Australia - New Zealand

My road : Devonport, Melbourne, 01/18, Geelong, Lorne, Apollo Bay, Lavers Hill, Princetown, Port Campbell, Peterborough, Warrnambool, from 24 to 2010/01/26, Marshall, Barwon Heads, Ocean Grove, Point Lonsdale Queenscliff, Sorrento, Mornington, Frankston, Melbourne, from 27 to 2010/01/28, Christchurch, Kaiapoi, Oxford, Waddington, Mount Hutt, Methven, Geraldine, Fairlie, Lake Tekapo, Mount Cook Village, Twizel, Omarama, Kurow, Duntroon, Dansey Pass, Naseby, Ranfurly, Middlemarch, Mosgiel, Dunedin, from 10 to 2010/02/23.

So I left Tasmania after a wonderful stay, taking the ferry which brings me back to Melbourne. Arriving in the evening, I found Jarrod, a boy met on my road one night on a campsite and invited me to stay home. I went to his job for then return both of them by bike to his flat. I spend 2 days with him to study and reflect on the remainder of my journey. But it eventually to get myself tired, decided to take my bike and go to the south west coast of Melbourne called the «Great Ocean Road». But my time is now counted in Australia, deciding to leave the city by train and reach Lorne. At the station we told me that from Geelong to Lorne there is no train but the bus, then asking to the person if my bike will be board, and the latter selling me a ticket to the final destination. From Melbourne to Geelong is a special train carrying the bikes for free, thus making this trip without worries. But reaching this station, we were told me that the bus to Lorne does not take bikes, contesting, saying that we sold me a ticket, over-booked a room at Lorne. My time is now too short to go by bike, we asked me to wait for the bus and to discuss with the driver. This one very nice and not yet accustomed to this, allow me to load my bike and travel with him. I spend 3 days in Lorne to continue my research started in Melbourne and update my site.
From there I start the road to the Great Ocean Road, reaching the first day Lavers Hill. It goes along the ocean, more in the way I go, I find myself on the right side. Up to Apollo Bay, the route is easy and superb, showing a wild coast while beaches. Conversely, I meet many cyclists. Before noon I am in Apollo Bay, saying that it goes well, even taking my lunch and rest. Starting again I decided to reach Lavers Hill, despite the hot weather. The ride to Glenair makes me go into the land, through the Great Otway National Park, then back down on the coast for a magnificent panorama. To reach Lavers Hill is a long climb, finishing around 17 o'clock, being as it halfway with Warrnombool.
The next day, I discover the famous Great Ocean Road and Port Campbell National Park, in first to the site of the 12 Apostles, pillars of stone in different sizes and shapes, facing the cliff, feet in the water, waves coming to hit them. Their number is over 12, but this does not detract from the beauty of the site. This place is superb, made even more beautiful today by the big blue sky and the sun. The people there are many, constantly coming and going. The colors are majestic, between browns apparent from the beach, from light to dark made by absorption of water, the white of the waves or the bright blue from the ocean. From there I continue to Loch Ard Gorge. Again it's fabulous with these elements detached from the cliffs, that just by erosion, the work of the ocean and time, ranging between 10 and 25 million years ago, simply amazing. Staying and camped for the night in Port Campbell, I spend my evening with a couple from Switzerland, traveling for a few months away by car. The next morning I continue my exploration of this particular coast, stopping at The Arch, London Bridge and The Grotto, 3 sites just as remarkable as those of yesterday. But the second is really superb with a huge rock mass separated from the cliff of the time when this area was under water, and then only by the action of the sea, which is quite impressive. After Peterborough, I discovered the last 2 sites with the Bay of Martyrs and Bay of Island, meeting 3 Australians and 2 Americans who hold me to talk about my adventure. From there he left me 50 kilometers to reach Warrnombool, riding a good pace for my last step, saying that the Australian adventure is as finish, happy in the coming days to see something else with New Zealand.
From this point I begin my return to Melbourne, taking the train to Geelong, then traveling to Point Lonsdale, where I stay for the night with David and Linda, a couple met in my journey of Australian Alps. From their home, this time it's my last stage reaching Beaumaris, which is the southern suburbs of Melbourne, stopping at home with John and Fay, received superbly, meeting john's brother and his wife, these people admiring what I'm doing, spending a very nice moment with them. John is a preciuos help to purchase my ticket to Japan, didn't want I leave by bike, driving me by car. From his home I have to go to Donvale, this time east side of Melbourne, going to meet George and Jenny awaiting for me. I spend 5 days with them, busying myself to prepare my departure for New Zealand, to put my own material clean with especially my bike and tent. It then the time tu put it in box, having trouble to find one big enough, come to be customized by myself. On february 3th, this is my last day with this couple, but also with Australia, ending in preparation for my departure by control the weight of my box and my bags to avoid trouble at the boarding.
After 5 months I finished with this country, having had a long road, having lived quite differently from Asia, keeping in memories some great meetings, having discovered beautiful areas, but leaving a country that does not give me want to come back, at least by bicycle, if only by the horrible nuisance of flies and a bird. It is also a country with a lot of prohibition, which is not always pleasant.

