Thanks for visiting our Fundraising page!

Yep, we really are going to attempt to cycle over 1326 miles down the entire length of New Zealand, unaided and with no support vehicle. We've been told it's hilly and we've been told we're crazy, but we're determined to stay on our bikes.

This is a personal challenge, however if we could raise money for a good cause at the same time it would mean even more to us, and will help give us a bit more of an incentive to keep pedalling! We've done some pretty extensive research to find a charity that we both feel strongly about and we believe 'War Child' is a really worthy cause. It works to ensure the long term protection of children most severely threatened by conflict, poverty and social exclusion. The aim of this charity is to promote peace through investing hope in the lives of children caught up in the horrors of war. For more information about the charity you can visit www.warchild.org.uk

We've set quite an ambitious fundraising target of at least £1 for each of the quite ambitious 1326 miles to be pedalled! But any donation you can make, no matter how small, will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks so much for your support....and wish us luck!

Love Becky and Alex x

P.S. If you have any random friends/relatives living in New Zealand who might like to offer us a much needed meal in exchange for stories about our sore bums; tell them to drop us an email at bexjp@hotmail.com and it will be much appreciated!

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It's also the most efficient way to sponsor us: War Child gets your money faster and, if you're a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

UPDATES FROM THE TRIP

27th March....MISSION COMPLETE

(Dunedin - Milton - Clinton - Invercargill - BLUFF!!!!!!!!!!!)
We eventually managed to leave Dunedin after a whole week, minus $1000 and plus a car (bought and left behind outside Ted's house) owned by myself and Becky, complete with its own dolphin and penguin design....we hope it will still start when we return to collect it- although we have high suspicions we may have been fleeced...
Ok, so back to the bikes: we left convinced that hills were minor issues and riding a bike was an easy business (we had had a week to convince ourselves of this) so had a pretty tough encounter when faced with the NEVER-ENDING hill which got steeper and steeper (im sure the steepest yet) and went on FOREVER when trying to get back to the main highway from the coastal road. Our legs didn't know what had hit them! Had planned to go further that day but only got to Milton (to a place where the toilets have names though the cheapest camp site yet) before missioning it toward Balclutha the second day and deciding at the last minute the weather was too cold and temperamental to go around the Catlins coastline (as planned) so we ended up staying on horrible SH1 and spending the night on an organic hippy farm in Clinton with pet sheep, 'organic' chickens, flute playing dreaded hippies and sleeping under the apple trees - Awesome! WE even got lent a few spare blankets so that justified our well thought out last minute change of route! The following day we decided to MISSION IT....cycled our longest route yet 110km all the way to Invercargill (the city of dreams?!). 30km of that was in the rain, whereby every sheep lorry that went past not only drenched us in road puddles but also sprayed us with sheep wee...needless to say it was NOT the most pleasant day, but a success to almost be there! Our final 30km to Bluff began with more rain and a final puncture for Becks. We cycled a flat last route (still with wet lorries zooming by to soak us) past deers making eerie noises (mating?or dying???) and reached Bluff by lunch. Becky needed a toilet stop 2mins before the end of the line (timing or what?!) so i hopped around waiting impatiently while it started to rain A LOT. Finally there it was...that magnificent yellow signpost we'd been aiming for (not sure why everyone else wanted their photo taken next to it. they hadnt just cycled 2434km to get here (?)) we stood under directions to Cape Reinga, Antarctica, Sydney, and London and opened champagne and danced in the rain looking like two crazy wet english girls who's just cycled too far! whilst everyone in the posh looking glass cafe above just stared down at us....little did they know...!

SO ITS COMPLETE....against all odds WE ACTUALLY MADE IT.....
2434km (1512miles) in 43 cycling days, equalling approx. 142 HOURS on the saddle.
- 6 punctures
- 11 bike breakages (only 2 items of our rather large tool kit remain unused)
- 0 major accidents or mows down by log trucks (amazingly....but 3 close calls on the falls front)
- 2 significant arguments (over insignificant things) but luckily 0 friendships lost
- 2 lots of tears (and a few more tantrums)
- 1 newspaper feature
- countless abuse/ laughter at the state of our bikes
- countless offers from kind strangers of places to crash/ free teas and chocs
- 146 honks from passing cars plus a million encouraging waves (yes we counted daily!)
- a LOTof flies up our noses/in mouths
- approx. 50 tuna cracker lunches
- and currently 1699 pounds raised!!

