25 February 2010
273429kms, 11:36, 22 °C and partly cloudy. Off to Alexandra to get diesel and supplies, then off to go and park at the bay above the Aviemore Dam which we found last time we were over there with the boat. 273439kms, 61.47L diesel. Stopped at the Otematata Pub (at 14:45) to let the weather go through (we didn't get any, but there's been the odd shower through here so we're waiting to see which way it goes before the final decision as to where to park). At around 16:30-ish we decided it looked ok to carry on to our chosen spot. Found the gate, down the hill and bugger, there a whole campsite of people already there. So drove the other way down to the other side of the bay and found a beautiful spot. Trouble is, by the time we had levelled Maggie and rolled a smoke, the wind turned to a screaming southerly - straight into where we'd parked. So back to Wildlife Reserve, to shelter from the southerly and we'll decide if we move anywhere else, depending on the weather, in the morning. Got to Wildlife Reserve, and about 6 motorhomes and 5th wheelers parked there, so on to one of the first spots where we ever stayed - pretty much where the 1st gennie we had refused to go.
Up at 06:15 - dead calm and not a cloud in the sky! 9°C so not super warm, but it certainly looks like it's going to be a good day. Tried a fish but the sandflies, even though not bitey ones, were too thick and annoying so gave up on that idea. Ended up being a glorious day - fished, read, relaxed - the usual!!
Although, not quite usual, as Mike got his lure stuck on the other side of the stream running past and rescued it in a most unusual way: we had packed the inflatable boat we bought years and years ago and haven't used certainly since we've had the boat, thinking that if it got really hot we could play on the water. Well, Mike inflated it to use it to go and rescue his lure! Great fun and very funny to watch! Had lovely day - warm but not too hot, and thoroughly relaxed. Sat outside 'til 19:00 and then had steak and corn for tea before hitting the pit at 21:30.
27 February 2010
Up at 07:30 after a good sleep! Looks like it's going to be another beautiful day! Chilled, spoke to people from caravan opposite us who loved JD and Roxie (of course!) and now 11:48, moving onwards to dump etc and then find next spot. 13:39 - at Fisherman's Bend, a bit downstream from our normal spot as that was taken. And probably just as well, as it is HOT and this spot has shade whereas our "normal" spot doesn't! Met some Kurow locals and joined them for a while. Mike offered to go spotting for them on their jetboat and ended up going for a ski - despite a toe that has been very sore for last couple of days! 
Did him the world of good - the cold water must have fixed the toe! By the time they got back it was 20:00 - we did all wonder if the boat had broken down, as they were well out of sight and hearing, but they had spent a lot of time trying to teach a newbie to waterski, and then when Mike had a go, he pretty much lost his undies (he didn't have any togs on!) and also broke the ski rope, which curtailed their fun. Sat and talked for a while longer and the came home, had pork and corn for tea and hit the pit at who knows what time LOL! Oh, the Kurow gang told us that when they left to come down to the lake at around 5pm-ish it was 30.5°C.
28 February 2010
Up at around 07:15 - not too cold, but got quite breezy during the night and now overcast. Decided last night too, that we would go to Dunedin tomorrow and, if we can still get tickets, go to see Strassman's "Goodbye Ted E Bear" show. So rang Dunedin Holiday Park - dogs not a problem - so we'll probably stay there Tuesday and Wednesday nights as well - closer than Warrington and easier what with having to go for pre-admission on Tuesday and then surgery on Wednesday. 10:05 - moving back towards Benmore as Mike reckoned the sun was out over Benmore, just not here. Ok, it's 17.5°C so not too bad, but we want SUN. 13:15 - just had Chinese for lunch and done some shopping at Oamaru New World - when we got to Otematata it was windy and cloudy so we decided to head towards the coast - despite this morning's tsunami warning, caused by a massive 8.8 quake in Chile.
Walked round the historic precinct in nice balmy weather until the southerly arrived here too and dropped the temp by 3 degrees in as many minutes! 
