So after a good dinner last night we all slept well in our luxury lodge and had a good breakfast to start the day. It was very cool this morning so all layers were on again. The scenery had changed from rocky outcrops to very wide shallow valleys and the vistas were huge. Today was always the shortest of the trip and we were looking forward to our coffee stop at Wedderburn. Unfortunately whoever had opened the centre that morning had not turned on the coffee machine so it was cold water for us. Not like yesterday where the ladies had freshly baked goodies, this was a self service job with an honesty box.

Over the last couple of days we have met with 2 couples doing the same trip as us. All ladies. One lot from Auckland the other an Irish lady who lives in Edinburgh with her Kiwi friend. Everyone travels at their own pace but inevitably we meet at coffee stops and evening meal places. Tonight we are in a town called Ranfurly, call it a town as it has 2 supermarkets and a police station, but really you could lie in the road for an hour and not get run over. I think they used to be called one horse towns.

We have again a great motel style accommodation with the bonus of a feee laundry and the weather is so good we hung it out to dry.

The weather has been cool in the morning and evenings but really nice and sunny/hot but with a cool wind. Unfortunately today the wind was a bit head on and the gravel was quite loose so a bit dodgy to cycle on. We reached the highest point this morning and also crossed the 45 degree line. Halfway between equator and South Pole.

1.5 more days cycling and the track will be complete. I hope this weather lasts.

Apologies the photo is sideways - I can't rotate it.