2026 - June - Luxembourg

 

Good evening,

Well so far so good.   I manage to get a cooked meal at the Calais camp site although I had not booked well in advance !!!   Managed to get a very cool beer too - now that was good.   Loads of van people with dogs!!   

Actually had a British biker pull into the pitch next to mine - he spoke not a word - but we did manage a nod as he left this morning - well you know what they say about BMW GS riders. !!!

Had a good nights sleep and started packing up at 6am, so I was on the road by 7:15.  Had a quiet ride through the north of France into Belgium and then joined a highway at Lille.  That bit was a bit boring through Belgium but things got better as I approached the Ardennes and Luxembourg.   There were queues at the Luxembourg petrol stations as cars from Belgium come in with Gerry cans for fuel as the cost is cheaper..

Had to make a large detour as the final road to this campsite was closed but I arrived in good time although very hot.   All clothes now lying out in the sun to dry.  One advantage to riding on a Sunday in Europe is that the trucks don’t run.  But the disadvantage is that the campsite restaurants are closed.   Good job I found a Burger King in Bastogne !!!

Tomorrow is a ride into Heidelberg and a couple of nights in a motel before meeting up with Mark who has flown in from the USA to collect a bike and we ride east to Prague.

The river in the photo above is the actual border with Germany !!!  I will keep an eye out for illegals crossing over !!!!

Having said that when lo and behold a bearded gentleman with a clipboard has just appeared….

2026 - June - France

 

Good evening dear reader,

Had a quiet ride to Folkestone and thought I would arrive early so that I could navigate the new “procedure” at passport control!!!  But it’s not working yet at the Tunnel!!!  On top of arriving early there was a 2hours delay…. So instead of leaving at 2:45 we actually left at 4:45pm.   

Finally got to the first camp site at 6pm (French time).

The tent is pitched and now I am awaiting my allocated meal slot!   In the meantime I can attest to the beers being chilled….

Tomorrow is a ride to Luxembourg .   It’s going to be a hot one….

2026 - June - Off to Europe

 Tomorrow I set off to Folkestone to catch the Chunnel to France.  I will overnight in France, then head to Luxembourg on Sunday before meeting up with Mark Bray in Heidelberg Germany before heading further East.  Prague, Hungary, Romania and then Motocamp Bulgaria ( it’s such a cool place).

The route for the return trip is yet to be decided.   I have to be back in the UK by mid July so that I can attend the Armchair Adventure Festival in Plymouth.

Now which boots to wear !?!?!   ATGATT !

2026 - May - Africa Twin back home

Happy days - expensive but happy. I picked up the Africa Twin from the Honda workshop - all sorted with a working alternator. 

 Whilst it was in the workshop, I received management approval to replace the Yamaha Tenere 700 WR …. (which I do regret selling). Without hesitation I popped down to Honda to order a Transalp XL750A in Black. It is now sitting in the garage with the XRV. I have spent today fitting a Garmin Mount and Tracker. 

 I will leave the pannier rack etc for when David visits next week. All this in preparation for my trip to Motocamp Bulgaria in late June. Just got to put the first 600 miles ready for it first service.

2026 - May - XRV750

Whoops -  it’s all gone wrong - the plan was to visit the WW1 sites in Verdun France for a few days.  Riding back from visiting David in Chichester the alternator started to pack up.   Ordered a new alternator and delivered it to Honda Bournemouth…. Alas it turned out to be the wrong one!!!!   I ordered another one with the correct part number and delivered in to Honda this morning!!!  Fingers crossed.   

The plan is to ride to Motocamp Bulgaria at the end June which is about a 4,000 mile round trip - mmmm maybe it’s about time to replace the Yamaha T700 that I sold in order to finance this years travelling - I wish I hadn’t sold it now !!?!

2026 - Apr 4th

 Farewell New Zealand and thank you.

2026 - Tue 31st - ENDEX

Good evening dear reader,

Well here I’m back at the start AirBnB - where did that 11 days go !

Now sitting thinking about the trip and having a quiet cup of tea - all the washing done and outside drying - all the motorcycle gear packed in the bag - just gave the bike a quick hand wash (no hose/water tap to be found).

I forgot to switch on my SPOT tracker for the first leg from Christchurch to Hanmer Springs - hence the gap.

The last ride down from Lake Tekapo was wonder and I took the scenic route from Fairlie to Geraldine - it’s started off in wonderful early morning sunshine then clouded over for the rest of the day.  The roads were very quiet with lots of twists and turns and even a mile stretch off road works with large gravel …. Bugger.

