual - like the almost black bread roll with a blue base, filled with a sort of processed cheese. Far more delicious than I've made it sound. As the shop is not too far away, I may drop by tomorrow and try the remaining fare.


On returning to the hostel, I first handed in the room key I'd absent-mindedly walked away with in the morning. Thankfully I'd not caused havoc by doing so. Then I asked Garmin to find me a route to the airport once more, still hoping to pick up the missing phone. The first few miles made sense, but the distance didn't seem right; I'd done just over five miles, but still had thirteen to do. Having renewed my friendship with the little device over the last month, I was beginning to lose confidence somewhat. With a downloaded route I have no worries, but when I ask the Garmin to plot the route itself I'm never quite so comfortable. It's mainly because the tiny screen doesn't allow me to easily review the route it's chosen and partly because I'm not at all sure what criteria it's using to decide on the best pathways between A and B. Anyway I ended up on some very much less than cycle-friendly roads and at times didn't seem to be heading in the right direction. I knew it would get me there, but was less confident I'd enjoy the journey. With ten miles still to do to reach the airport, I once again bailed, asking it to reroute to the homestay, which it dutifully did. What I should have done was first check the cycle routes suggested on the Auckland cycling sites; there is an extensive network, much of it downloadable as PDFs.

Looking across one of the many Auckland lagoons to one of the many (hopefully) extinct volcanoes.​

After popping to the supermarket for my evening eats - German rye bread, brie, pate and tomatoes with a Greek fruit yogurt for pud, all accompanied with a glass of wine - I once more found myself tapping my journal notes on the homestay veranda in Papatoetoe. I rarely had a drink in the evening, but since I would be there for a couple of days and with things drawing to a close, I decided to treat myself to a bottle. As I said before, it was so relaxing sitting comfortably in shorts and t-shirt on the veranda as night began to draw in but the temperature doesn't plummet … ah, the life.

It didn't seem like two minutes since I last sat on the homestay veranda in Papatoetoe enjoying my first meal in New Zealand; a couple more days and I'll be consuming my last.

 

[IaninSheffield]

Day 36: Papatoetoe (14 miles, 215 feet of ascent)

Today was a day for fettling, for getting everything ready for flying home. It would have been nice to have the bike for another day's exploring, but, ever the worrier, I wanted to make sure that if I hit any snags I had a buffer to sort them.

After a disturbed night's sleep (a large group of young French folks had an early flight and were noisily departing at three in the morning) I was up in good time to head to the airport, hoping for third time lucky. I knew the route from here having done it in reverse when I arrived so after breakfast I scooted off just before nine. On arrival, as I expected, I got bounced around a bit before finding the right office. This wouldn't have been great if I'd left it till the last thing, but 'Be prepared' was (is?) the scout motto, so here I was. In the end I didn't get my phone back; the girl who should have been able to help wasn't working today. Well, it is a Saturday so I guess I should have made a better effort yesterday. Now they know I'm leaving first thing on Monday, hopefully they'll be ready to sort things then.

My next job was to procure some tape I could use to seal the bike box and some cardboard to pack in some of the disassembled bits. I retraced my steps and headed down to the shopping complex near Manukau. KMart wasn't the right store, but I scored a hit at Bunnings, the equivalent of B&Q in the UK. I got both the tape and some cardboard, so picked up a few eatables at the supermarket then headed back. This morning hadn't been the easiest cycle journey, what with the out-of-town road system, but having now been here for over a month, I was less concerned than I might have been a few weeks ago.

After lunch I set about boxing the bike, which took almost as long as it did on the way out. I suppose I could just have banged the bike in the box and hoped for the best, but I wanted spend a little time making sure things weren't going to rattle, be squashed, or fall out of a hole should one appear. After a couple of hours I'd given it my best shot, leaving the bike's future in the hands of the baggage handling gods. With this reconstituted worry now added to my list, I regret not having the capacity to completely sideline stuff like this. Ah well, nothing I can do now.

