The helping hand continues.
Hi All.
Sat 26th. 45km today, hot and humid. Total: 25,731km for 609 road days. Commuted back to Gill’s place.
Friday 25th Lovely tough 55km along Lake Taupo and onto the so called ” Desert Road ” which has absolutely nothing for 60km. Gill from Mayo and a friend of Kate came out and crewed for me the last hour. I am staying in her house tonight. Saturday morning I return to run the rest of the desert road through Tongariro National Park with stunning views of the active Tongariro and Ruapehu volcanoes and then return to Gill’s house. After one night I have already drank Gill out of all her Lyons tea bags! Thanks Gill
Thursday 24th. Nice 46km run, ran mostly with Kate Townsley. Thanks Kate and Steve for looking after me for two nights. Total 25,631km for 607 road days.
I ran a very enjoyable but hilly 50km today, Wednesday. Thanks to Paul for hosting me on Tuesday, Kate Townslee tonight. Monday I slept in a forest and had an invite from Kerry but didn’t know as I had no internet, but also fair play to Paul who texted me very late to say he would pick me up on my route, I declined for Tuesday night instead as I was well wrapped up in my sleeping bag. Thanks everyone you are making New Zealand so special Details to follow soon.
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The amazing Kiwi hospitality continues to blow me away!
After a hefty breakfast in Craig and Carlenes place on Saturday I hit the road with a pocketful of lamb sandwiches which Carlene kindly sent me on my way with
It was a tough hot 54km slogger of a day and was relieved I was running minus my pack. Near my finish in Huntly my host Chuck was waiting for me. Chuck lives in Ngaruawahia about 14km commute away.
The Maori place names are wrecking my head and are just as difficult as the Mexican Indian place names. I usually cant remember where I am, where I have come from or where I am going, everywhere is called ‘ that place’ !
In Chucks place I watched the amazing Lance Armstrong interview, enough said, then we talked real sport.
Just before leaving Chucks place I send an email to my friend Tom from Australia, Tom is also running around the world and finishing his timeout as tomorrow he flies to Lisbon for the European leg of his world run see HERE
Good luck with Europe my friend! Tom had mentioned he has friends in the Hamilton running club, so he sent an email to them along with my mobile number. A couple of hours later I have an invite from Roger to spend the night at his place. Another man Steve a friend of Craig whose house I stayed at the first night on the road also invites me, but I had already committed to Roger and his Quebecan partner Sylvia.
So on I ran, it was hot and humid today, but none of the crazy Fiji heat. A couple of kilometres before my finish in Hamilton Roger ran out to meet me for the rest of the run to his lovely house. Though short it was very nice running with him making him the first runner to run with me in almost a year, since north Colombia!
Roger and Sylvia met while both were on holiday in Vancouver, they were both in a bike hire store at the same time and rode out together. They then had a long distance romance before deciding Quebec to New Zealand is just a bit too far. Sylvia moved here three years ago and they have been happy ever since. Sylvia works as an translator, Roger having his own engineering business. Five minutes after arriving here Chuck arrives with my pack as he had asked me to text him Rogers address. Chuck and Sylvia had a long conversation about Canada as he moved here from Toronto 45 years ago it was easy to move here in those days as there was a shortage of labour. Today Auckland is the largest multi-cultural society in the southern hemisphere.
We had a delicious bar-b-q dinner in the company of local runners. I can’t get over how New Zealand is such an incredible outdoors country. Just about everyone I meet is into climbing, walking, running, cycling, swimming, on and on it goes, all ages, young and elderly.
Thank you to everyone that has helped me so much, New Zealand is amazing
Today was a short 32km day.
My route for the next three days to Lake Taupo, New Zealand’s largest lake is along route 1. Tirau,Tokoroa,Taupo Anyone got any contacts, I can do a commute! 02108437842.
January 20th, 2013 at 11:36 am
Good Man Tony, This is just great news. Sounds so exciting. There is an old saying “May a helping hand never fail”. Long may it continue.
January 20th, 2013 at 10:53 pm
Glad you are receiving so much help and being looked after so well. Enjoy