Wahoooooooo YEAh!!!

12th March....Geraldine

(Kaikora - Hawkswood - Waipara Valley - Christchurch - Darfield - Methven - Thompsons track & back to Methven - Geraldine)
We left Kaikora forgetting how steep the hills really could be, and said goodbye to the hundreds of smelly fur seals (old mans sweat) on the coast as we headed inland to Hawswood, and to a bizarre campsite called the Staging Post (blackgang chine style...but no people) with random props in the woods like stages, wagons and lots of deserted creepy rooms and chickens sitting in trees. are they meant to do that? Bex and I ended up in the propped out 'whore house'...we dont understand either?! which was 'technically' accomodation..apparently (the late bi-polar 'old man' owner had planned to use it for interviews). This little damp mouldy shack on stilts came complete with its own fly covered wonky bed. We slept soundly though and didnt even hear the ghosts. Thanks Neil. The following night after a relentless bike uphill where we though the downhill would never come, after our free driver reviver (which we more than qualified for- you can get sleepy eyes on a bike too you know) we were sleeping with the trains. Finally found our first farmer market on the way into christchurch and got a bit carried away with the wine tasting, and then met Olly (becky's friend from whislter) for a picnic (bekcy got a pizza in her face) who cycled us into christchurch right to his front door- otherwise we would never have found it- however i think the cars would have stil tried to run us down - BAD drivers. Took a trip to real Neil Rushton's house- the man who wrote our cycle guide books we're using- to get a bike pump and new pedal for Bex. You kind of need that. After a lot of drinking in Christchurch and running from another scary man, a tour of Quail Island by means of a wet inflatable boat (not at the same time), a quick swim, attempts to dive, and alittle bit of sight seeing, we set off south. right into the wind. Had our first hotel experience as motel man wouldnt let us in because of dodgy occupants, and after this all i can remember is the COLD and the WIND the COLD and COLD. My knees have started clicking with every pedal and the man at the pharmacy has told me my knees are not built enough for pedalling...great. cant stop now. it's been pretty cold. Country side is beaut though, lots of gorges, rivers, mountains, sheep, deer, alpacha, and even ostrich. Detoured to Methven and got stuck there; tried to leave the next day (after a freeeeeeezing experience in the tent when snow had been predicted) cycled past snowy Mount Hutt in ALL of our clothes into the icy Antarctic wind which we battled for 10kms which took forever but 70km was definately out of the question so we had to give into the elements and turn back. Hostel luxury that evening (no tents in sight) complete with log fire and hot water bottles. Relatively easy ride today with less wind and bearable temperatures...still needed our newly bought charity shop gloves on though...but stripped off from the stripy thermals and head sclafs we started in (we've looked better in real fancy dress!).

