Ugh! I roll over in bed it's early, but I must catch the train as Sunday service is limited especially out here in Martinborough. Right, no more Bourbon and Cokes for this fella, vile stuff pre-mixed in a can. I am feeling the effects of my indulgence. It's 6 a.m. and no one is stirring as slip out the door and hop on my trusty bike (thanks T).
I wobble down the road it is a cool 3 or 4 degrees Celsius. The sky is slate grey not very encouraging as my legs reluctantly pump the push bike pedals, slowly moving toward town. It's my usual rise and shine ride to the bus only this time I am stashing my bike at T's place. J my tango friend is going to meet me at the train station in Welly and then we are off for a camper van adventure up the North Island Coast. The topic came up in conversation as we were zipping through the streets of Wellington J deftly shifting gears hugging corners and forever climbing hilly streets. I was still coping with the driving on the opposite side of the road thing. J said she had always wanted to do a camper van trip. My response was a casual "well why don't we". It was a done deal she went online and found a rental place close to home. A 7 metre camper van had been secured, we just had to pick it up and head off. Yah right as the Tui beer ads say.
We had to sit through an instructional video which was a hoot the Kiwi's sure know how to entertain and make the most mundane instructional video hilarious. The same applied to the seat belt video on the plane it had me in stitches so much so I managed to garner the attention of my fellow passengers who wondered what was so amusing. Air Canada could take a lesson from these chaps. I have digressed, back to the camper van. We are now on a tour of our new home for the next seven days. Fridge check, stove check, shower, shower? It is more like a closet with barely enough room to lift your arm to do the pits. Overall it looks like it will be a cool experience certainly more comfortable than falling down mountains!
After the check out we are approved and sail out in our newly minted hotel on wheels. J decides to drive as I am still considered an opposite side of the road newbie from over the pond. We are on the road, well almost, just a minor complication we can't seem to find the on ramp to start our adventure. Not the most fortuitous start! After several miscues we find our way on to the highway and head up into Rikatura a rolling range of mountains that frames the city separating the Wairarapa Valley from Wellington and the coast. The motorway winds it's way through the hills winding and twisting with hairpin turns edging on steep drop offs to green lush valleys. The road is barely a two lane highway with the tiniest peg fence, that wouldn't stop a bicycle let alone a 5 ton camper van, separating motorists from a horrible excruciating death careening to the bottom of the valley below in a tangled ball of flames. Hmmm, steep drop offs and perilous roads seem to be the norm here, I am slowly getting acclimatized to the topography. Transport trucks whiz past us, the fact that we are elevated in the cab sitting higher than I care to makes the journey look even more treacherous. J has a death grip on the wheel, she doesn't look comfortable at all.
Are you alright? I ask as a truck narrowly misses our side mirror. She nods and we both stare straight ahead snaking our way up the mountain. J continues to courageously handle the wheel, I sense she is very stressed after all she is used to driving a little tin can no more than 2 metres in length. I feel ready and offer to drive. "Would you like to take a break" I innocently ask. J wheels the van and cuts a swath through oncoming traffic to the side of the motorway and I take over. I feel like a Lorrie driver sitting perched up on the air ride seat. I am right into the groove, living the dream as I depress the clutch and we lurch back on to the road narrowly missing a passing sports car. Hmmm didn't see that one, good thing we have insurance I chuckle to myself, J looks very uncomfortable.
I question myself is this a true test of courage or stupidity. I have never driven on the opposite side of the road this is going to be very interesting. The standard truck style shifter is more challenging than the left hand drive. The camper barrels around corners rocketing down the hillside, a few times my foot confuses brake and accelerator. I stoically show no emotion or fear, J shoots me an inquiring glance as we roar up a little too close to the small car in front of us stopping just in the nick of time. J mutters something about insurance deductibles and shoots me a polite but inquiring glance.
Thankfully we manage the mountain motorway and emerge on the other side unscathed. The Martinborough sign beckons and we coast down into town. I pull off to the side of the street and park we are only too happy to climb down and leave the camper van for a well deserved bite to eat. Tomorrow our road trip truly begins, the journey ahead promises to enchant, challenge and hurt, but more on that later for now we are at the flat and off the road.
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