Goodbye NZ, Hello OZ. Queenstown, Auckland, Perth.

I left Queenstown and returned to Auckland to stay for a few days with Tina Sweet’s super cool cousin Ashley. It had been 6 weeks since I left him to start cycling New Zealand and I was looking forward to chilling off the bike and enjoying his company. It was a great few days relaxing, eating and watching YouTube videos. I could have gone out on the bike but I just never really had the urge. After completing more than 3500 miles since November I think 3 days of laziness was not to much to ask for. I’m so pleased Tina put me in touch with Ashley. I’ve made a good friend who is a pleasure to sit a chat with. I wish him all the very best for the future and hope we get to see each other again.

I left New Zealand on a direct flight to Perth in western Australia. It was a 7 hour flight which meant I got chance to watch 3 films. I chose the new James Bond film Spectre the new Star Wars film and the final (maybe) Rocky related film, Creed. All 3 were excellent. I thought the Bond film was good but the franchise is now seeming a bit long in the tooth. Maybe the character needs a new leafing man. The Star Wars film was brilliant even though it seemed like just a rehash mix together of the original and Return of the Jedi. Creed was very good and had me jiggling in my seat during the fight. Not quite Rocky 3 but still really good. Seeing Rocky go up the steps at the end was special seeing I had done the same way back in September.

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Arriving in Perth I was met at the airport by my ex pat good friend Carl who had offered to let me stay with him, his lovely wife Lucy and their 3 cats Eddie, Wilma and Hector. It’s been about 4 years since we last saw each other which itself seems insane. Where does this time go? Carl’s mom and dad were also staying as they had been visiting for 4 weeks. On the first day we went down the beach for a swim as the weather was really good. 104 on the thermometer meant the water was the best place to be but that didn’t stop me falling asleep for 30 minutes and ending up looking like a radish. I looked like Rodney Trotter after the sun-bed or Barry Taylor after the solarium incident in Auf Wiedersehen Pet. Still, two days later and I’m looking pretty tanned again.