7I enjoyed waking up this morning with a day with not much to do apart from catch up with the blog, sort the washing, and rest.
I cooked eggs on toast for breakfast, then I had a number of cups of tea catching up with the blog and emails. We gave up on trying to do the laundry here: 1 machine and 23 riders plus other guests, so Brett googled the closest laundry and we arranged to pick it up at 4pm.
Walli, who I have ridden with before on the Trans Europa ride, has not been very well and has only ridden about 5km on her bike so far. Thankfully she has been to the Rotorua Medical Center and had chest X-rays, blood tests, and a full exam, and the diagnosis is bad hay fever. She has got some prevention medication and will hopefully be back on her bike soon.
Walli on the arm of the chair, with Michele
In my blog about the day I arrived in Auckland I commented that I had bought Calci-trim milk. My daughter Kelly, aka blog editor, commented in an email that it was unusually specific of me not to have just said milk. I realised I had forgotten to add that the next morning I had a cup of tea and the tea tasted of banana, so I assumed it was some weird flavoured hotel tea bags, so I got one of mine, but then noticed the calci trim I bought in a dimly lit superette was actually a small bottle of banana milk! Yuk, down the sink it went.
On the left is what I meant to buy. On the right is what I bought.
About midday I started feeling hungry so I walked down the road to the fish and chip shop with Michele. The shop had a prominent sign saying “Best fish and chip shop in the region 2008/2009”. I was thinking how long should you keep a sign like that up for, after all it’s at least 7 years ago.
After lunch I had a nap, then walked down to get the laundry and some food to cook for dinner. I got nice fat thick steaks, with mushrooms, onions, asparagus and kumara mash with garlic butter. I would have had broccoli and carrots but the lid is stuck tightly on the pot and I can’t break the suction. I currently have the pot in the fridge hoping the cold breaks the suction.
Next it was packing as we are off again tomorrow. Tomorrow is not too bad, only 85 km to Taupo with 850 meters up and 670 down, but the next two days after that are a bit daunting. First is Taupo to Ohakune, 1950 meters climb and 1260 down and 145 km riding. Then the day after that we climb 2,300 meters up and ride 132k to a bush camp in the middle of nowhere in Kuripapango.
Hopefully we have good weather. A bush camp means no toilets or showers or shelter, and often no bush!
Next section Rotorua to Napier
Kaye's Awesome Adventures 