Roller Coaster Roads
Monday morning we left Gisborne, heading south for Napier. It was partly a coastal drive, and partly a wild roller coaster ride over incredibly steep hills and through gorgeous canyons. Not that I enjoyed it, as my hemmorhoids will testify. There was much clenching of the sphincter muscles as we soared up and down, no shoulder, inches from the towering cliff on the passenger side (thank God, thank God, thank God!) and weak, battered railings on the driver's side. Many had obviously been tested by previous drivers.
This road was not for the faint of heart.
Hans already knows I just shut my eyes when the roads get scary so that I don't startle him with involuntary gasps and shrill cries. So I spent much of yesterday in the dark, leaving my stomach to catch up after every bend.
Ironically, the roads are windy and curvy all the time. Then, for no discernible reason, they post a sign warning that the upcoming 5 Km will be very windy and curvy. Oh my.
We also encountered a first-ever road experience.
We were approaching a bridge over a canyon, behind several other cars. It's a single lane bridge and we had a red light. It went on and on and on. I should have timed it but it was a good 5minutes, no kidding. Longest light I've ever been at. But that wasn't the first-ever experience. When we finally got the green (after several cars had emptied while drivers urgently checked to see what the holdup was), we inched ahead to discover that we were now driving over an old railway bridge, on top of the railroad tracks. The churning river was far below us. I closed my eyes again.
At least we haven't encountered any sheep on the roads here, like in Scotland.
Finally, after numerous, tight hairpin curves, we actually drove a stretch of road that was straight for at least 500 metres.
This road was not for the faint of heart.
Hans already knows I just shut my eyes when the roads get scary so that I don't startle him with involuntary gasps and shrill cries. So I spent much of yesterday in the dark, leaving my stomach to catch up after every bend.
Ironically, the roads are windy and curvy all the time. Then, for no discernible reason, they post a sign warning that the upcoming 5 Km will be very windy and curvy. Oh my.
We also encountered a first-ever road experience.
We were approaching a bridge over a canyon, behind several other cars. It's a single lane bridge and we had a red light. It went on and on and on. I should have timed it but it was a good 5minutes, no kidding. Longest light I've ever been at. But that wasn't the first-ever experience. When we finally got the green (after several cars had emptied while drivers urgently checked to see what the holdup was), we inched ahead to discover that we were now driving over an old railway bridge, on top of the railroad tracks. The churning river was far below us. I closed my eyes again.
At least we haven't encountered any sheep on the roads here, like in Scotland.
Finally, after numerous, tight hairpin curves, we actually drove a stretch of road that was straight for at least 500 metres.
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