It was warm, it was warm!
I guess I got out of the roaring 40s, it felt like that last night, it was warm and and I did not need to wear the whole wardrobe for a change. The V drink of the afternoon also caught up with me and could not get to sleep until 1:00 AM.
Said that I was able to get up sharp around 7 in the morning and be on my way before 8:00. I met this French cyclist tht was also staying in the same camp and we had a few words about cycling in New Zealand and equipment. I really liked his tent and I think I’m going to get one like it. He agrees with me that a two people tent is a good thing, even if it weights a bit more at least you have the space to take your stuff in in crap sites. He’s been around for four months and has covered the same part of country I have, only in much more detail (6000 Km to just above 3000). He was going to Hastings to get a job as he’s run out of money, I like the approach.
I cycled to Waipawa and had some breakfast and then it was a long slog all the way to the coast. The wind was not strong, just frustrating. A day that I expected to be fast and furious was instead slow and boring.
I eventually go to Hastings where I decided to follow a cycle trail instead of the road. Wow, what a pain. I understand that they put the swing gates to stop people that should not be on the trail, but they are really a pain the arse to negotiate with the fully loaded bike.
Before I left Hastings to join the coast cycle path I stopped for a fruit ice cream. I was looking forward to the ice cream but I was not prepared for the quality I was going to get. They had a machine that took ice cream, there was a frozen yogurt option for less active people, and some frozen fruit from their orchard and mixed it there and then into the most delicious waffle cone filling thing. It just was wonderful.
Four miles after the Ice cream I got to the beach and, as the ride into the wind had taken its tool, I decided to stop for a few pics. One of them came out very well so I decided to use it for the new banner of the site, about time to replace the Morocco beach shot with something more topical to this stage of the tour.
And then it finally was Napier. I got into the centre of town and the Backpacker that I had identified was very convenient to the town centre. After a quick shower and a bit of tidy up I went to organise the Wednesday transfer to Rotorua and to get some food for the evening.
I will do the proper touring of the town tomorrow, if I feel like, I might even go the national aquarium. Poodle would have loved it here, all the building in the centre of time are art deco and I will find out a whole lot more about them in the morning when I join the walking tour.
