Girls from Tasmania On a Cycling Tour

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26636, 5 December 1947, Page 2

Girls from Tasmania On a Cycling Tour

A new way for overseas tourists to see the Dominion has been adopted by two Tasmanian girls, Miss Elaine Pearce and Miss Miriam Fraser, of Hobart, who have recently been in Dunedin. Many New Zealand girls have, no doubt, cycled through both islands, but few have thought of touring overseas countries in this manner.

Incidentally, both girls suggested that a cycling tour of Tasmania would be an excellent holiday idea for Dominion enthusiasts. They considered that in Australia the distance between places of interest made a cycling trip somewhat tedious. The countryside in Tasmania had a charm of its own, the scenery in some parts being like that of the Milford track. The highest mountain was, however, only about 5000 feet and the roads much less steep than many they had encountered in New Zealand. “We landed in New Zealand in April,” Miss Pearce said, “ and worked for three months in the north. When we thought it time for the rain to stop, we started omour trip, and spent the first few weeks on s a hitch-hiking tour of Northland, going as far as the Bay of Islands. Napier, Gisborne, New Plymouth and Rotorua, where we took advantage of the hot bathing pools, were all included in our North Island tour. Our packs, which contained a very light tent, ground sheet, sleeping bags, slacks, shorts, wind jackets and jumpers, weighed only 401 b. We have kept our expenses for food down to Is 6d a day, but this was made possible by the generosity of farmers and other people we met on our journey. Our staple diet was bread and cheese, and we put on weight. We have

stayed in motor camps, where possible, because they have baths, facilities for cooking, and huts. We have slept in some strange places, such as haystacks, barn lofts, garages, boats, roadmen’s or hop-pickers’ huts, on superphosphate bags and on bare boards.” “ Sometimes, though,” Miss Fraser said, “we slept in real beds. On one occasion a farmer and his wife actually got out of their own bed for us, and slept, one with a small child and the other on a couch. We did not discover this until the next morning. We certainly shall not forget the hospitality of New Zealand farmers.” These two bronzed girls thought Milford the outstanding scenic attraction, of the Dominion. Tasmania could not offer anything on a scale as grand as this part of the South Island. “ We will always remember Dunedin with particular affection," Miss Pearce said, “because from Dunedin came a letter of welcome, the only one from a total stranger—we had many letters of introduction to New Zealand people —and he has taken us under his wing, welcomed us to his own home, and altogether made our stay in Dunedin an exceptionally pleasant one. When we return to Tasmania, a few days before Christmas, we will do 9ur utmost to boost New Zealand, which will have so many happy memories for us.”