Eddie Taia
Position: Lawyer
Email: Eddie has lived in the Bay of Islands since 2007. Originally from the Bay of Plenty, Eddie travelled extensively before completing his degree at the University of Auckland - graduating and being admitted to the bar in 2001. He worked at Shortland Chambers, in Auckland, for a number of years before making the decision to move to the sunny North.
Since moving from Auckland, Eddie has appeared in the High Court, District Court, Maori Land Court and Weathertight Homes Tribunal.
In his spare time, Eddie competes in multi sport events, is a keen motorcyclist, and enjoys spending time with family and friends.
Education:
‘FAST EDDIE’ - TOURING ON A SPORTS BIKE
I have sometimes wondered about the wisdom of owning a supersport motorcycle that can do nearly 3 times the legal open road speed limit, but which is hopelessly impractical and uncomfortable on a long trip.
In March, I had a chance to find out just how uncomfortable my bike could be when I accompanied a group of motorcycle enthusiasts from Kerikeri on a tour around the South Island over two weeks. Part of the challenge for me was deciding whether to stick to something so extreme in the long term, or whether I should retire to something more sedate, like a Harley!
Not long after setting off my fears seemed to be realised. Having a seat made of concrete and a riding position so contorted you need a chiropractor after a couple of hours were not conducive to happy miles! To top things off I had a cold and it rained the whole way to Wellington. A nice hot spa and a warm comfortable bed were foremost in my mind. Thankfully, we had a vehicle accompanying us on the tour, so I was at least able to change into something dry at the end of the long first day.
Once we crossed Cook Straight the following morning the weather thankfully improved, with rain giving way to glorious sunshine. Our plan was to ride the West Coast first, and within an hour of leaving the ferry, my bike was in its element. Wonderful corners, empty roads, and magnificent scenery were the norm. The long boring State Highway 1 to Wellington was soon forgotten. I can’t emphasise enough how incredible it is to tour the South Island on a motorcycle. You feel more a part of the environment as you are more exposed, so the magnificent vistas are only magnified. People are always keen to chat wherever you stop, and are invariably warm and friendly. For me, all questions of discomfort were quickly forgotten. Had we stopped at every place that appealed, we would still be there!
It was certainly a visual indulgence to view the Southern Alps with a light dusting of snow, alpine lakes and rivers flowing with blue glacial water, and witness the myriad of oranges and reds as leaves changed colour. We found the further south we went the better the riding got. And the more numerous the sandflies became! We were told by a West Coaster that there are so many sandflies because of the clean and pristine environment. For us, all that came to mind was the Dulux ad – “sandfly point, pencarrow, sandfly point.” A night on Stewart Island, the most southerly point of the trip, allowed us to relax and recharge our batteries. Although we found the East Coast did not have the overall natural beauty of the West Coast, we certainly welcomed the cheaper petrol! It wasn’t long before we returned to the mountains over stunning Mackenzie Country roads. Sadly, time passed too quickly and before we knew it the trip was over.
There were so many highlights that one cannot do the trip justice in one short article. Even if you don’t own a motorcycle, touring this beautiful country by any means is a must do. Probably the best endorsement I can make for the South Island is that not once after I crossed over Cook Straight, was I conscious of how impractical and uncomfortable my motorcycle is. Looks like the Harley will have to wait!
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