Once we have had enough caffeine to fuel a race horse we get moving. I have no phone reception up the Maitai. Hopefully I get a new bike today. We have a look around at the market then continue to Evo. Annoyingly there is not much they can do till Monday. The guy is pretty sure that I can just have it, but has to wait for head office on Monday. Honestly, some of these people just need balls. Why doesn’t someone just say here you own it, take my money and say come back for it tomorrow when I have sorted it with logistics and management. The unknown is killing me.

No point waiting for a maybe, let’s find a bike. We head to Tahunanui to a guy who fixes up bikes and sells them on the market place. He has a bike I liked but he wants $550. For a hundred more I get a new bike and warranty. No thanks. Also he reckoned he could fix my bike by just replacing the chain. Which I now know from speaking to 3 different people is not possible. So this bike is probably not well serviced and he only half knows what he is doing. We say we will let him know. Cycle back to the beach and find some shade.

While there we found the bike we had found on trademe sold. But the guy had listed a second bike! A Liv (Giant for women), just older. Well we didn’t muck around I tried to call him then pressed the buy now. He called back with his address, well here we come!

It is on the way to Picton and there is a really horrid steep windy hill to climb to his place. The last part toom some huffing and puffing. I was so sweaty when we reached the top. Mike is a really nice guy, daughters bike that she hasn’t really used since they moved to NZ. I am not surprised living on a hill like this! I take it for a test run, it feels really good. $250 take my money. We spend the next 30min moving all my gear from my bike to the new bike. Kelvin will come pick up the old bike and sell it for me.

Problem finally solved, but now let’s quickly get into town and see if it needs work! We make it 10min before closing and the guy quickly replaces my chain but the cogs are good. Wahoo! We will take in to rider18 tomorrow and get it properly looked at. I now have hydraulic brakes and bigger wheels 27.5″ riding is feeling a lot different!

Legs are sore, 30km done today. I need a zero day soon!

We fix a problem and gain a problem.

Our goal today is rather simple, get me some shoes, buy a few other bits, job done. Torpedo7 emails us to let us know they found the orange drybag we wanted. So we go in to swap it first. We ask the manager if my chain is okay and she tells is to come to the workshop next door. The guy tells us I need a new chain and the two cogs need replacing too! It can’t be don’t till Tuesday parts need to be ordered in etc. Oh crap. Oh and it will cost around $300. So we head to Evo cycles and get another opinion. Same thing, can’t do it till next week. We gain a third opinion, same thing. Now we are sure it is a problem. We sit in a park wondering what to do, it honestly isn’t worth spending that much money on it. Back at Evo talk to us about a new bike but a cheap bike. I fall in love with this bike

It is very easy to ride. It feels really comfortable. It’s like going from an old noisy car to a new sleek modern car. It is on clearance as it is last years model. So we talk ourselves into it, problem solved. Go to hand over the money and no they can’t sell it to me. Even though it is right in front of me some bugger purchased one in the Auckland store and is getting this one shipped to them on Monday. Well I get that they want them off the shop floor now but the Giant distributor is in Auckland. It makes no sense to send this one, then send one from Auckland. They try to call to make sure it can be reversed. By this time it is closing time and we will have to wait for tomorrow. So I get back on my clunky bike and we head to Rebel Sport. Shoes, I find a pair of sketchers on special, easy job done.

We head back up the Maitai, my legs are sore but promise of a cold beer keeps them going.

Feeling quite lethargic and a fuzzy brain we have a slow start. The day doesn’t improve and we are both zombie’s. I realise this is the first time since a couple of days in Picton we are actually alone, no one else around us. I have actually missed it being just the two of us.

We slogged up the hill to Kevin’s. I wasn’t sure my legs would make it as the first thing on a bike. But I some how manage it. We don’t have as much stuff as I thought we may have. Kelvin is happy to post my backpack and other hiking gear that we leave behind. Very handy indeed. I put our clothes in a quick wash, then have a cup of tea before saying goodbye.

We get some lunch in town and head to a bike shop. Kevin’s Bike shop is very helpful he helps me choose a better seat for my butt! He fixed one of Rowan’s chains and brake lines that had perished. While he was fixing our bikes we walked to Kathmandu. I had ordered shoes I had wanted for a long time. Argh they don’t fit my wide feet. We try on a whole heap more but nothing works. Annoyingly back to the drawing board. I don’t really want to bike in sandals forever. We pop into Macpac for a fork because yes! I have lost Rowan’s fork again. I really can’t seem to keep them.

The bikes are fixed up. I have a new saddle, hopefully my butt loves it.

