Hello all you adoring fans, friends, and family!

We're on our 4th day in New Zealand and the adventure has truly begun. Our blog title has already reflected our trip very well. We've mapped our travels, remapped, and remapped again. Z. dropped the ball on getting all our N.Z. cue sheets (little maps cyclists use for their handlebar map cases to tell them road names and direction changes) printed out for the North Island so we've been working off his memory for mapping our route. We discovered early on that our big waterproof map of N. and S. islands was very inadequate when we tried to make our way from the airport to Auckland city center. After finding a quiet hostel in an alley off the main drag we shopped for all the items we couldn't bring on the plane - and a new road atlas of both islands, which has been invaluable. In true thrifty traveler fashion we cooked rice and blanched veggies in the hostel kitchen the first night and headed to bed early in hopes of an earlyish start to the first day of real touring.

Day 2
We got the going to bed early but we lazed about until about 9 and headed out after some routing consultation around 11. We headed out of Auckland on the train to Papakura which saved us about 3 hours of riding through the industrial suburbs of Auckland. Off the train we stopped and ate our lunch of crumpets and oranges outside a waterpark and Z. got trapped inside the kid proof fence of the waterpark after being let in to fill the water bottles. After escaping the waterpark we set off through some of the most spectacular landscapes we've ever encountered. We were struck by the lush and intense green of the hillsides, the knolls dotted with sheep, the curious cows that trot along the fence lines as we cycle past, and the wonderfully sweet smell of Jasmine in bloom which is ubiquitous. We arrived at our intended destination after battling some late afternoon headwinds along the East coast and wearily we wound the last few pedal strokes into a holiday park (think KOA campground) with a much welcomed hot springs, impressively clean showers, and tons of friendly campers. Met another cycle tourist from the Yukon and a couple from England on a two week holiday. Everyone is incredibly friendly and willing to offer insiders information. Things are expensive but we've controlled our spending well and we're on budget so far.

We've missed our friends and family and find that things all along the way remind us of them. E. found the smell of diesel and fresh cut lumber reminding her of her dad while Z. found some of the long uninhabited stretches and constant search for water reminding him of Victor and the long ride from Seattle to Portland.

More to come! and Pictures!

E. and Z.