Lord of the sandflies. The Wild West Coast to Wanaka and celebrating half way.

Think about your partner, the person you love, the person you enjoy spending time with. Now think about how it would be to spend 7 months alone with them, sleeping in a space which measures roughly 4 x 6ft square…..?

It’s beginning to look not like Christmas

If, like me, you have grown up in the northern hemisphere, December is  most definitely a time of winter. It’s a time of crisp, cold weather, warm fires, woolly gloves and scarves and very occasionally, if you’re really lucky, a snowman. In no way is it synonymous with bbq’s, beach wear and sun cream. That’s just…..odd!

The Small Things: New Zealand, heading South.

You know that quote that says “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” For me, cycle touring is the classic example of that.

When you are away from home for months, or even years on end, you seldom step back and view the trip as a whole, as an epic adventure, instead, what you notice, what you remember are the multitudes of constituent parts, and in particular the things that make a difference are often the small, things.

Getting Back To Nature, California Style.

Lovely though the idea was of staying with family for a few weeks, I was concerned that having a base might also mean missing out on the outdoor life, in particular the wildlife and wild views that we’ve grown so used to these past months.
Turns out I needn’t have worried though as the last 2 weeks have given us some of the most spectacular nature of all kinds.

The Art of Un-Planning

I love starting the day with a plan, an idea of where we’re going, how far, where we might sleep? What would be even better, would be to finish the day with that same plan intact. I’m still waiting.