The big winter storm trip to Blenheim 17 to 25 June 2013

17 June 2013

11:05, 7.5 ºC and raining, 312399kms. Going north to check up on Dad, who is now in fulltime dementia care. The weather couldn't be worse - not sure how far we'll get because roads are closed everywhere: east coast due to flooding, round here due to rockfalls and slips, up the middle due to snow! But we're going to try! Oh, in between last trip & this one Maggie was serviced in QT,  hence the increase in mileage.
11:35 Cromwell for quick shop and a pie!
13:00 One pass safely out of the way! Snow on the Lindis but the road is gritted and open!
14:25 Lake Tekapo: 1.5º and lots of snow around but roads ok. Hope it stays that way over Burkes Pass. And then: flooding!

Got to Kaiapoi Club at 18:15, after about 15kms of traffic jams through Chch and going slow to manoeuvre through flooding. Picked here because it's not grass or dirt. It is soooo wet that we need tarmac or concrete under our wheels! And I feel sorry for the people here - the earthquake damage is still very evident, especially when it rains, let alone floods! Had a couple of drinks in the club and now cooking yellow thai curry for tea.
 

18 June 2013

Up at 07:00 after being woken several times during the night by planes (right under the flight path to Chch airport), trains (right beside the railway) and automobiles (right beside a side road which we didn't think would have any traffic!). Anyway, 4º and clear skies so hoping for a better day travelling today! 08:30 ready to move - aiming for Peketa Holiday Park so we can chill for a bit and also let the dogs run.

Had breakfast at Amberley Beach and stopped for a coffee at Cheviot. Checked out Alexander & Emily Craighead's grave at Homeview Cemetery - they were from Spotswood (Parnassus) & he was Mike's 2nd cousin.  11:30 - at the Kaikoura Coast and the end of the sun - seafog! Bugger! 12:10 - sitting waiting for lunch (blue cod) at the Adelphi in Kaikoura. Grey, wet mist but not cold. Just bought some new shoes - my new boots leak like a sieve so have bought some little black ankle boots & we'll see how they go!  13:00 @ Peketa Holiday Park. Let dogs run along beach - still misty and damp but not cold as it's 13.5º. Spent afternoon stitching/reading/walking dogs/nana napping/doing surveys and showering.  Played rummikub (which we bought especially to have on Maggie as it's the travel version and then forgot to pack last trip because we play it at home too!). Steak, mushie sauce and veggies for tea.
 

19 June 2013

Up at 07:40, 8 degrees and drizzling but at least the snow hasn't arrived yet! Got to Blenheim at 11:30 & stopped at Warehouse to get new mat (forgot it) & had lunch (pumpkin soup and toast) sitting outside Pollard Park. Went and saw Dad & spent couple of hours there.  Then arranged to park up at Blenheim Top 10 Holiday Park as it's raining, raining. $39 for the night and once all settled in and taken dogs for a wet walk we realised that there is a railway line right beside us. A mere couple of meters away! And over the other side is SH 1 & we are under the flight path! But we are on tarseal. And then we realised we had left the new mat on the tarseal at Pollard Park! Anyway had a drink at the Grove Tavern.. Mike bbqed the pork steaks for tea and that was the end of a tough day.
 

20 June 2013

Up at 06:45 after a very restless night with trains, trucks & rain, rain and more rain! Not cold though - 6.5º. Spent 4 hours with Dad with the dogs while Mike mucked around in town. Just as we left the home the rain arrived again. Got to Rarangi about 3pm and took dogs for a play just before the storm hit. Heavy rain and winds. Had stir fry chook for tea.
 

21 June 2013

Up at 7am after good night's sleep. Rain and wind are much nicer noises than trains! 6.5º and not raining! Snow on hills all around and a ferocious surf the only evidence of a storm that has caused chaos around the south island. Took dogs for a couple of walks which they really enjoyed - no leads necessary! Now 10:20 and off to see Dad while Mike goes for a haircut and to get a leak in Maggie's cooling system looked at. And we left yet another mat behind! What is it with this trip. No probs with Maggie (phew). Mike had a haircut - lunch parked at the garage.  Not at Dad's long. Went to the Omaka Aviation Centre - really cool but really expensive at $25 pp! Back to Rarangi. Still not sure if we can get home - biggest snowfall in Canterbury and Otago in decades! Yummy pork mignons for tea with delish mashed spuds.
 

