Day 1: 7 Mar 2016 Getting a bike from Melbourne to Auckland
Note: the first day is an explanation of my way of getting my bike to Auckland, New Zealand, from central Melbourne, Australia, without using a taxi. It is a bit long-winded but may help you if you also wish to do this.
Even though the flight to Auckland was at 1150 am, wake up time at Alex’s apartment in South Melbourne was 530 am to allow time to complete the complicated process set out today. It began with: shower, pack bags, get bike from parking garage, lock bike outside of Alex’s. It was a damp morning and had rained overnight. Took all stuff plus huge folded cardboard bike box, down the elevator and attached it all to the bike. Rode to Flinders Station to catch the 0708 train to Craigeburn but the train just vanished and so had to catch the 0725 or something.
After looking at the maps I figured that the best train station to get off at to bike to the airport was Oak Park, so I got off there around 0750 and began my bike route to the airport shown in the image below.
The route went through suburbs and then along ? Airport Drive. It was quite satisfying took trundling up to the airport on the bicycle with huge cardboard box on the back, I had got everything to the airport, now it was time to dismantle and pack the bike. Removed one peddle, front handlebars, seat, and wheels, shoved it all into the box plus some other things. The weight limit for check in was 23.9 kg and for carry on 8 kg. After some fiddling around I got the check in box to 23.7 kg and my carry on was 10 kg.
After a bit of negotiation “I’ll wear the jacket and put my cameras in my pockets” I got the all clear and checked in the box. Of note was the confirmation of onward journey that was done at this stage, which was unexpected as I had expected this to be done at immigration in Auckland. I grabbed a “maccas” breakfast and got in the queue for security where I was first relieved of my toothpaste. Security took a bit of time because first I was dusted down for bomb residue (this ALWAYS happens to me, don’t ask me why) and then my bag was searched to remove my bicycle lock. OK I understand why a bicycle lock is not allowed, I suppose, but where does it tell you that?? I would have to get another in Auckland. Next was the exit immigration process that took even longer (choose the new automatic procedure if you can). I got through with one day left on my working visa, but by the time I was done it was boarding time and so I rushed to the gate only to find the plane delayed 20 mins.
No view on the plane, middle cheap seat, but decided to check out the cartoon Rick and Morty that Alex had recommended. Pretty interesting, got through a few shows and watched enviously as my neighbour ate his paid for meal – the announcement gives the impression that we’re all going to get a meal, it’s kind of like torture this new process but I fought back with extra sugar in the complimentary coffee.
On arrival in Auckland I used the automated immigration process for the first time and it simply told me “you have been granted a tourist visa”, great! I had declared a few items on my form for agriculture. 1) I had much more than $700 worth of stuff, 2) I had recently been in wilderness areas, and 3) I had items that had been in wilderness areas. In the end they settled with a simple decontamination of my tent. The first lady seemed to almost be persuading me to say that I had not used the bike in a mountain bike environment, so I obliged. After getting through this the tent popped out through a little window where the man said “Mr Chambers I presume”. I got a snack, asked information if there was a bike assembly place or cardboard drop off place, she said she didn’t know – why do I always end up asking Information questions that they cannot answer? A baggage packing guy told me though and outside around the corner there it was.
While assembling the bike a French cycling couple turned up who had just finished a long tour. They told me there was a campsite that was free for cyclists and was only 8 km away. This gave me an initial good impression of New Zealand’s treatment of cyclists, an impression that would not last. I had to bike the 8 km to the campsite in the dark with an almost useless back light. It felt pleasantly humid, almost Hawaiian, lush compared to Victoria. I found the campsite, found no indication that cyclists were free but set up camp and went to sleep hungry and with no food. I was excited and relieved to have completed this day’s complicated mission.
Day 2: 8 Mar: Auckland hassles
At Ambury campsite I woke up hungry so packed up and set off on a mission for food. This was my first proper day on the North Island and I was quite interested just biking into the local suburb Mangere Bridge where they had fast food roast dinners, a great sign already! Picked up a gas canister and now needed to get a replacement bike lock, so began the ride into Auckland. Two things were obvious, 1) there were many harbours here and 2) it was quite hilly. As I approached the inner suburbs something bizarre happened. I was riding in the bus lane and a motorcyclist came zipping past way to close on my right, also in the bus lane. Then as I angrily watched him speed away, a car edged out into the bus lane trying to merge with the traffic. The motorcyclist had no time to stop and went straight into the bonnet and the whole bike lifted up landing the motorcyclist helmet first onto the front of the car. He was OK and proceeded to give the car driver the middle finger. I did not hang around to see how these two sorted out their insurance woes, given that they were both bending the law at the time. I got to the bike shop and bought a lock, headed into the centre of town, and debated what to do next. I could go north to Northland, southwest to Taranaki, or east to a large area of bush I saw on the map. Decided on a vague plan to go east along a bike path and see what happened.
This was all a bit random and realizing the futility of this route I cut south into a suburb, phone died and started using the sun as a guide for getting north off of the peninsular I was on. In a Sac N Save picked up a bunch of food and found my Monster Energy stolen from my bicycle – I had left it half full in the bottle holder. Thankfully nothing else was taken. I got off the peninsular and headed east seeing a tiny bit of parkland in Howick that might serve as a camp. After getting there and exploring a path got to a tiny bit of grass right on the cliff edge and right at the end of the peninsular. There was a colony of seabirds on a rock just offshore making quite a bit of noise into the early part of the night.
I thought that this must be why they call this Musick Point but it is actually named after a famous aviator.
Day 3: 9 Mar: Heading east, camping issues.
I was dirty so biked to Howick Beach to swim, shower and rinse some clothes and then continued east.
Opted to keep to the coast and see what was there. By the side of one of the roads I found $20. Rangitoto still dominated offshore.
In Duder Park I considered camping as it was mid-afternoon. I was just snacking when a ranger came up and asked what my plans were in a friendly manner. He told me that only self-contained campervans were allowed to camp there. The reasoning he gave me was that other campers might cause a mess by going to the toilet in the bush. This made no sense to me as there was a public toilet right there. I could not understand how a large inefficient, full toilet carrying vehicle could be favoured over a bicycle by the Department of Conservation. Absolute madness! Continued on and eventually found a place to camp somewhere in the vicinity of Waitawa Regional Park. It was nice and secluded under some pines, and I got a great night’s sleep there.
Day 4: 10 Mar
A bit along the coast was a hill climb that lead to views of the Coromandel Peninsular.
My plans had evolved over the previous day and I now had more focus on the Coromandel as a goal. The coast was pleasant, calm, tidal but the search for a place to camp proved tricky.
I checked out Waharau Regional Park where there was a small stream for a swim. I got in a shallow pool but almost immediately something gave me a gentle nip on my leg. I thought it was maybe a crayfish. I continued cleaning then it happened again. I looked down and was a bit shocked to see an eel swimming around, likely frustrated by this large white invader in its territory. Continuing on I had hoped for a free camping place only to find more self-contained nonsense.
Eventually I gave up the search and plumped for the expensive Miranda Holiday Park that had good facilities but was a bit expensive ($25 for a tent) and had a ton of mosquitoes after dark.
The route for these 4 days is below:
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1029711101
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