Cycling is great, Auckland is great, New Zealand is great!
Home » Blog » Craig Neilson » Cycling is great, Auckland is great, New Zealand is great!Craig Neilson is on the Great Kiwi Road Trip, riding his bike around New Zealand and stumbling across more fun in the country than he expected.
Photo by Auckland Cycle Chic
I'll always remember the police that day at Wreck Beach, Vancouver's buzzing and permanent party strip for nudists.
The police aren't naked; strapped up in their full security uniforms, long sleeves, visible handguns, hand-cuffs and tough shoes. But everyone else is naked. The populous, numbering in the hundreds, go along for a grand old naked pig out on sun, recreational drugs and alcohol—the sun, of course, being the only thing legal about any of it.
But word spreads fast in a super-friendly place and despite the excessive illegal consumption, the contraband disappears when the police arrive and becomes utterly un-detectable. Alas for them, Vancouver's finest are limited to a wander up and down the sand, a note in their notepad and the occasional short interview with a stark-nude civilian.
My host at the time pointed it out to me: two sweaty cops with their vests, gear and pens on display; talking to one proud and peaceful twenty-something in naught more than a hat and his sunscreen. "Who do you think in this picture is more powerful?", asked my host. And it was obvious. The police, weighed down by their rules, expectations and the pressures of social norms, could never succeed against the defiant and cheeky audacity of determined individuals. Not a hope.
That's what it's like when you're cycling SH1. I am the nudist: pure, free and empowered. Traffic is the police; undelightedly going about their day. I'm not actually naked, but with a tonne of steel and 80kph being the difference between us, you can't help but make the comparison. I've got better stories from my jaunt up to Whangarei than I'll ever get in a car.
I'm cycling New Zealand between festivals, celebrations and retreats. And there's so much going on here that I have every day in December planned. Say what you like for my part-German heritage, this month will be one to remember.
There's nothing like travel to make you appreciate home. Well, that's if you live in Auckland, anyway! I'm passing through as a visitor, for everything from the NZ Youth Delegation (to the Copenhagen Climate Talks)'s fundraising farewell dinner to the monthly Critical Mass, the Grey Lynn Festival, and a blood donation sitting. I'm off again today for a ten day silent meditation course (Vipassana) out in Kaukapakapa. Alas, I won't be joining Su Yin at the sensational Ride Planet Earth rally, the SignOn march or the SignOn Planet A Concert all happening on the 5th of December (that's this Saturday!)—but you will, right?
As well as Auckland, I really love Wellington, so on the 14th of December I'm going to head there. You can't take a much longer train ride in New Zealand, but my ticket to the capital is a tiny $60 including the bike. The huge momentum and low friction inherent in trains makes them super-efficient transporters and way ahead of other means for travel over long distances. They're romantic, close to nature, fast moving and of course, they're cool bits of engineering too.
In Wellington I'll attend the nation's first-ever Climate Camp—a five day hui and sharing space for activists and citizenry who are interested in, you know, a future. Then I'll ride my bike to Palmy, Taihape (gumboot capital oh boy), Taupo and the organic-fantastic Tauhara Center for Christmas and Boxing Day celebrations (tickets still going, I think). From there, after Rotorua and Tauranga, I'll cap off December with the renowned Prana Festival (which is on to last-minute tickets now).
My intention was to discover New Zealand as a big country. I've done that.
Now I'm just riding for joy.
Wed December 02, 2009 @ 12:55 PM
