From March 1st to 31st, I cycled roughly 2500 kilometers from Auckland to Wanaka, tracing parts of the Tour Aotearoa across New Zealand’s stunning and diverse landscape. I skipped the northernmost and southernmost stretches—not out of laziness, but out of a desire to make the journey truly mine. Less logistics, more flow.

I had originally planned to do it solo, slowly, stopping wherever I wanted and saying yes to whatever came my way. But at the start, I found myself riding alongside my friend Sofie. We kept splitting up and reuniting, until we just decided to ride together. She had more of a deadline, so our pace sped up a little—averaging around 80km a day. It wasn’t the slow meditative trip I had in mind, but it brought other gifts.

The Highlights

Some of the best moments were shaped by connection:

**Meeting Paula in Hakatāia.**

Twenty kilometers in, no breakfast, just a pit stop for coffee—and Paula started chatting with me. Moments later, she offered to take me on a ride around the area. I locked my bike, grabbed a coffee, and sat down with her. That detour turned into an unforgettable day. She dropped me off at Waihi Beach, where I biked part of a rail trail that’s not even on the TA, then returned to her place and slept in a tiny house on her property. Her daughter’s Tiny house, actually. The dinner we shared, the generosity—magic.

**The dinner at Point Orere.**

Rudy and Jeanine opened their home to a whole crew of riders, including me and Sofie. We shared a meal and a fire, and Rudy read us the most beautiful poem, capturing the spirit of the TA through his eyes.

**The Timber Trail lodge moment.**

After a long, rough 90km day, Sofie and I arrived exhausted. We’d planned to camp, but decided to split a room at the lodge despite the price tag. The warmth, a shower, a solid bed, dinner and even breakfast and lunch for the next day. Sometimes comfort is just what you need. Oh I forgot to mention this was on my birthday!

Other beautiful moments include: The amazing hospitality in Martinborough, where a Warmshowers host welcomed us with a swimming pool and good vibes - Spending a few days on the road with Rebecca and her partner from Tasmania - Getting pasta cooked for us by a kind host while he had his shoulder blade broken - Meeting Deb and Dai and Roan, travel friends of my mother - Illegaly riding an abandoned road in the most beautiful gorge - Riding the wilderness trail with Simon - Countless brownies and coffees…

The Hard Parts

There were only a few truly tough days, but when they hit, they hit:

Every time we split up. Being on your own again after sharing decisions, meals, and laughs was jarring. It felt a little empty. One time, I rode 180km in a single day—starting and ending in the dark—just to catch up with Sofie again.
The mental fatigue. Some days I was just sick of pedaling. On long uphills, I’d jump off and walk the bike, just to move differently. The sandflies on the West Coast didn’t help either—they were relentless.

A Day in the Saddle

We’d wake around 6am and take about 2 hours to get fully packed and ready. After 30km or so, we’d stop for coffee, then again around 60km for lunch. The goal was to arrive around 4pm, but sometimes it was closer to 5. Then began what we called “productive mode”—setting up camp, showering or swimming, cooking, recharging devices, and crashing.

In the South Island, things were a bit more relaxed. More paved road, later starts, earlier finishes. That balance felt good.

The Inner Journey

I expected deep introspection, but what I got instead was ease. With Sofie around, I didn’t need to think so much. Just being in the moment, dealing with logistics, enjoying the ride. Slower would’ve been nice, and I know next time I’ll prioritize that space to breathe.

This journey also showed me that I’m open to adjusting plans for the right person. That sometimes connection is worth a small sacrifice. And that you can’t force anything—it’ll unfold as it does.

What I Learned

It’s not a race. Faster isn’t better for me. Slower gives me time to absorb and enjoy.
Comfort matters. I don’t need to ride off into the wild with five days of food. I actually love being close to towns and cafes.
Bikepacking with someone is amazing. And parting ways is hard.

The Finish Line

When I arrived in Wanaka, I was ready to stop. I was happy. I felt like anyone could do this, at their own pace. It felt so normal by the end—just another part of life.

What was harder was landing back in a town with decisions, bills, job hunting, goodbyes. Saying goodbye to Sofie. Working through those feelings and figuring out if I wanted to stay in Wanaka.

But in the end, it all came together faster than I expected. Within just three days, I had found both a job and temporary accommodation. From the uncertainty of those first days to having it all in record time—it feels like the journey continues, just in a new way.

Stay tuned.

2500 Kilometers of Pedals and Perspective