‘And away…’ Auckland (Manukau) to Port Waikato – 44 miles. Port Waikato to Raglan – 81 miles

So after the visit to Carole and her mother’s grave (see my previous post) it was time to head south. The bike had gone together well. One issue was leaving behind a large cardboard box I had transported it in. (Under darkness I snuck it near the hotel bins.) The departure route was loaded onto my Sat Nav computer on my handlebars and wending my way through the Auckland traffic I soon found the city behind me. My recollection of my previous visit to Auckland was it being a city of a series of short sharp hills, I feared that was to come as I headed south and then west. After the cold and damp of Yorkshire it was truly liberating to be outdoors in morning temperatures of 17ºC with the promise of more to come. An immediate reality was that all my UK winter training had been on a bicycle that weighed a third of what I was now pedalling. The first day must be taken easy so that I still had some ‘legs’ tomorrow.

Setting off I was making progress through early Sunday morning Auckland. I saw joggers and little else before I was soon in the countryside.

My first stop was Tuakau where I found lunch and also bought a sandwich for later. I think ‘flat white’ coffee was invented in NZ. I had to sample one.

From here I headed west into a difficult headwind.

The route was fairly flat and briefly another cyclist had joined me for a bit of company.

Reaching Port Waikato I soon had the tent up.

In the kitchen I talked with another tourist. This time from Canada. She seemed well travelled and was enjoying the drive around the coast. Soon it was time for bed. Unfortunately being a Holiday Park there were children tearing around. I woke up a couple of times and then found some earplugs!

I woke up early and was soon on my way through this sleepy settlement with just a few drivers off to work.

I and enjoyed the start as I cycled along talking with Anna on WhatsApp with a tailwind. She must have been a lucky omen as when she rang off the heavens opened.

Getting sodden I found a cafe for some sustenance and bought a sandwich for later.

From here I went into farmland. All of it with livestock as it was far too hilly for arable. It looked a little like the Yorkshire Dales or Peak District. Oh, it was so hilly with many 8% hills. as I entered my eighth hour on the bike my buttocks hurt, I had cramp in both feet and my legs were jelly. I was relieved to see Raglan. It was the experience and mental side of my personality that saw me up 1,550 metres of climbing.

The weather was scorching with hot sun when I arrived. In a flash the temperature fell and the heavens opened. All my laundry got wet again: I’d have to pack it wet tomorrow and take it to the next website to dry. I trudged into Raglan where Felicia from Colorado confirmed my choice of the Ledge Burger was a good one.

They don’t tip in NZ. She was pleased when I broke the rule. Back at the campsite Gen X, who had been noisy and excitable, had been rained off and were now seemingly in their tents. I joined them and fell into a torpor.