autumn in wonderland

i didn't find LUCINDA . she found me as i was cruising around otago peninsula, just on a day trip from dunedin to the albatross colony, where you can peek at their chicks (that are of a size of a large washing basket!). and there she was, staring at me longingly, sitting on a shelf. so off she went with me. at least there'll be one kiwi sheep that has seen a bit more than passing cars and grass :-)
anyway, even though full of doubt if it comes to carrying on with cycling, i hit the road again. and the moment i climbed my first hill i'd already forgotten why i wasn't sure about it...it is an addictive feeling of achievement and satisfaction. so i turned inland towards mt cook and right away, for two days i managed to pedal against the wind, cursing it as if it would help :-). i basically managed to refresh my somewhat rusty polish collection of @#@%@^!? and *$%#%#@@!!! :-)))
and just when i was getting closer, a cyclist caught up with me, a local racer (or a racist!? :-)), so i pushed on as we had a cycling chat. but the moment he left me behind after an hour or so, i got a bloody puncture! but this time it was a nasty one. i got a big hole in the tyre that resisted my amateurish attepts of sealing it with a bit of tape. oh well, i thought and jumped on the bus. cheating you may say. but after two months, i did start feeling a bit tired. not physically. but the amount of motivation one has to draw from within is not limitless...
and so, after two days in christchurch, hospitalizing the bike and swallowing smog...i jumped on the train. i felt i needed a change. and it worked more than well! now i can't wait till i get on the bike again!
and so i'm leaving tomorrow for my final ups and downs along the coast...
but before that i just had to have my last wildlife mission completed - this time it was the DOLPHINS . this is a whole new story and chain of thoughts though...