We rose early after a bad nights sleep, it had been raining had and still was. Not a good omen for a weeks cycling.
Rob from Vertical Ventures picked up us and warned us that we might not be able to do the classic start as the weather was so bad and to cloud so low the helicopters were not running to allow the river crossing.
That proved to be true, sadly. We had a very rainy drive up, stopping in Geraldine for coffee, at a nice cafe called the Running Duck. http://therunningduck.co.nz. I also bought so chilli sauce. What a surprise.
We then stopped for lunch at Tekapo http://www.run76laketekapo.co.nz/. We also stocked up on booze for dinner.
This was the start to our ride, the alternative start. Bikes were sorted out, bags given out, and the rain stopped. 
We had a 30km ride to Braemar Station part of the Mackenzie Farm in the Mackenzie Valley. farmside.co.nz
It was lovely to be riding, the weather did not spoil anything except the view.
On the tour are
2 Canadian couples, the husbands were at school together. They are very quiet and keep to themselves.
A great fun Oz couple, Hilda and Steve, it is here 60th the same day as Marion.
Marion and Gunner
Carol
And us.
Total 11.
Our stay was at the Shearer Hut, the Hut used in the past and was a a few rooms all inter-connected and a shower room, a separate bathroom, kitchen, and a living room. Rob got a fire going in the sitting room. Some summer!
We had tea and biscuits at 4 and dinner at 7. Dinner was steak and fresh salmon and was excellent. After dinner we sat and chatted after dinner. The Canadians were very quiet.
Then plan for Day 2 was fluid! We might we able to start at the beginning, if the weather clears and we have time or we WGT a more relaxed start at 10. What ever it would be an early start.
After being disturbed at midnight we woke at 5.30 and left the Ibis on time, checked in and departed to Christchurch on time.
We arrived at Merivale Manor 
We were early so just left our bags and went for a wander to try and understand Christchurch and the aftermath from the 2011 and later earthquakes. We walked through the Botanic Gardens via the ruined cathedral, 
bumped into Carol who we had last seen in Cuba, and then on to the Cardboard Cathedral. 
The city is an interesting contrast of ruin and rebuild but has a good feel. 
We had lunch in a small coffee house C1, 
which was nice, and then wandered back again via the art gallery 
and Botanic Gardens shop to get Marion a 50th birthday present.
Good meal and lots of catching up. We were in bed by 10 something ready for a 7.30 am start.
but boring waiting for it.
Roge got out some litmus paper. The litmus was Red … the acid bath was PH 1! Then within 5 paces another pool was PH 11 alkaline and a few paces away another was PH 6. Extraordinary that 3 pools all within few paces could be so different.
and a banana and chocolate crepe we headed home for a well deserved sleep.
and it stopped raining 1/2 way round. Our drive to Hamilton was uneventful, with a quick coffee stop in a town called Cambridge, which apparently (and was) full of quaint old wooden buildings. We arrived at Kim’s house, hurray we did have the right address, 12.07. Not bad timing thanks to Google Maps and B’s navigation. B rang the bell and heard Tim (Kim’s husband) say ‘they’re here’ and the door opened. They both look exactly the same. It was lovely to see them. So easy to chat and catch up. We decided to walk from their house to Hamilton Gardens (world famous) for lunch and a walk around. The walk is about 30 mins and it was raining again but it did not seem to matter. We sat outside under an umbrella and kept on chatting over lunch. The rain stopped and we had a good stroll around the gardens and then walked back again (in the rain).After tea and some great biscuits cooked by Isobel (their daughter … who was also there) we headed off back to Aukland. 
The timing worked well as Tim was also taking Isobel to a party in Aukland. We arrived at the Ibis at Aukland airport at about 7 and discovered a bar/pub next door and decided to eat there. So after filling the car with petrol, so it was ready for pick up in the morning, we headed off to dinner. Nice meal with a shared bottle of red. Goats cheese salad (B) Thai beef salad (me)!After a quick repack of bags we were asleep ready for a 5.30am start. 12am. Beep beep beep beep. ‘Michael your alarm is going off!!”No it’s not!’Beep beep beep. The clock in the room had an alarm going off. A practical joke by the previous guest? Who knows but it disturbed our sleep but we were up at 5.30 but not as well rested as we might have been!
Our car was ready, they had expected us at 8am, however the lady serving… Marie was so helpful (the taxi tip was hers). And by 11.15 or 11.30 we were off to the next stage of the holiday.
We bought some beer and wine from the bottle shop and headed up for our new home for the next two nights.
We got ourselves settled and did a quick trip out to the park entrance to see where we we going tomorrow and headed back for dinner which we were told would be 6.30 to 7.
(a backpacker hut for 80) and the stopping off point for a 1 hour climb to the top. After a brief stop of 1/2 a croissant with jam from breakfast and so peanuts we decided to do that last leg. This was fun but slippery. The view from the top looked like this. 
It should look like this.
Then time to head back. We had planned to do a different route down via what is known as the Billy Goat track but when we got to the path split there were signs saying a bridge was down and to not attempt to do the route in wet weather. Well it was very wet and we had been walking in rain all day off and on so we decided to go back the way we came. As we had planned to eat lunch at this point (known as Hydro Dam) we sat under a bush and finished the sandwiches we had made from the left over breakfast and some watermelon and headed down. 
It was much harder than I expected but so glad we made the effort.
and did a quick look around the Park offices and exhibits. Not that exciting.
On our return Steve “fired up” the hot tub… an interesting combi fire / gas burner thing and we ended up sitting for ages just enjoying the view and chatting before dinner.
The best muesli ever. There was a raspberry compote and banana under oats, peanuts, goji berries, grapes, raisins, peach, coconut, sunflower seeds…. and there were 4 bowls. More on that later.
We were then hungry again and the museli was still there. Nat the owner said “just eat it” and so we did!
Palm bay.
followed by another wine tasting at Kennedy Point the only organic vineyard on the island. Excellent tasting with Peter White one of the owners. It is tiny. 
but was too slow to get the potato we dropped (or does not like potatoes).
The Singapore airlines plane is enormous against Virgin!
We then then decided to do a quick walk down the hill to Ostend and Belgium St where there are some shops. Not very interesting but we did managed to buy some beer (
The beach at Onetangi looked so nice we decided to walk down. Only another 30 mins. Once there after a barefoot stroll across the beach we then decided to have a drink. Firstly at The Boathouse (
