Arriving in New Zealand
Arriving in New Zealand: A Rollercoaster Start
On February 12th, I said goodbye to Australia and to my Murray Bridge family: Carol, Kieran, Lewis, Brax, and Jimmy—a good friend of the family and myself. Jimmy even showed up at my farewell party with a little goat, something I still can't fully believe happened. The generosity of that family is incredible, and I know that no matter what, I'll always be able to call that place home and them my family.
In the last few days, I found myself talking a lot about trust—how if you open yourself vulnerably and share without walls, you give others permission to do the same. There’s something magical about that dynamic. During this time, Carol was busy caring for Lewis, who'd injured his ankle while waterskiing, leaving Kieran and me with the house to ourselves. It was a nice shift in focus. During the 88 days, I'd spent more time with Carol, so this time felt like hanging out with a big brother. We shared talks about life, adventure, and dreams, and one night we packed up the 4x4, drove to Kitticoola, and camped under the stars. That night reminded me why I'm doing this bikepacking trip in the first place.
The 12th came so soon all of a sudden. After a hard goodbye with Carol, I boarded my flight from Adelaide to Melbourne and then to Auckland. I’d woken up at 1:30 a.m. to pack my bag and finally arrived at my new housesit around 7 p.m., exhausted. Sheree, the homeowner, greeted me warmly and even waited to share dinner with me. We got along immediately; at one point, she said, "I could be your New Zealand mother." I laughed but also felt that familiar warmth—another family found along the journey. After a shower, I crashed hard.
A Big First Day
My first full day in Auckland turned out to be wild. I walked to the bike store, 99 Bikes in Glen Innes, to pick up my new bike: the Marin Pine Mountain 1. I bought a helmet and a lock, then set off for my next stop—Amy from Paper Roads. She’s the one making my custom bikepacking bags, and we had to measure my frame bag. It was great to meet her in person; we had a nice chat about bikepacking, and she mentioned she was heading off soon for the Sounds to Sounds route.
Amy also mentioned a group ride that evening, organized by SloRide, with a guest appearance from Fish-Ski, an American bike bag maker who had just finished a big trip across NZ. I was torn—I was exhausted, and the ride was in the opposite direction of the house. Still, the idea stuck.
I killed time by grabbing some food in the city and stopping by Benny's Bike Shop, a cozy little place that’s heaven for bikepackers. And who do I meet there? Fisher from Fish-Ski himself, along with his family: Steve (a.k.a. The Talking Fly), Noelle, and Lou. We got talking right away, and when they saw my new bike parked outside with Amy's bags on it, we were instantly connected.
Together, we wandered through a market, grabbed a snack, and I learned a new word from Steve: "loitering." He described it as just hanging around without much purpose—something I know I'll keep alive in me for when I'm on the ride and beyond. We had a beer together before joining the group ride.
The Ride
The SloRide event was exactly what I needed: a 20km ride with a bunch of bikepackers. My legs were tested on Auckland's hills, and the singletrack and pump track sections were a perfect preview for the big adventure ahead. It was supposed to be a relaxed ride, but it turned out faster than expected—good fun anyway. The verdict? My legs need warming up, and I'll have to take it slow in the beginning.
We ended up at a bar afterward, where burgers and beers filled the table along with nonstop stories of past and future trips. Lou gave me her Ballbag, a bag from Fish-Ski that looks like a ballsack to clip below the saddle—perfect for some extra layers, she told me. I'm so grateful. As the night went on, someone suggested karaoke, and somehow I found myself in the city, voice gone from shouting along to metal songs. It was a fantastic end to a whirlwind day.
Settling In
The next morning, reality hit. Cruz, the energetic dog I’m looking after, was ready for his walk, and I was still tired. Sheree had left the night before to catch her flight, so it was just me, Cruz, and the two cats now. Since then, I've been slowly settling in—visiting stores, budgeting, walking with Cruz, gathering the last bits of gear, and appreciating the cooler, refreshing air compared to Queensland or South Australia.
One thing is certain, I’ll be broker than I've ever been when this trip ends. I’ll share my setup, gear list and budgeting in the next posts. For now, take good care dear read and know that sometimes a simple breath in and a slow breath out is all you need :)