A motorbike tour of Miramar and the surrounding areas

As we have just bought a GoPro I have tried a few experiments around Miramar and Wellington. It turns out that I make really cheesy films.

Worser Bay, Breaker Bay, Miramar Hights, The Weta Trolls, The Roxy, The Wellington Sign, Lyall Bay and Moa Point

Motorbike School

On the Bike - Knights Point Lookout and The Haast Pass

"Down the South West coast through more trees than there are numbers, with lovely views over the Tasman Sea ending, unfortunately, in the wretched hive of scum and villainy known as Haast Township - seriously, don't even stop for gas, and buy your groceries literally anywhere else, I'd never imagined there could be people on these islands as bloodthirsty and pernicious as the sand flies, the pirates - then on to a campground on the Pleasant Flag - which would have been absolutely pleasant, except for the aforementioned sand flies (I'm beginning to think that ready access to blood-seeking parasites is part of the design spec for camping grounds). Day Six up before the dawn (but not before the biters!) and on through the Haast Pass to try and beat the rain to Wanaka. Lovely place (and great veggie pies), but us both desperate for a bath and a good night's rest we book a hotel 300km on in Dunedin. On through Cromwell (hello, Big Fruit!) and Clyde (Dam!) and Roxbrough (sore-assed fruit stand peaches!) and then on to picturesque little Lawrence (the veg toastie at the Wild Walnut was delicious, especially with the gherkin relish) and on for another hour and a half to arrive, broken in Dunedin, where we promptly get lost circling the Octogon. Baths, laundry, and thoughts of setting up the tent to let it dry in front of the television, then out for delirious curry, and good night to more than 400 kilometers in a day!" (MM)

On the Bike - Arthurs Pass, Hokitika and Lake Mapourika

From Christchurch we head up to Springfield for the night. Bad planning and the fact that everywhere in the area seems to close on Monday and Tuesday means we have to back track 20ks for a hot meal. We also seem to be traveling in the busiest holiday period and there is quite a search to find a bed for the night, after two nights in the tent we are in need of a hot shower and comfy bed. With the assistance of the iSite in Christchurch we book a room at the YHA in Springfield. The room is really bad but the location of the room sets is up nicely for the ride the next day.

On the Bike - Wellington to Christchurch

Our South Island road trip starts with the first Interlslander of the day out of Wellington and across the Cook Strait on a grey valentines morning.

Easy Rider Day 2 - Di Linh to Mui Ne

Day two was less sight seeing and more riding, we had to get to Mui Ne in time for Mr Star to ride al the way back to Da Lat the same night.

We passed the tea plantation and a rubbish dump

At one stage Mr Star dropped me in the Jungle to walk half a kilometre on my own while he rode on to wait for me at the bottom of the hill. As he drove passed me, I did wonder for a second, if he would indeed be waiting for me or if I had been abandend in the Jungle in the middle of Vietnam. Sure enough I came round the last bend and there he was. Phew!

I was very excited to see an avocado tree full of fruit.

Gia Bac Villiage

A calf chilling in someone's front garden next to some flip flops

Tapioca, rice and dragon fruit trees

Vietnamese scaffolding and freshly ploughed rice paddies

Cows pulling a cart

Getting close to Mui Ne as the soil turns to sand.

Easy Rider Day 1 - Da Lat to Di Linh

My driver/guide Mr Star.

Because of the altitude and climate in the De Lat region many vegetables can be grown here that cannot begrown in any other part of Vietnam

The hills surrounding Da Lat are covered in green houses, many of which are used to grow flowers,

The stunning view over the Central Highlands

Along the road.

Mr Star told me that Vietnam has over taken Brazin as the biggest exporter of coffee in the world. I don't know if this is true but we certainly pass a lot of coffee plantations. I get to see Arabica and Robusta coffee beans growing, and of course I had to try some, even as a non coffee drinker.

I also learnt the possess for making weasel coffee although I declined to try this, especially after seeing the little cages the weasels are kept in. What a sad existence they have.

Next stop was a silk factory. The Cuong Hoan Silk Factory was totally different to the one I saw in Beijing which was basically a huge shop. This silk factory was not a tourist attraction and the only visitors were those on the Easy Rider tours like me so only a couple a day and there for you were seeing how things really were and not a staged version.

Poor little silk worms never live to be moths. A lot of the cocoons are supplied by local people and the can make a lot of money this way. Along the route we say many racks of cocoons under the warmth of the sun outside houses. They import the eggs from china, feed the worms up on the mulberry leaves they collect and then sell the cocoons to the factory. The discarded worms are then eaten by many local people. Nothing is wasted.

Drying the silk.

Patterns used on the huge and incredibly noisy weaving machines.

More weaving and dyed silk hanging outside to dry

Next stop was Elephant Falls. You arrive at the top of the falls and there is a treacherous climb down the wet rocks to view the calls from underneath. (and my camera somehow got changed to a strange setting)

We then went to a cave right behind the the water and the force of the water was incredible, there was so much spray. We were soaked amd almost blown away. I imagin it was like being in the middle of a huge storm.

Right next to the falls is the Linh Au Tu Pagoda. (Spot the offerings of coca cola)

And the mint green Happy Buddha.

Nest stop was 'Mushroom Villiage'

And then onto Pongour Falls which were huge but not s huge amount of water coming through due to the dam upstream. Mr Star left me to explore on my own and initially I went the wrong way and ended up at the top of the falls where I sat quite happily on a rock watching the water cascade over the top.

And the on the right trail to the bottom to appreciate the full scale of the falls.

More crops along the way... this time the curry plant.

When we crossed the river in the new bridge you can see the remains of the original bridge which Mr Startold me the Americans destroyed towards the end of the war as well as the American strong holds that were there to protect the bridge.

Last stop of the day was the brick factory which was also surprisingly interesting.

The final push to Di Linh before it rains.

Too late, the heavens open about 1km from the hotel and it is the fasted kilometre of the day as Mr Star tries to get is there before we are truely soaked.

Hanoi scooters