The first ferry is at 10am. Plenty of time to get up and going for the day. We wait at the wharf for a few minutes, today is going to be a lot more pleasant than last time. We stop at the beach on the otherside and enjoy the view. I have icecream I need to eat before it melts. We don’t stay long before heading to Rough Island. My legs struggle on a bit of an uphill but at least I can stop as often as I need to now. I have a lot more fun this time and it doesn’t feel as hard. We are heading to Richmond as there is a few shops we want to go to. We saw a rubber horn in the Red Cross, which will be handy for me if Rowan gets far ahead and I need to signal him. We are keeping an eye out for a backpack to complete our packing. No luck, but we do get a handlebar bag from kmart for $12.

Fueled by Subway, we head off to Tahunanui tip shop looking for a bracket that fits my front torch. This time we take the old train route inland rather than along the water. There is still a bit of a head wind so we don’t win both ways. When we stop i get off funny and end up falling off and rolling down the hill. I pushed myself too hard and my legs were jelly. I didnt get hurt, lots of padding an a soft landing. We get to the Tahunanui beach for a break before heading into Nelson Town to Torpedo7 and Rider18. We will stay in town at the top10 tonight.

We get some new panniers for Rowan at Rider18 and we end up getting a drybag from Torpedo7 that doubles as a backpack (not a very comfortable one). I don’t have the energy to get the rest of our stuff from Kevin’s tonight so we go to the campground and we will get it in the morning.

Today we are heading to Mapua! First of all we need to pack. Second of all we have gear coming which should arrive any moment now. We start by going to the tip shop and the restore with Kelvin, looking for a backpack. We end up finding a vintage bag for $2! We go back and pack our belongings and choose what to leave behind. Only going for a couple of nights, so we don’t need everything. We are all ready and we are going to go but the courier will be here soon and they have my pannier bags! It only takes an hour and a cup of tea and they finally arrive. Best of all the seller threw in a front torch for the bike.  It is even brighter than the one we got Rowan.  Score! 

It is nearly 2pm and we set off up the hill. I notice Rowan’s tire is a little low, a quick stop to pump up the breaks, then carry on. Once up the hill it is a really fun down hill ride to Tahunanui. Then along the rocky mostly flat, little ups and downs by the water. There is a head wind which is rather tiring. When we reach Richmond it has taken us an hour. I was a bit tired but determined, yes let’s make it to the last ferry from Rabbit Island. When we reached rough island I was pretty buggered. I just wanted to stop.

Rowan kept pushing me on and I kept cursing him. The stress of making the ferry at 5pm spurred us on. That and the fact there is no camping allowed and no water. Not that it would have stopped us, but the promise of hot showers and real food made us continue. Phew we made it with time to spare. By this time we are rather wet and cold, sitting and waiting was making me even more cold. There was a lady with us and she said we should call the ferry. So I called him to let him know 3 wet cold passengers are waiting and I hope he realises he still has passengers to pick up. He was lovely enough to come now, nice and early. Which I was greatful for as it got us out of the rain.

On the other side the rain stopped. Typical! It was unanimous to get a scoop of hot chips at the chippy before heading to 4square and campground. The hot chips really hit the spot. Now warmed up and some food in our belly we could make the last 800m to dinner and camp. We broke a lot of our hiking rules today.

• Going late in the day
• Not eating before leaving (Rowan hadn’t eaten at all
• Having a deadline
• No snacks handy

On the upside we can push ourselves to do over 30km on the downside we are pretty slow! Nothing new lol 🐌

Rest day! Today we relax, we have a bit to tinker with but it is relaxing! The bikes need a bit of editing and the cogs and gears are filthy. In to the village for a nosy and we go to the 4square for some food and cleaning supplies. It takes a bit of elbow grease but the bikes are looking much cleaner. Some new chain oil and they’re running smooth. Rowan’s cheap pannier bags from the restore begin to disintegrate, hmm, back to the drawing board. We really should get some waterproof ones like mine. Then we don’t need to worry about any of our gear. As we take a shade break under a tree I notice a bike lock on the tree. Ooo is it unlocked? Yes it is, we have the combination and now have two bike locks. Free is my favourite price! After all that work it was 4pm! Time for a drink.

Waiting on a set of pannier bags from Christchurch to arrive. Actually we are waiting on a fair amount of gear. Bike shorts and shoes. We head into town hoping things arrive but really we are too early. Up one of the steep hills to try on a pair of shoes and I can’t make it up so need to push the bike. I think there will be a lot of bike pushing in my future. After all that sweat the shoes don’t fit! Oh well down hill is fun!

My hiking boots are away to be assessed and have been away a month now. I am over waiting for them, plus better to bike in different shoes so I have ordered some Hoka One One. These are supposed to be the bees knees for comfort so I am pretty excited.

We head to Macpac to pick up Rowan’s bag which needed repair. They lost my silk liner so they had to refund me. We came in on Saturday but they couldn’t find the bag. So we are back hopeful that they have it. Although now we are not hiking it is not the end of the world if they don’t find it. Turns out they still can’t find it and the refund us. I wonder if someone sold it.