Shortly after sitting down to my evening meal on the veranda (with a glass of wine!), one of the other current guests started to chat. The youngish Malaysian lad, whose English was far from perfect, nevertheless took a shot with a stranger, something I'd struggle to have the nerve to do. This brought in his elderly father, then his clearly well travelled sister. Having brought a takeaway meal they asked if they could join me and if I would like to share their meal with them. What an absolutely lovely sentiment, another thing I'm embarrassed to say I'd struggle to do. Is it being English, or am I reaching for that as an excuse? Anyway together we enjoyed our respective meals and chatted at length about so many things; they really were such a welcoming family, great company and had a wicked sense of humour. These chance conversations with people I'd never otherwise meet have been one of the highlights of this trip for me. I've read other journals from solo travellers who remark how easily they are drawn into conversations in a way that perhaps couples or larger groups might not. Whilst I can't comment on how things are for couples or groups, I can definitely say I've really been grateful to those other travellers who've been kind enough to share some of their time with me.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

It's a pity that your last days seem to be under a cloud of worry. I have what I call my "touring head", just a very different outlook from my normal day to day life. At first, it was weird not to be watching the clock and busy doing my daily mental checklists, a bit frightening, actually, but I learned to embrace it. One of the great things of being in an unfamiliar place is that we can give the new environment "the benefit of the doubt" and allow ourselves to choose positive reactions rather than negative. It's much harder to do "at home" when we know so much more about our environment.

As for the social encounters, I think the top thing in any packing list should be a smile - it opens up so many doors that would otherwise be harder to open. Not every moment on a tour is smile worthy but I've learned that when I don't feel like smiling to stop for a while and get my head together. It really helps!
Again, a different mindset helps enormously - we're not at home so we can be more free!
Personally speaking, the people I've met & the connections made are as important as some of the special places I've been to.

Now, I don't think it's a big thing to hop on a bike and go for a ride, but not that long ago it seemed like a Herculean task. And for most people it's very, very interesting! Given half a chance they'd love to talk to us about our hobby! Who doesn't dream of packing up and heading off for an adventure?

I've really enjoyed this travelogue, so thank you & sorry for prattling on 😊

 

[IaninSheffield]

It's a pity that your last days seem to be under a cloud of worry. I have what I call my "touring head", just a very different outlook from my normal day to day life. At first, it was weird not to be watching the clock and busy doing my daily mental checklists, a bit frightening, actually, but I learned to embrace it. One of the great things of being in an unfamiliar place is that we can give the new environment "the benefit of the doubt" and allow ourselves to choose positive reactions rather than negative. It's much harder to do "at home" when we know so much more about our environment.

As for the social encounters, I think the top thing in any packing list should be a smile - it opens up so many doors that would otherwise be harder to open. Not every moment on a tour is smile worthy but I've learned that when I don't feel like smiling to stop for a while and get my head together. It really helps!
Again, a different mindset helps enormously - we're not at home so we can be more free!
Personally speaking, the people I've met & the connections made are as important as some of the special places I've been to.

Now, I don't think it's a big thing to hop on a bike and go for a ride, but not that long ago it seemed like a Herculean task. And for most people it's very, very interesting! Given half a chance they'd love to talk to us about our hobby! Who doesn't dream of packing up and heading off for an adventure?

I've really enjoyed this travelogue, so thank you & sorry for prattling on 😊

Thank you, and 'prattling on' is much appreciated. Always good to hear how others approach their tours and deal with happenings, both small and large.

Your observations regarding time are well made. For the most part, the clock becomes redundant. Get up when it's light, go to bed when it's dark; cycle towards the next sleeping place, rather than to be back in time for ...
It's midday when the sun is highest, you eat when hungry (or before if you can), and the day of the week become irrelevant... unless you need a shop to be open for foodstuffs. I suppose that's why the transition back into 'normal' life generates worry - to ensure I don't miss the train or plane, I once more have to attend to time and place.

Only a few more days left to report, before returning to a very different world from the one I left just a few short weeks earlier.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Sorry….some more prattling!

I always had a bit of a downer once I was over the half way point on tours and could feel a low level anxiety gnawing away at me leading to difficulty in maintaining my "touring head". (In fact, it was that low level anxiety that pointed me in the direction of making some bigger changes, but that's another story!)

