Kia ora koutou
I live in Wellington, New Zealand - a city with big hills, big wind, tiny streets, and tenacious cyclists. I started cycling regularly just seven months ago, and my longest one-day ride so far is 160km around Lake Taupo (central North Island). This will be my first long cycle tour, my first trip to continental Europe, and a huge adventure. I am looking forward to meeting everyone, camping out, and soaking up the sights, sounds, smells of each place. I'm lucky enough to have a couple of months after we reach Istanbul to continue seeing the world from the saddle. At home I'm also lucky: I share a house with my partner, Simon, my 17-year old daughter, Alex, and our foster dog, Frankie.