21 November 2014
OMG it's been so long since we blogged!! In the meantime my back has been really bad (& not getting better but I am once again learning to live with it) which has been the main reason for not being away. But we've also moved house! We did live on Maggie out the back of Clyde (from 10 to 14 October) because our furniture moved to Alexandra before we did but we aren't counting that as a Maggie trip! We also have 2 brand new maintenance free deep cycle glass mat batteries - no more worries about running the heating all day & night (we hope!). Anyway: Left Alexandra at 10:30 to travel to Oamaru where we were scheduled to pick up the NZBCF Pink Caravan to tow her through to Queenstown. Stopped at Palmerston for lunch - beautiful elephant fish and chips! Got to Oamaru in plenty of time, so went in search of the Warehouse to buy some more sloggers for Marielle (saves wet feet taking dogs out first thing!) but no joy. Oh, should have said - Marielle and dogs are on Maggie, Mike is in the Murano as we didn't think Maggie had enough oomph to tow Pinkie. Anyway, picked up Pinkie at the scheduled time of 16:00, on our way to Waimate at 16:15.
OMG it's been so long since we blogged!! In the meantime my back has been really bad (& not getting better but I am once again learning to live with it) which has been the main reason for not being away. But we've also moved house! We did live on Maggie out the back of Clyde (from 10 to 14 October) because our furniture moved to Alexandra before we did but we aren't counting that as a Maggie trip! We also have 2 brand new maintenance free deep cycle glass mat batteries - no more worries about running the heating all day & night (we hope!). Anyway: Left Alexandra at 10:30 to travel to Oamaru where we were scheduled to pick up the NZBCF Pink Caravan to tow her through to Queenstown. Stopped at Palmerston for lunch - beautiful elephant fish and chips! Got to Oamaru in plenty of time, so went in search of the Warehouse to buy some more sloggers for Marielle (saves wet feet taking dogs out first thing!) but no joy. Oh, should have said - Marielle and dogs are on Maggie, Mike is in the Murano as we didn't think Maggie had enough oomph to tow Pinkie. Anyway, picked up Pinkie at the scheduled time of 16:00, on our way to Waimate at 16:15.
Got to Waimate without problems except for not believing Google maps about where the showgrounds were. Found them eventually and parked Pinkie in her allotted spot. Then on to Waimate NZMCA Park where we got talking to Ian & Gaynor from Oamaru and ended up sitting with them, drinking and yakking until 20:00. Had pre-made minestrone for tea.
22 November 2014Day dawned nice - 15 degrees and partly cloudy/sunny. But forecast wasn't good so walked dogs before 7:30 am. Went and checked out the A&P show and checked on Pinkie and Janice and Gill (the Breastcare nurses). Started to rain so back to Maggie - literally just around the corner (Google maps was right!). Chilled for a while, then rain eased so back to the show for some lunch. And then at 14:00 the rain & southerly wind arrived and by 15:00 the temp was down to 10 degrees.
Collected Pinkie at 15:30 as the rain and wind had effectively made foot traffic disappear. Had a coffee back on Maggie with Janice and Gill. Still rained heavily until 17:30 when rain and wind disappeared leaving cloudy skies. Hoping for a nice day tomorrow so we can stop and have a fish somewhere on way home. 
23 November 2014The day started overcast but soon showed signs of clearing. Headed off at 08:30, dumped & got supplies. All set up at Wildlife Reserve at 11:15. Spent the day enjoying the fine weather (24 degrees and only some cloud developing late afternoon) and doing what we do best on Maggie - chilaxing!
