Day 62 Christchurch - Banks Peninsula

Off around 10.30 am out of Christchurch city through Cathedral Square with a Maori display and crafts market. Down State highway 75 towards Motukara for coffee and then Little River for lunch. Met a young Swiss couple with a tandam who had an altercation with a lorry and they came off worse and she had to be air lifted to hospital, but there she was outside the cafe all ready to be off again on the bike. Flat for 60k with rolling hills until we hit 8k up in the air (very steep but we had been warned) then a change of brake pads for yours truly before the descent. Levelled out for a couple of kilometres and then over another 4 very steep hills, the last being the worst. Arrived at Akaroa about 6.30 pm after covering 90k we were going to go by the summit road another 16k which was also very hard but decided against that because of time and maintenance work on the bike. Pretty wasted on arrival, got something to eat, shower and bed.

Day 63 Akaroa

Lovely warm bright morning so decided to walk around the bay. The Banks Peninsula comprises many bays which can be accessed by car, bus, bike or walking. Beautiful tranquil place with boat harbours, nice coffee houses and a great fish & chip restaurant, ideal for just relaxing. . . can't face the bikes today as everything is over yet another hill.

Day 64 Akaroa

Met a couple from the West Coast of America, they spend their lives sailing around the world, deep sea diving, bungee jumping, flying and anything that involves "loads of money" but I'm not bitter . . . just an education on how the other half live!!! They invited us to have dinner with them the next evening upon their return from an afternoon sailing around the bays. They were going early so that they could go through the entire entrees menu . . . we were'nt aware that McDonalds had an entrees menu. Most of the backpackers (under 30) and a sailing crew staying at the BBH decided to throw a party for a crew member who was celebrating her 28th Birthday which was fine but at 2.30 am it was wearing a little thin. In the morning it was apparent that not many people had splept. The girl in question had puked over another girl in the lower bunk . . . lovely. Spending the day here and then heading back to Christchurch by shuttle @ 4.30 pm.