Step, Auckland, NZ > Cairns, OZ (flight + 30km cycling, 2 days)

New Zealand to Australia to enjoy hot winter :-) The sensation when I arrived in Cairns was sooo good! It’s not winter here it’s like spring or even summer time! I missed my plane when I was in transfer in Brisbane so Qantas offered me a night in a five stars hotel. What a thing to start Australia after camping five days in park in Auckland with a really cold rainy weather!

Auckland to Mangere, last night in NZ (16km, 1h)

My last night in Auckland was the worst one. It rained all the night and yesterday night when I reached my usual place I met, well, I see, well, I distinguished a guy smoking in the dark under the trees. I asked him if he didn’t mind if I slept there but I didn’t understand what he answer me… It was already so dark and I didn’t want to search now a new place. So I went a bit further than normally, hides in the bush under the trees. I was a bit worried about that guy and more for my bike. But after that the weather was my main problem… I didn’t sleep so well. It’s a shame to finish NZ in winter. I hope Cairns will be better.
Later I came back to the library again to charge all my stuff and me definitely ready to reach the airport. My plane take off tomorrow at 3:30pm and I’m going to sleep around the airport to have time to clean and pack everything tomorrow.
Then, I met Cyril again :-) the brother and sister I met on the ferry towards Wellington. It was nice to see you again man! Next time in Switzerland in 2 years? 3 years? haha :-)

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Auckland, spending money

I know it’s “dangerous” to be in a big city. I mean for my wallet :-) it’s too easy to spend money and I can’t resist front of all those shops, all those Asian restaurants, sushis and whatever…
But at least today I want to go to R&R sport to get a new tire and a chain. I have 10% off for everything I buy in this shop so I prefer to do it here because everybody told me Australia is more expensive. And I will start the country of kangaroos with a pair of new tires. I’ve done more than 8,000 kilometres with only one pair. I bought my first road tires in Auckland last year. Schwalbe, German company, is a good tough brand!

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Auckland, the biggest mistake!

Aaaaah! Nooooooo! OK… I finished packing my stuff and I was walking towards the toilets of the park when suddenly I realised something. Where is my “belt bag”? Where?! I didn’t use it yesterday night in my tent and I don’t remember to have using it either. That’s really not good. There is my camera inside and all my sd cards with all my pictures of new Zealand, aïe! Nooooo! And there is my passport! Rah shit why now? Why am I so silly! My bag should be in the toilets library because I’ve been there before leaving the place. Or, it could be in the park toilets because I filled my bottles of water. I don’t like this day. Without my passport what can I do? Rah! Quel con! So keep calm and let’s have a look in the toilet’s park before, then I will go to the library if I don’t find here. Hmmm, no bag here. Somebody cleaned the toilets this morning at 6am, maybe they found it. And somebody could come back at 2:30 pm. I still hope that I can catch this person and ask him it her. Now let’s go to the library. Well, they didn’t find anything yesterday. I verified also where I was seating but nothing. My last hope is to wait until this afternoon and ask to the toilet cleaner. But there is something I can do : going to the police as well. Let’s go. What a bad event!
Then the policeman took my information and call the airport to declare my lost passport. Finally he told me to call the French embassy based in Wellington. I don’t have credit on my phone and it will cost me at least 20$ for 1h even if I need 5 minutes.
Next step, I call the embassy and they explain me that I must come to Wellington to get a special “laissé passé” to come back to France. But I don’t want! Not now! If I can’t find it today I won’t put a foot on Australia and I must return to Wellington by bus. And my bike?. Pff! Just for a bloody piece of paper… Then and then, I came back to the park to wait for the guy or the woman who cleaned the toilets this morning.
I meet a guy there and after a while I explain to him my big problem… he is sorry for me and start turning around to watch inside the rubbish bins. Thanks man! I’m standing next to the toilets, my last hope… Next to it there is a woman working around, cleaning the plant and managing the garden. I ask her if the number onto the toilet I called this morning was right. I explain my problem again and then she call her boss to ask where is the person who has cleaned the toilets this morning. I’m still waiting…
After a while she comes back to me with a big smile : “We found it! The guy will come in 30 minutes” No?! Oooh Aaah yes :-) Less than this looong 30 minutes the guy come with my bag. Whouaooo! One more time, I’m so lucky! Thank you so much!

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Auckland international airport, rainy day off

Pff! What a bloody day… it’s rainy and windy and I’m not really on a good place. Yesterday I quit the airport a bit late so it was already dark outside. But when I came during the afternoon I saw a place. So I came back there and I found a field. The grass was really high, something like 60 centimetres and wet. And I had to carry my bike up to a broken fence. It’s not the ideal place for a rainy day. Then the wind started and the outside protection entered in contact with the inner layer. So the water came in. Fortunately I realised this soon end I found a solution : I disassembled the inner layer from the outside and laid down on it. A picture could be more clear but I didn’t take anything… What can I do now? Reading of course:-) I finished 20000 league under the sea and started a new book. “Le village flottant” from Jules Verne’s again. I like those imaginative Roman and I’m going to read all the books :-) This one is in French and I should find it in English. Finally today was another kind of adventure ;-) Tomorrow, Auckland city centre, normally…