01/01/08
Well, I’d better get used to starting to type out 08 instead of 07, since the new year is now upon us. As I write this, I’ve already spent an entire day in 2008, and am indeed looking forward to getting to bed and resting, as tomorrow it’s back on the bike for a tough slog up a very long hill up to 500m to get to Rotorua. Luckily, I don’t have to stress too much about it, as I’ve already booked accommodations, as well as deciding to spend 3 nights in Rotorua, since it is basically one of the major tourist locations, and a center of sorts for Maori culture, which I’d like to learn a bit more about. However, this post isn’t about tomorrow, even though it comes to you from the future 🙂 Read on about my day off in Tauranga, as well as my New Years experience in this charming city.

31/12/07
Hi Gang. Wow, time flies doesn’t it? I’m already another day behind in my blog posts, so I’ll have to be somewhat brief as I prepare this little monologue for you all. The last post was coming live from my tent in the middle of Waihi, the mining town. Well, this one is coming to you from the comfort of a beautiful home in Tauranga, where I’m spending New Years thanks to some contacts I received by way of my sister in Saudi Arabia. Thanks Sis! This post will focus on my ride to Tauranga, and the next one on the activities I did in the past day and a half. As you know, there is a map already up on the website, so check it out. I’ve also now had the opportunity to upload all of the pictures I’ve taken to date on this trip, so please feel free to view them all on Flickr.

30/12/07
Hi friends and well-wishers. ActiveSteve here, ready to fill you in on another exciting day in paradise. As I write this to you, there is a cool breeze blowing through my tent, and I’m writing by the light of my headlamp and screen. Yup, I’m camping once again, as there were no places to check into with a bed. Aw crap! I just lost an entire friggin blog post that I had written, and I really don’t feel like rewriting it from scratch. It’s late and I’m now tired. As a result, I now present you an abridged version of my previous post. My apologies, but that’s what happens when technology screws with you. As usual, check out the map tab for the route of the latest day, and read on for a few more “nuggets” about the day. Enjoy.

29/12/07
Hi gang. Here I am, back to report on another lovely day in the lands down under. Due to a good bit of luck and some advice, I was able to shorten my biking day by about 24km, and still make it to the same destination. However, in order to do this, I had to take the fabled 309 road. Intrigued? Well so was I, which is why I decided to give it a whirl. Let me describe it in this way. It was basically my own personal Bolivian Death Highway! Okay, certainly not quite as extreme as that famous road, but it was something else, let me tell you that. Of course, I didn’t have the luxury of only going downhill, so I had to climb a nice long ascent up a twisty dirt road with dropoffs beside me, before descending it on the other side. I was quite glad that I’d brought the full suspension bike today. Read on for a bit more about this day.

28/12/07
Today was another day of firsts for ActiveSteve. It was the first day that I got to jump on a trampoline. Yes, I nearly killed myself in the process, but that’s just par for the course in my world, isn’t it? I kid of course. I didn’t get hurt or anything, but I did have some near misses. The other first of the day was this was the first day that I biked on the Coromandel Peninsula. I had originally been unsure whether I wanted to do this section of NZ, but after today, I’m quite glad that I did. The scenery is very nice, and the roads were uber-cool. A drivers paradise. Maybe not a cyclists’ paradise, but I still enjoyed. Read on for a little story about it, and the map too!