After a cup of tea and a pie at Geraldine I dropped down to the State Highway 1 for the final dash.  Quite a boring road but there you go - the picturesque roads had to end a some point.  The Satnav was a bit crazy as I approached Christchurch and started to send me all over the place.  I certainly won’t be investing in a Garmin XT2.

This is the last picture I took this morning whilst sitting up in bed having an early morning tea.   I suppose this is what I’m meant by a ‘picture window’.

So there you have it - all done ENDEX

If you fancy doing a trip like this contact 

Mike@paradisemotircycletours.co.nz

2026 - Mon 30th

All packed and ready to go this morning and left about 9am to get fuel and it was raining again.

An easy 4.5 hour ride today - the first 2.5 hours of rain didn’t help.  I stopped for breakfast in Palmerston, passing the beaches at Shag Point, then on up the coast - not a lot to see in the grey overcast vista.

Turned off Highway 1 and headed towards Lake Tekapo on Highway 8.  The rain eased as I approached Fairlie and by the time I reached Burkes Pass the sky was blue with perfect white clouds and snow capped mountains in the distance.

After a much needed S,S & S I ventured out to take a few photo while the sun was still shining.   Then back to the “Studio” apartment for a cup of tea and a blog.

I always thought that the last overnight stop would be crap…. But I was so wrong, this place is wonderful.  It’s now 4pm and nearly time to hunt down some food and maybe a beer.   Tomorrow is my last riding day - back to our Air BnB near Christchurch and hand back the bike.  I will try to calculate the mileage when I stop.

The view from my window

2026 - Sun 29th

 

Robert Burns overlooking Dunedin City Centre.  It’s like a little Scotland here, there is a number of Kilt shops and even a shop dedicated to Scotch Whiskey.

Today is a full non-riding day, which was definitely needed after yesterdays 7.5 hour day.

Following breakfast nearby this morning I took a walk into town - this area is certainly a centre for student digs - frat houses everywhere with sofas in the front garden etc….  The good news is that there are endless fast food shops near by.

I had a good look around town while I waited for the shops to open (Sunday opening time here appears to be 11am).   I might even walk back in later for supper.

Another walk into town for supper and met up with Carl and Isabel at the town centre had a beer and supper.

The bike is running well, but the lock barrel on the top box came out and I hope that it still locks - if not I’ll just remove the top box overnight.   Just one more night to go after tonight, and that is at Lake Takapo.  Then it the final run into Christchurch, and hand back the bike on Wednesday (I must remember to top up with fuel and wash it).

Then on Saturday we fly out to Singapore and then on to Heathrow.

2026 - 28th

 

Well that day was longer than I expected.  I left Te Anau at 8:30 and arrived here in Dunedin at 4pm.

It was just low cloud for the first hour, then I got a little brighter. More and more great scenery - like riding through Telly Tuby land without the sun.    

Finally got to  Invercargill although I don’t know what I was expecting - in my minds eye I had image of a one horse town but it turned out to be anything but.  In fact I rode through to town and missed E Hayes store completely, so I turned around and rode back.

So it’s a large store with motorcycles and cars in amongst goods for sale….  And in the middle, in a glass case was Burt Munro’s two bikes.   If you haven’t seen the film “The Fastest Indian” with Anthony Hopkins then you need to do it now.  It’s a fabulous film.  

After note: I wondered why along with soaps and shampoo etc in the bathroom, there were ear plugs ….. now I know why - this motel sits right in the middle of the university student accommodation !!! Noisy buggers - I suppose it is Saturday night….

 

2026 - Fri 27th

 

 

It’s a shame that JRR Tolkien never visited New Zealand he would have loved…,

I had an 8am early start this morning and rode in the rain for the whole 2 hours it took to get to the Milton Sound.  Even so the scenery was still fantastic - the mountains, the cliffs and the low hanging barrel clouds.

I managed to find the boat amongst the vast crowds of Chinese trippers.   So many of them staring at their phones all the time,  maybe it’s not real unless it’s on a screen.  Rather like people filming at a concert and not watching it live…. Ah well.

It was very foggy most of the time, in fact I would say that the ride up and back to Te Anau was better than the boat trip.   Some very tight 180° corners and a very impressive tunnel, and very little traffic.

I am now back at the Motel trying to dry out some gear.  The Gortex is no longer water proof.   Good job I was carry my trusty old yellow jacket,  and the seal skin gloves are soaked !!!!  

I am still having issues with the Garmin - I’ve given up even thinking that its going to talk to me other than saying “drive to highlighted route”..,, then nothing!  The other issue is that whilst riding a route, and about 1 hour/100kms from the destination the counters start going in reverse (honest).   

Well it’s stopped raining here now and I am about to wander into town in search of supper.   Tomorrow is a longish ride to Dunedin via Invercargil.