Now 15:00 and parked at the Wainakaruapre-bedtime routine.
1 March 2010
Up at 07:30 - overcast but warm. Signs of there having been another surge during the night as more rubbish had been moved around. Took dogs for a walk and now 08:40 and going to have another coffee, showers and breakfast before heading off. 10:17 - rolling. 10:45 - Oamaru (again!) filling with some diesel (273857kms, 18:03L). We came back to Oamaru because yesterday we had spotted a bus that we decided last night would be worth checking out - turned out it wasn't as it had over 950,000kms on the clock! Oh well, we've got all day to get to Dunedin. Went to have lunch at Fleur's Place in Moeraki but they are closed Mondays and Tuesdays (yep, that's our luck!) but had a beautiful tuatua and mussel soup from the mobile restaurant in the carpark - beautiful! Sat on the seats outside Fleur's Place and the sun even came out - most pleasant. And now heading towards Dunedin and the grey, ominous looking weather! 15:00 All set up at Dunedin Holiday Park, after getting tickets to go and see Strassman tonight. Load of washing on the go and took dogs for walk along the beach, just before the rain arrived - good timing! Caught the bus (yep, first time in about 10 years on a bus - and it was cool too!) into town and saw the show - which was ok, but nothing spectacular, and then had dinner at the Ra Bar - which was really good. Also met up with Dave, who was at Lake Aviemore the weekend we met up with Robin and Brent and had the impromptu party. Caught taxi back (didn't want to wait around for 3/4 of an hour for next bus) and climbed into bed at around 23:30.Up at 07:15 - beautiful sunny morning! Took dogs for long walk along beach - JD just loves the sand and runs around yapping and barking and sniffing and having a ball, while Roxie ran her little butt off chasing seagulls! Then off to the Hospital for the pre-admission consult. We spent the rest of the day checking out buses - got some ideas, but will stick with Maggie in the meantime. Also tried to source a 30W solar panel that we can just plug in and move around, but no luck there. Then we decided to go to the top end of South Dunedin and do a pub crawl home, seeing as Marielle certainly wouldn't be in the mood to do anything much tomorrow night! Caught the bus there, and back - and the one coming back wasn't actually going to the Holiday Park, but he kindly stopped just beside an intersection so we could walk down the road to home! Had pork steaks, fresh Oamaru peas and corn for tea. Can't remember what time we got to bed!
3 March 2010
Up at 06:50, for surgery at 09:30. Got home at around 14:30-ish and spent rest of day lounging and recovering.
4 March 2010
Up at around 07:00 after not too bad a night - although poor old Mike did get a bit cold as he had decided to sleep across the back rather than worry about bumping into Marielle. In to the Hospital to have them check the dressing and then off home - they told us yesterday that we would have to go home rather than carry on travelling as the District Nurse had to come and change the dressing.
Got home at 14:00, 274251kms. 822kms done this trip - a lot of it just running in and out of Dunedin! Oh, should also mentioned that the Dunedin Holiday Park was not a bad place to park for 3 nights - they were extremely helpful and very considerate in leaving the space beside us empty so the dogs could have somewhere to hang out - only one night did we have someone beside us, and she loved dogs and came and joined us for a drink.
26 March 2010
Up at 08:00 - very warm night and now already 17.5°C but overcast. Blew quite strongly off and on all night - weather forecast is for a southerly change today, but so far so good. Max and Mike went for a fish - Max caught nice rainbow and Mike caught a "big" chocolate fish! Moved round to another spot at 14:00 as the wind had changed to the south, as predicted, and a bitterly cold one at that. Having said that, once we'd moved the sun actually came out and once again we sat outside and yarned and drank. The temperature did start to drop though, and warmer clothes were donned in ever increasing layers (Marielle ending up with gloves, woolly hat, slippers and merino!). 
16:29 - we have Benny on board and are heading off to 12 Mile Delta - Kirsty is following us to join us for a beer and tea. 
