Day 33 Queenstown - Te Anua

Took a bus shuttle to Lake Te Anua, beautiful ride with a great driver and bikes loaded on a carier. Staying in a pretty good site in a chalet and have met a couple of young Canadians who are walking the tracks.

Day 34 - Lake Te Anua

Made some enquiries regarding trips down to Milford Sound, but expensive and a lot fully booked up. You know me and boats!!!!!!! If it were possible we would have cycled down there and had a good look around but the road was going to be full of coaches and there was no accommodation along the way and also we had to negotiate the Tunnel with no hard-shoulder or lighting. . . so we decided to give that miss. Went off for a 3 hour walk around the Lake to the beginning of the Kepler Trail.

Day 35 Te Anau - Tuatapere (Two-a-tap-ere)

100K today, it's been raining all night but now it's fine, a little fresh but that's OK. Cycled around Waiain Valley with mountain views and Manapouri Lake . . . absolutely wonderful. This has been one of the best rides to date. Stopped for coffee beside the Lake and then climbed up Jericho Hill, must be getting fitter didn't have to go into the inside ring!!!!! Made Tuatapere at 4 p.m just before the heavens opened. We had some head winds today but also some pushing us up the hills - great. Pet Hates so far: Headwinds, Timber Lorries. Sharing the Motel with some sheep shearers, they also come over to Wales to work. Pleased that we were not sleeping in the same dorm as apparently they kept everyone awake for sometime.

Day 36 Tuatapere - Invercargill

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MALCOLM - Also hope you are now feeling better Lee, no doubt your Little Lady had been looking after you. We are meeting so many people on this trip who are tramping (walking) across NZ and then staying in DoC huts (not too many home comforts) for the night with like minded soles all in pretty cramped conditions. You should see the girls with these massive backpacks and they carry them for miles up mountainous tracks . . . . really tough. Off today at 9.15 am first stop TeWaeWae Bay, so much Scottish influence around here (McCrackens Rest). Met Ian McCartney who is an around-the-world cyclist 224,000k since 1978 unbelievable. Keith spent some time chatting to him but I'm sure he would have loved to have spent longer . . . so interesting. Keith took a photo of his log book with all the countries and distances that he has covered. Lunch was in Riverton Town some very old buildings from the Victorian Era. Then onto Invercargill, very large town and busy. Staying in a lovely Victorian House with enormous high ceilings. About another 80k today, apparently the winds were terrible yesterday couldn't have ridden this stretch. Today, on-the-otherhand, was mostly behind us but it did swirl around and the last 7k was in our faces, pretty tiring and not too good with the lorries passing at speed.

Day 37 Invercargill - Curio Bay

Not a brilliant night, hard beds . . . yes I always appear to be moaning!!!!! Left about 9 am towards Fortrose and then down an alternative route along the beach road which was 13k of gravel road and YES I came off twice and I wasn't laughing. Beautiful view but concentrating on the road so much, quite deserted and no other bikes today. In total rode 90k. Going to stay for a couple of days, the area is called The Catlins, it's very green because of the wetlands and high rain fall but we are hoping to see some seals, dolphins and penguins.

Day 38 Curio Bay HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEE

Raining today, high gales last night but it looks as though the earthquake in Chile had something to do with that, many areas have been evacuated as they are anticipating a surge tide. Cycled down to Curio Bay and saw the dolphins. There is a Surf School and the dolphins swim around the surfers. Very cold on our return and decided to build a fire and keep dry for the rest of the day. Day-off as we have cycled some 260k in the last 3 days.

Day 39 Curio Bay - Owaka (Surat Bay) HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVID

Last night a couple of backpackers said that the seas where really heavy and that the area around the beach was being evacuated and that we should go and have a look at the ocean . . . no way! that's 16k in the pouring rain, decided to stay bythe fire and speak to the owner, a Japanese lady called Tomoko she also ran the Surf School. She was a complete bundle of energy she's done just about every extreme sport there is. Left Penguin Paradise at 9.15 am through the Catlins approx 70k. Must have done Westerham Hill back-to-back at least 4 times today. Scenery like Devon with rolling hills and sore legs. Love to the Ginger Wizard we always seem to miss him when we call . . . . working too hard as usual.

Day 40 Surat Bay

Wonderful location, not too sure when approaching but our BBH is great. You can walk directly over the small bridge and be down onto the beach. Accommodation one of the best so far with the exception of Brian and Julias. Last night when the tide was out I decided to take a walk along the foreshore and the sand-dunes and then a VERY large sea lion came out of the sea and started to walk into the dunes - except I was in the way!!!! I took a quick picture and ran . . . . what a coward but he/she was massive. This morning I took Keith with me (safety in numbers) we took some fantastic pictures of fur seals and sea lions with their pups and Keith found some large mussels for his tea tonight. Decided to stay for Day 41.