3 January 2015
13:30 and we're off over the hill to park beside a lake or river with trees as the forecast is hot, hot, hot. We don't need to be back until 13/1 and the only aim is to deliver some stuff to Gaye and Brownie who moved to Coleridge yesterday. All set up at the spot in the trees on the true right bank of Lake Pukaki by 16:30. Spent rest of day and evening enjoyong the superb weather and views!
4 January 2015
Up at 06:20 to let the dogs out. 15 degrees and partly cloudy but the forecast is for 28 degrees and sunny, so bring it on. And it did. 34 degrees, & still 32 at 17:00. Even went for a swim in Lake Pukaki. Well Mike went for a proper swim, I slowly waded in upto my armpits! Took the dogs for a run along the bike this morning before it got hot but did nothing other than read, stitch and chillax the rest of the day. Mike went for a ride on the quad first thing but then did the same as in nothing for the rest of the day! We did have cold showers after our swim - we were cold anyway and one thing we'd forgotten to do before we left was check the gas and we weren't sure we'd have enough! Had bbq steak with twice cooked chips (cut into wedges, boil & them crisp them up on the bbq - did it last night too and it was a huge success!) & broccoli for tea. Sat outside waiting for the breeze to arrive but only a little one and 27 degrees when we went to bed.
5 January 2015
Up at 7am. 20 degrees but a fair wind blowing. Had breakast and then Marielle washed her hair after boiling the jug - that's a first. Now 10:30 and off to Twizel to dump and get supplies - including gas! Will also call in and see the Mulcahy's, who are at their holiday home, before heading on to the NZMCA Park at Lake Tekapo. And then, waiting in the queue to fill our water tank, I go to take the dogs for a quick walk and realise that their collars are still "drying" on the tree right outside where we were parked. So we'll have to go back that way! Bugger. Did what we had to do in Twizel and back to our spot to pick up collars. Had lunch there - salad and hot pork sandwich and headed off at 13:00. Did think about staying another night but the wind's picked up and blowing right in, so decided to move! Got to NZMCA Lake Tekapo and did our normal relaxing stuff. Awesome spot woth access to the lake, cycle and walking trails and a fully fenced secure dog park next door.
6 January 2015
Up at 6:48 - not sure what woke us up but it may have been the 6.4 quake at Lake Coleridge - poor Brownie & Gaye!. Thankfully no reports of damage. Took dogs for a bike ride along the water front but that was a disaster as Stoney tucked into several dead rabbits despite getting his bum smacked and then Roxie'd had enough and took off for home. Thankfully straight back to Maggie. On the road at 10:00 and within a few kms the temperature had dropped 7 degrees and we hit the usual cloud at Burke's Pass. Stopped in Ashburton for supplies and got to Gaye & Brownies at 15:00. Experienced another earthquake while there, & also found out that we have won a $500 voucher from Cruiseabout through a Facebook promo I entered before Xmas! It's also valid with Flightcentre!! Had a great eveningbut went to bed way too late - 23:30!
7 January 2015
After saying goodbye to Brownie before he left for work, & Gaye, we are on the road at 10am, heading in the direction of the West Coast Road (Arthurs Pass) via the back roads! And then, as sometimes happens with us, a complete change of plan. Decided going down the West Coast was too much driving - we wanted to chill. So we decided we'd head back towards Lake Tekapo. But then, just as we got to the main road out, Mike said "no, stuff it, we're here now, we are going to Ryton Bay to park up for a couple of days". So that's what we did. Initially set up right beside the Lake, but it got too windy so moved round to the shelter of the shrub. I spent the afternoon doing my usual stuff while Mike explored - & got very wet - on the quad. He got wet because, well, that's what happens when you go up and down rivers and blast full tit into the lake! Hahaha.😆. BBQ chicken and CORN (yum, had some last night too!) & spuds for tea and bed much earlier than last night.
8 January 2015
Up at 7am (after being woken earlier by boats arriving) to a dead calm 8 degrees with low low cloud. Hopefully that will burn off and we'll have that gorgeous day the weather forecast promised us last night! Well, it started out ok, slowly warming to 22 degrees and the sun trying to shine. But by midday the wind was up, the sun was gone and the temp was down to 16.5 degrees. And just as I started typing this update, it looks like the sun might just win the battle! Bring it on! And finally, at 13:20, the sun won. And so did the southerly! But in Maggie's shelter it was lovely. Mike tried to catch a fish - no luck!! I washed the dogs - they were panting and hot so it was a perfect time with such a clean fresh lake to do it in. Lamb steaks, corn and salad for tea and I hit the pit early at 21:15 with Mike following not long after.
