Time for a new update from our NZ tour and Coast to Coast Race prep …. don't forget the pics, see gallery "NZ 2".
While uploading our last update, Emma's stomach started flipping and flopping. Following a doctor's visit, the culprit turned out to be Giardia. For those who don't know, it's a little bug that lives in the streams/lakes here, but prefers to set up camp in your stomach, where it can cause all kinds of discomforts. Luckily, after 3 lost training days, and a heavy dose of antibiotics, Emma seemed to be back on track.
In Christchurch, we met up with Aaron Scott, a Kiwi that is keen to become a Swede. He contacted us when he found out we were doing the Coast to Coast. He's a veteran of the race and will be spending 3 months in Sweden this summer. In exchange for us helping him polish his Swedish (he's studying hard!), he gave us a place to stay and offered to help Jörgen and Caroline as our support crew (we will need his sage advice in February!). Oh, he also helped fix up Scott's kayak and offered his road bike to Emma for the race (I think we got the better deal here, Aaron !)
After CHCH we headed to the Bank's Penninsula to swim with dolphins. The Hector dolphin is the world's smallest and rarest dolphin, about the size of a 5 year old child. They only exist in NZ. We found 5 of them that were thrilled to play with us for a while! A very cool experience ! Then we jumped on our bikes for some scenic cycling but, for the first of many times in the coming week, we literally got blown off our bikes! Emma (weighing considerably less than Scott), was forced to walk to avoid rolling down the adjacent steep cliffs! But finally, the wind was at our back and Emma got down into the aerobars and started cruisin' !
Next, to Fairlee to see the founder of iRULE, a maker of multisport clothing (and former sponsor to Team Nomad). Great fo finally meet Daryl and his wife Wilhelmina after many years of email and skype. We were treated to a BBQ, with fresh veggies straight out of their garden (and even a bag of veggies to take on the road!). Many thanks for the Kiwi hospitality (Yes, Daryl, we know -- you're Australian, not Kiwi …)
Next stop, Clyde to see Tim and Sally Pearson. Tim, making his 2nd appearance in our NZ travels, gave us a bed in his spectacular house (which he designed and built himself) and took us paddling on the Matukituki River (go ahead, say it again, it's fun: Ma - tuk-e-tuk-e). Sally even lent her Eclipse kayak to Emma to train in, and use, for the race. (the Sharp was a little too tippy down the rapids…)
Finally, to the adventure capital of NZ: Queenstown. Yes, it's touristy, but for good reason. Even in the rain (and snow!), this place is just beautiful! in addition to some great training, we met up with Sam Thompson, who has been our multi-sport coach on and off for the last few years. Once again, we put a face to the Skype voice and emails, when he showed us some of the great single track in the area. He even became our local tour guide when we cancelled our bike ride one day (5 degrees, 40 mph winds and rain -- no thanks !). We rode his 4WD down into Skippers Canyon and learned all about the booms and bust of the gold mining and bungy jump industries (for a while, the 100 meter bridge was the world's higheset bungy, but business died almost overnight when a 140 meter jump was set up by a nearby competitor).
Just when everything was going well (except the rainy and snowy weather) we got busted by the harbor police, and narrowly escaped a $1,000 fine. Not kidding. Here's what happened … We paddled the class II Shotover River, just outside Queenstown. On Sam's recommendation, we contacted the two jetboat companies operating on the river to let them know that we would be on the river between 10 and noon. One company didn't really care and the other was a bit surprised. In any event, we put in and paddled away. Halfway down, Scott got sucked into a willow tree that had grown out into the river. Doing his best monkey impression, he grabbed a branch with one hand, the exit handle on the skirt with the other, and hauled himself out of the boat. Hanging in the tree, he watched as his boat got crushed under the tree trunk. After some fancy footwork, he worked the boat out from under the tree and out into the current where Emma skillfully captured it and brought it to safety. Surprinsingly (for Scott anyway), his boat was NOT destroyed. It was bent and cracked, but didn't break. But back to the police story … After a quick lunch stop (where we watched in horror as a gust of wind blew our kayaks across the sandy beach!), we paddled on without further incident. Upon cycling back to our car where we started, a harbor police man was waiting for us. Rather aggressively, he broke out a copy of Queenstown Regulation 104.5687.c.ii (or something like that) and told us we weren't allowed to paddle past this sign. He pointed to a sign that was about 100 meters from where we started -- that is, we paddled "illegally" for about 10 seconds of our two and a half hour paddle. He said this required him to fine us $500 each. Before we could even object, he pointed up to a camera on the cliff above us and said, "Don't try to argue - we have you on camera!" It wasn't looking particularly good at that point …
But to shorten this story, we eventually convinced him that we were just some innocent multi-sport paddlers from Sweden trying to get some training in before our race. Before long, his demeanor changed and he was breaking out a map and showing us all these other great places to paddle. Within five minutes, he was back in his car and wishing us luck. (Wonder if it would've turned out differently if Scott said he was American ?)
To top off the past week, Sam gave us the best present of all -- a free pass to the spa where he works. We reckoned a rest day was in order anyway :) Thanks Sam.
Till next time, train hard and try to stay warm back in Europe ! Now we are off on a 6 day backcontry, trail run and paddle adventure in Mt Aspiring NP.
Scott and Emma