I seem to have cured it, by accident, by attempting to recreate the touring experience at home!

I'd regularly ride to Belgium (I used to live close by the border - not as exotic as it sounds!) and have some Belgian chips. Or pack a picnic and ride to a nice place for some food and maybe read a book.

When I changed job and started biking to work I'd stop regularly on the way (both ways!) as I have a tendency to do when touring.

The big breakthrough came when I started to bring my trangia & coffee gear to work…...to enjoy a freshly brewed coffee on my way home! It felt a bit weird, at first, but I think what I was actually doing was learning how to don my "touring head" at short notice. It became easier to get into the touring frame of mind and subsequently to keep it on the return legs of my actual trips.

I did quite a few one or maybe two night trips too, checking out gear etc. and I think these little trips also taught me to get into the best mental position. There were only a few exit routes from where I lived and after a while I had subconsciously marked off the point where the tour actually began. If I was coming to that point in the wrong frame of mind, I'd often stop, get my head together and then proceed.

I take your point about airplanes - I've never brought my bike on one - but I have used trains, although normally at the start, rarely the end. My haphazard way of planning has often left me stuck, yet usually they are some of the most memorable moments and things invariably work out.

The best example I can think off was at the end of a trip in Austria & Italy. I had to make it back to Salzburg for Saturday night to pick up my car & drive back for work on Monday. As it turned out, I fecked up my route and had a very, very long day on small roads with lots and lots of hills. It was 1 am when I finally reached the campground but it was a fantastic day! One little village was having a beer & sausage festival - I had to stop! I rode through a big forest above Salzburg in the pitch darkness and loved it! I'd stop and hear animals scurrying every which way!

In a different state of mind, that day would have been horrible. The pressure! The anxiety of not knowing if I'd be able to get into the campground. My own tendency to beat myself up for silly mistakes. But with my "touring head" on, those thoughts never had a chance to surface.

Sorry for the prattling but I'm firmly convinced it's the journey that's important, not the destination, and the most important things for that are our heads and hearts. When they're right everything else will work out.

 

[IaninSheffield]

Day 37: Abroad in Auckland 2

With everything I could sort sorted, I could now give Auckland my full attention. After another good night's sleep and the usual breakfast, (and with no bike!) I walked the mile or so to Papatoetoe station. For NZ$7.50 (less than £4) I could get a single to Britomart station, Auckland's passenger rail network hub, such as it is. Modern, yes, but underground and rather gloomy, as these places invariably are. The 20km journey took about half an hour so was quite good value, but I wonder why you can't buy return tickets, just singles?

Regular service, cheap and efficient suburban network​

Britomart is certainly handy for the waterfront though, but once again my enjoyment was short-lived; there is a massive development programme across much of the quayside - roads up, pavements narrowed and hemmed in, obligatory controlled crossing points making progress along the waterfront an absolute chore. On top of that, for me, the harbourfront lacks character, partly because much of it is a working, commercial port and partly because what development and renewal has already occurred appears to have been to satisfy corporate or property investors rather than regenerate a cultural heartbeat.

The department for rural affairs?​

I wandered across to 'Silo Park', an Auckland 'must see' apparently, passing immense superyachts in the enormous marina on the way. Unfortunately Silo Park was no more than a large patch of grass, named after the adjacent, redundant concrete silos. It's more of an event location, and unfortunately there was nothing billed for today.

I hadn't settled on either a harbour trip or an ascent of the Sky Tower, but the good weather won out. I booked an afternoon harbour tour with Fuller's, one of the main ferry operators. The NZ$55, one and a half hour trip included complimentary refreshments - I think that's what really swung it for me, but I had time for a quick lunch first.

Skyline from the harbour

And yet another form of transport

Auckland's only remaining wooden lighthouse
​

The tour was quite good, visiting and providing a very different view of many of the notable sights and islands in the wider Auckland harbour/Hauraki Gulf. Just pootling along the water listening to occasional interesting commentary, soaking in the scenery across the bays and watching the varied waterborne activity was definitely a satisfying and relaxing way to gain a better sense of what Auckland has to offer. If I had a few more days (or even one), I'd definitely be looking to take a ride along the many kilometres of the esplanade which snakes in and out of the many bays. But my bike is now plane-prepped and, like me, resolved to starting the journey home. Back at the homestay, two families with tiny, whiny children arrived, suggesting it's probably a good time for me to be moving on.

