Tuesday 6th November - Kaikora to Cheviot (43 miles)
- Late start at 9.30 due to hangover from previous night after dining with Gerry & Lynn from Aberdeen who we had met on the whale watching trip
- Stopped to talk to a group of locals fishing for whitebait on the shore with what looked like upturned, old-fashioned fireguards
- Had lunch in a picnic site with the only others there being two couples of overweight German pensioners stripped nearly to their underwear, sunbathing! It wasn't a pretty sight.
- Arrived in Cheviot around 3.30pm. Had cup of tea in the local cafe, collected e-mails and did shopping for dinner
- Found a motel, Caroline cooked a Bolognese and we read our books and watched TV
Wednesday 7th November - Cheviot to Amberley (41 miles)
- Caroline phoned Anne Marie from the motel and caught up on some long overdue gossip!
- Called in at the supermarket for a few provisions for the day and we were 'accosted' by a local middle - aged woman who saw the bikes and asked us about our trip. Apparently, her daughter and son-in-law had just cycled through France and were now in the UK. She gave us her contact details and invited us to stay with her if we passed through again. This is typical of the New Zealanders we have met - so friendly, interested and welcoming.
- On the road at 9.30 and with the wind behind us, it was a pretty easy days cycling.
- We stopped for a break (Tea & muffins - to provide energy of course!) at midday and read the paper
- Arrived in Amberley at 2.00pm and found that the library had internet access and a scanner. We had been hoping to put some pictures onto the website for some time. However, the staff didin't know how to work the scanner and we spent a friutless, frustrating hour trying to put some pictures on the site and achieved nothing! Caroline went for some retail therapy and Dave did some reading.
- Went out and ate in a great restaurant (The Nor-wester - after the winds that are common in the town) and had a hearty and casual meal - as described on the menu!
Thursday 8th November - Amberley to Christchurch (30 miles)
- Cycled into Christchurch with one break for a cuppa. Took Dave's bike into a shop to get the chain cleaned and our oil replacement, White Lightening, applied.
- A very frustrating day followed. Went to the post office to pick up some photos we were sure should have been there, returned from home, but suprisingly, they wern't. We then went to a series of internet cafe's to try and scan our photos again. However, most of the cafe owners couldn't speak English and didn't understand what we wanted to do and when we found a place that understood our requirements and had the equipment, our software wouldn't work!!
- Started cycling out of Christchurch, so as to be on route for the next days trip. HOwever, had difficulty finding a motel ended up doubling back on ourselves. Took a cabin in a campground, which turned out to be excellent. Bought some food, a bottle of wine and some beers and got (slightly) drunk!
Friday 9th November - Christchurch to Rakaia Gorge (52 miles)
- Flat, dull boring cycling. Cold and overcast. We cycled for 30 miles before coming across the first place of day- a tiny hamlet with a shop and a garage. We stopped to have a cup of tea etc. and were just getting back on the bikes when another couple of cyclists arrived at the shop. It was Britta, Fred and their 2 year old son Noe. We had last seen them some 3 weeks before in Gisborne on the north island, when we had then gone our seperate ways!
- We cycled with them on quiet roads for the next 20 miles, and so were less bothered by the cold and rain that got progressively worse. ( cont)
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