Current Location: Blenheim, Aotearoa
I couldn’t have asked for a nicer ride between the two islands today. It was as calm as riding through Mille Lacs Lake except for a few big bumps in between. Other than that it was a perfectly normal ride, i’m guessing when I do the return trip in 5 months it will be a very different story as it should be winter by then. Should be fun! The ride through the fjords? into Picton was spectacular, a great way to herald the beginning of the south island.
A big thanks goes out to Alex for giving me a ride into Plimmerton where I spent the night before catching the train into town this morning and getting ready for the ferry. I decided I didn’t need to spend any time down there right now as i’ll be going through Wellington on my return and I can do all the hobbit tours then =D. I’ll also cycle my way out of Wellington instead of taking the train up to Paraparaumu as I found a few cycling maps of the greater Wellington area that will make my life way easier on the return.
The ride from Picton to Blenheim was great. With the tailwind I think I was averaging 27-30km an hour, fortunately or not Blenheim was only 26k out of Picton so it was only an hours ride. I met a couple of Dutch tourers yesterday who just finished up the south island and gave me a few pointers. One of which was to carry a lot more water at all times. They said that their map would often tell them a town was coming up and when they got there it ended up being only a crossroads with nothing to demark it as a town. And with distances between towns getting up into the hundreds of kilometers it can be a while before finding water. Which would then put me back to getting water from streams (I’ve only done it once so far. =D)
Getting into Blenheim camping ends up being more expensive than a hostel… I can’t believe it really but I guess it happens. But at the same time all, literally all, of the hostel beds are taken for the night so it ends up I’m camping the night away anyway. Tomorrow I’m just shooting for the Peddlers Rest, it’s a bicyclers only hostel… I’m quite excited.