5th March....Kaikora

(Wanganui - Foxton Beach - Paraparaumu - Wellington - SOUTH ISLAND - Blenheim)
Well Alex's bike got mended (spokes replaced, wheel straightened, tyre replaced and ront de-railer fitted) by Ben, the VERY nice BikeShed man who did us a VERY nice deal. Unfortunately, however, the rain came in and we spent a full fun-filled day feeling homeless and exploring the delights of Waga's public libary and old school cinema. The rain was mega. It eased to just showers the following day and we managed to pedal on, somehow scoring ourselves a free previous night in the campsite, free tea and chocolates from a nice lady in a closed pub (whilst sheltering from the showers) and free honey icecreams from a couple that had met us up at the Cape Reinga lighthouse and recognised us again by our flag!!! We managed 91km that day- our biggest ride yet- through an odd little town called Bulls (which happens to be twinned with our hometown - Cowes- although unlike ours they've fully embraced the animal theme) to Foxton Beach. The roads have been getting flatter but busier, and ususally into the wind. Yeh the highway got scary so we followed the Kapati Coastal Cycle Route for the last 10km until we got lost (cycle route signs have a habbit of petering out in NZ), rescued and escorted by a fitness cyclist the last part of the way to Paraparaumu. Where we met up with Sarah and Pet and had the luxury of a (slightly creepy 1920s style) hostel and a BED for the first time since Rotorua, plus a CAR to roadtrip on our rest day. We went to Cape Palliser and found masses of seals (one of which Alex almost trod on) and Paua shells (Alex's heaven), a proper coloured lighthouse and bulldozers with faces. The car went VERY fast. Our last part of our North Island cycle was perhaps the most extreme- braving the saddunes, gravel and lumpy grass along a coastal cycle route we'd been advised NOT to attempt with pannier bags. I only fell once but miraculously landed on my feet. But the route ran out and we had to catch the train the last 30km into Wellington (to avoid the suicidally busy NO HARDSHOULDER highway into the country's capital). So we arrived slap bang in the middle of Welly with our bikes feeling suddenly chilly and slightly out of place. But NORTH ISLAND HAD BEEN COMPLETED having pedalled 1373km in 26 cycling days!!!!!!!! The Browns took care of us once again with champaign celebrations, another good feed and electric blanketed beds!! followed by 'tiki tours' of Welly and all things around. Amazing!! The ferry to South Island in fact takes you due West, so (unfortunately) no height was lost for our pedal south. But it was a beautiful crossing over the Cook Straight and into Queen Charlotte Sound. We got stuck in Blenheim in more rain, but it was worth the wait as a mega strong tailwind blew us the whole way to Pedallers Rest - a random cyclists hostel half way to Kaikora (theres literally NOTHING ELSE on-route) where we met Sam the 17yr old lone biker whos only been knocked off once but it was ok cause he'd got a free nights accomodation in the hospital (and only 4 stiches). We spent a day in the sunshine walking up the valley for 9HOURS to find Sawcut Gorge (aka sawmill george) which i dont even belive in anymore cause we NEVER found it. Beautiful walk though and pretty hardcore wading back and forth across the river, clambering over rocks, crossing waterfalls ad facing our fear of cow fields. We returned tired and hungry (i forgot our lunch) to be joined by 5 other cyclists, followed by a further 5 more we passed/ passed us the next day! not quite sure where they've all come from...or why 12 of us were pedalling for 70km in the rain that day. YEP our ride to Kaikora was our worst ride yet through 5 hours of solid rain and against the wind (too cold to even stop and see the seals). But our rest day here was amazing. Beautiful sunshine (could actually SEE the mountais) and we went fishing with Nick the pirate who has 1 leg (but 2 arms) 2 little fingers and 1 thumb - concequence of a SHARK ATTACK - and we caught crayfish, SOOO many perch, 2 (mini) sharks, and then jumped in and SWAM WITH THE DOLPHINS that came alongside our boat. AMAZING! LOVING the south island. BEEEEEAUTIFUL beautiful beautiful and lovely quiet roads...but its getting rather chilly down here....

19th Feb....Wanganui

(Taupo - Turangi - Junction SH 46/47 - Raetihi - Wanganui)
Finally left Taupo after a day of rain and cycling through downpours to muddy smelly hot pools on our 'rest day'. Our tent is still keeping pretty dry through it all though. Bonus! Becky gave in and bought a 'blow up' sleeping mat (like mine) - although apparently back when i bought mine i was cheating by not being a 'hard core enough camper'. At least i have been sleeping well for the past month! Been having some really pretty rides recently, along lake Taupo and up hills into national parks and past mountain ranges. Did the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in the World Heritage Park - a full on 'tramp' for 9 intense hours across plateaus, past blue and emeral lakes, red crators and we even included (without thinking about how steep it really was) an extra 3 1/2hr clamber up Mt Ngararuhoe (Mt Doom from Lord of the Rings), literally rock climbing up scree, ash and lose rock trying to cling on to what we could on a 45degree slope. In England this would def be a health and safety risk! Reached the summit of an Active Volcano at 2289m - where there was snow and actually steam coming up our of the crater! We had to literally slide down on our bums! So with blisters, creaky knees, and legs which couldnt lift us up or down, we had to have another 'rest day'. What hard work, especially when Becky's Aunty Anna come to see us that evening and took us out for the biggest steak of our lives! yum. Managed to get yet another free yummy cooked BBQ breaky the next morning, from a group of Flying Kiwi boys. Thanks to Duncan, when i asked him to have a look at the gears on my bike which seemed to be playing up...he noticed the front de-railer had been worn away and completely snapped off....um so thats why i had been having to manually change my gears soo much recently! shows how much we know....It was beyond fixing. I had to cycle on before i could pick up a new one....after a long inefficient cycle over 2 days i broke my bike...again! this time by putting my foot through the back wheel at very high speeds. A massive skid mark, a hole in the tyre and a few broken spokes equaling a bent wheel meant we could go no further. In the middle of nowhere standing at the side of the road holding a bent wheel in your hand looking sorry for yourself is the only sure way to get a lift to the next bike shop in the next town....still waiting for the bike to be magically restored.....

