Tuesday 17th Nov.
Slept like a log last night and feel all the better for it. It was chucking it down when I woke up and was glad not to be packing up a tent in this weather. I was going to continue on down the west coast but as the weather according to the forecast would be better on the east coast I thought I would cross over via the Lewis Pass and Hanmer Springs, maybe even stop there for a night. Left as late as I could hoping the rain might ease but it seemed to get worse. So at 10 I hit the road and headed for the Lewis pass, this meant heading back north a little way. The roads despite the cold and the rain were fantastic, a little slippery but that just made them a little more challenging to ride and still heaps of fun. After about 1.5 hours I was beginning to think this was a bad idea and perhaps I should of stayed put, but then I saw a break in the clouds up ahead and within a few more miles I was standing at the side of the road in brilliant sunshine trying to talk my way out of a speeding ticket. I think perhaps I was enjoying the twisty mountain roads a little too much and apparently was doing 117 KPH. (72MPH) Just a little faster than walking pace. He seemed almost happy that he had pulled me over, certainly not angry and I did not receive any of the usual lectures about how fast I was going and do you know how dangerous bla bla bla. Nope none of that just a ticket and a $120 fine that I could pay for online or at a post office. Perhaps the police get a a commission on fines here in NZ? Maybe that's why he was so happy. I was not far from Hanmer Springs and once there I booked a bunk at a backpackers for $25 and took a walk to the springs for a hot soak. The springs was not bad and not to busy one of the big swimming pools I had to myself.