We got a pair of pannier bags from the restore for $20, they are not waterproof but the other ones coming are. I have a pannier rack from rider18 (a small shop), Rowan still needs the rack. Torpedo7 is having a big sale so we pop into there for a rack, lights, helmet. I have been borrowing one of Kelvins helmets and Rowan’s bike came with a helmet. In our research we found that in Australasia we have some of the highest regulations when it comes to helmets. Shops can’t sell helmets that don’t conform to these regulations. So there is no difference or very little between a cheap helmet and an expensive helmet safety wise. I am sure comfort and other factors are the main difference.

We get one torch for the front which means we can easily bike at dusk if we get caught out. Our two rear lights are actually universal and can blink red or white so we can use them front or back. We just need another front torch for me.

Kelvin & Paula have been amazing letting us stay for so long to get our gear sorted. Tomorrow we plan on going to Mapua for a few nights to get out of their hair. I am a bit nervous for such a long bike ride but it is fairly flat the whole way.

We are struggling getting items for bargains because we don’t have all the time in the world. It is the fast vs cheap! We need to spend some money to get it done faster. We have found a few items at the local dump but we also ended up buying things that don’t work.

Every day we go for a ride, my legs are pretty sore but I am getting more confident. I haven’t been on a bike regularly in over 20 years! I do get nervous as it is all new. Rowan was following closely behind me and a bit further out on my first attempt up a hill on a very busy road. A lady yelled and beeped at us to be in a single file. Rowan promptly yelled back a few words that should not be repeated. That is the first and last time so far that we have had a dickhead driver.

Number one on my list of accessories are tassels. Rowan says I will get annoyed with them, but I don’t care. If I now have to live with a sore butt and legs I am going to do it with tassels. I find a $6 bargain at the warehouse that are sparkly and every 5 year olds dream. I did think about noisy spoke beads but they will drive us nuts.

Jenna leaves today to head to Christchurch. Before the weather turns, we quickly pack up the tent. By the time our stuff is in the car the rain starts. The kitchen only has outdoor seating. We decide to head to a cafe for food and coffee. Breakfast is really good, much better than yesterday’s. Jenna needs the post shop to get a parcel sent to herself so her bags are not too heavy. Jenna drops us off at Kelvin and Paula’s house and we say our goodbyes. It will be strange not travelling with her anymore.

Rowan and I spend the rest of the day doing jobs. We get clothes washed and clean up a few things. The kids are happy to have us here, especially Lucy who adores Rowan. An easy meal tonight of pizza!

Our journey is going to change from here. After traveling with Jenna we have enjoyed a new level of freedom. In hindsight south island hiking would have been a better start for us.

Rowan and I are adding bicycles and we will complete our journey with them. I wish it was electric but we are going with human powered ones. We will be able to complete our tour of Aotearoa by our own steam. This week we will be helping Kelvin and Paula with their pop top caravan and getting gear sorted. We are doing it on a budget. Our aim is under $1k for both of us. So far we have a bike for me $80 and a large frame bike for Rowan $200. Now to get safety gear, panniers, clothing. And probably other gear we never would have though of!

For Jenna’s last day we thought we better have some fun. We started at breakfast in town, it was mediocre but the coffee was fantastic. Then we went to the Nelson Museum, which was great. We got talking to the staff for a while. I got a message from Kelvin that he is having a stall across the road at the markets.

The markets are really small compared to last time. Kelvin points out I was probably at the Saturday Market, not the Sunday one. I find a zebra hoof and show it to Rowan. We talk about it with Kelvin, who tells us to go get it.

From the market we go find sushi and head to the park next to the water to eat it. We end up reading our books and then heading to Kelvin’s house. At Kelvins, I use the vacuum and clean out the inside of the car. Jenna and Rowan help.

From Kevin’s, we head to beach because it won’t be long until our dinner reservation and no point going back to the campground. We go to Mama San for dinner which is an East Asian restaurant. The food is delicious.

We are done fairly early which is fine and we head back to camp for hot chocolates.

Kelvin has a stall at the local swapmeet, we head off to see him and of course shop around. I relieve Kelvin for a bit so he can go shopping and I sell a few of his goodies. I wasn’t thinking but of course I got to see Jase, a good friend who lives in Blenheim. He sells amazing curios and his stall is always really professional. We ended up getting a screwdriver and a naughty stamp from him. We also saw Nick a dealer from Christchurch. Rowan rummaged in a jewellery pile and got a few goodies. It was a fun few hours.

After the swapmeet we took Jenna through her first car wash since she was a kid. In Germany you need to get out of the car. No way near as fun! Then off to the supermarket for some supplies. The rest of the day we chilled at the campground, went through our goodies and read our books. Tomorrow is our last full day with Jenna.