12th Feb....Lake Taupo

(The Mount - Rotorua - Golden Springs - Lake Taupo)
uhum yeh...we havent really got very far recently...but we were waiting for a festival and now we're rained in....
Hanging at The Mount was amazing. We chilled and recovered and got Alex's bike fixed- added on a 'granny cog' like mine so she can hopefully get up hills now. We climbed the mount and swam with the jellys, and eventually and reluctantly pedalled on our way south- a long, hot ride uphill to Rotorua. pedalling in the heat we always dream of drinks- looking at the empty cans in the ditches only makes the need more great...juice, milkshakes, jb and coke, l&p..drinks fill our thoughts...so when Jan passed us juice on her drive down to Wellington she appeared like a mirage and it was like our prayers were answered. Rotorua smells. Like rotten eggs but its a crazy town- with hot steam and hot pools and boiling bubbling mud everywhere. We scared ourselves sufficiently white water rafting down the kaituna river- complete with a 7meter waterfall...i was shitting it. Alex wasnt scared till she jumped out the raft, climbed atop a two man kayak- went down a 1meter waterfall, capsized, got sucked under and popped up 4seconds later 8meters downstream...looking a little shocked and dazed...she didnt say much after that! On Waitangi Day we visited a crazy little village called Whakarewarewa (and thats its short name) which is a Maori village built slap bang in the middle of on new zealands equivalent of Yellowstone national park. Complete with boiling pools (to cook and clean in) high pressure steam vents (a natural and apparently very efficient pressure cooker) bubbling mud, eggy steam, and a naturally heated ground benieth your feet. Only problems arise when new steam vents open up in the middle of their houses. Mental. Raggamuffin was AMAZING- a reggae festival the day after Waitangi day and "Bob Maori's" birthday. it was immense. We were a little shocked and puzzled though by Shaggy's slightly disturbing performance and the reponse from the kiwi crowd who ABSOLUTELY LOVED him...We left town on the 8th and cycled to Golden Springs- via Kerosene creek which was a BOILING HOT RIVER you could bathe in. We decided the locals must have aspestos skin- they were loving it and one even bellyflopped in, i managed 8seconds with my big toe in...alex managed a shin deep wade across and back but looked in rather a lot of pain and not particularly happy about it. it was hot. Our campsite had its own beaut and more manageble temp natural hot spring so we had a dip that night...and the next morn with our tea to warm our legs before the next ride. And we rode to Taupo...and pedalled our 1000th KILOMETER!!!(day 19 of cycling) i danced on the side of the road in celebration, alex later jumped out a plane at 15,000 feet. Taupo is beaut- a huge freshwater lake with the snow coned peak of Ruapehu in the background. and floating pumice on the shores. We visited Huka Falls, went on a cheesy backpackers night out with our new ozzy mates (the first and probs the last in a while), and yesterday i spent 3 fun filled hours in the volcanic activity centre (alex wouldnt come), a crators of the moon walk (steaming vents and crators) and a slightly more hardcore than expected bike trail through the bush...my bike and i only just survived it. And now we're sitting out the severe rain warnings before we pedal on...