I was left feeling somewhat ambivalent towards Auckland; I’d perhaps neither seen nor experienced enough. It didn’t seem to have the buzz that Wellington had, yielding a more commercial feel than the cultural vibe that I felt from Welly. I wish I’d had the chance to stay much longer in both of those cities, become familiar with their nooks and crannies, their foibles and their charms. As a visitor, and a very fleeting one at that, you simply don’t get the exposure needed to comment with authority and consequently are left, as I was, offering no more than an impression.

If only I'd seen these before two failed trips to the airport!​

 

[IaninSheffield]

Day 38: Auckland - Singapore

A text from the airport shuttle driver woke me before my alarms I’d set sounded, which at least confirmed he was on his way. I was pretty much ready to roll and only had to quietly lug the bike and panniers outside and wait until he arrived. It was still dark after the twenty minute trip to the airport, but I was more than awake. I always find these transitions stressful; you are obliged to relinquish so much control of your destiny to others.

Being at the airport three and a half hours before the departure time proved useful. After a very long queueing session, at baggage check in it transpired I was 2.5kg over my allowance. I of course had no scales to check weights at the homestay and I guess the e-bike box I'd blagged was somewhat heavier than the one I had in the outward journey. Initially the assistant said the excess fee would be NZ$250, but on checking found it was NZ$32 per kilo. To pay this I had to haul my stuff to the ticketing desk where I then had a rather tedious 35 minute wait to get served. Finally, an hour and a half after I'd arrived, my baggage was into the system and I could relax with some breakfast.

My next mission (and I chose to accept it) was to retrieve the phone I’d misplaced on arrival in Auckland which was still being held at the Singapore Airlines office. Unfortunately it didn't open until 10:00 and my flight was at 11:05. Would I be able to grab my phone, make it through security, and get to the gate in time for boarding? I asked someone on the help desk, who advised strongly against it, suggesting I contact the office later and ask them to forward it on. So I wandered along to security, spotted the display stating the processing time was currently five minutes and decided to twist, rather than stick. At ten precisely I called at the Singapore airlines office and five minutes later my phone and I were reunited. I then swiftly made my way back to security, where there was no queue to speak of. As my carry-on pannier passed through the x-ray scanner it got diverted into the lane for a more detailed inspection. Eek! What had I missed? As the security officer opened my bag, she was clearly looking for something specific and immediately found it. My toolkit. With multitool. Including knife. Aargh! Ready to have the tool confiscated, the gods appeared to give me a pass as the security officer checked the blade length; it was within the limit and my multitool was returned. I now remember shifting the toolkit from one pannier (the check-in one) to the other to try to equalise the weight. Another lesson learned.

An empty snorkel where there should have been a plane

Then forty five minutes late, it appeared.​

It was still only 10:15 and the information boards showed my plane wasn't boarding for another ten minutes. I made it to the departure gate easily, only to find no plane waiting at the end of the snorkel. Following a number of apologetic announcements and another 45 minutes, a plane was eventually towed over to us, provisioned and boarded. Take off was delayed by nearly an hour, leaving me relieved that when planning, I'd decided on an extended stopover in Singapore. Just from the passports which were on display during boarding, there were a number of EU/British folks on board who might well have been fretting whether they would make their connections. Glad I wasn't one of them.

More people wearing masks than on my outbound journey​

We were travelling on a flight share, this one provided by Air New Zealand so I wondered whether it would be up to the same standard as Singapore Airlines. In fact the flight was largely uneventful: the food was fine and plentiful; the wine flowed and was tolerable; there were spare seats and I had one between me and my neighbour. The film list was slightly different from my last flight - I caught Tom Hanks as ‘Mr Rogers’, ‘Ford versus Ferrari’, and at last got to see ‘Wonder Woman’. I think Singapore Airlines might just have had the edge, but I guess I'll be better placed to comment after my next flight.

