The 99km from Benmore Lake to Lake Tekapo today through central Otago was one of the hardest. 

Head winds. 

Yasmin bonked. 

This is where we ‘refuelled’ – spinach wraps with cheese and salami – next to a wire fence by the roadside and still on we went. Relentless. It was meant to be a short day! 

But it was so beautiful. Dust deverishes spinning across the high country plains as we traversed the arid rain shadowed lands. Anything not irrigated was a golden brown or dust.