22 June 2013

Up at 07:00 - raining! Went and said goodbye to Dad and left Blenheim after being doormat number 3! And as we drove out the warning sign said "Take extra care flooding and high winds". And at Ward we saw why. Glad we weren't driving through the winds that not only toppled some very large macrocarpa and gum trees but cracked heaps of them in half! Then we hit winds and battled our way in to Kaikoura. Put some more diesel in the tank and did some shopping. Had lunch at South Bay and thought about stopping at Peketa but in the end we decided to get over the hill to Parnassus. The wind disappeared as soon as we left the coast and was rapidly replaced by snow! Got to Parnassus at 15:00, 4º and raining. Had a spectacularly goodlooking yet completely tasteless piece of garlic & herb steak for tea! What a disappointment! 
 

23 June 2013

Up at 7:20 after couple of wake up calls during the night (Stoney & trains). Minus 1 & not a cloud in the sky! Yay it's going to be a good day. Still can't get home though - all roads into Central still require chains. Had showers and bacon & eggs for breakfast (finally - last 3 mornings has been cereals & now 11:00 and on the way south. Had BK for lunch at Belfast at 13:00. Stopped in Ashburton for more fuel and decided to keep going. Now 16:20 and checking into Fairlie Top 10 Holiday Park (we didn't extend our membership WHY? LOL) because there is soooo much snow around that we can't get into Lake Opuha or in behind the pub. No point in carrying on because Tekapo is even worse. Played in the snow with the dogs - snow makes Stoney go more than a little crazy! Bunny hopping, rolling and just running flat out - all normal snow behaviour for the Stoneman! Mike helped some asian tourists park their camper - it was either that or watch them scrape it to bits on the snow mounds! Had meat balls and spaghetti for tea. Freezing when we went to bed.
 

24 June 2013

Had a good night despite being parked right beside the State Highway - bugger all traffic! Up at 07:45 it's minus 3.6º. No clouds to be seen so another good day ahead. Drove through amazing amounts of snow and at one stage it was minus 6 (@11:00)! Hit fog just outside Pukaki and now about to have lunch parked beside the walkway in Twizel after letting the dogs run round and round for about an hour! They both seem to really love the stuff - even Roxie is bouncing around like a puppy!  14:00 Parked up at Fisherman's Bend after checking out all the other places - too wet, too windy or too much snow!  Very bitter wind blowing which makes the 5.8º feel much, much colder! Relaxing afternoon. Steak and pasta for tea. 1.6 degrees at 20:15 which means temp. is dropping now that wind has stopped.
 

25 June 2013

Happy Birthday Roxie! Up at 08:00 after a restless night caused by noisy wind! It did stop at one stage and the temp. dropped below freezing but then it picked up and howled around for hours. Good thing - no frost this morning. Was 5.8 when I got up but dropping now and it's 3.6! Left at around 10am and had our usual brunch at the Wrinkly Rams. Lots of snow through the Lindis but road clear. Clyde at 12:45 after stopping to dump in Cromwell.  Overcast and 7.5º. Have done exactly 1,980kms - 314187.

South 9 to 11 June 2013.

Sunset at Fortrose

9 June 2013
I know what you're thinking - we're back! After nearly 2 years of no blog we have decided that we miss not being able to see where we've been! And with mobile technology it's now much easier - we can blog on the go rather than having to sit for a couple of hours when we get home. So here we go: 11:56, 311661kms, very mild 9.5 degrees and we've looked at the weather forecast and south it is.
Did the normal as in fill up with diesel and some shopping for essentials and it's now 12:35 and on our way.
Had lunch (Chinese takeaways from China Rox) parked at the Roxburgh Rugby Club. Nice and warm and sunny - just hoping the Met. service have got it right because it looks pretty grey and cloudy in the direction we're heading!
16:30 - set up at Fortrose by the boat ramp after travelling on some new back country roads between Tapanui and Waipahi. And 30 seconds after we got here, Stoney decided to roll in some left over fish bits. Eeewww - thankfully it wasn't really horribly smelly so no major panic in the end! Phew. Moved Maggie to the grassy camping area we found when we were playing with the dogs. Lovely evening - the weather is clearing and currently 8 degrees.
Had a few beers, spoke to Gretchen & Jeff who thought we should go and visit them (but this is our weekend and they're working so not a good idea!) and went to bed at about 22:30 after Mike's homemade veggie soup for tea.

