The far end of the world...

[motophil]

...that's where we're going. Or, coming from, from your point of view :) - Germany.

That's us, last year on the balkan:

http://www.rrr.de/~phil/generated/iconcache/reisenr20092balkanimg_0515.jpg (http://www.rrr.de/~phil/reisen/r20092balkan/img_0515.jpg) http://www.rrr.de/~phil/generated/iconcache/reisenr20092balkanimg_0667.jpg (http://www.rrr.de/~phil/reisen/r20092balkan/img_0667.jpg)

We will be arriving in Auckland on Dec. 11. A friend in NZ that I know from times back in when we were working Ireland will deliver a bike that he bought for me (now THAT's a friend! :2thumbsup) to the airport and fly back home south. Here it is:

http://www.rrr.de/~phil/generated/iconcache/motorradta.jpg (http://www.rrr.de/~phil/motorrad/ta.jpg)

We've got five weeks to do the big tour of both islands - not plenty, but enough, I hope.

Right now I've started planning the "what not to miss" - haven't got too far yet, but if you have some hints here (besides the tourist spots where everybody goes anyway) they'll be very welcome. Dirt tracks are OK too, but only ones that a standard car would be capable of too, since the bike will be loaded with the two of us plus baggage plus camping gear...

I'll come back for the details as soon as I have a rough plan.

I'm not too satisfied with my map material yet - bought a "world mapping project" 1:1000000 for the overview, got the NZ Open GPS Maps for my eTrex, but I'll need more detailed paper maps I guess. Thought about buying the New Zealand Motorcycle Atlas, but I'd rather like maps than an atlas because it just gives you better overview and works better in a tank bag.

Is there a map set that you can recommend?

Thanks for your help, if you can - :cool:

- Philip

[Motoracer]

Ich Grüße dich,

Ich bin aus Auckland, Neuseeland und habe ich in deinen schönen land seit Januar gewohnt. Dezember und Januar sind super schön in NZ und du kanst dort drüben bestimmt viel spaß haben. Die leute hier in KB sind sehr nett und freundlich. ich glaube werden sie dich die richtige information bald geben.

also, alles gute! Viel spaß nochmal und ich habe auch einen urlaub in Auckland in Januar, daher wenn du da bist und zeit hast, bitte pm mich. Dann können wir zusammen ein paar bierchen trinken.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Sudeep

[vindy500]

ich bin schnappi

[Macktheknife]

Actually the NZ motorcycle atlas is very worthwhile, fits in a tankbag, shows some truly awesome roads to ride, and a nice memento at the end of it all.
Other than that, have a great time in NZ, you will want to return.
Others will give you lots to work on as destinations and routes, but go South first would be my advice.
Have fun on the tranny.

[motophil]

Motoracer: Ich bin nur im Dezember auf der Nordinsel, Januar dann auf der Südinsel - schade...

Macktheknife: Thanks. As far as I understand the Atlas is a full mapset of NZ plus the mcycle stuff?

- Philip

[Pixie]

Map books:
Automobile Association New Zealand Road Atlas

Kiwimaps North Island Complete Drivers Atlas

Kiwimaps South Island Complete Drivers Atlas

http://www.kiwimaps.co.nz/

[clint640]

The NZ motorcycle atlas is good, it has lots of other general info on touring NZ & many of the great bike routes highlighted. For more detail I often also take the NZ AA (free to members) maps - these have most road names marked on them & are a handy pocket/tankbag size.

Keep us posted as to your travels - you are welcome to camp at my place near Rotorua if you travel this way.

Cheers
Clint

[crazyhorse]

Have a wonderful 5 weeks travelling around New Zealand. :yes:

[Beemer]

Feel free to contact us - so far we've had five or six German couples to stay and have enjoyed their company. Have a look at the thread called "anyone heading our way?"

We are just north of Levin (about 100kms north of Wellington) and have a big spare room and secure garaging. Let us know when you will be in our area - it's likely we will be home and you could stay a night or two.

[triple-bee]

Spent a lot of time touring Germany when we lived in the UK got a good mate in the Rhine valley, Can give you a bed and garage when u are in Christchurch let us know :Punk:

[Pedrostt500]

There are 2 map books by Kiwi Pathfinder, that cover north island and South island, Called respectivly, North Island Complete Drivers Atlas, and South Island Complete Drivers Atlas, they have all the country roads indexed in both Islands, available at most Service Stations, for about $35.00 each. Good for planing a ride around some of the less traveled roads.

[Guzza]

If you intend to pass through the McKenzie Country, stop in Omarama and spend an hour at this place.
http://hottubsomarama.co.nz

[motophil]

Got the motorcycle atlas now and I think it's a good compromise between size and detail, plus it gives what standard country guides lack - what road's worth riding :Punk:

clint, beemer, triple-bee: Thanks for your kind offers! I will contact you about the details soon. We'll ride from Rotorura to Wellington somwhere between Dec 20 and year's end, so I'm well aware that might interfere with your own holiday plans. Christchurch is the end of the trip around Dec 17.

