Last time I was in New Zealand (February 2012), I was helicoptered off the Cape Brett Walkway, carabinered to an ex-SAS officer, who had carried me, and my seriously broken ankle to the pickup point. It was a live lift, as, unlike in this promo photo, there was nowhere to land. My family is concerned about me going back, solo again, to New Zealand, so I've been gifted some major tracking technology. I'm not sure how I feel about this, especially as it's a drive trip with minimal tramping planned. It's 100% because of that major life altering accident that I must drive this time, and that I carry travel insurance as a matter of course. Well, I refuse to describe this trip as something inferior. It's not. When I was there last time, I remember the stupid attitude of a rude young male touring cyclist I met at Whakapapa, in Tongariro NP. He dismissively informed me that not riding every f****** mile from Cape Reinga to Stewart Island was cheating. EFMs, as these monomaniacal "all or nothing" gits are known in cycling circles, miss out on what keeps travel ever entertaining. There are many ways to enjoy New Zealand, and I'm off tomorrow to test this theory for 6 weeks. I feel totally blessed that I actually know how to do it, and why.
Sent from my iPhone
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