15:18, 264676 kms. Sunny but cold: 3⁰C. We are off - not having been anywhere for a month, we are very much looking forward to this. The weather lately has not been conducive to campervanning - hence the weeks spe
nt at home! Anyway, we're off to Cromwell to pick up Kirsty and Benny, and then heading over to the West Coast as we are hoping for night/morning temperatures that are warmer than -6⁰C! The forecast is for beautiful sunny weather, so here's hoping. We probably won't make it all the way to Haast today, and will look at stopping at Boundary Creek for the night. 16:26 - have shopped, filled up the gas bottle (4.7kgs) and got all people and dogs on board. Got to Boundary Creek around 17:30. Had a few drinks, talked, and shivered every time we went outside as it's -2⁰C. Had pork, prawn and noodle broth for tea and hit pit around 22:00.20 June 2009
Up at 08:00 - still -2⁰C and a bit nippy, to say the least. But we all slept well, and n
ow raring to get to the Coast. Left Boundary Creek at 09:44 and got to Haast at 11:37 - very,
very white roads! No problems, as it was all well gritted and we took it slowly, but definitely freezing. Beautiful though, especially around the Gates of Haast, as the icicles on the rocks are huge. Much warmer over here, thank heaven. Took dogs for just over an hour's walk along beach and collected firewood for a bonfire tonight. Mike went to shop to buy some batteries for the torch (JD can't see without it at night!) and also bought a paper, so we read that for a while, but decided that the wea
ther was so nice and warm (11⁰C!!!!) that it was a waste to sit inside - even if it meant a bit of a battle with the black bitey things! Mike took to the overgrown gorse along the track in with 
a slasher so that we don't scratch the sides of poor old Maggie - trouble is, now everyone can get in easily!! Had chicken korma for tea and then desert of toasted marshmallows! Awesome day, so glad we came as it's just wonderful to be able to enjoy some warm sun. Oh, and Kirsty and Marielle built another "dinosaur", reminiscent of 12 years ago when we did the same on Haast Beach. This one was much smaller and looked more like a crocodile, but fun nonetheless!
21 June 2009
Up at 08:00 again - an almost tropical 3⁰C! But bit of a cold wind blowing, so not that pleasant. Still, took dogs for another run along the beach - we all ended up with cold noses, ears and streaming eyes but the dogs seemed to enjoy it. Except maybe Benny, as he's just not fit and not used to running on rocks and sand and has sore feet! Packed up and headed home at 11:30. Still icy in places, but not as bad as yesterday, but doubly glad we went as we got to Wanaka and all the way to Cromwell in fog, and only 1⁰C. Home at 15:30, 265129kms. Good weekend, and despite our fears of things being too crowded, 3 people and 3 dogs can be done - as long as it's not wet!!
