Cycling the South Island

[harryhole67]

Ok fellow cyclists, Harryhole67 here. Ive owned my current bike for just over 5years a Gt Aggressor XC2 frame, handlebars. gear shifters and wheels only original parts. In the first 3 years of ownership 7,340 miles, but last year i did 3,740 and this year i"m looking at an easy 4000 plus miles weather permitting. Now the problem is this! i"m bored shitless doing the same cycles all the time, after all you can only cycle to Ballach and beyond so many times in your life and i am well past my sell bye date. Last December i sold a house and have been living off the proceeds. money is running low so i am now looking at having to find emplyment again which is a bloody nightmare in my book as it interupts cycling and if i go and sign on i dont think the local Social Security office will take my claim of being a Cyclist/Adventerist serisiouly and will not pay me to cylcle the world. When i first came into my money i thought orinally to spend about £3 to £4000 on a new bike but would have ment having to go back out cycling with this guy Nish who every day cycles up th Kilpatrick Hills, this would bore the **** out of me and i would also have to apologise to him for calling him a complete ****** (even though he is one!) and and also apologise for calling him a two face git I actually used stronger words than that just use your imagination! (even though he is one) and while were on the sbject of Nish he is a total cycliing snob who looks down on you if your bike does not cost £3gand and up wards, proberly need to apologise to him for that as well (even though he is one). Fact this man is best avoided for my sanity reasons.

But from the proceeds of my house sale i have booked a holiday to Australia, where i am taking in the Auzs England one day international in Melbourne, then up to Sydney hopfully my relations from Gossford will meet up with me, then on to NewZealand for the England NewZealand game in Wellington then off to the South Island for the Scotland v England game in Christchurch (come on the Scots). Then my holiday really begins as i am taking my bike to NewZealand.

My cycling plan is this.
1 Scotland are playing Afghanistan in Dunedin 0n the 27/2/15 i will be leaving Christchurch on the 24/2/15 now this is a 361kilometer cycle or 236miles in my language, 1 massive big cycle so proberly looking at hitting Dunredin in the afternoon if possible any info an this cylcle would be appreicated.

2 After Dunedin i want to cycle to Bluff then up to Queenstown then the west coast rain permitting to Haast then up to Westport then to Picton for the ferry back to Wellington

I think i am looking at around a 900mile (1440kilometers) cycle maybe more and i am planning to do it in 15 days so!!

1 Info from anybody who has done this and is 15 days a resonable period as i am aware the terrain is hiily (looking at 65miles or io4kilometers a day

2 Anybody in the neighbourhood feel free to join me

3 Has anybody air freighted a bike from the Uk to Newzealand and return journey before preferably recently as a rough idea of cost

4 I am packing a tent and plan to camp as money may be tight

 

[matagi]

I can't help you with any specifics related to the cycling, but I should warn you that at that time of year, on the west coast, you will be eaten alive by black flies. They bite through clothing and leave a nasty bite that itches for weeks (personal experience). The only thing that works against them is tropical strength DEET which unfortunately, dissolves certain plastics (again, personal experience) so you need to make sure you wash your hands after applying it.

My husband and 3 of his old school chums did the South Island from Picton, across to the west coast then down the coast to Queenstown via Haast Pass. They stayed at youth hostels/backpacker hotels along the way - which were pretty cheap, so worth keeping in mind if the camping palls. FWIW, that way around took them 5 days but they were riding at the speed of the slowest person.

 

[harryhole67]

Matagi
Thanks for yhe black fly info, i am aware that there is going to be a serious problem with insects anfd to make matters worse i have an alergic reaction to insect bites, so i need to pack loads of antibiotics and antihyistime!!! But in Scotland i have started using an Avon beaty product called Skin so Soft, which is really effective against midge bits. About 20 yeara ago they built a bride betwwn the Isle of sky and the mainland and thel bridge was built using that stuff. Even though its a marketed as a beuty product most people in Scotland use it as a insect repellent, so maybe try that and if it does work get back in touch. Worse comes the worse i will stay in the East Coast. Thanks again for your info much appreciated harryhole67