18 July 2009
11am, 1.5⁰C, 265552kms. Sunny but a bit chilly still. Off to Te Anau to check out Chris’s new house. Went via Alexandra to fill up with diesel (265562, 58L) and decided we’d carry on that way. Turned off SH 8 at Ettrick, through Moa Flat and stopped at Heriot for a smoke and to let the dogs have a run. And despite all previous visits, it was incredibly warm in Heriot - 8⁰C! Blowing a stiff wind though – wouldn’t you know it, a bloody head wind! Carried on to Waikaka, where we went right to continue on the back roads towards Lumsden. Thing is, we should have turned left, as we got to the end of the tarseal and no matter which way we went, every road became gravel. It had been years and years since Mike last went this way, but he knew for sure the road wasn’t meant to be gravel. Granted, we could have got there across gravel roads, but it was wet, windy and none of the roads looked inviting for a camper! So back-tracked to Waikaka and the moment we went round the corner, Mike knew we were on the right road again. Stopped for fish and chips (BAD!) in Lumsden and got to Te Anau at around 15:00. Head wind the whole way – usual story, flat to the floor and going nowhere fast! Raining when we got to Te Anau, and Chris not back from furniture buying expedition to Invercargill, so we made ourselves at home by cleaning and erecting the double bed we’d bought with us for Chris’s spare room. Chris got back just in time to head off down to the Moose to watch the rugby. Had great night there and got to bed at around 01:00.
11am, 1.5⁰C, 265552kms. Sunny but a bit chilly still. Off to Te Anau to check out Chris’s new house. Went via Alexandra to fill up with diesel (265562, 58L) and decided we’d carry on that way. Turned off SH 8 at Ettrick, through Moa Flat and stopped at Heriot for a smoke and to let the dogs have a run. And despite all previous visits, it was incredibly warm in Heriot - 8⁰C! Blowing a stiff wind though – wouldn’t you know it, a bloody head wind! Carried on to Waikaka, where we went right to continue on the back roads towards Lumsden. Thing is, we should have turned left, as we got to the end of the tarseal and no matter which way we went, every road became gravel. It had been years and years since Mike last went this way, but he knew for sure the road wasn’t meant to be gravel. Granted, we could have got there across gravel roads, but it was wet, windy and none of the roads looked inviting for a camper! So back-tracked to Waikaka and the moment we went round the corner, Mike knew we were on the right road again. Stopped for fish and chips (BAD!) in Lumsden and got to Te Anau at around 15:00. Head wind the whole way – usual story, flat to the floor and going nowhere fast! Raining when we got to Te Anau, and Chris not back from furniture buying expedition to Invercargill, so we made ourselves at home by cleaning and erecting the double bed we’d bought with us for Chris’s spare room. Chris got back just in time to head off down to the Moose to watch the rugby. Had great night there and got to bed at around 01:00.
19 July 2009
Woke up to frosty but sunny morning. Spent the day helping Chris get some stuff sorted – slowly, as we all felt the effects of last night! Ended up having a garage party, and by 17:00 everyone was well and truly topped up form night before. Mike and I went to The Ranch for some tea, got back to find everyone still partying! Hit pit at 22:00.
Woke up to frosty but sunny morning. Spent the day helping Chris get some stuff sorted – slowly, as we all felt the effects of last night! Ended up having a garage party, and by 17:00 everyone was well and truly topped up form night before. Mike and I went to The Ranch for some tea, got back to find everyone still partying! Hit pit at 22:00.
20 July 2009
Another frosty start to the da
y – minus .5⁰C, so not as bad as what we’ve been used to. Mike finished getting the washing machine going, then we we
nt round to Jess to say hi and bye! Also did some groceries, filled water, got some more diesel (40L, 265834km s – shows how bad the head wind was coming down – 40L for 272kms!) and headed off to Lake Monowai. Checked out the powerstation (of course!) and then headed off to check out the lake. Absolutely beautiful weather there, but the only place to park was on the wrong side of the Lake sunwise – if we’d stayed we would have lost the sun 10 minutes after setting up, and we thought that was a waste of such a beautiful day. So carried on, and just outside o
f Clifden we saw a sign for Lake Hauroko. Neither of us had ever been there, and it was supposed to only be 22kms off the road. Ended up more like 30kms, and the only place to park was on the carpark. By this stage it was 16:00, and wind picking up again so decided to carry on. Stopped in Tuatapere and bought
some of the world famous sausages and at the suggestion of the friendly lady behind the counter, carried on to Monkey Island Bay for the night, as this was right on the beach and you are allowed to light bonfires. When we got there though, it was blowing a howling gale, so no night on the beach. Warm though, 9⁰C when we went to bed (early) at 21:00 after chicken stir fry for tea – both tired after the last couple of nights, hence the early night.
Another frosty start to the da
y – minus .5⁰C, so not as bad as what we’ve been used to. Mike finished getting the washing machine going, then we we
nt round to Jess to say hi and bye! Also did some groceries, filled water, got some more diesel (40L, 265834km s – shows how bad the head wind was coming down – 40L for 272kms!) and headed off to Lake Monowai. Checked out the powerstation (of course!) and then headed off to check out the lake. Absolutely beautiful weather there, but the only place to park was on the wrong side of the Lake sunwise – if we’d stayed we would have lost the sun 10 minutes after setting up, and we thought that was a waste of such a beautiful day. So carried on, and just outside o
f Clifden we saw a sign for Lake Hauroko. Neither of us had ever been there, and it was supposed to only be 22kms off the road. Ended up more like 30kms, and the only place to park was on the carpark. By this stage it was 16:00, and wind picking up again so decided to carry on. Stopped in Tuatapere and bought
some of the world famous sausages and at the suggestion of the friendly lady behind the counter, carried on to Monkey Island Bay for the night, as this was right on the beach and you are allowed to light bonfires. When we got there though, it was blowing a howling gale, so no night on the beach. Warm though, 9⁰C when we went to bed (early) at 21:00 after chicken stir fry for tea – both tired after the last couple of nights, hence the early night. 21 July 2009
Up at 06:50, after a very, very warm night. Still dark and when we went outside for a smoke we saw lightning in the
distance. Quite spectacular, but we should have realised this meant bad news for later on! Left camp at 08:30, and tiki-toured our way to Riverton via the backroads. On the way we checked out Cosy Nook (THE most unusual little place – some tiny wee fishing huts stuck on side of hill overlooking Mullet Bay) and also stopped at Colac Bay, where we could see the front coming in from the South. By the time we got to Invercargill it was starting to rain, and by the time w
e had got to BK for brunch it was pouring down. Filled up with some more go-go juice at BP Truckstop (42.25L, 266155kms) and decided to run for home. Stopped in Alexandra for a drink at the Stadium after picking up the piston and rings for the scooter and got home at 16:15. The weather followed us all the way up, and raining when we got home. To our amazement we have done 824kms this trip – final odo reading 266376kms!
