10:55, minus 1°C and foggy. 278880kms. Off to the Coast as we are tired of fog, fog, freezing temps, fog!! First trip without JD, who died 17 June 2010. We are getting used to not having him around, but each time we do something for the first time without him, it feels a bit weird and sad. We do have "Russ" with us - a cute cocker spaniel look-alike soft toy Kirsty bought us and who will now travel on Maggie. Anyway, filled up with diesel in Alexandra (38L, 278890 kms) and stopped at the Vet to pick up JD's ashes - taking him on one last road-trip! Got gourmet pies at BP 2 Go in Cromwell, and also filled up gas (7.3kg). Ate the pies beside the lake and now 12:07 and rolling. Stopped at Boundary Creek so Roxie could have a run - not a smoke stop this time though - both Mike & I on patches and giving up!!!! Got to Haast at around 15:00, and discovered to our disappointment that "our spot" was already in use (bugger!) so went to old spot (so called because that's where we parked when we first came across to the Coast - found "our spot" a bit later and prefer that one!) further along beach and parked there for a while, hoping other people would go. Drove back down to have a look, nope, still there. Then took Roxie for walk back up the beach a bit later on, but now obvious that they are there to stay - have bonfire going and kid and dog running round, so we parked up at "old spot" for the night.
Got the gennie out just before news time as we discovered that we can get TV 1 & 2 on rabbit's ears, so we will watch news and weather. 5°C at 17:43 - cloud coming down from north since we got here, and it seems to have stalled just north of us. So didn't have sun for too long (but YAY, at least we had some sun!) but still pleasant 10°C when we got here. Had meatballs and spaghetti for tea and hit the pit at 21:30.
30 June 2010
Up at 07:18 (mainly 'cause Roxie needed to go out!). Sun coming up, nearly-full moon out and 3°C. Watched some dolphins playing in the surf and leaping right out of the water - cool! Then had breakfast (bacon, eggs, mushies etc.)and now 10:20 and been for a long walk down the beach. Got all the way to the lagoon! Lovely mild weather with a bit of a breeze but nice 7.5°C - which feels mild and warm to us after what we've had for the last couple of weeks! 
12:28 - went for another walk (!!) to check out if "our spot" was free - yes - so we moved. Now glorious sunny and 11°C and got the windows on Maggie wide open - heaven! Spent an hour or so getting driftwood for tonight's baked spud and getting warmer all the time - only one layer of clothes on and that's too hot for collecting wood!! Sat and chilled for rest of afternoon, and watched news and weather again. Mike put spud on fire at 19:40, and also going to cook the chicken minion on fire, so that will be interesting. 5°C - which isn't that cold, but the stiff off-shore breeze if making it feel very chilly! Still, on the news we saw that it was only 1°C in Alexandra, so this definitely the best place to be. Ate tea at 20:30 - YUM, the chicken was just beautiful - stuffed with basil pesto and wrapped in bacon, then wrapped in aluminium foil and thrown in the fire. Quite tired after all that walking, so bed at around 21:15!
1 July 2010
