Yesterday we picked up our bikes at Natural High Bike Hire in Auckland. They gave us brand new bikes and equipped us with four panniers each. We spent the morning organising everything. Each of us is carrying one bag with our "room" with sleeping bags, mats and a tent, one bag is our clothes, one for our tools and a final one for the kitchen.
Once everything was organised, we bought food for the next three days as we heard there won´t be any up North. (Carrots, apples and pasta will do the trick for now!) We slept for our first outdoors night which certainly gave us a reality check for the temperature! 20
Today we took the first bus from Manukau to Kaitaia which took 8 hours. It was a chance to catch up on sleep and talk about the trip logistics. Once arrived, we met up with Johannes Strassner who is an 18 year old film-maker who will be following us for a while. You can check some of his awesome work at www.js-film.com
Tonight we will be heading to New Zealand´s most northern point, Cape Reigna, where we will start the expedition tomorrow. That´s it for now, photos are available on Facebook!
 A quick stop in an internet cafe to say we have finally arrived in Auckland! It was great to see each other again. Today we did last minute preparations before picking up the bikes tomorrow. In between buying soap, lighters and other tools, we got to visit Auckland. The marina amazed us with majestous sailing boats! We will be heading off from Cape Reigna on the 29th after slight dela
Blog from Shaya in Cairns. A few words before flying off to Auckland.
Today has arrived! In a few hours Jeremy and I will finally get to see each other again. It has been 10 months since we haven't been face-to-face but, thanks to email and facebook, we've been able to keep in contact and organise this expedition.
My bags are ready, I'm proud that the tent, sleeping bag, camping mat, cooker and everything else fitted under the 20kg limit. Quite an achievement for a girl! Dresses and make-up have been traded in for bike shorts and a head-lamp. I noticed my mother has also sneaked in a few chocolate bars to keep us fuelled throughout the trip.
As I make the final preparations touch-ups, my excitment is growing. At 17 years old, what is yet to come is a dream come true.
With only 5 days to go, we have been busy sorting out our equipment. A lot of it has been provided by generous sponsors and it has been great fun trying out the tent, gas cooker, sleeping bag, water bags and other important pieces. We have to make sure we know how everything works before hitting the road to avoid any problems down the line.
Our bags have been meticulously organised with only the necessary being packed. It is interesting trying to figure out what will really be needed and what is just superfluous. Questions arised like "How many shirts?", "Do we take a laptop?"... luckily more experienced riders have been pitching in with their advice!
All these preparations only adds to the excitment of finally hitting the open roads!
Countdown has begun! 28 days until we start riding from Cape Reigna. I can already imagine the feeling of freedom as we start to cycle towards Bluff. Having both islands in front of us must be amazing, something I’ve dreamt about for years.
As the blast-off day approaches, we have been busy making final preparations. We are finalizing our equipment lists,
budgets and itinerary. With school coming at its end, it’s easier to concentrate more on North2South logistics.
The support from the community has been great! Media has been getting involved, with already four articles being
published in the last three weeks. Sponsors have been sending us kit which we are busy trying out. Encouragements from everyone have been heart-warming. A big thank you to the letters and smile we receive!
Anyways, off to test out the gas cooker. Keep updated through this blog!
- Shaya
 The first thing I noticed about Will from Campersoz is his
huge smile and great sense of humour. After a short talk with him, I found out he even sailed alongside Sir Peter Blake though many years ago! How’s that for a coincidence!
His family business, Campersoz, has been specialising in Cape
York adventure travel for eight years and will be sponsoring us with a tent which will be very useful in New Zealand’s cold temperatures (we’ve heard they can drop to 5 degree Celsius, even in summer!)
Will and I also made a deal: we will use the tent while we cycle the length of New
Zealand but once the expedition finishes, we will give the tent to someone who
needs it more than we do. Anyone would agree Will’s sense of community and
support is admirable.
One thing that is to be loved about Campersoz is their spirit of adventure. Although
they focus on The Cape they are still very familiar with the whole Far North
Queensland region and can set up a camping trip for everyone. Campersoz has 3
main business divisions and all of these focus on what they themselves really
enjoy doing - getting out into the Great Australian
Bush.
They specialise in supplying 4WD rental, camping equipment and off road camper
trailers (sales and rentals) to specifically suit the needs of anyone willing to
brave the Australian camping style!
So next time you’re ready, you've got your Cairns vacation planned, your mates want
to see the outback by car-camping, but you don't have to lug all that gear on
the plane, drop in to Campersoz. I would also definitely recommend checking out
their website which has great advice on organising such trips.
I guarantee that, just like he did for us, Will will give you great advice,
encouragement and expert knowledge that will make sure your trip is
memorable
 After a successful day at the markets, here are a few tips for those who want to give market fundraising a go:
1) Bring a friend, it is much more motivating.
2) Make sure you know how to cook well before attempting to cook 300 cookies by yourself.
3) Big colorful signs always work.
4) Lollies work the best.. yes, everyone loves lollies.
5) Smile, enthusiasm seems to be contagious.
6) Most importantly, have fun!
 Last week, I got the chance to meet an awesome team in a really cool shop.
The first thing you are bound to notice when walking through Adventure Equipment Cairns' door is the staff's enthusiasm!Hardly a foot through the door and I was greeted by Mark's warm smile distinctiveof a man who loves what he does.
As we talked about sponsorship, he also gave me valuable information about various types of gear that we could use for the expedition. His extensive knowledge and unrivalled service is second to none. I wasn't surprised when he told me that Adventure Equipment Cairns has been providing top quality gear to customers for 15 years! Whether you need help with gear for your next outdoor, travel or adventure experience, they are there to help you chose the right equipment, and trust me, they are great at it. Their service is just top!
In Mark’s office, my eyes glanced to a newspaper headline poster – Paul Hockey Summits Everest. Paul Hockey made history by being the first person with a disability to stand on the summit of Mount Everest, having climbed from the North Side… And Adventure Equipment sponsored him for some of his gear! This shows how supportive Mark and his team are to people undertaking adventurous
journeys. I’m very grateful they will be helping us out with a gas cooker, dry bags and water bags.
I would strongly encourage anyone to pass by Adventure Equipment next time they’re in Cairns. Whether it’s to get advice on gear and future adventures you might be planning or just to say hi,the guys are an adventurous bunch who love the outdoors and love outfitting people who share the same passion. And say hi from me!
 Guess what came throught the mail this afternoon? Lucky red socks from the Sir Peter Blake Trust!
Sir Peter Blake liked to wear his red socks for good luck, and during the America's Cup challenge of 1995 New Zealanders supported the boat by putting on their own red socks.
Sir Peter Blake was tragically killed on December 5th 2001, and ten years on the Trust strives to keep his memory, spirit and values alive for future generations of New Zealanders. Red Socks Day is an opportunity to
remember this fallen hero and the contribution he made to New Zealand and our planet, and to re-tell his story for those who were too young to remember.
We'll definitely be wearing our new red socks during the expedition!
 It only took an hour in Trinity Beach, Cairns, to realise how supportive the community was! Eight businesses pitched in a few dollars which all added up to 5 days of food in New Zealand! It was great to talk about the project and listen to everyone's youth cycling adventures! This morning showed me that everyone has a bubbly adventurer inside them, it just needs to be reawaken from time to time. Now off to make the equipment list!
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