RTW 2005-?

We made it to New Zealand, arriving on Nov. 30. We left Chile with our motorcycles sitting in the warehouse and assurances that there was a 99% chance they would be on the next flight. Our motorcycles arrived the day after we did much to our relief.

We continued our tour of the North Island, traveling south of Auckland and to the east to the Coromandel Pennisula, a favorite place for New Zealanders to spend the holidays. Unfortunately, the weather was cloudy and rainy so we probably didn't appreciate it as much as we should have. One day, we hiked in the rain to a nice bay called Cathedral Cove.

Cathedral Cove, Coromandel Peninsula

We're still in New Zealand, enjoying the riding. After a rainy and cold New Year's, the weather is gradually improving.

We spent New Year's eve and the following night in a warm hotel room and afterward were blessed with a couple of days of nice weather which we used to explore the east shore of the north island between Napier and Wellington.

After David's mom left Christchurch to go back to Canada, we started our camping trip again. We found a very beautiful place, Lake Tekapo with a milky aqua color that reminded us of Lake Louise in Alberta.

Lake Tekapo, South Island

Near Lake Wanaka, South Island

We spent a relaxing week camping on the shore of Lake Wanaka. The weather was perfect with sunny, warm days and clear nights for watching the stars. A few days later we rode back to Lake Takepo to enjoy the scenic views. Dave spent an afternoon enjoying the less traveled roads in the area and saw some beautiful sights from the hill tops, but unfortunately didn’t take the camera with him.