2nd Feb....Mount Maunganui

(Coromandel Town - Flaxmil Bay via ferry from Whitianga - Tairua - Waihi - Mt Maunganui)
If you dont want to hear any moaning about hills stop reading now....
After leaving Coromadel town late (cause becky was taking her time SIPPING tea) we climbed Whangapoura Hill (400m) which was actually VERTICAL whilst the sun cooked us. It was ridiculous. Everyone in cars was just laughing at us. we were laughing at us. It was the worst hill yet. Ate lunch and collected beautiful shells (got a bit carried away) at Matarangi where the toilets sang to us. After came ANOTHER hill- 200m+ but just as steep. I got a bit aggressive and threw stones at it. Finally after the worst day ever arrived in Flaxmill bay (at 8.30) where we went for a much deserved evening swim and becky got divebombed by an oyster catcher. Another day and another hill before we arrived at Becky's aunty Gilly's who treated us to an iced chocolate from her cafe (yum - all about the food) and whisked us off to go blowcarting. We got fully taken care of- good food - wonderful bed - and beers up on her lush house on the hill...A rest day followed with cousin Hannah and a trip to Hot Water Beach where boiling hot water bubbles up through the sand. we burnt our toes. Next day....two MORE hills. i got myself very worked up and might have had a tantrum. But it turns out my bike is a lot crapper than beckys and therefore the hills are harder. Stopped in Whangamata for lunch (traditional tuna and crackers) and stocked up on poweraid and 'carbo shotz' ready for the next biggy- off 5km of hill and hairpin bends. Chilled with the ducks that evening and did yoga in a trout stream. Our easy day- of no major hills- turned out to be 72km of SUICIDAL HIGHWAY- aka SH2 - in which we really feared for our lives. not a pleasent ride. and it took the whole day. i'd like to note here that we have the luxury of smelling dead possum every 20meters...at various states of decay...and it is not pleasent. and the road got worse at Tauranga where we ended up on an expressway island (very motorway like) where we phoned a friend to check the legality of bikes being on it. Hamish didnt know so we risked it with the log trucks....and it got WORSE ending up in a one laned BUSY TRAFFIC JAM with NO HARD SHOULDER SANWICHED between TWO LORRIES. mental. followed by a busy bridge. We were glad to be alive and in one piece arriving finally at Hamish's familys bach in mt. maunganui. A well deserved ice cream to recover and reduce the stress levels. Here we've been treated to good food, good company, wonderful beds, amazing beach, trips on a boat on a lake, wakeboarding, waterskiing, rock jumping, tea and cheese and biscuits...and natural hot pools- sulphur smelling hot springs. The Browns (and Lou) have departed and we've been left to recover some more in their wonderful amazing bach....thanks SO much!!!!not sure we'll ever want to get back on our bikes.....

25th January....Day 12....Coromandel Town

(Matakohe - Wellsford - Waikoukou Valley - North Shore (Auckland) - Coromandel Town)
On Wednesday we decided to count the hills...i got to 12 in the first hour (in the 27 degree heat) before we hit our first busy highway and all thoughts turned to survival. Main roads are TERRIFYING - when you spy another humungous truck in your rear view (wing mirror- yes our bikes are pretty pimp) it was pedal for your life, close your eyes, scream, and hope for the best. At our best bet it might just be a few flying stones that hit your legs! Our average speed increased from 14k/hr to 14.5k/hr due to pure fear. Alex plucked a dead peacock of its feathers from the side of the road for good luck...i decided it may be more of a bad omen. Neil was revolted. In fact Neil our saviour has been having a bit of a bad time lately- being so concerned about the durability of our bikes he's had to pedal BACK DOWN at least two pretty big hills to check we're still in one piece...and finds us chilling with the sheep at the side of the road. Its all about the rests. We made a new friend- another Lone English man- this one a bit stranger. Very Strange...into op shops, crocs, and naked ski days (which he delighted in telling us all about). We left him in the hot tub with his ginger wine at the hostel we luckily managed to check in and out of- to go visit Graham (from Rawara Beach) on his vinyard for beers, a yummy feast, his homemade wine, more wine, and unckle jack's blueberry pie. Can't actually think of anything better after a 79.69km's ride in the heat heat heat of the day. Peddled past a few girraffes- as you do. Loving the roadside fruit stalls and pick-your-own strawberrys (where you can eat more than you buy). And we MADE IT BACK TO AUCKLAND (through more terriffying traffic) in 11 days...the first sight of Auckland Sky Tower was a sight to be rejoyced. Stayed at Sam's house minus Sam for the first night, Alex and I had our first fight (over a blue pen) - it was a big one...proper serious- friendship was on rocky ground, and we had our first DAY OF REST - drove BACK the way we came to the black sands of Muriwai Beach. Today we hired peddalo's, strapped our bikes on the back (with much effort) and peddled accross the Hauraki Gulf, East, to the Coromandel Peninsula- where we just about managed another 14k to Coromandel Town. The hills here are mega. Apparently if we survive the next few days we can do anything. Neil wimped out- he left us (yes! got rid of him at last) and peddled the flat way.