The Desert Island Discs playlist on the plane struggled for gender diversity

Bike appeared to have successfully navigated the first leg, but I'd not know until opening the box at home.
​

After landing at Changi I sailed through immigration, collected my bag which thankfully was one of the first off. It didn't beat the bike however, which preceded it down the adjacent outsized baggage ramp. No hiccups through customs then straight to the Baggage store to leave the bike; I even remembered where everything was. With only a little over thirty hours here this time, I didn't bother with a Tourist Travel Card and just got a single MRT ticket - $2.60 for the twenty minute journey to Aljuneid, the same MRT stop as last time since I was staying at the same hotel. From pulling alongside the snorkel to taking a shower in my hotel room took a little over an hour and a half, which was good given the amount of walking twixt places.

I could probably have managed without a meal, having been well fed on the plane, but having walked past several Hawker stalls on the way to the hotel, I wanted to give it a try, this time without the help of a guide. About 100m from the hotel was a small group of four stalls so I headed there, not wishing to haul myself too far now I was back being exposed to the Singaporean version of heat. I may have been sitting on a plastic stool and it wouldn't win any prizes for decor, but what a bargain and delicious meal I had! The portion of chicken and cashew nuts with rice was smaller than one might get from a takeaway in the UK perhaps, but it was just the quantity I wanted and oh so delicious. That came to $6 or just over £3 and I accompanied it with a large bottle of Tiger Beer for another $7. A steal, and it was so good sitting there as darkness fell, watching folks (well mostly men) apparently dropping in for quick bite on their way home from work.

 

[IaninSheffield]

Day 39: Sauntering in Singapore (29 miles)

I was grateful to enjoy an excellent night's sleep in a comfortable air conditioned room, but then yesterday was an inordinately long day. Made a quick coffee in the room, then set off to catch the MRT to Raffles Place, the nearest stop to the bike hire place I'd picked out. Leaving the station however, takes you through a network of shops and food outlets, so a kopi and kaya toast had to be enjoyed. I have to say I prefer the brewed Singaporean coffee to the barista stuff at most other places. It's strong, full flavoured, slightly but pleasantly bitter, and it is served immediately rather than having you stand around for ages waiting for the barista to do his/her job.

The Asian History Museum

Clarke's Quay​

From the station it was a five minute walk past the Asian History Museum and Parliament, with Clarke Quay across the Singapore River. At the hire place I had the choice of a variety of bikes, but I just went for the cheapest - a simple city bike for which I paid the princely sum of $25 for a full day. Seven gears, kick stand, rear rack and front basket.

My trusty steed for the day​

Off I set back along the river and Downtown to the Sands Expo centre, then past the Gardens by the Bay to the Barrage. My pace was intentionally far from blistering; I wanted to enjoy the ride and hopefully avoid heat exhaustion.

Cavenagh Suspension Bridge leading to The Fullerton

Singapore skyline across the Bay

Ribs of the Flower Dome​

After crossing the Barrage, I picked up the cycleway through the East Coast Park. Mile after mile of flat, tree-lined, traffic free cycling. There were lots of folks out on their bikes, including young uns, which I didn't quite understand - why weren't they in school? Or maybe they finish after midday? The park is well served with pavilions, toilets and drinking fountains to top up your bottle. There are also a few food courts along the way and I felt obliged to stop for a sugar cane juice - delicious, though not quite so good as the one on my previous visit.

As I reached the end of the Park near Changi airport and with thirteen miles covered, my bum was telling me it had had enough. The saddle was a bit too big and soft, and was set too low - I couldn't raise it far enough because the seatpost was too short. You get what you pay for I guess. Retracing my steps I once more was captivated by the number of merchant vessels at anchor in the offshore channel. In one direction you simply could not see through the shipping to the other side. And we claim the English Channel as a busy shipping lane!

Looking back towards town along the beach​

Back in the Bay I swept around its northern shore and past the National Stadium, then along the Kalang River for a while before returning to Downtown past the Formula One Street Circuit pits. After dropping the bike off after a wonderful day of traffic free cycling I headed back to the hotel to cool down for a while.