On february 4th in the morning, it is with emotion that I leave at first Jenny, George led me to a bus stop, which one takes me to the airport. Then quickly, I salute George and thank him as I hope to meet again a next day.
With Virgin Blue, the airline with which I travel, my check in goes well, at the limit to pay an excess weight, but it escaped. It is a 3hours30 flight to reach New Zealand, a new country is approaching, with a magnificent finish flying over snowy mountains. It is also my 33rd country. At Christchurch airport, everything goes well, do not undergo the rigorous controls announced in cleanliness of my material, quickly joining the arrivals hall and settle in to reasemble my bike. By late afternoon, I begin my first kilometers on this country by reaching the home of Jeff, a cyclist contacted earlier and waiting for me. He is a man of a certain age, but still active, either by traveling by bicycle or while hiking in the mountains. It is also someone passionate about beekeeping with several hives, or as keynote speaker. With him I spent several days feeling good with him, cooking our dinner for the delight of Jeff. In Christchurch, I am also preparing my new journey, by buying extra clothing, but also detecting a problem with my bike and the rear wheel, small cracks appearing on the rim. On the morning of february 10th is the departure for my first step, but with a wather will pass gray rainy. Arriving at Oxford, I am wet, finding shelter in front of the library to take my lunch. Once a man stopped on my bike and then come see me, asking me where I go so where I'll spend the night, inviting me to go home. In the afternoon, after a few kilomleters I reach Mike's home, a man living alone and in the countryside. To find myself in a warm place is good, Mike coming in first to show me the shower. Then return to the lounge where a fireplace makes it cozy atmosphere, he serves me a tea, a light rain outside falling. Seated at the table, it is curious to hear my story, cyclist also at times, or practising cayak, despite an age far more advanced than mine. In evening, he invited me to dine with him, cooking to us a mix vegetables and grilling sausages, also tasting a wine. In the morning the weather became calm and clear, can continue my journey towards Methven by an easy route, flat, looking to my right the hills, finding farms and large herds of dairy cows. Moreover, it is in one of them that I stay for the night. The next morning, when I just started my step, I am joined by another rider in the person of Gregor, a German here for 4 weeks, which is dumbfounded when I told him that I am almost 4 years. This does not preclude that we take the road together, Gregor riding on a recumbent. I am also recently in touch with Holm and Julia, the German couple with whom I was in Tasmania, watching whether they appear from somewhere, who left Christchurch shortly after me. We are going toward Geraldine for a journey pleasant and easy, fun to ride again, through a region of dairy farming, sheep, cereals not yet harvest. Along the way, Gregor has a flat tire in front of a defect of his tire inside. This one unusable, we can consolidate it for 16 kms and reach Geraldine. But there he is forced to buy the only, now hoping to continue to find better further. We spend our night here because a bad weather is announced. The next morning after hesitation, we continue to Fairlie, the route being climbed and riding first. But shortly before the town, a car stopped me, telling me a bad new, Gregor comes to fall down heavily. This person leads me there, but Gregor was already in route for treatment. With someone on place, we take care of his bike, then finding Gregor to the care center. His injuries are multiple, between his forearms, hands, legs, shoulder, Gregor being unable to re-cycling in the coming days. But in the evening, his decision is taken quickly, that is return to Germany. That same evening, unexpectedly, I see arrived Holm and Julia, happy them like me to see ourselves again. On 14th february, so I leave Gregor and take back the road with my old friends, traveling to Mount Cook. The weather is cool and gray, passing our first high point with 709 meters, then discovered behind the mountains, some with snow. We pass Lake Tekapo, a place visited a lot for its blue waters. Continuing, we avoids the main axis riding along a channel with a headwind and through a deserted area, finding to camp at lake Pukaki, enjoying a beautiful sunset and sunrise. We must then go around this lake, then go back over 35 kilometers before reaching Mount Cook. We stay here for a day, waking up early with Holm to see the sunrise over the mountains. Although the temperature was cold with 4 degrees, we left our tent to walk 30 minutes to reach Kea lookout. On site, the moment is wonderful and amazing colors, being here only both of them, living a privileged time of the morning. In return we have breakfast, finding Julia stayed warm in his sleeping bag, then leaving for a walk up the Hooker valley which enables us to arrive at the foot of Mount Cook, discovered the highest mountain in New Zealand but also a lake and a glacier. The place is extremely pleasant, but with a lot of people. Hence we reach Twizel remaining there one day because of rain is announced, which is very present in the afternoon and evening. We ride now to the east, revealing a large number of lakes with turquoise waters, making for more as continuity between them, just separated by a dam. The region has 7 on the Waitaki river. So before we reach the coast, we take a gravel road that we pass between the mountains Kakanui and Hawkdun, for a difficult trip and going up with the Dansey Pass to 934 meters, but for a big pleasure, the place is superb and wild, barren mountains just occupied by sheep. By reaching Ranfurly, we continued on another trail, this time flat, called Otago Central Rail Trail, a old railway converted into a path for pedestrians, cyclists and riders. A journey that has no great interest except to ride off trafic, going through an uninhabited area, arid, finding a gorge just for the pleasure of the day. Also the weather is very hot and windy, eager to reach Middlemarch to have a refreshing ice cream. Hence we remain one step to arrive to Dunedin, the morning discovering nature scattered by stones more or less big, and even rocks. The region appears specific, as lunar. But it is also a trip with long and severe climbs, counting the one behind the other, each being too steep for me, while walking and pushing my bike, and seeing Holm and Julia standing on their pedals, reaching the top without having to dismount, asking to Holm "how are you doing?" and replying to me, "I just puch on my pedals", wondering myself where he can find that strength and energy. After 4 climbs and a considerable expenditure of energy, comes behind a long descent to Mosgiel, finding ourselves almost at sea level then it is time to take lunch, ending with a big ice cream offer by Holm after Julia and mine the past days. Leaving this place, we expect the hardest climb of the day, climbing to 350 meters before returning to zero. I started to climb behind Holm, but with a strong winds and a severe slope, I must abdicate and push. Along the way, I found my friend Holm on the edge of the road, his rear tire had opened. A temporary repair allowed him to rally Dunedin a few kilometers further.
This city holds us back several days, the cracks on the rear rim of my bike are more numerous. With Holm we reflect on his replacement, taking a decision and purchase a new one, always seeking something reliable, hoping it will be this time.