** Amendments to Day 8
We would like to officially oppologise to Neil Doughty (the English guy) for refering to him as a tag along...his correct classification should in fact have been Leader, Navigator, Encourager, Bike Mechanic, and our general Saviour (if it hadnt been for him we may still somewhere near the cape).

20th January...day 8....Matokohe

(Kaitaia - kuhukohu - Opononi - Waipoua Forest - Dargaville - Matokohe)
We've been cycling now every day for 9 days and are slowly beginning to adjust....
have covered 410km averaging about 50k a day. our longest day on friday saw us total 85.66km sitting on those saddles for almost 6hrs!!! and we have also ridden up our biggest hill yet- 400m+ . The view and the downhill almost made it worth it! We survived a cycle on 90mile beach (didnt sink in the quicksand), i had my first tantrum going for a majorly steep hill (thought i was gonna get a hole in my lung like a californian cyclist we met!!), WE had a close encounter will a bull on the road and Becky got chased by a lorry and 6cars up a very steep hill- her legs wouldnt go round fast enough but never seen her try so hard! We've had some interesting comments about our bikes from more experienced cycle tourers- apparenly they dont appear like they're up for the job...only 2 breakages so far (beckys toe strap and water holder) but its a wonder what zip ties can do! Becky has obtained a stalker who hunts for possums in the night, the english guy we picked up is still tagging- perhaps we're better cyclists than we think (or he wants an good excuse for an easy ride). WE cycled through some mahusive anchient kauri trees (tane mahuta 16m girth!!!) this country is absolutely stunning we want to live here forever! We're wingeing less, eating more, getting used to the hills, and legs (slowly) getting stronger.

14th January....day 3...Kaitaia

(Cape Reinga - Waitiki Landing - Rawara Beach- Kaitaia)

....and our bums are starting to suffer....
we hitched with our bikes up to the cape...only had to cycle and extra 40k- in which we fixed our first puncture (alex's) wooohoo (ready to go again in under an hour!). Got dropped up there finally at 6.30am on the 13th by a bunch of crazy maui builders...and survived the way back with only one accident -alex falling off (again) due to the sketchyness of seriously gravelly 20k road. The mornings have been early (5.30am) but beautiful and quiet...the country is stunning...full of sheep and cows (that like to gallop alongside) and ostriches?!...the log trucks scary...the hills- hilly....and the people SO friendly. Thanks especially to mark and graeme and co for the wine, beer, rum, food, offers of places to crash and general lovelyness from Rawara Beach (which by the way is paradise). We've made our way today back to Kaitaia- picking up one Enlgish bike tourer along the way. It was our longest distance yet -60k- meant to be our flattest stretch of the trip but battled a headwind the WHOLE way...grrr. Tomorrow the serious hills start...and we've already struggled on our lowest gear....oh dear...

10th January
Ok so we've arrived in New Zealand...we have our bikes (which are all pimped out and kinda heavy..very heavy) and we're ready to go....just slight issues on getting to our starting destination. We're only 115km down the road but there are no busses so looks like we'll be adding another 115 to our 1326km to go.....oh deardrums! On the plus side we survived our practice cycle and conquored our first kiwi volcanoe. Alex only fell off once on the flat...those sassy flouro pink/green toe straps proved to be dangerous when forgotten about....

ooh and everyone thinks we're mental. we've been fully laughed at stared at mocked and been told many a times about the hills....

here we go....