A very brief series of NZ blogs to catch up
It’s winter here and we didn’t make much southerly progress due to ice, but we’ll get to that. It’s very cold. We’re going to hit a few countries off-season and this is one of them.
The first stop is Tuaranga to get new tires. TKC 80’s since we’re not concerned with tire wear here
Once free of Auckland it’s a dash across vividly green countryside
Then to Hamilton
The leaves are off the trees. It feels like winter.
Our first view of the hills that characterize NZ. Choppy, like the southern ocean on a bad day
Rivers everywhere
Stocked with Rainbow trout from BC decades ago, now the dominant fresh water game fish
Then to New Plymouth
Our first ocean view
A black-sand beach. It’s soft like mud
The air is sparkling clear, always
Mount Taranaki
And around the coast to Wellington
Back to the ocean
My youngest daughter is visiting on her way through. We travel together for a while. Yes, there’s a broken leg in here somewhere
This is what Wellington looks like when you ride/drive in. Normally this is a windy city, but today it’s still
We decide to check it out by air. We charter the smallest helicopter I’ve ever been in, but it has the benefit of being quiet. My daughter’s in the front, I’m crammed into what passes for a back seat
Downtown Wellington
Head north
Over hills
Beautiful little valleys
Along the coastline
To a small peninsula, covered in seals
Down there
Toy helicopter. In bike terms, this is a scooter
Seals
And back again
