8:53 252317kms. Off to park within hearing distance of breaking surf. Filled at Cromwell (15.84L) 252342kms. Breakfast (muesli and yoghurt) at Lowburn. Left there 10:15, mucked around in Wanaka looking for outside table, found perfect one at Mitre 10 and Paul (super helpful dude) gave us a really, really good deal – nearly $100 off. Also got a retractable washing line. Left Wanaka at 11:45. Lunch (ham sammies and mushroom soup) at Boundary Creek. Much warmer but a bit windy. Left at 12:57. 
14:00 Stopped at Depot Creek for a stretch, drink and smoke. Left at 14:11 – PS, beautifully warm and not a cloud to be seen!
Pulled up approx. 2kms past Haast Beach at awesome spot right on the beach at 14:30. Set up camp. Hot! 19⁰C in shade. Now 16:20, enjoying pre-pre-pre-pre dinner drinks on our new camp table set, listening to the rollers and getting a tan. JD asleep inside, Roxie still chasing rocks – but slowing. While finding stones to throw found a perfect heart-shaped rock – now a permanent fixture on Maggie. 20:00 Fired up gennie. Have spent a wonderful afternoon enjoying sun, warmth, each other’s company and stunning views.
Found an amazing stick - had rocks and shells etc. embedded in it - we called it our Taniwha and stood it up to look after our camp site!
Mike built an awesome fire – spud cooking as we speak! 13.5⁰ out, 17.9 in. Gennie died at 20:20. Wouldn’t restart, no matter what, even after re-reading the manual. Seems there’s absolutely no spark. Not happy but at least it’s 12⁰ outside – not minus 8⁰, so we can survive without it!
27 August 2008
Showers and brekkie – now 11am.
Left at 12:43 (done 233.8 kms) after needing a tow out of the what we had thought was hard sand. Thank heaven for trucks and diggers pulling up beside you. Lesson for newbie campers – just because the sand looks hard, feels hard (we jumped, looked, drove on it) doesn’t mean to say it IS hard – well, not after 14 hours of getting on and off etc. A 3 tonne campervan sinks into anything that’s soft! Met JJ Nolan, blast from the
past for Mike as JJ had shot with Tony and knows Marion well. Went into Haast to see if we couldn’t fix the genie, but we were right, no spark. Had lunch parked at Eamon’s garage then on to Haast town to dump rubbish – no bins so no joy. Left Haast 13:49 to go to DOC Centre where there is a plaque remembering all who died in the Venison Industry that Marion unveiled at the reunion. Left DOC Centre at 14:43. The wind had got up a bit so we decided to go and see if it was too windy at beach – after we talked to Matt (Courier Post) we got to “our” spot, but Lionel (or Lyall?) still working so carried on for a while to see if there was anywhere else. Nothing, but stopped at Hannah’s Clearing and checked water level – only 30% so back to Haast where we found dump site and rubbish bins beside public toilets (look around when trying to find these things!). Lesson learnt – empty whenever you can, fill up with water whenever you can – don’t leave it ‘til you’re nearly in the middle of nowhere to check the gauges! Stopped at the Hard Antler for 2 jugs then got to “our” spot (kindly hardened and flattened by Lionel). At 17:19. Fed dogs, got drift wood for baked spud fire. Bit colder tonight (but day was sometimes ok for just T-shirt) but still ok inside.
28 August 2008
Up at 7:10 6⁰ outside, 8⁰ in. Bit brrr! but ok. While having brekkie Lionel arrived to move more stones, so we decided to get out of his way and find somewhere to park and have shower and walk dogs, so left at 8:24. Put $30 (17.25L) in at Eamon’s then on to Pleasant Flat. 
9:30 arrived at Pleasant Flat, full sun, beautiful spot – except for the sandflies, thick and very bitey! Had coffee and showers. Now 10:30 and Mike’s just drying off, then we’ll hit the road to Wanaka to see about getting the genie fixed. Left 10:50, arrived Wanaka 12:30, after a couple of quick stops – one to check out future spot beside Lake Hawea which looked worth a try. After dropping genie off (brand new one coming) back to Hawea to same spot as last week. Set up camp 13:13. Gorgeous day – not a cloud, no wind and here, thankfully, no sandflies – we are over them, especially at Pleasant Flat. 29 August 2008
Up at 7:15 – frosty and only 6⁰ in cab but warm all night. Brekkie and walk dogs, left at 10am to find spot along Lake Dunstan because the bloody sandflies are back with a vengeance and we are so over them. Went down Ardgour Valley Road – cold breeze blowing and we have decided we’d just head home and have a shower there. Home 562.4 kms (252879) later at 11:30.
