09:30, 257935kms. Weather glorious – off to somewhere to get to Queenstown by tomorrow afternoon for the Contact Energy Christmas do. 10:58 – stopped in Cromwell to try and buy a ski mirror (none to be found!), to get the new registration label for Maggie (didn’t arrive in ti
me) and to have breakfast along the lake shore. Nice and warm but the wind is picking up (bloody wind!!). 13:12 – stopped at Remarkables Park Shopping Centre at Frankton to get more Inca Gold (toilet chemicals) and treated ourselves to lunch at Thaitanium YUM, YUM, YUM!! 15:03 – been to Repco to buy a couple of bits and pieces and then to Hansen’s Auto Services, who are the Mercedes specialists, to see if they can shed some light on our engine rattle. Spent over an hour there, have to be back Monday as the fan belt that has just been replaced is the wrong size (4mm too long) and 2 idler pulleys are too loose and need to be replaced. But no-one is sure if this will actually fix the rattle! Also found out that the alternator doesn’t rotate in both directions, which it’s meant to. 15:39 Set up at 12 Mile Delta, beside Lake Wakatipu, along the road to Glenorchy and about 10kms from Queenstown. Beautiful 
spot with awesome views but windy – cold wind!- and sandflies!!!! Reasonably sheltered though, and alternating sun/cloud. Watched lots of other people come and go, in particular one pair of clowns who parked their camper on such an angle we worried they might come out through the front of the Luton during the night! How they slept at all is beyond us. Also met Tim and Rachel, from Cambridge, UK, who are on their OE and pitched their tent beside us. Invited them in for a beer, and then dinner. We were having spaghetti and Mike’s famous meat balls, and they had some mince too so offered to contribute that. Well, we didn’t use it and our good deed for the day was saving them from food-poisoning, as their mince was off!! Realised when we’d finished tea that it was 23:30! So they left, we did dishes and hit the pit at 00:09! Housekeeping: we seem to be having a few problems with the house battery - nothing major - but it keeps dropping to low battery warning quite quickly - we haven't had this before. Also only shows 75% charged, even after driving to Queenstown. Whether this has something to do with alternator, or the battery, we don't know. 6 December 2008
Awake at 07:4
5, glorious day after cooler night – 9 degrees when we got up. Not a cloud in the sky, but wind threatening – again! Plan is to take dogs for long walk, make our way to Coronet Plaza at Arthur’s Point and have shower etc in our hotel room before going to the do. 12:02 258046kms. Leaving 12 Mile Delta after walking dogs around the Delta. Crossed a wee stream at the start, Mike got across safe and dry, Marielle over-balanced and got her feet, socks, shoes and jeans 
rather wet – thank god it’s a nice day! We’ve had a full cooked breakfast, and helped Tim and Rachel again, by letting them use our cell-phone to call the AA as their car won’t go after the alarm went off. Got to Coronet Plaza about 13:15, had showers (crap!) and got ready for the bowling, which lasted from 15:30 ‘til 17:30. Fed and watered dogs (had taken them for a few “out of Maggie” breaks all afternoon), then off to dinner. Marielle put dogs to bed on Maggie at 22:39 and then went to bed herself, in the hotel room – so even though we weren’t sleeping on Maggie, she was still being used! Mike followed sometime after midnight. We had a good night! 7 December 2008
Up at 7:30 – well, Marielle was, Mike emerged for a coffee and smoke about 08:00 then went back to bed! Left the hotel about 9:30, had breakfast at Brazzas, then out to Frankton to see Kirsty, who was also in QT last night for her works’ Xmas do. Then off to 12 Mile Delta again. Got there at 12:31 and had relaxing afternoon – enjoying some lovely weather, fishing, reading etc. Both a bit tired after late nights/early mornings, and after we’d had a few drinks and dinner (Thai green curry) we were both ready for bed – at 20:30!!!
8 December 2008
Good night’s sleep, apart from the fact that Mike woke up at 01:00 and couldn’t get back to sleep because he’d gone to bed too early!! Up at 07:00, 9⁰C, raining and getting heavier, but no worries this time as we know we can get out of here! Had breakfast (muesli and yoghurt) and left at 8:28 to go into Queenstown to have the fanbelt etc fixed. Got to Hansen Auto Services at 9:28 and then sat reading our books while the bits and pieces were replaced. Yay – the rattle has gone! And the house battery has charged to full again. Still raining so we are not unhappy about going home. Got home at 13:06 (258204kms) after stopping in Cromwell to do some shopping. Still raining!
