How do you jump 350km’s with a buggered knee so you can’t cycle – well you stick you thumb out and hope for the best… What I got was better than that – I got a road trip which has got to be up their as one the funniest!
A bus, a few small cars and a couple of 4×4’s all pass me by I think this is going to be a long wait – oh hand on whats this its going to stop! Really I’ve been waiting 10mins at the most!!
The window drops down and a cheery voice greets me “Hello fella – you alright mate! Need a hand?”
“Oh not good can’t turn a peddle and I need to get to Lake Tepako”
“Hop in I’m going to Queenstown and that’s on my way – my name is Steve”
Schweeet! bike dumped in the back, I hop into the navigator’s chair and we’re off, already I’m impressed – he’s playing Kula Shaker and I can spy a golden tit’s of america coke cup (aka Mc’D’s) this fella on a road trip we exchange a few pleasantries and turns out he’s in NZ for a week to go to his friends wedding on Mount Cook, by helicopter – “sounds like a shit day” I say with a thick layer of sarcasm.
“Eh strange question fella” his voice is a bit more casual now.
“Yea shoot man – whats the the jack”
“I don’t suppose you enjoy the odd bit of MaryJane do you?”
Ok lets take stock, I’ve got two buggered knees so I can’t cycle and just about walk – this is a very low point. On a turn of the coin I’m in a 8 seater getting a free lift, Steve is a good guy no shit about him and good sense of humor we are listening to 90’s classics and now I’ve been offered some drugs – you could say that if I fell into a bucket of shite I’d still come out smelling of roses!
Now before my mother drops her tea over the laptop I’ll point out that Steve has found a legal herbal high so with some skills I picked up at art college I get to work. We call into Lake Tekipo, he just hands me a beer and we take a walk down to the waters edge and kick back.
With that I ask him if I can bunk a lift to QT, not that I’m a master of hitching a ride but you always call a town earlier than you need in case your host is a nut job, but this ride is ideal Steve’s a good guy and its agreed over a cheese and ham toastie he will drop me in QT. For the next.few hours we roll along the most amazing roads and my emotions are all over the shop I’m sooo fucked off that I am not cycling these roads they are amazing and very beautiful but I’m also on a happy high with great tunes and good company! So first thing this beats my 9 to 5 I left behind, second; some times shit gets thrown at you and you just got to deal with it, finally I’m a firm believer that like minded people will always find each other. I kick back let my troubles wash away by taking in the sights and reciting stories with my new friend.
We look at each other and with a laugh we both say “what the fuck, yea lets give him a lift” The party bus pulls over and we collect another hitcher a German chap who has hitched his whole way around NZ and not paid for a bus once, he’s been waiting for 2 hrs, the longest ever he’s had to injure – but I believe that his card was marked this morning and he was just waiting for us, the banter continues and the stories are flowing now, the scenery is ever changing and becoming more beautiful as the k’s clock by, we end up taking him into Wannaka not a direct road to QT but Steve want’s to see what its like and Pasquale is grateful in the knowledge that this will be the last ride he needs to take in 40 mins or so he can be kicked back with a beer and meet up with his girlfriend!
One passenger down we take the Crown Pass road to QT and what a sight as the road just keeps unraveling in front of us as we carve our way through the mountains before finally seeing in the distance our location, we stop another two times to take picts and enjoy the view.
I’m deposited right outside my hostel (which is not full thank god! Only booked it 20 mins ago) and we exchange details as I owe him at least a pint or two for saving my sorry broken arse!!!
the bean hunter 