Cycling The Globe

Distance: 24.11 km
Ride time: 1:29:53
Average: 17.2 km/h
Total: 20634 km

As I was taking my tent down I thought of all the nights I have spent in it since entering Australia a year ago. Now it would be a while before I would be camping again. Just as I had started to cycle I asked a woman for directions to the small ferry into Auckland city. She replied that the ferry would leave in an hour so I just had enough time to come to her house for a cup of tea! This is so natural in New Zealand and I love it! Back home I would say an invitation like that to a complete stranger is very unlikely. It turned out that Karen and her husband had been running a big diary farm further south, but now that had sold off and was enjoying their retirement.

After the nice chat I made it to the harbour just in time the for the boat that would take me directly into the center of Auckland.

On the ferry I had a bit of time to reflect on the last months of amazing cycling in New Zealand. It has almost been too good to be true. The country is beautiful and the cycling/travelling infrastructure makes it very easy to explore it all. If anything this place is too perfect and, just maybe, lacks a bit of excitement that cycling in a country like Indonesia or India can give. Yet, the most important thing in New Zealand is not the nature (as amazing as it is) but the wonderful people you will meet here. I’m truly happy I decided to come.

I’m now more than 20.000 km away from home. When I talk to my folks in Copenhagen the time difference is 12 hours. This is pretty much as far away as you can get. From now on I will have to adjust my way of thinking to the fact that I’m on the way home and not away. That will be a big mental shift.

The ferry arrived in Auckland, I got off with my bike and asked an Asian tourist to take my picture (there seem to be a lot of Asians here).

I then started to navigate my way towards the home of the Mete family. I had been in contact with Leanne and she had generously agreed to host me for my stay in Auckland. It took a while to find the house – cycling outside of the city had certainly been much nicer. Finally I found the way and was welcomed by Leanne, her husband Dave, and their 5 kids plus a Korean exchange student. Running a household like that and even having the energy to host a cyclist is quite something! The Mete family was wonderful and the house was full of life and joy.

For the next days I’m going to have a look around the city, meet a few radio friends, and otherwise get ready for the trip back in Australia.