DAY ELEVEN: BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BAA-HOLDER

Day 7 (Wellsford to Orewa) Daily Distance: 49.80 kms
Day 8 (Orewa to Auckland) Daily Distance: 47.96 kms
Days 9-11 (Auckland Rest Days)
Total Distance: 510.62 kms

This blog will explore pink sex symbols from around the world. In the US, sexy pink lovers may look like this:

               

Or for the ladies, maybe something like this:

In Japan they sometimes look like this:

And in the UK:

So on Day Seven I figured out the Kiwi equivalent. Yep, you guessed it:

Disclaimer: This is the only picture on the blog that was actually taken by me...

Seems like in this country beauty quite literally is in the eye of the baa-holder.

The only downside to this is that the highlight of my trip may have cum and gone early on Day Seven, when I greeted the fine ladies of Sheep World. Truth be told, I knew to expect them, having read Jim and Irene’s blog from their 2011 touring journey featuring Sheep World, and most certainly sought them out. And then I sorted them out, too ;) ... "when in Rome"!

The first half of the day, from Wellsford to Warkworth and on to Waiwera, was spent on State Highway 1 (there was no other option) and so little happened other than the sheep. Once I reached Waiwera, however, I was forced off the highway when it became a motorway, and was sent up and down several big hills and through some lovely scenic beaches. The fourth or so that I reached, Orewa, was so nice that I decided I would stay. I’d only done 50 k’s but wasn’t due into Auckland until the following day and it was only a further 48 k’s down the road.

I found a bike shop to fix my constantly slipping seat post and sell me a water bottle to replace the one that I lost somewhere near the glow worms, and had some quality time with the beach. That night, Kurt and Rebecca Shirley came up from Whangaparoa for dinner, also with their young baby Drew (babies everywhere). I’d been their Tour Manager on  a European trip over winter some years ago. We reminisced about all the funny stories, including the famous one of an over-zealous client who, while volunteering at a sex show in Amsterdam, tried to “sit” on THE banana instead of eating it, if you know what I mean…

On Day Eight I followed my nose towards Auckland, although had to be careful not to head for their dodgy version of the harbour bridge since cyclists aren’t allowed on it. Instead, I made my way to Devonport and caught a 10-minute ferry across the harbour right into the centre of the city.



View of Auckland City from the Devonport ferry

I had no time to be a tourist today, however, as I was picked up almost immediately and swept out to Lou Ludbrook’s house (funnily enough she lives north of the harbour, although no ferry was required this time!) where we had a few drinks before going to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers!! It was a great – if not life changing – concert, especially because they sang most of their hits, Anthony Kiedis is still way too energetic at 50 years of age, and I met another super tall guy who I instantly bonded with. We shared comebacks for the stupid things that ‘you’ short people regularly say to us. My favourite, which I have now adopted, is this:

Short Person: Do you play basketball?
Me: Do you play mini-golf?

During the concert I had the pleasure of sitting next to Alex and Olivia, who weren’t married at the time, but will be now. If that sounds weird, it’s not really: their bridesmaids gave them tickets to see the concert just days before their wedding. Unfortunately they and I are not as close as we could be, however, since it was established even before the concert began that Olivia drove past me during the peak rain-hammering after the Brynderwyns that I previously mentioned getting caught in. She recalled seeing a cyclist in bright yellow with bright orange panniers almost drowning in the rain while driving down from their hometown Whangarei the day before. She also recalled feeling sorry for him but since she didn’t stop to offer assistance I’m not so sure!

The rest of my time in Auckland was pretty jam packed. I had a job interview the following morning (which, before you ask, was for the position of Contiki Sales Executive for NZ North Island, although I have since withdrawn my interest for it), followed by a BBQ with Lou, her housemate Chloe, and Chloe’s 5 year old son, Bodhi, who became my BFF when we spent quality time jumping on the trampoline, and also had dinner and drinks with Maico, plus a comedy show on the Friday night with Lou and her buddies.

All in all, a great stay in the largest city in the country, and so onwards it was, knowing that the real cycling was about to start, even though the highlight was now behind me. Or was I behind it? Baaaa-hahaha!!! (Sorry but I had to go there!)