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New Zealand part I - Posted On

 Tongariro has been for us the top of the North Island. Ever since what we have to do is riding down...

Rain and loneliness become my partners while Nadège go straight to Wellington hitchhiking with her bike. 

Getting half-way, I realize my front and new Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyre is opening slowly. A large rip is appearing on the side. Very Fortunately, Kim, a young mother with her kids, stops with her 4WD, takes me home where she and Jo, her husband, lend me a temporary tyre to get to Wellington. Meanwhile, Nadège gets a tyre for me.

I cross many touring bikers on the way, all of them riding on a 3-months maximum holiday.

Philippe, German student, is one of them. We end up asking for a paddock for camping together. This is the first time for him in five weeks that he has a hot meal and that he dares asking to a local for a piece of land. He usually goes to camping places and has no stove for weight saving purposes. Fire is not permitted, which explains the cold meals, thanks to being in ‘formatted touristic places’. But he has a reflex camera. Strange choice in my eyes! 

On my way, I meet by complete chance a French man, Sébastien, living in NZ, who hosts me for a night. He’s building a oven in his garden to melt copper and make artistic sculpture out of it. New Zealand attracts so many free spirits. I love people here!

I finally make it to Wellington where Sebastian’s mother-in-law lends me a bedroom in an Irish house downtown.