Tue 26th Feb - Christchurch

Tuesday 26th Feb 2008

Shalom

Feeling a little on the delicate side I enquired about staying at the very

comfortable Dorset House again.  Negative Ghostrider - so I packed my bags and

stumbled to 'Shalom', one of the few places to have a single room available.

Stumbled `through the door to be met by a Kiwi version of Shaggy Doo who

responded to every comment, question or suggestion with the phrase 'Sweet As',

pronounced 'Schweeeed Ays'.  My room was pretty basic but they had wifi which

was a bit of a result.

The Salad Challenge

Bowled into town needing to pick up my rental car and buy a mountain bike.

Didn't feel on top form, wandered about the city centre looking for somewhere to

lie in the sun, found it at Victoria Square.  Attempted to eat a beef salad, 90

minutes later I gave it up as a bad job and headed off in search of a bike shop

or two.

Falling in Love When You Least Expect It

Still not quite feeling 'Sweet As' and conscious of my not being with-it enough

to buy an icecream nevermind a decent bike.  The last time I felt like this

in a major shopping area I came home with a suit I didn't need.  Spaced out and

hot under the t-shirt (yes, an unfashionable 'special material' one), I had an

encounter that has changed my life, or at least my trip.   It all started in

BikeHQ, Christchurch, where a keen rider Dave introduced me to her.  I now

believe in love at first sight, well, sort of.  They (who?) say that you're most

likely to meet your future pardner in the supermarket, well in my case a little

lady strolled rather unexpectedly into my life when I wasn't looking.  I had

managed to stumble upon a great bike at a bargain price, a Yeti 575 for $3750NZ,

that' about 1500 quid, the same bike in the UK would cost at least double that.

Beat that Lawro!  Cool, so I spec'd out the bike and Dave agreed to build it up

for me for the morning an cut me a deal on accessories, or 'sharpen it up a bit' (get me a discount)

as he described it.  They didn't have a white or black frame in

a medium size so I went for a red, not my first choice but size does matter.



You Can With A Nissan

Picked up a Nissan Pulsar from Roadtrip Rentals for $850NZ for 40-odd days, not

a bad price all things considering, shout out to Jezza for finding me this

bargain.  The motor is an automatic which makes it like a go cart.  It's done

220k kilometers but feels alright.  Aircon, will fit a bike in etc.  It's got an

overdrive button which will undoubtedly remain permanently in the 'on' position,

I mean, why would you *ever* go anywhere more slowly than you need to?

Cooking on Gas

After last night's over exuberance food was defo on the menu for The

Shandyman this evening.  I even considered driving but that would have been

ridiculous.  Good job I didn't as I selected a rather fine bottle of vin rouge

to go with my muscles starter (huge local ones) and then a sumptuous (say it

like Stuart Hall) Lamb Thingy.  [See pic]. You can tell this country takes it's lamb

seriously because just like steak in England, they ask you how you want it

cooking and insist on it being not more cooked than medium rare.  My table for

one was filled with reading material and the obligatory nineteen different maps

and moutain bike guides as I planned my itinery around the South Island based on

the best area to ride in which I reckon are around Queenstown then up the West

Coast and Nelson, someone suggested Naseby too.  Strolled home

contented and very well fed.