The far end of the world...

**motophil** · 28th November 2009, 02:52

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

- Philip

**motophil** · 3rd January 2010, 20:59

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:

First test ride to Karekare Beach:

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

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

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.

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:

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:

...and, after staying at Clints place near Rotorua for a night (thanks!

) we stopped ad Kerosene Creek:

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

**motophil** · 3rd January 2010, 21:00

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

Camping in the old school yard at Wongamonona:

Mount Taranaki:

Along the Whanganui River Road:

With nice views back to the volcanos:

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:

**motophil** · 3rd January 2010, 21:00

Kayaking at the Abel Tasman Natonal Park:

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