What an amazing day. I am sat in a swanky hotel ( mine is next door !! ) enjoying a cold beer, a bowl of crisps and amazing view of Lake Taupo with the yayhts bobbing in the water just yards away. Life doesn’t get much better. Its times like this when you need company though as I am just not eloquent enough to explain how beautiful this place is. It was this time yesterday that I was sweating my way over the desert road past Mount Doom hoping that it was not going to be much further that the road went downhill. Now I am here with a day and a half off as a reward for half killing myself yesterday. I think I may have to have a skin-full tonight.
Today has been a bit of a “jolly” really with 30 miles of cycling from Turangi this morning. I stretched it out and made it last about 4 hours stopping for breakfast and numerous photo opportunities and chatted to a few people along the way. The route followed the lake for the most part and I was surprised at how clear the lake is. You can look down and see the fish swimming around and there are loads of viewpoints and picnic areas all along the shore. The road is pretty well surfaced for a change and I have been passed my dozens of Ferraris all day as they are having a Ferrari rally here this weekend. It has made a nice change to have classic Italian sports cars wizzing by me rather than logging trucks.
There was just the one hill to speak of today though it was pretty damn steep at 15% on occasions. I was really sweating at one stage probably because I was unprepared for it. The down hill was fab though and took me all the way into Taupo itself at the northern tip of the lake. I have just been informed that Lake Taupo is itself an active volcano and is bubbling away with activity at the very bottom. Regardless of that fact It still looks cold in there so I will be sticking to my heated swimming pool instead thanks.
The last time I was here was 11 years ago on a” Kiwi Experience” Bus tour and I remember a great bar called the Holy Cow. I have really been looking forward to returning there for old time’s sake but I learnt today that it has closed. I am gutted. I remember dancing on the tables in there with a bunch of girls I met and getting steaming drunk. So much for repeating that old memory then !
I was planning on jumping out of a plane whilst here but having pushed the boat out with my hotel I think I may have to show some restraint on that score. I’m not sure what to do tomorrow really except just chill out. I have two 85 mile days after leaving here so it’s probably best to rest whilst I can and let the ankle heal. I will be staying with an old police mate, Tristan in Auckland on Friday so that should be good then its only 3 days to the very top of New Zealand and the end of my challenge. It is all passing by so quickly. I can’t believe 3 weeks is almost up. Oh well, I better grab another beer then and enjoy the present. All this is missing is a certain someone !
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