Pierre Johne, of Stuttgart, and Isabell Prior, of Munich, started exploring New Zealand last year and their travels have now inspired a book on the country's cycling culture.
"I really wanted to come to New Zealand, but Pierre said he would only do it if we went by bike," Ms Prior (21) said in Dunedin this week.
"It was almost like a joke to do it by bike. I'm a professional photographer and I've probably got 16kg of gear to carry, with my laptop, lenses, flashes and tripods," Mr Johne (27) said.
"We decided to do a cycle book for Germans. When we were travelling, probably 60% of the other cyclists we met were Germans," Mr Johne said.
"It was hard to get the information we needed. We spent two months just preparing for the trip - things like weather conditions, the best ways for cycles, the most beautiful places and customs, like don't put your helmet on the table, because New Zealanders don't like it; it's like a hat," Ms Prior said.
The couple arrived in Auckland on September 29 and have spent the past six months travelling through the North and South Islands.
Cycling was the best way to see a country, Mr Johne said.
"You go faster than walking, although not as fast as a car, so, you can hear and smell things.
That is really good, as a photographer. Sometimes, you can hear a waterfall, but in a car you drive past it.
"You also meet so many more local people. They're impressed by what you're doing and how you do it. The local people tell you the beautiful places to visit.
"New Zealand people are very friendly. Even the farmers here are much more friendly than in Europe." Ms Prior said.
The couple have found many similarities between New Zealand and Germany.
"Stuttgart is very similar to Dunedin. Although, you have more 100-year-old buildings here, because Stuttgart was bombed badly in the Second World War. That's where the Mercedes factory was," Mr Johne said.
"The climate is pretty similar to Germany, but the sun is much stronger."
The couple plan to call their book Radgeber, which means "wheel giver" in German and is also a play on the German word "ratgeber", which translates to English as a type of guide book.
Mr Johne and Ms Prior hope to have their book published in October.
"All the book shows are held in Germany then and that's also when German people make their plans to travel in December and January," Mr Johne said.
