Monday 10th February - Makarora to Wanaka

Today we expected overall downhill and a little undulating with gorgeous views across the two lakes we were to cycle along.  Well it was all that but the downhill didn't seem it and the undulating road seemed much more, the views were excellent.  We generally cycled with Matthew who we met up with a few days ago and were also joined by Julie, a young lady from UK.  Julie and Matthew met up yesterday and cycled the Haast pass together.  They stayed at the same lodges as we did last night. So it was good to have 4 of us cycling together today.  We had a few good rest stops in the shade and chatted as well as posed for a few photo shots.  Tony and I found this a really hard day after the testing previous two days and decided that we need a rest at Wanaka for a day or two to rest ready for the transverse over from the west of NZ to the East via Queenstown. Queenstown is decision point with regard to route.  Do we continue south, or go east, or go north east. Decisions, decisions. 

There is a great difference in climate once over the Haast Pass and hence the other side of the Southern Alps. The West is all rain forest and greenery going all over the mountainside. Now we are in rain shadow of the Alps and everything is parched and yellow and when we set camp the ground was as hard as concrete. Such a massive climate difference in just a few miles. We are now in Central Otaga. Drier, hotter, more tourists and busier roads. We camped looking to find shade in the trees but as we arrived at the campsite later all the shade was occupied.

The windsock flops. Yesterday this was solid and showing the south wind that hit us hard on the pass.

Great Lake views and the lakes are thirty miles long so the scale is incredibly

Our fellow cyclists for the day, Matthew and Julie.

After three hard days in the saddle during which we have covered 165 miles with full camping gear and a major pass. Pizza and chips was a fast way of making a quick meal although not really healthy eating. Half a family sized cheesecake for afters too! We badly need a rest day now.

There is a anecdote about the pizza. As we heated it up in the camp kitchen oven the base of the oven must have been full of grease as thick smoke started to fill the kitchen until it got to choking point! Although we were very very tired we had to walk the meal across the site to the other kitchen. Luckily that oven worked it's magic and we enjoyed our meal before bedtime.

What I call lumpy! Lots of ups and downs a little like a roller coast but then again we had done a lot the previous days.