East to the sun

01/01/2011

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Don't mess with this guy
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Mr. Hippo and a fellow cyclist
There’s nothing quite like coming into a brand new city, country and culture and being met by someone who is expecting you. All the uncertainties and anxieties that normally accompany arrival into a metropolis become irrelevant, and enjoyment is much quicker to descend upon the weary traveler. So it was that I was greeted by Peter and Goy, a lovely couple who live in the city and offer the fabulous service of hosting touring cyclists. Peter, better known to the locals by his nickname of Mr Hippo, is an Englishman, born and bred, but has lived and been riding in Thailand for over 8 years. His wife Goy is a native of Bangkok, and together they reside in the suburb of Lat Phrao.
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A month in the sun...?

12/21/2010

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Spot the tourist
To see all the photos from this section, and the trip so far, go to the Photography section under the media tab along the top.

Australia – new country, new culture, just about new everything. Due to dwindling finances I had to leave New Zealand quicker than I would have liked, and it became apparent that to ride the entire East Coast of Oz was no longer viable from a monetary perspective either. Rather it would make sense to choose a section in which to ride and explore this to a more thorough degree. I have learned to be philosophical about compromises like this – of course I’m very disappointed to miss out on such a wonderful part of country, but the bottom line is that I still get to ride my bicycle along a stunning coastline in Australia; the other side of the world from where I grew up. Things are always better in perspective.
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Bottom of the world

12/21/2010

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Sunset at the Bottom of the World
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Southland Brand
My arrival into Invercargill coincided with a slight change of fortune weather wise. The rain clouds withdrew enough for me to see some blue sky, and I pedaled happily along the flat road into the city. Pleasant fields and livestock flanked me, until eventually suburbs grew out of the agricultural land and this in turn became dense enough to call urban. My first appointment was with Gerry Ford, Southland Spirit of the Nation Brand Manager. Southland of course is the region of which Invercargill is the major hub, and has quite a reputation among Kiwi’s. Southlanders are often the butt of jokes in the same way that many rural areas get stick, but they are also famed for their unique slant on the New Zealand accent and their dry sense of humour. Gerry was a true Southlander, and it was fantastic interviewing him. Passion for the region was apparent in every word from his mouth and movement of body. He loved the place and was at no loss to tell me why. One thing I really picked up on was the warmth of the people – how helpful they are. As Gerry described how a Southlander would go out of their way to help a stranger, I could immediately empathise, having already experienced such kindness. In return for the interview, I happily agreed to get my photo taken while riding my bicycle and waving the Southland flag. I was on my way to initiation!

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Mountain Time

12/16/2010

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Hanging out on the Lake in my one fancy shirt
To see all the photos from this section, and the trip so far, go to the Photography section under the media tab along the top.

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Calm Lake Wanaka
Whether reality or a trick of the mind it certainly appeared that the closer I got to Wanaka, the better the weather became. And so it was that despite arriving close to 7pm, the evening sun beat down on my neck heralding me into a town which grows out of the shore of the inimitable Lake Wanaka. I was to be hosted at a hostel called ‘Matterhorn South’ by owners Peter and Donna. Events conspired to mean I'd arrived a day early, and I was preparing to find somewhere to pitch my tent in the meantime. No such thing was going to happen under their watch – I was ushered into my room and given a welcome so warm it even included beers in the fridge. The couple had turned what could have been a pretty standard hostel into the most homely atmosphere I’ve ever experienced in such a setting. They encourage the mingling of guests, and spend a lot of time themselves getting to know those passing through. I spent the evening talking to fellow travelers who all agreed it was a home away from home.  Being dry and warm was enough after my previous few nights in the tent; the comfort and vibe was a pleasurable bonus.
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West Side

12/13/2010

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Westport loomed like the gold at the end of the rainbow. This was, for me, the beginning of the promised land of New Zealand’s West Coast – where mountains meet ocean and ruggedness is standard fare. The township of Westport is a relatively small affair, situated about 70 miles north of it’s bigger city neighbour Greymouth. Arriving mid afternoon, I checked into the Westport Motor Hotel who were graciously hosting me. Another comfortable bed from which to rest and drink coffee, eat biscuits and revel in inactivity. I might stayed there all day, but luckily I had pressing engagements to drag me from my sedentary. Mid-afternoon found me waiting in the Department of Conservation offices for Penny McIntosh, who had a treat in store for me. The Department of Conservation, or DOC as the are commonly known, operate nation wide taking care of natural areas and issues. 20 miles north of Westport lies the old mining town of Denniston, located on a 600 metre plateau. In it’s heyday there were over 1000 residents up there, almost completely detached from the world below. It now sits abandoned, the old equipments resting heavily on the site like a ghost of times past. DOC are planning a foray into the world of tourism by converting the whole area into the Denniston Experience. The idea is you buy a ticket, in the form of a ‘worker’s card’ for the mine, and are transported up there, taken on a ride into the shaft and toured through the history of the place.
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The South Island begins

12/13/2010

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Riding around the Queen Charlotte Sound
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The view from the Interislander
Taking a cruise in the middle of my cycling adventure was never something I’d planned on, but one could be forgiven for thinking they were on a luxury sightseeing voyage though the Queen Charlotte Sound. In actual fact the boat trip was the crossing between the islands of New Zealand, from North to South on the Interislander. Essentially a practical journey, it must rank as one of the most stunning three hour ferry crossings anywhere in the world. Pulling out of Wellington gave panoramic views of the capital nestled snugly in between the surrounding hills, and within a short time the open water turned into the extensive sounds that protrude from the Marlborough region. The huge Interislander vessel negotiates it’s way through some relatively tight turns as it makes it’s way to the harbour. On either side of the boat one can enjoy breathtaking scenery – native bush, steep and untouched mountainsides, and all in the knowledge that most of this land remains largely unaffected by man’s destructive hand. There is evidence of flora that was introduced by the settlers, but efforts are being made to restore it to it’s natural state.
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© Leon McCarron