It pissed down in Queenstown
arriving for New Year ’ s Eve and Rhythm & Alps . We are getting off the bikes in a downtown carpark when I am loudly hailed by a small , lively woman , “ PEEEEter ! What are you doing here !?’ Feeling guilty for such churlish burger thoughts , I am most surprised to see a young actress , and friend of my daughter and our family , stopped and staring in the street . Rob and Jeff don ’ t believe their eyes as this gorgeous wee blonde woman leaps up and grabs me in a bearhug . Timmy Cameron is one of the finest young actors in our country , and now working in Australia most of the time , and I am astonished to see her here in Queenstown . But her family is from Christchurch , and they have a house here as her Dad is a ski racer of repute . I ’ m invited to have a game of Boules with her and the neighbours in their annual street tournament - “ Providing you don ’ t win ”. No bloody fear of that ! These wonderful people , welcoming as they are , and as charming and lovely as they are , are all ruthless competitors in the street , and I am beaten and ousted in the first round - first to 11 - 4-nil , 4-nil , 3-nil . A fantastic time was had , hilarity and bonhomie abounding , a real holiday fest atmosphere . Leaving them to finish their brutal comp , I retired to Dalefield , and the joys of solitude and silence once more . That night under the mountain was moonless . Bible black , utterly hushed , cool and clear . And countless millions of stars invisible to Auckanders reminded me that we live in an utterly incredible , and improbably beautiful , pinpricked universe of light . I went to bed feeling very , very small , and equally grateful . I awoke to a rainbow coloured hot-air balloon , drifting past the drawn curtains , lit by the golden rays of the dawn . Magical mystery tour much ?
NEW YEAR ’ S EVE Last day of the year and the greatest motorcycling road on the planet beckons . From Queenstown to Haast via the Crown Range and Lakes Wanaka and Hawea , over the Haast Pass through the Gates and down to the West Coast . Yes , it is the greatest riding road of the modern age , certainly in New Zealand . Rob , Jeff and I set off , and my heart was singing the whole way , even when stopped for the mad traffic at Wanaka ; the base camp for Rhythm and Alps up the Cardrona Valley . There are times when motorcycles will transport you into another dimension , when time seems to stop , and you glide among dreams . I find that is often assisted by music on my headset . The last time I flew down from the Gates of Haast
KIWI RIDER 99