Thirty Sleeps on a Bike - New-Zealand
They said we were courageous, even reckless. The other side of the world may seem like a long way to go with a small, fragile six month old baby; yet, we too often forget a baby’s incredible capacity to adapt.
Karine first got involved in sports when she was just thirteen days old. Proud of the experience, she accompanied us on mountain hikes, bike rides, and rock climbing outings. But thirty days, on a bike tour, tenting around New Zealand would certainly be the biggest first of her entire life.
Preparation
We gave ourselves two months to complete all the preparations: a rigorous exercise program, research and reading, and equipment selection. When traveling with a baby, it’s against human nature to limit the amount of luggage. But, on a bike, pleasure is inversely proportional to weight and volume. So, our equipment would have to be light, compact, and above all, practical. With little precedent to go on, young Karine’s travel arrangements were definitely not easily solved. We settled on a light trailer equipped with a baby seat.
The total weight of our luggage, including trailer, was just 34 kg per person. The stationary biking had strengthened our legs, and Karine learned to fall asleep anywhere thanks the tent we pitched in her bedroom. What worried us most was the 21 hour flight, 2 stops, and 18 hour time difference. Much to our pleasant surprise, Karine showed no signs of discomfort on the plane, slept well in the narrow bassinets, and adjusted to the local time after the first night.
A Rough Beginning
Upon our arrival in New Zealand, we knew we had to adjust to Karine’s rhythm. That is, we had to be flexible, disciplined, and our sense of organization would have to be flawless. However, after the first few days we began to learn the real meaning of adaptation.
The baby’s schedule to respect, short daily distances, frequent stops, constant effort even on flat surfaces, and necessary slow downhill speeds–robbing us of any reward for the grueling uphill climbs–forced us to revise our goals. After an initial period of discouragement and questions, “How do you feel?” “How do I feel?” “Where are we going?”, we reevaluated the situation and gave our trip its real meaning. That not measured in distance traveled, but that measured in beautiful scenery, smiles, and meeting people. The difficulties and surprises became an interesting, inherent part of our serendipitous trip.