Up a 7 to get my stuff together to good and play squash with James and Dell. It turned out really well. James has picked up squash very well for 6 months of playing and was lying about the fact he plays with a blue spot ball. In fact we had a great game - I did win though. It took a while to get my eye back into the ball. I also had a really great close game with Dell. He beat me 2-1 in the end. I miss playing squash.
When I got back to Brydie's house I packed up all of my things but it took longer than usual because I had to work out a new system of what to put where in my new bags. I did the usual thing: I have more space in my bags and so I will fill it. I now have loads of extra food and weight that I am carrying over what I was carrying early on in the trip....
The ride out of town took a little longer than I was hoping as I had to stop off a few times to sort out a couple of things on my bike. The ride round the lake is pretty flat and there is lots of traffic but it then gets very hilly and quiet on the "gorge road" (as the locals call it). It was a lovely sunny day and it was a good ride through the countryside. My bike handles very differently with the front panniers. It is better but it did feel very heavy with all of the stuff I am carrying.
Many people have warned me not to ride on highway 2 along the coast from Taurganu and so I was very glad when Neil offered to pick me up in Taurangu and take me to Katikati by car. Neil is the uncle of Ange, who I met on a farm in the South Island. Ange had recommended that I stay with him. I am very glad I did as he was a great host and a fun person. He drove me to his friend Fred's house where there they were having a drinking and clay pigeon shooting afternoon in the sun. A great way to spend a chilled Sunday afternoon. They were all pretty drunk when I got there and so I had some catching up to do. Fred's house and farm is huge. It has amazing views over the valley and you have to get to it via a dirt track. He has a pool and a huge decking area.
After a BBQ for lunch and a swim in the pool, Neil taught me how to shoot. I have never been clay pigeon shooting before and it was great fun to have a go. He was a good teacher. On the very first shot I managed to hit the target! However, that was very much a fluke - but it did get some fab cheers from the other 6 people watching :-) As the afternoon went on and more wine was consumed I did get better.... Some of the others where amazing though and seemed to hit everything.
When Fred's daughter and wife returned we all had a game of poker. Most people where too drunk to really concentrate on it which made the game even funnier. It was a fun afternoon in the sun.
We did not get back to Neil's house till late and ended up chatting till late - interesting guy.
When I got back to Brydie's house I packed up all of my things but it took longer than usual because I had to work out a new system of what to put where in my new bags. I did the usual thing: I have more space in my bags and so I will fill it. I now have loads of extra food and weight that I am carrying over what I was carrying early on in the trip....
The ride out of town took a little longer than I was hoping as I had to stop off a few times to sort out a couple of things on my bike. The ride round the lake is pretty flat and there is lots of traffic but it then gets very hilly and quiet on the "gorge road" (as the locals call it). It was a lovely sunny day and it was a good ride through the countryside. My bike handles very differently with the front panniers. It is better but it did feel very heavy with all of the stuff I am carrying.
Many people have warned me not to ride on highway 2 along the coast from Taurganu and so I was very glad when Neil offered to pick me up in Taurangu and take me to Katikati by car. Neil is the uncle of Ange, who I met on a farm in the South Island. Ange had recommended that I stay with him. I am very glad I did as he was a great host and a fun person. He drove me to his friend Fred's house where there they were having a drinking and clay pigeon shooting afternoon in the sun. A great way to spend a chilled Sunday afternoon. They were all pretty drunk when I got there and so I had some catching up to do. Fred's house and farm is huge. It has amazing views over the valley and you have to get to it via a dirt track. He has a pool and a huge decking area.
After a BBQ for lunch and a swim in the pool, Neil taught me how to shoot. I have never been clay pigeon shooting before and it was great fun to have a go. He was a good teacher. On the very first shot I managed to hit the target! However, that was very much a fluke - but it did get some fab cheers from the other 6 people watching :-) As the afternoon went on and more wine was consumed I did get better.... Some of the others where amazing though and seemed to hit everything.
When Fred's daughter and wife returned we all had a game of poker. Most people where too drunk to really concentrate on it which made the game even funnier. It was a fun afternoon in the sun.
We did not get back to Neil's house till late and ended up chatting till late - interesting guy.
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