13:08, 19°C with sun and cloudy bits (yeah, I know - it's February and we're supposed to be having 29, not 19! But that's the story of this summer - since 18 Dec 2010 it's been wet, cold and often miserable. The occasional good day thrown in, but nothing spectacular!) and we are off over the hill. Odometer reads 284740kms as Marielle took Maggie into Alexandra last week to put some diesel in her, hoping we'd go away then - but no joy, as the weather was not great. So very keen to get out for a couple of nights - have to be back Saturday afternoon as Mike starts day shift on Monday. Got some supplies from Clyde 4 Square, and after Mike has finished checking the tyre pressures are ok (he's doing that as I am writing this) we can hit the road and keep going 'til we get to the other side. Did stop and check out Crippletown, thinking we could stay there instead of driving all the way over the hill, but didn't spin our wheels. Got to Ahuriri River for a stretch at 14:59, then carried on into Twizel to get some water - and decided we might as well have a drink before parking up. Oh, and realised as we were leaving Clyde that I'd forgotten to pack the camera - so no pictures of this trip. Not that this will be any great loss, because it's not like we haven't been here before! And if we do happen to catch "the big one" there's always cellphones! Anyway, parked up and all set up right beside the canal at 17:19. Talked to a couple from Oamaru for ages - lovely couple with a beautifully home built bus called Mac's Gold. Warm enough all afternoon to just have shorts and T-shirt on, but by no means hot. Watched TV and had butterfly pork, corn and home-grown spuds for tea and climbed in between the sheets at 22:21.
11 February 2011
Up at 09:05!!! OMG - what a massive sleep-in! And, it was a really good night's sleep as well. YAY. Overcast and only 12.5°C, but weatherman Jim told us last night that the cloud would burn off. And it did - eventually, but the day never got hot. In fact, when the sun ducked behind clouds, a sweatshirt was required. Despite that, we spent most of the day outside - Mike spent his time cutting in, polishing and waxing the 3rd side of Maggie (did the other 2 last week at home). Pretty sure people think we're mad - parked beside a beautiful stretch of water and we're polishing and waxing! Drew some strange looks from people boating past, anyway! Also tried to catch fish - no luck. Tried once again to get the big one which hangs out by the pipe - but there's a reason he's so big - he's too smart to let anyone catch him.
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| Feeding the ducks! |
12 February 2011
Up at 08:15, after another good night's sleep. Overcast and 13.5°C and after a couple of coffees each we went to Twizel to dump before heading home. Slow trip through the Lindis because we had so many "brakers" in front of us - idiot tourists who speed along the straits and then throw out the anchors when they get to a corner - even one where they can see all the way round! Anyway, stopped at the Stables for a stretch and to let Roxie have a run before going to Nichols' Garden Cafe and getting Southland Sushi (as they call their massive, and delicious, cheese rolls!) and Smoked Salmon Strudel for lunch - YUM. At that beside the lake and then did our grocery shopping at Cromwell New World (saved us having to drive into Alexandra once we'd got home). Got home at 13:07, 285112kms on the clock - so that makes a 372km trip. And an enjoyable and relaxing one, at that!