24 November 2014
Up at the usual time of 6am & what a gorgeous morning! No dew and mild. Took dogs for a walk to the Boat Harbour and decided it was mich nicer round there (Wildlife is really overgrown and the barley grass is shocking), so moved everything round there because even though we had thought we might go home today the weather is far too good to spend it driving. And we don't have to be back 'til tomorrow afternoon (big tv and sound system being installed on Wednesday) . All was great until we decided to empty the toilet. Mike uncoupled the caravan from the Murano and went and dumped. When he went to hook the caravan back up the caravan lurched forward when he released the brake - & straight into the Murano's bumper. Bugger bugger bugger! And it's been a super warm day - 28 degrees - but unfortunately the sun disappeared very rapidly at 14:30. Still warm but that's the end of the good weather for now, we think. And it wasn't. The rest of the afternoon saw a couple of very, very light showers alternated with brilliant hot sunshine. Did have some fellow NZMCA-ers pull up right beside us (there's like 3 other people in the whole place!!) but they're German and from the North Island so what do you expect!!? Sitting outside at 18:30 and it's still 23 degrees. After being so hot Marielle decided she needed a shower. And just as she turned the tap off it sounded like the tanks were empty!!! So, unclip one dog who was asleep inside but tied to a post outside, drive Maggie to the tap (about 10 metres away), fill enough for Mike to have a shower and do some dishes, and reverse back to same spot! LOL. Never done that before - we did top up the water tank yesterday but not enough for 2 lots of showers! Oh, and Roxie must have eaten something that doesn't agree with her - she's been sick twice this afternoon!
Up at the usual time of 6am & what a gorgeous morning! No dew and mild. Took dogs for a walk to the Boat Harbour and decided it was mich nicer round there (Wildlife is really overgrown and the barley grass is shocking), so moved everything round there because even though we had thought we might go home today the weather is far too good to spend it driving. And we don't have to be back 'til tomorrow afternoon (big tv and sound system being installed on Wednesday) . All was great until we decided to empty the toilet. Mike uncoupled the caravan from the Murano and went and dumped. When he went to hook the caravan back up the caravan lurched forward when he released the brake - & straight into the Murano's bumper. Bugger bugger bugger! And it's been a super warm day - 28 degrees - but unfortunately the sun disappeared very rapidly at 14:30. Still warm but that's the end of the good weather for now, we think. And it wasn't. The rest of the afternoon saw a couple of very, very light showers alternated with brilliant hot sunshine. Did have some fellow NZMCA-ers pull up right beside us (there's like 3 other people in the whole place!!) but they're German and from the North Island so what do you expect!!? Sitting outside at 18:30 and it's still 23 degrees. After being so hot Marielle decided she needed a shower. And just as she turned the tap off it sounded like the tanks were empty!!! So, unclip one dog who was asleep inside but tied to a post outside, drive Maggie to the tap (about 10 metres away), fill enough for Mike to have a shower and do some dishes, and reverse back to same spot! LOL. Never done that before - we did top up the water tank yesterday but not enough for 2 lots of showers! Oh, and Roxie must have eaten something that doesn't agree with her - she's been sick twice this afternoon!
25 November 2014
Up really early - 5:30am - because Roxie needed out - she'd been sick again during the night. She didn't actually want out as much as she was desperate for a drink. Went back to bed for a while, but we were on our way to the Wrinkly Rams at 8:30. Got home safe and sound, exactly 600kms later. Next instalment when we take Pinkie through to Cromwell on Thursday.
27 November 2014
14:40 and we're on our way to collect the caravan from Cromwell New World (where Marielle dropped her off at 08:30 this morning and then on to Queenstown for the night. Got to Queenstown at 17:30 and found perfect spot at Creeksyde. Had Fergburger for tea after a wee win at the Casino. Home at just after 11:00.
28 November 2014
Awake early due to other people leaving at 05:50. Then decided we should get Pinkie set up before Rees Street got too busy so all set up by 07:45. Had Macca's breakfast wraps, said goodbye to Gill & Trish and headed out to Frankton. Took dogs for a walk and then off to Specsavers for Mike's appointment. Did some more shopping (some gorgeous artificial orchids to save buying flowers all the time & a popcorn maker for the media room) & searched for a flat roll away drinking water hose (no luck). Buy that time too late to go and have lunch with Kirsty so had lunch at Thaitanium (crispy pork belly salad & sizzling garlic seafood) - YUM - and then back into town to have Maggie serviced. Left town at 14:40. Stopped in Cromwell for supplies and then on to home.
