Mid Life Crisis On A Budget: Canberra to Sydney to Wellington to Sydney

I love the ride from Canberra to Sydney. Either way it's a great road with some nice scenery. I left Canberra mid morning on New Years eve after being spoilt rotten for a couple days (thanks Hackney's!). I was off to spend new years with the Clent's in Pott's Point. I was told (under pain of death) to be at their apartment with a enough time to scrub up before dinner.

Still I had plenty of time an cruised through Sydney (a lot easier than I thought!) and tried to drop in at Dues Ex Machina in Camperdown but just missed out by five minutes :( I then managed to navigate through the CBD over to Pott's. You gotta love modern smart phones. Just plug in some headphones, chose your destination and then let some cool chick with a strange and sometimes disturbing accent direct you. The only worry about staying in Pott's is I had to leave the KLR parked on the street for about a week. I brought an alarmed disk lock for the occasion but was still very nervous!

I arrived bang on time, giving Wazza a manly handshake, Victoria a big hug and baby Charlotte a big cuddle and copious gifts from the wife and kids before jumping in shower. We then headed down for dinner at a local Indian restaurant with familly and friends before retiring here for the fireworks.

What a view!

I must say pretty dam spectacular!

The next couple of days were spent chilling out getting overfed by Victoria (but who could resist her cooking) and checking out the Sydney sights.

Victoria's three course breakfast, yum!

Time for a pie though

A mushy pea pie!

I then had to make a mad three day dash across the Tasman to my hometown of Wellington. About two months earlier I had received a call from my good mate Cliffy telling me that he and his wonderfully partner Ailsa were getting married on short notice and I had to be there because I was the best man. They had on been together seven or eight years! The tricky thing was I'd already booked everything for the bike trip, however Cliff has always been a commitment phobe and Ailsa is quite frankly the best thing ever to happen to him so there was no way I was missing it.

So I arrive in Wellington on the Friday flying, typically, into a 140km Wellington wind. Landing at Wellington is always an experience and I have all the respect in the world for the pilots who manage to land a 737 on a strip not much bigger than an aircraft carrier in the middle of a cyclone. If your into thrills give it go!

So I'm pick up at the airport by Cliffy, quickly feed a coffee before getting fitted for a suit, then a quick kiss from the blushing bride to be (and then a stern chat about no visible tattoos shaving/haircuts) before we're off to the bucks night. The next day is just as mad with the wedding rehearsal (with hangover!) before I finally get a chance to nick Cliffy's black KLR and tear off for the night to see my mum. Believe me riding a KLR over the Wainuiomamta hill at full tilt, magic!

The next morning and the weather is biblical. Wall to wall rain and the wind is back with a vengeance. It's the wedding day and I still have to ride back over the hill, get in a suit and then drive the back roads out to the remote Wellington West Coast. I shattered for the Cliff and Ailsa, the weathers shit but then right in cue the sun comes out!