New Zealand 2008

It's a tenuous reason but Jade comes from New Zealand, Jen and I have been happily married for 35 years in January 2008, Jade is associated with 35th Anniversaries, therefore we're going to New Zealand!

20th January 1973, fresh faced and in love!

Only  months away from our 35th Wedding Anniversary, not quite as fresh faced but still in love.

I've just booked the flights via Emirates and their new route starting in September from Newcastle to Dubai, their hub, then direct onto Auckland with two stops.  I have also booked an Electra Glide through Harley Tours New Zealand, just received my copy of Map Source NZ v3 so now the planning can comence.

It is always a decission to book accomodation or to 'wing it', just being the two of us therefore not requiring loads of rooms we should be OK but I think I'll book the first and last night plus any special hotels like the one Ted Simon stayed in.  I'm working on a daily matrix showing the area of the overnight stop, the daily riding miles and what I now call the Daily Focus.  On holiday tours, where the mode of transport happens to be a bike, I try to follow my four Holiday Ride rules:

1.   Don't ride too many miles each day, also take a rest day.

2.  Don't ride in the wet (if possible)

3.  Don't ride at night (in the dark that is - inside the arctic circle you may have 24 hour daylight!)

4.  Have a daily focus, a reason for the ride.

So armed with the above I'm set to go with the planning phase of the trip.