Progress so far!

Tuesday 7 February 2012

If hills were kilometres, we would have cycled round the world!

You know you are going up a bloody steep hill when someone literally takes their hat off to you as they drive past in their car and shouts 'go girls!'

So, we haven't posted in a few days, we have been busy conquering an Island! Since our last post we have completed cycling the North Island - wooo-hooo! How does it feel? ...Like we can take on anything!
One memorable town we cycled through towards the end of the North Island, was a small town called Bulls. The signpost leading into the town read 'heard of Bulls? A town like no udder' The rubbish bin read 'response-a-bull', the church read 'Forgive-a-bull', the corner shop read 'restock-a-bull' and the police station read 'const-a-bulls'. It seems whover planned this town had a sense of humour!

Well, we must have chosen the hilliest country to cycle through in the entire world, there really is no flat before Auckland and after Hamilton, which means pretty much all of the country is made up of hills!
We were determined to get to Wellington as soon as we saw the first signpost, for us to see this sign was psychologically incredible and meant that finally, after all the climbing, the final piece of the map could be folded over! With time running out, we pushed on, faught the pain barriers and cycled a couple of MEGA long days - one of which we finished cycling at midnight in sheer anticipation of the ferry port! We were buzzing that day!
So, we got our ferry tickets for Picton and caught the 2.05pm ferry across the water. The ferry was immense! Like a 5* hotel inside, with a gorgeous food court, cinema, games room, but most importantly for us...RECLINING CHAIRS! After an amazing breakfast to fuel up, we took our spot, waved goodbye to the North Island and fell to sleep for the remainder of the journey! The good thing about taking bikes onto a ferry is that you get to be the very first to disembark! Yep, no queuing to get off for us :-)

Helloooo South Island! It's always a toss up as to what's worse, steep hills or a strong head wind. Oh guess what, we don't need to ponder the decision, the South Island offers both!
What a stunning Island this is, we can see the definite contrast to the North Island, cycling with the ocean in sight, with limestone walls beside us...this is what dreams are made of!

Kath's sleep talking is still going strong. Last nights conversation went something like this:
K: "Where's the cheese?" (waking Tee up)
T: "What?"
K: "You wanted the cheese on crackers"
T: "I don't think so, I don't eat cheese" (Kath wakes up)
K: "Why are you waking me up again?!"
T: *Laughs*

On our first afternoon on the South Island, Tee mentioned that she felt as though she was 'carrying bricks'. It later transpired that she had a flat tyre which we discovered at the end of the afternoon! We pitched our tent at a lovely campsite and decided to sort the puncture in the morning!
So, the morning came, puncture sorted fast and we were off for the day. This brings us up to present, where we are drinking a cup of tea in a place called Cheviot after completing approx 200km! Talking of tea, everytime Kath asks for tea, the waiter instinctively offers "English Breakfast?"

Update on Tee's injuries - trying to keep her arm dry and letting the air get to it as much as poss, in the meantime she's having fun repulsing Kath with the daily puss that oozes out of it :-( We will need to stop soon to get her stitches out, which may cause a slight delay (Kath won't take them out for her!). Thumb swelling going down, but still looks slightly deformed. Tee was a bit mortified realising this is the hand she may have to offer someone at the alter one day!

We have our morning routine down to a tee...Kath sets her alarm for three different times - 1st one for Tee to get up as she could dilly-dally for England/Australia, second one for Kath to get up (2.5hrs later!) jokes, then the 3rd as a 'get up both of you, or we're in the shit' alarm!

I (Kath) would like to just say a MASSIVE thank you to the very generous people who have recently sponsored me, it is very much appreciated: Melaine Woods, Jimmy and Hilda, my cousin Mark and..... Bonsall-Heimer (with excellent taste in literature...took me about 3 seconds flat to work that one out Heimer, but I continued to laugh for at least 5 minutes!) You all make this do-able, infact you make it a breeze. Thanks, hold your heads high.

Big thanks to AndyG for updating our map - you're my hero xxx

Much love K&T xxxxxxx

4 comments:

  1. Blog is brill reading as always. But Tegan, take care of those injuries. Be safe and well done so far xxx

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  2. Good on ya girls! At this rate you will have time to cycle back as well. I love the humour in your blogs, although some of the things that are funny to read about may not have been funny to you at the time(killer possums in the night)! The forecasters are threatening us with minus 9 tonight so send us some of your warm weather over.
    Keep going, Melaine.

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  3. Hi Kath & T., Super fit athletes! You should be applying for late entry into the Olympics cycling races this year!! You certainly both deserve a gold medal for your NZ Islands marathon! So glad you are surviving, your immense efforts and endurance are such a credit to you both. Enjoy the rest and keep blogging. Lots love, Dadxx(Ken)

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  4. Stunning distances getting covered everyday, day after day, what a super-human effort from you both. Tee, I can only think it is all too easy if you are now cycling with flat tyres, check your panniers to make sure Kath hasn't dropped a few brick in there!!!
    Kath, Baby, your Dad is right - Wild Card entry for the Olympics, who would think that was daft after what you've almost completed - what was it everyone said when you told them you were cycling New Zealand, top to bottom? In fact people are still saying your bonkers!
    Nearly there now, just keep those wheels turning.

    Love Andy xxx x xxx

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