Wir sind in Erwartung eines schönen Sonnenaufganges um halb sechs aufgestanden und wieder zurück in den Ort gefahren. Dort haben wir uns am Strand geduscht und anschließend begonnen, unser Gepäck im Auto zu verstauen - groß ist es ja nicht gerade und Stauraum hält sich auch in Grenzen. Nun war es an der Zeit, einen Nahrungsmittelvorrat anzulegen also bin ich in den nahegelegenen Supermarkt gegangen und habe - mangels Kühlschrank im Auto - hauptsächlich Fertiggerichte besorgt. Einen Teil davon haben wir im Anschluß gleich als Frühstück verzehrt.

Unser erstes Ziel heute war der "Hot Water Beach" bei Hahei, wo man am Strand nach heißem Wasser graben und dann in selbigem baden kann. Dieses Glück wurde uns allerdings nicht zuteil, denn nur bei Ebbe läßt sich nach dem heißen Wasser graben. Nachdem wir nicht den ganzen Tag auf Ebbe warten wollten, wollten wir zur "Cathedral Cove", einem großen natürlichen Steinbogen an einem nahegelegenen Strand. Doch auch dort wurden wir enttäuscht, denn dieser Ort ist nur nach einem langen Fußmarsch und, entsprechend einem unserer Reiseführer, auch nur bei Ebbe erreichbar. Auch wenn wir unser Vorhaben nicht verwirklichen konnten, so war doch die Fahrt durch die neuseeländische Landschaft sehr beeindruckend. Die hügelige Gegend ist, offenbar mangels Regen, nicht ganz so grün wie ich eigentlich erwartet habe, aber trotzdem wunderschön.

Wir haben uns also wieder auf den Rückweg zu jenem Ort gemacht, wo wir übernachtet haben, sind dort aber nicht mehr stehen geblieben sondern weiter Richtung Südosten gefahren. Unterwegs hat uns der Hunger gepackt und wir haben an einem schattigen Platz am Straßenrand unser Mittagessen eingenommen. Am Nachmittag sind wir ins Wentworth Valley gefahren und zu den Wentworth Falls gewandert. Die waren zwar beeindruckend, allerdings vom Aussichtspunkt hat man nicht allzuviel gesehen. Am Weg zurück haben wir jedoch im Fluß gebadet.

Eigentlich wollten wir heute noch Rotorua erreichen, aber als wir in Karangahake angekommen sind, haben wir unsere Pläne geändert. Wir sind noch ein wenig durch die Ruinen des ehemaligen Goldgräberzentrums spaziert und haben dann beschlossen, morgen eine Bootsfahrt nach "White Island" zu unternehmen. Abfahrt ist allerdings bereits kurz nach neun Uhr morgens und wir hatten noch eine relativ weite Strecke zurückzulegen. Bis kurz nach Tauranga sind wir gekommen, dort haben wir beschlossen, zu übernachten. Wir haben einen Parkplatz mit Toilette weit abseits der Hauptstraße gefunden, dort haben wir noch im Schein der Taschenlampe unser Abendessen, Tortellini, zubereitet.

It started out good, until Erin and I arrived at the pub. It was NZ$80 for all-you-can-drink. About 8 redbull vodkas later, I was obviously blind drunk. Had an argument with Erin later - I think she dissappeared off with some random guy to go give him a BJ (!) - but had left me all alone in a strange city.  It didn't help that I had a crush on her at the time.

In my haste, I drove 200+ kms all the way home. Blind drunk. Fortunately, there was no other traffic on the road  at 6 a.m. on New Year's Day. But clearly, the most irresponsible thing I've ever done. Never again. 

Ashwin, Terry, Korfs, Seven and I went to the Mount to celebrate New Year's. We got a bit lost and were too late for the countdown. But I had fun anyway!

Not really all that similar to Ulster murals!!!!

In Tairua I met some really interesting people, again an American who was a "surferboy", another cyclist from America, a Canadian who lives in the middle of London and writes poems and plays and a really strange older American who could not stop making comments about the movie we were watching (how annoying!).

The next day, I rode for 36km over a 200m hill. I managed to cycle all the way up and even overtook the American cyclist who left earlier than me. I was so proud of myself! However, a few hours after I arrived in Whangamata I didn't see well anymore....the first sign of migraine! Sch.....eisse.... After an hours sleep I felt ok again and went for a walk on the beautiful beach and just relaxed a bit on the beach. We were only two people in the backpackers I stayed in and I even had the whole dorm for myself which was just right.

In the morning, I left quite early because I knew it was going to be a quite long and exhausting ride....acutally, I wanted to ride as far as I could get and was targeting Tauranga which was 92km from Whangamata. After about 30min a cyclist who trained for an ironman triathlon rode up to me and started talking to me and cycled with me for a while. He was obviously quite impressed of what I did, especially because I didn't do any big cycling at home. Anyway, as soon as it went up a hill he was understandibly bored with my pace and said goodbye. To be honest, I was quite glad....he was just to fast for me..... Then, after about another hour another cyclist (this time a lady) overtook me and said there was a 6km climb ahead....thanks.....I already know and I don't need any comments about it..... Well, I did really well with this 270m climb. It wasn't too steep and I again was able to ride all the way up....YES!! By the way, I think that is it what motivates me so much. I can celebrate a personal success every day! Never could experience that before. However, after the hill the wind started playing against me! I hate this wind. It was blowing against me all the way to Waihi. I was so annoyed and therefore, I took a break. But the wind didn't seem to stop....so I decided to stay overnight in Katikati. I had already ridden 56km and was desperate to get out of the wind and out of my saddle. My butt hurt so much!! Unfortunatly, the backpackers I wanted to stay at was not yet built!!! Can you belive that?! It is in the BBH book but doesn't even exist yet! The next backpackers I went to was full. Ok, I thought, lets ride all the way to Tauranga. After a long lunch break, I started riding again and was soon so fed up and really exhausted because the wind was still blowing against me! It was so strong that I even had to peddal downhill!!! That's it, I thought. If I find this Kingfisher Backpackers which should have been about 10 km further on, I am going to stay there. I was sooooo glad when I saw the sign and the owner told me they've got a free bed! I turned out to be a really good decision as I had a room on my own again but this time with tv and ensuite bathroom. The backpackers was situated on an avocado farm. There was only my and a really nice German couple.

Today, I only had to cycle for 40km but I was struggling so much. I just was too exhausted and again.....yes the wind my biggest enemy!!! My gradmother used to say "der Wind der Wind das himmlische Kind" (in English: the wind the wind the holy child) but I was thinking of this.... today it felt like "der Wind der Wind das teuflische Kind" (in English the wind the wind, child of the devil!)!! However, originally I wanted to stay in Mount Maunganui and was riding all the way there (which is about 10km from Tauranga). Unfortunatly, I hadn't booked a backpackers and they all happend to be full up! I really didn't know what to do now because I really didn't want to ride the 10km back to Tauranga. So I went to "my friends" at the visitor center and they helped me booking a backpackers in Tauranga and told me to take the ferry back to Tauranga. I was sooooo happy that I didn't have to torture my butt anymore..... After all the pain and exhaustion I went through the last two days, I felt like doing something good to myself. So I went to the cinema to see "the devil wears prada". It was quite a good movie. I am going to stay here for a few days to relax and heal my butt :-)

I'm sure a few of you must think I am not enjoying cycling anymore after reading this....but as crazy I might be...I'm still loving it!

Photos will follow!