Page 9 - Sounds Rides Jan 2023

Chris & Dianna in New Zealand.

Rotarua is famous for it’s hot springs, which give
off a sulphurous odour, that can be smelt
throughout the town. The water is reputed to have
therapeutic values & you can soak in large public
pools overlooking the lake or book a smaller private
plunge pool by the hour.

On the ferry trip back to the South Island, we
thought we would get some sleep on the way
across, so we booked a cabin. Unfortunately,
the ferry was late, so we didn’t board until
2.45am, & we were woken at 5.30am so we
would be ready to disembark.

Another memorable moment was watching a herd of
seals frolicking on the rocky beach at Kaikoura with
the large males standing guard and the mother seals
leading the babies through the rocks to a resting
place on the sand.

New Zealand is a
beautiful country.
Both islands are covered with lush green vegetation, amazing steep
mountains & flowing rivers running over grey volcanic pebbles. The
people were very friendly, & the small bakeries in every town had
great food. The riding was amazing. The mountain passes with
hairpin bends & winding coastal roads overlooking the ocean meant
there was always stunning scenery to admire. Prices were similar to
Australia, apart from fuel which was up to $3 per litre in some
parts. We had a great time and covered over 4500kms in 17 days
on our Honda ST 1300.
The trip cost us around $7700 not including bike hire or airfares.
More pictures on the next 2 pages.

Page 9