Sunday 10th February 2019 - cycling!

A belated Happy Birthday Aunty Joy!!

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How lovely to sleep in a bed and to be able to make a cup of tea as soon as we woke up!

Today was mountain biking with an 8.15 start. We were transported out to somewhere near Milltown Valley, inland from Hokitika. It was a 39km ride on good trails through forest at times, alongside streams, across bridges, next to lakes. The views at times were stunning (I need more superlatives!) Some of the uphills and the switchbacks were challenging but we were glad to have had our bikes at home and so were more prepared than we might have been. 7 of us cycled, 2 experienced, 1 had not cycled for 25 years, and the rest of us somewhere in between!

The sun shone again. Considering we were in an area that has 3 metres of rainfall a year, and on average there is rain on 8 out of 10 days, we have done well!

Back to Hokitika and then the minibus to our overnight campsite at Okarito. A tiny settlement on the west coast with a clear view of the peaks of the Southern Alps in the distance to the east. I am actually writing this as I sit on the beach watching the sunset. The sun is heading your way and I only wish I could send the weather. The sunset in front of us, the mountains in the distance, warm enough to only need a light fleece for comfort. We really do feel so privileged. Of course our photos won’t do any of this any justice. The scale and beauty of this place is incredible. But it is a full-on adventure and moving from place to place with little downtime is tiring, but it is the only way to cram it all in.