National Stadium​

Somewhat refreshed, I headed for the local food court once more and this time had a couple of dishes, including finger-sized spring rolls, basil chicken (with rice and fried egg), and a mango salad which, though delicious, had a notable lack of said mangoes. Total cost $14, or about £8, with a 660ml Tiger Beer to reduce the effect of the fresh chillies. After returning to my room, showering, completing packing and final fettling, just as I was almost ready to leave for the airport, the hotel fire alarm went off. I was impressed that it was almost immediately silenced and replaced by a repeated recorded verbal warning to remain calm whilst the situation was checked, then to await further instructions. Just glad it was in English! As I'd already almost melted from the afternoon heat, then combusted from my evening meal, I was pretty sure a hotel fire would bring little further suffering. It appeared to be a false alarm, so I was free to check out a short while later.

Buying an MRT ticket used up my remaining change and I figured a meal (I probably didn't need) at the airport might use up most of my notes. After collecting my bike from the baggage store, it only took a few minutes to reach check-in, then wave it goodbye for a few hours (hopefully!). Much much faster than at Auckland and more importantly, without the excess baggage charges the Kiwis demanded. I'd managed to shed a few grams by throwing some stuff away I either didn't need (soap, deodorant) or could replace for less than an excess charge might be. However, I could see from the scales I was definitely 1.5kg over so had only managed to ditch a kilo. Maybe Singaporeans are just a little more relaxed about that kind of thing, but I'll remember it when booking air travel in the future.

Water display in Jewel at Changi airport​

After trudging off to Jewel for a meal as I did on the outward journey, I struck out. All the food outlets were closed. Hardly surprising I suppose, given it was well after ten. I made my way instead to Departures where, in addition to a couple of chain food outlets, there was a food court more akin to the Hawker places I'd been frequenting. I got a chicken noodle 'set', which in this case was a bowl of chicken curry noodles plus a kopi for $6.60 - this failed to make a big enough dent into my notes and also increased my coin collection once more. On the bright side I took it as a good sign that at least one flight crew chose to eat from the same outlet I'd chosen.

With an hour or so to go I yomped along the long walkway to the departure gate to await boarding and found a comfy armchair in front of a screen showing CNN on which the US President was giving forth on how 'great' a job the country was doing in response to the pandemic. I suspect my return to normal life will be, well, far from normal.

 

[IaninSheffield]

Day 40: Homeward Bound

Unlike when leaving Auckland, boarding on this occasion was punctual, as was departure. Unfortunately not the same luck with seating though, positioned as I was in the middle of three and adjacent to a cupboard that the flight attendants would open then bang shut on a regular basis. It was handy for the loo however, which became important when I heard the announcement from the captain that this was a fifteen hour flight. My heart sank. Knowing I'd not be able to get a minute's sleep, I resigned myself to over half a day of continuous movies … which, apart from a couple of in-flight meals briefly breaking up the monotony, is pretty much how the flight unfolded. Whilst my two seating companions seemed to enjoy a few hours sleep, I worked my way through Jumanji 2, Zombieland 2, a couple I couldn't finish and the first half dozen episodes of Titans … and then we were descending into Manchester. In the moment, time seemed to flow interminably, but curiously in retrospect flew past at a lick.

Manchester was wet and cold, but granted me swift passage through customs, immigration and baggage collection, after which I was most grateful to be greeted by my buddy who had hauled himself over the Pennines in the rush hour traffic to pick me up. This obviated the need for me to reassemble the bike then catch three trains home, for which I was incredibly grateful. I got home more quickly, less stressed and better informed about the unfolding crisis than I would otherwise have been. And that was that; my first longer, first international tour complete. There's much more to reflect on, more photos to add, but my initial needs were unpack, clean up, get a beard trim, reacclimatise … then begin to worry how Covid 19 would strike home. [Clearly written in more innocent times!]

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Great write up! Enjoyed it immensely, many thanks.

So..... where's next?

 

[IaninSheffield]

Great write up! Enjoyed it immensely, many thanks.

So..... where's next?

Thank you sir, although I think I have one more reflective post in me, one in which I'll attempt to address your question. However, I fear my response now, after 4 months, might be rather different than it would have been at the time.

