Have decided to go "north and east" seeing as that's where the weather is meant to be the best. Odometer reading 276713kms, the 1831kms since our last blog entry were done by the Brinsdon family, who borrowed Maggie over Easter to go to the Marlborough Sounds for a family reunion. Left home at 13:51, 19°C and overcast. Mike finished his trading run at lunch time, so hence the somewhat "late" departure. First stop, "over the hill". Did some shopping in Cromwell and then stopped for a smoke etc. at Lions Creek. Now 15:00 and moving again, and it looks like it could be a slow trip over the Lindis, as while we were having our break we saw lots and lots of slowcoach campervans heading in the same direction, and it's also blowing a stiff NW - typical, dead calm all morning and as soon as we get Maggie out the wind starts to blow - and always a head wind, to boot!
Got to Wilderness Reserve at Lake Aviemore at 16:28. Nice enough to be able to stay outside for quite a while. And while sitting outside Marielle decided we needed some company - called out for the ducks and the next thing you know, there's about 10 of them come from different directions. 
So felt that we had to feed them, so got out the crusts of the fresh loaf of bread. Thoroughly confused JD who just couldn't figure out why he wasn't getting any!!Once it cooled down we moved inside and played a couple of hands or Euchre. Didn't eat any tea as we had bought some cocktail saveloys from Cromwell New World and ate them all - so too full to have any tea! Bed around 10-ish.
13 April 2010
Up at 08:00, 10.5°C and dead calm. Had a bad night because JD kept waking us up - he seemed to have forgotten about how things work on Maggie and seemed to be "lost" and not able to get off the back seat. So he lay there and whimpered and cried. when we turned on the light and showed him the front, he seemed to have forgotten that he could go through the curtain - so walked backwards and forwards between back and front. The result was that he cried and whimpered off and on all night! Anyway, tried fishing for a while - Marielle on the fly, Mike spinning, but no luck. Had bacon, eggs, mushies etc for brunch at 11:15 and then had showers.
Now 12:15 and the NW wind got up about 10 minutes ago and now howling. 16.5°C now.
Moved Maggie into the shelter of the trees and then went for a walk to check out the rest of the camp - we are the only ones here at the moment - and discovered a really cool walk that goes along the lake, all the way to the boat harbour. Took us just over an hour, and warm enough to take jackets off. And in amongst the trees are hundreds and hundreds of toadstools! Got back just before it started to rain, so perfectly timed. Kept up the light rain until 19:30, wind also went and now only 11°C. Spent afternoon relaxing with books, puzzles and sleeps. Had chicken honey soy for tea and an early night - in bed at 21:10!!And the result of an early night is that you're up early too - too early at 05:46!!! 9°C and clear and starry. Had muesli for breakfast and now 09:10 and contemplating what to do today - do need some supplies (milk, ice) and also need to go and get something for JD as his neck has flared up again something wicked and he needs it washed as he smells! Dumped on the way out and headed to Kurow. Now 10:55 and have got some shampoo and conditioner for JD (oatmeal and aloe vera, hopeful that will help stop his itch - poor bugger!) Had a pie from the Bakery - Mike's steak and kidney was good, but Marielle's mince pie was simply put revolting! Then checked out the angler's access down Old Slip Road - but nowhere flat to park and no easy access to the river either,so carried on.
12:06, at Waihao Downs, beside the start to the Waihao Walkway. Lovely little stream, but signs saying don't swim in it as it is polluted! And it's another area with some amazing limestone formations around the place. Washed JD's neck and had mushie soup, left there at 12:35 to go to ???? Checked out the Moa Dig site at Kapua - only a sign to see, telling you where in the paddock they found moa bones. then on to Waimate - walked round but decided it is just a dingy little hicksville town! So not staying round here, and therefore on to last possible place to park for the night round here, Waihao Box. On the coast, and got there at 14:20. Quite unusual, 'cause we had wondered why it was called Waihao Box. turns out the river has no natural mouth, and the box was built (original one in 1910) to stop the gravel closing off the river mouth.
Sun came out and not too bad a spot at all really. Mike had a nana nap while Marielle did puzzles and played with the dogs. 14.5°C at 15:30, so not too bad weather wise. Saw some people arrive at dusk to give their jetboat a run - seems the people in the car were not at all happy to talk to Mike - just typical Maori grunts, so we locked everything down for the night! Had pork and fresh corn for tea, watched TV and hit the pit at 22:30.
15 April 2010
Up at 07:10, 11°C and stiff southerly blowing but sun coming up - no clouds at the moment. 09:37 - had muesli and showers and now off. 11:04 - just taken dogs for a walk along Caroline Bay. Beautiful day: full on sun and despite a wee southerly a pleasant 14.5°C. 12:16 - have been to SuperCheap Auto to buy some chequer plate for Maggie. The house sides just behind the cab are getting dinged by stones, and because it's fibreglass the dings aren't that easy to fix, so Mike decided to put chequerplate down them to stop it getting worse. Haven't been able to find it 'til now. And then the fish shop beside SuperCheap opened while we were there - and they were selling Bluff Oysters. So we had a dozen cooked oysters and chips for lunch - YUM!! Expensive ($29, which is still cheaper than at home!) but worth it. Ate them beside Caroline Bay. Now heading north to fill up at the Washdyke Truckstop (277058kms, 46L). And there was also water there, so decided to top up - and the connection blew loose, soaking Marielle from the knees down. Mike thought that was hilarious, and I have to admit, it was funny! Thank god for having a change of clothes on board! Carried on and went exploring down roads that lead to the beach - Browns Beach (nice beach, nowhere to park though), Milford Huts (a definite duelling banjo type of place - lots of fishing huts; a whole community of them, beside a lagoon. There was somewhere to park but it just didn't spin our wheels!) 
So on to Orari River Mouth - good parking, good beach and sheltered from wind behind the dune. 
Got there at 14:04. Marielle took dogs for a walk along the beach -
found another lagoon further down which was absolutely chokka full of birds. Then sat and read 'til beer o'clock. Watched the news and Coro Street and got the gennie in just before it started to rain. Also turned Maggie around, as the wind had got up and was making it a battle to get in and out - the house door just blew out of your hands! And the rain kept coming - in heavy squalls. Still raining and 11°C at 21:30 when we went to bed.
16 April 2010
Up at 06:38 - heavy rain a couple of times during the night - very heavy at one stage and it sounded like hail. Now not a cloud in the sky but only 2.5°C. 08:30 - have taken dogs for a walk along the beach - ok going, but into cold southerly wind coming back that was enough to bring tears to your eyes. Mike not impressed at having to walk that early, or in those temperatures because the wind made what is now 7°C feel much, much colder! 09:20 - ready to move - have to start heading home at some stage as Mike starts his shift run on Monday. 11:08 - had Macca's (mighty Angus burgers) at Caroline Bay and now topping up with diesel (277163, 14.03L) to get us all the way home (cheaper at truckstops, and there's no other ones between here and home!)
12:55 - thought we might stop beside Lake Opuha for the rest of the day - trouble is, there's pretty much no water and so no lake as such to park beside!! Absolutely amazing - we stopped here on the way back from Blenheim in January (on the other side of the lake from where these pictures are taken) and the lake was full. 
17 April 2010
Up at 07:15, 4°C and overcast (which is probably just as well, because last night it was clear and feeling and looking like it was going to be below zero). Weather not improving enough to make us want to stay, so at 09:54 we headed home. Quick trip through the Lindis, home at 12:33. 277525kms - so that's another 812kms done in Maggie.