So see you on the road! :drinknsin

- Philip

[motophil]

One nonsense post...

[motophil]

...and another one, now I can use the private message system :innocent:

[motophil]

A bit more planning is done, I'm about to pack our stuff...

The rough plan: go north from Auckland, do ninety mile beach, back down, Coromandel, Rotorura, Lake Taupo, Wellington, then along the North and West coast of the south Island, a Lewis Pass/Arthurs Pass circle, Milford Sound, Dunedin. About 5000km (add some for detours) in five weeks - that's comfortable.

If anybody's got tips on what not to miss - a good place to stay or to eat along the road, a sight less well known, or whatever - I'm all ears.

Thanks for your help, and see you on the road :soon:

- Philip

[motophil]

A quick update and show of photos for all of you:

We've arrived safe in Auckland on Dec. 13, all bags were there too and my friend delievered the bike to the Airport and flew back south.

I've got new tyres for the bike and we loaded it up:

http://www.rrr.de/~phil/reisen/r20094neuseeland/img_3822.jpg

First test ride to Karekare Beach:

http://www.rrr.de/~phil/reisen/r20094neuseeland/img_3817.jpg

then we headed north, along the west coast to ninety mile beach. This is Te Paki Stream:

http://www.rrr.de/~phil/reisen/r20094neuseeland/img_3878.jpg

South along the east coast to Tutukaka, where we went to Poor Knight's Island for scuba diving:

http://www.rrr.de/~phil/reisen/r20094neuseeland/img_3941.jpg

This was the first of three tours we took so far, and all three gave us an excellent experience, the Kiwis really take ther pride to think about everything and give their customers/visitors a safe and enjoyable tour. :Punk:

Also, everybody we met was really friendly and willing to go out of their way to help us out. Whatever I needed, a LARGE hammer, some spray oil, a piece of wood, something sewn... you name it, it was solved in minutes.

Thumbs up for the kiwi people!

The have a habit of decorating their fences with weird things (Jandals, Bicycles...) and putting up funny signs:

http://www.rrr.de/~phil/reisen/r20094neuseeland/img_0193.jpg

I found that the sprockets on my bike were completely fucked, and again cycletreads in Auckland helped me with a new chain-and-sprocket kit within a few hours monday mornings, although thy didn't have it in stock.

Off to the Coromandel we go:

http://www.rrr.de/~phil/reisen/r20094neuseeland/img_3964.jpg

...and, after staying at Clints place near Rotorua for a night (thanks! :) ) we stopped ad Kerosene Creek:

http://www.rrr.de/~phil/reisen/r20094neuseeland/img_4009.jpg

Further south through Taupo, into the Three-Volcano-National-Park, here's Mt. Doom:

http://www.rrr.de/~phil/reisen/r20094neuseeland/img_4086.jpg

[motophil]

Then down the Forgotten World highway, which we really loved:

http://www.rrr.de/~phil/reisen/r20094neuseeland/img_4131.jpg

Camping in the old school yard at Wongamonona:

http://www.rrr.de/~phil/reisen/r20094neuseeland/img_4139.jpg

Mount Taranaki:

http://www.rrr.de/~phil/reisen/r20094neuseeland/img_4168.jpg

Along the Whanganui River Road:

http://www.rrr.de/~phil/reisen/r20094neuseeland/img_4170.jpg

http://www.rrr.de/~phil/reisen/r20094neuseeland/img_4175.jpg

With nice views back to the volcanos:

http://www.rrr.de/~phil/reisen/r20094neuseeland/img_4176.jpg

Heading into Wellington after a lovely lunch at Faye's place (thanks! :) ), off to the south island, where we kicked it for two days in Richmond. This is the RIchmond Church Tree:

http://www.rrr.de/~phil/reisen/r20094neuseeland/img_4227.jpg

[motophil]

Kayaking at the Abel Tasman Natonal Park:

http://www.rrr.de/~phil/reisen/r20094neuseeland/img_4256.jpg

http://www.rrr.de/~phil/reisen/r20094neuseeland/img_4267.jpg

http://www.rrr.de/~phil/reisen/r20094neuseeland/img_4411.jpg

http://www.rrr.de/~phil/reisen/r20094neuseeland/img_4421.jpg

Since then, we've rode Lewis Pass, been whale-watching in Kaikoura, and went down the Molesworth track. And right now I'm wasting Neil's Bandwidth to write this (thanks! :) )

More pictures soon, we got to weeks to go. Cross your fingers for good weather on the west coast...

- Philip

[Pixie]

Great pics.Enjoy the rest of your trip.

[clint640]

Great pics guys! It was a pleasure to have you stay & I hope you enjoy the rest of your trip.

Cheers
Clint

[triple-bee]

U left a sock in the dryer, i will give it the dogs to play with. Enjoy the rest of ur holiday

Neil n Jan