 

[IaninSheffield]

Epilogue

When the seeds of this tour first began to germinate, I had three loose aims:

• To visit a country which friends and cycle tourists have described with awe and enthusiasm.
• To escape the worst of the UK winter.
• To learn how I would cope on, what was for me, an extended tour.

Oh, and to enjoy myself. Four aims darnit!

I guess my first longer tour was always going to be Aotearoa. As I outlined in an earlier post on this thread, I was keen not to push myself so far outside my comfort zone that the degree of challenge became overwhelming. Seeking somewhere in the southern hemisphere to satisfy aim 2 meant ruling out South America and Africa on the grounds that coping with language barriers, terrain, infrastructure etc would make my tour much tougher than I wanted. Australia was just too vast to cover much of it in the time available, and how would I narrow my choice to one region? New Zealand on the other hand, especially when coupled with the praise others had heaped on it, struck me as ideal. Did it live up to expectations? Yes, and in some aspects exceeded them, although in others not so much.

There were times during the tour when my breath was completely taken away with the scenery and I mused that there was nothing back home that could compare. The coastal road out to Coromandel, the views from the climb out of town or the many beaches and bays on the north coast of the peninsula. The remote cliffs, beaches and estuaries of the East Cape. The fractured landscape of hills, peaks and gorges along the Forgotten World Highway, often blanketed in sub-tropical vegetation. And of course volcanoes; I’d never seen one before, let alone several from a single viewpoint.

There were times though when I found myself thinking, yes but the UK also has its own treasures. Then I'd round another headland or crest another summit and realise that in New Zealand everything seems to be 'turned up to eleven.' I'm pretty sure that the amazing run of excellent weather contributed to my delight in the landscape, and of course my enjoyment of the trip more generally. Would I have been so mellow if the weather gods had been less kind, rendering instead the vistas drab and dreary and the cycling merely something to be endured? I'm really not sure how I'd have coped on some of those long, tough climbs out in the boondocks if I was also suffering under torrential rains, buffeting winds or both! With cafe stops so few and far between, and simple shelter often absent, I could imagine life could quickly become less than pleasant. I guess I was lucky. What I am sure of is that the superb weather - not forgetting the heat in Singapore - certainly helped fulfil aim 2. On returning to the UK where spring was beginning to blossom, I had no memory of the usual miserable winter where rides or runs demand multiple layers, hats and gloves, and you still come back chilled. Whatever it may involve, escaping for a month or two at this time of the year is likely to remain high on my list of priorities.

Unexpected delights
Traffic. Having read so many accounts of scary roads, aggressive drivers and immense, inconsiderate logging trucks, it was with some trepidation that I began turning my wheels on kiwi tarmac. Yet I hardly suffered those problems at all. Perhaps I was just lucky? Apart from literally a handful of minor incidents I found drivers largely respectful. Yes, many do drive at a fair lick, especially out in the country, and yes many are not keen on being held up, so will come through when it might be wiser to hold back a little, but I rarely felt threatened or even ill at ease.

Bakeries. If you’ve struggled through the journal you’ll have noted my joy in finding these snacking nirvanas. I much prefer to find somewhere to sit off the bike and enjoy a coffee and a bite to eat, than sitting by the roadside with my water bottle and a snack from my bar bag. The kiwi bakery offers a much wider choice than the ones back home, often at more reasonable prices and you’ll come across one or more in most small towns.

Campgrounds. Once more New Zealand campgrounds left ours back home wanting, although here I’m writing as a cyclist with a tent, so can’t comment what it’s like for those with more luxurious and self-contained motorised accommodation. Simply having access to a kitchen, even if it was only the kettle and microwave that I needed, was incredibly helpful and made life easier. Mostly I thought the campgrounds were reasonably priced, although I appreciate that other cycle tourers might prefer the even more reasonable, and often free, DoC sites. I was in the privileged position of being able to afford to pay for the additional home comforts that commercial sites often had.

