June 3rd 2014: Road tripping

What is it about this country that makes tourists weak at the knees with glee and brings a warm fuzzy glow to locals? Maybe it's our abundant surf culture – not really mainstream like Australia's and the opposite end of the spectrum to the edgy and trendy US surf scene ... more of a gumboots and all cacophany of colourful characters.

I packed up my buddy Keo last week and we headed north for an Auckland to Dunedin old-fashioned roadtrip linking in as many surf towns as we could fit into our schedule of work.

First stop was Rotorua where we met with a handful of the most influential people in New Zealand mountain biking. It's easy to see why this town is becoming the mecca of riding ... we spoke with the deputy mayor, Dave Donaldson, who rides three times a week in Whakarewarewa Forest. He's a key driving force behind the town's UCI MTB World Cup bid, but he's mobilised an army of support from every strand of fabric in the Rotorua district. Some big things are going to be happening here in the next few years.

Raglan never disappoints and for us it was another punchy session at a local beach with just a handful of mates. This town has just emerged from the peak of its frantic tourist season. The locals were catching their breath and shades of the Raglan of old were nice to experience.

The road south is a long one, but gives you a really great perspective on just how small our country is, punctuated by volcanoes and anchored by the wildly beautiful city of Wellington.

We crossed the Cook Strait and made a beeline for Kaikoura, inspired by the swell running during the ferry crossing. It's one of my favourite surf towns: snow-capped peaks, deep water swell energy and lots and lots of wildlife.

We camped at Meatworks – one of the area's most popular breaks. The surf ranged from 2-4 foot and glassy or lightly offshore the whole time. There's a really friendly vibe on this coastline ... maybe that's what seduces tourists. Whatever it is, Keo and I feel priviledged to have shared that experience, to see the country with fresh eyes again immersed in a surf culture as quirky as it is endearing.

See you at the beach ... Derek