9 January 2015
We have been up during the night with Roxie. When we got up for our normal toilet stop at 1:15, Roxie needed to go out too. And as it was cold (6 degrees) I decided to put their jackets on both dogs when they came back in and it was then that I saw that Roxie had a very swollen face. Gave her half an antihistamine tablet. We have no idea how she might have got this as we never heard her yelp or anything but she's obviously been stung. We haven't seen any bees or wasps either - except bumble bees. And she was fine when we went to bed, although Mike had noticed her scratching. Up at 6:30 to a beautiful morning. Roxie's face still swollen - another antihistamine and also an extra prednisone because we're hoping it is just a sting, not another autoimmune problem. Left at 08:15!! At Methven we stopped at the vets - turns out she's been bitten by a whitetail. So, out comes everything: squabs, blankets, laundry, carpet, underlay. Spray inside all cupboards! Had lunch (the best combination chow mein ever) in Ashburton. And, after doing some shopping, we decided it was too nice to keep driving, so parked up for the night at the Tinwald Domain (Ashburton Holiday Park)! It's gorgeous weather and too hot to drive and this is a nice enough spot. Sat outside beside the duck pond, in the shade as it was 30 degrees and too hot in the sun. And as we progressed through the day we sat and people watched in amazement. This place has a number of permanents and they are an eclectic mix of people. Almost all appear to be working. But they range from people with nice caravans who feed the resident rooster, to a working girl in a bus who is a bit flower powery, but does a complete circle on her way out for the night to feed the rooster, to an English woman who looks slightly unstable, to a family on the benefit and a row of bogans! Interesting! Not to mention the tourists!! Pork steak, corn and salad for tea.
10 January 2015
Up at 6:20, but awake much earlier thanks to the bloody rooster deciding it was time to wake us up at 5:10! Not to mention the late night noisy arrivals, the grumpy duck who had to let the world know all night that she was grumpy and a goose who called everyone to order sometime in the middle of the night! Anyway, it's going to be another scorcher so we want to head off before it gets too hot! 08:20 - sitting at Taste Cafe in Ashburton waiting for breakfast! Mike has decided he's not so sure about the movanner lifestyle anymore - he's up way too early for his liking! Went and checked out Lake Hood which is an awesome spot and then, as we were heading back Mike saw a sign for Ashburton Beach. So off we went and 11km later ended up at the sea, beside the Ashburton river, opposite the Hakatere camp. Unfortunately, thick sea fog is rolling in, & also the place looks like it could be hoonville and is a bit of a dump. Stopped in Geraldine at 11:15 for a milkshake & it's already 26°. And really glad we had a lovely soot beside big shady trees at NZMCA Lake Tekapo as it got to 37°. At one stage I took the dogs down to the water and Stoney literally sat down and curled up his pads as the sand was that hot it was obviously painful! Watched the news sitting outside - hehe, who needs a flash unit with outside TV? Met up with Gary, the artist I had met before at Parnasus and sat round and yarned to him. Steak, corn and spuds for tea. Bed late - 11:30!!
11 January 2015
Up at 07:10 to 16°, overcast and by the sound of the trees and the look of the lake a decent norwester. And seeing as we know what the drive between here and Lake Pukaki is like when it's windy we may just hunker down here for the day - tomorrow it's meant to be fine again. Went and dumped & got Mike a couple of magazines. And checked out Kohan Japanese which looked good enough for a trip back into town. And it was - delish! Went back to camp, took dogs for a walk along the foreshore and then Mike read/nana-napped while I went exploring Lake Tekapo Station's numerous tracks on my bike. Awesome - some bits steep, all of it up and down but worth the effort. Then caught up with Gary, and also Ted & Lynn from Auckland (their bus is called Jafashack so we knew they'd be ok!!). Now 20:40 and we're cooking. Cool day and glad we stayed even if it was WAY hotter at home - only got to 20° here today with cloud and a hefty NW at times. Had chicken, spuds and the last of the corn for tea and with that the last day of our holiday draws to a close. It's been an awesome trip, with great weather, good friends and new people & places.
12 January 2015
Up at 6:50 - so a really good night's sleep given we were in bed by 21:30 last night! 08:35 - dumped etc and on the way home (via the Wrinkly Rams, of course!). Home at midday.