Ice creams. I’ve read and heard that New Zealand can be quite expensive; I suppose that depends on the financial reserves you have at your disposal. Some foodstuffs were indeed quite expensive compared with back home - I never could understand why dairy produce, meat and salads(!) cost so much here (perhaps ours are too cheap?). Ice cream though, now that was excellent value and hard to resist!

Chance encounters. I met, chatted and shared time with some wonderful people as I travelled around, some Kiwis and others from around the world. I’m not quite sure why I hadn’t anticipated this - other folks have written or spoken of such encounters in their accounts. Perhaps I hadn’t expected getting past my shyness? But consequently I’m incredibly grateful to all those who took the time to talk with me.

Unanticipated disappointments
Public transport. Although I’d done my research and knew what was available, I hadn’t anticipated how hard it might be to get around when you needed to change plans, particularly when you have a bike. Urban transport such as that in Wellington or Auckland was fine, but if you need to get between centres of population, life becomes much more difficult. In the end, Intercity buses worked out OK for me, but if I’d needed transport on one of the routes served by ‘double-decker’ buses, say from Whakatane to elsewhere, I’d have been stymied.

Parched landscape. Prior to travelling, my expectations of New Zealand were formed from a vivid green and pleasant land. With the dry summer and dearth of rainfall, what I mostly experienced was a brown, parched landscape. Would I have traded that for damper days and more verdant views? That’s a toughie.

Automobiles. Given what I’ve said about public transport, it’s hardly surprising to find that the car is king. What I found harder to forgive though was the proportion of souped-up, V8 muscle cars and pickups. I had this rose-tinted impression of Kiwis as environmentally aware and proactive, and doubtless many of them are, but it wasn’t their engines that invariably roared and screamed in almost every city, town and tiny settlement through which I passed.

Fences. Another false impression I had shattered was of remote, vast, wide-open landscapes, free from human interference. Sure I saw plenty of that, typified by the splendours of the East Cape. Yet even here almost all land was divided up, fenced off or demarcated in some way. With ‘Private. Keep out’ signs in abundance, there seemed to be little that was public and accessible … or perhaps I was just in the wrong places.

Gravel roads. I’ve discussed this in previous posts so won’t rehash it here. It wasn’t the roads themselves, just that I was poorly equipped to deal with them. I guess I was more disappointed that I hadn’t thought this through beforehand and prepared myself mentally for what I’d be likely to encounter. But then even with a bike and setup more suited to those conditions, I’m not sure hour after hour on washboard would hold much pleasure, at least for me.

In conclusion
There’s probably a quick way to express this; would I do it again? I’d love to be able to save your time and say an unequivocal ‘Yes’ … but things are of course rarely so cut and dried. I’m fairly sure I do want to do another extended tour, though am equally convinced that for me, a month or two is probably about the right duration. I’d had long enough to get a feel for the place, yet was ready to come home. As it transpired, had I stayed a week longer, travelling home might have become much more problematic. I was lucky. What this trip confirmed was that the multi-month/year tours on which some cycle tourists embark hold little attraction for me … yet.

Lots of folks, especially those doing the TA, have said how much more stunning the South Island is and that I should return for a shot at that. I have no doubt that’s true, but I’m pretty sure I’ll not be heading back, at least in the short term. Firstly and most importantly, there are other places around the world I’m keen to see, and secondly there are some aspects to touring in New Zealand which align less closely with what my preferences. As I’ve already stated, there are some (albethey simple) comforts I’d rather not forgo; navigating the remoteness down south might make that harder to fulfill. Another thing I found in the north and which is magnified in the south, is that the road network is understandably limited, which curtails route choice. I guess I’ve been spoiled by the intricate network of roads and lanes from which we can choose here in the UK. A sixty mile journey here might be undertaken in hundreds of different ways; in NZ often you have just the one option.

What I gained most from my first tour abroad was the chance to rethink what my priorities are, what I unwittingly take for granted (and shouldn’t) and what gives me most pleasure. That’s enough with which to move forward.

I captured a few brief video sequences which I've strung together here. I’m no ‘TubeMeister', but at least they might provide a different flavour of my experiences:

View: https://youtu.be/hFvCXOEbZwM
​

Thanks for reading, and if you have any questions ...