View coming into Fortrose from Balclutha end

10 June 2013
Up at 08:00 after a really good night. Not a cloud in the sky and 1.8 degrees. It's going to be a beaut day.
Had lovely lazy morning after b&e for breakfast. Walked dogs along to the harbour mouth past the remains of the shipwreck Ino. Lovely weather 10.5 degrees but slightly cool breeze. Had left over soup and chinese for lunch and then decided to go for a drive and check out Fraser's Beach but the road down looked very muddy and greasy so we have decided to go back to Fortrose.
But the best laid plans of "Mike & men" - give Mike time and a steering wheel and there's no telling where you end up. Spent the afternoon driving up and down dale and ended up in Wyndham. Had a drink at the pub there and then decided it was too far to go back to Fortrose. Checked out the parking at the Wyndham T&C - nah. So drove out to the Seaward Downs scenic reserve.  Thought it might be boggy - and it is, but managed to find a dry spot in a corner. Thought we might be surrounded by cows - and we are, but the bush is so far filtering the smell!.  All set up before 17:00 and 6.5 degrees. Great day of tiki-touring. Oh and went and checked out the Gorge Road Country Club for old times sake (went to meet Silver there years and years ago as he was coming to Fortrose for whitebaiting but he never showed. That was when we were still in Roxburgh and before cellphones! ). But the club was closed so didn't stay.
Had stir fry chook and veggies in hoisin sauce for tea. Marielle read in bed while Mike stayed up and watched TV. Lights out 22:30.

Seawards Downs Scenic Reserve

11 June 2013
Up at just before 08:00, 5 degrees. Will have brekkie in Gore. Now 09:34 and ready to get on the road. Dumped at Edendale - good facilities.
Had brunch in Gore at Capri - Marielle seafood chowder and Mike oyster soup, both of which were ok but nothing to write home about. But the cheese rolls were worth coming back for!
For the last couple of days we have pretty much forgotten that it's winter. But a sharp reminder coming home - peasoup fog and 1 degree coming in to Alex!
Home at 13:30, 312179kms - another 500kms plus trip!

The new addition to the family, 14 to 16 November 2011

14 November 2011
Mike finished work at about 14:00, and by just after 15:00 we were heading north, as we have finally agreed to bite the bullet and get another dog.  We're off to look at some black and white ones in Rolleston.  Got to Weedons at about 20:30, after stopping in Geraldine for the famous fish and chips - really good this time.  Ate them at the picnic area just by the bridge out of Geraldine.  Had a few beers, and checked on line for anything else of interest - Mike had seen a trailer with a dinghy and a quad bike that looked interesting before we left, but it had already sold.  Also decided that we would go and look at the golden puppy in Woodend - because basically, we would both prefer a golden dog, even if he is way more expensive!

15 November 2011
Up early (excitement?) and organised to go and see the puppies at 9am-ish.  Got there, and OMG, what a mess!  And not only a mess, but 2 of the three puppies were clearly unwell, very, very skinny and dehydrated, so we told the lady to take them to the vet and left her to it.  Had rung and organised to go and see the other pup in Kaiapoi, where he was for the day.  Got there about 10am-ish and met some absolutely lovely people - and a gorgeous wee golden boy. 
So then off to Woodend, so we could exchange money, have him microchipped etc.  Met his Mum and Dad, got his pedigree and left there about 13:00.  Stopped to buy some puppy food (Sheree (his breeder) had given us some, but we needed more) and headed off back down SH1.  Got to Ashburton to put some diesel in, but the pumps were empty, so had to fill up at Mobil instead.  Bugger - costs more, but still a saving doing it at Mobil.  Good trip so far, considering we have a 10 week old pup on board.  One wee accident, and he did have a chuck not long after we left, but apart from that no problems. 

Tuckered out in the long grass!

At Lake Opuha Mike agreed that we'd done enough driving, so we stopped there just after 17:00.  Beautiful evening - 20 degrees, sunny, light breeze and perfect spot to chill and get to know the new addition.  He's now got a name: Stoney (goes with Roxie, he's very laid back - so laid back it's like he's "stoned" and we are now "stone" broke).  Had chicken chow mein (Maggi packet mix) for tea and put Stoney in the shower cubicle to sleep. 

By the boat ramp at Lake Opuha

16 November 2011
Up early (06:00) to let Stoney out - he only cried once during the night, and that was at the same time as he wet his blanket, so suspect it was more to do with needing out than crying for mum or sister.  It absolutely bucketed down during the night, but now a chilly (3 degrees) cloud-free and sunny dawn.  We are both amazed that Stonye didn't keep us awake most of the night.  Left there at just after 08:00, had "breakfast" at Lake Tekapo and got home at 12:20. 

Waimate and Waitaki, 21 to 26 October 2011

NZMCA Park, Waimate

Decided that we might go over towards Waimate, as they are having the Waimate 50 weekend - a weekend of car racing events.  So spent the first night at Ohau C, Mike caught one tiddly fish but seeing as the weather was not nearly as warm as we thought it should be, we carried on. 
Got to Waimate and after driving around looking for parking spots, decided the NZMCA park was the only suitable place. 
Spent that night and the next day watching the racing, and left Waimate on Monday morning (Labour day).  As we were driving just past Waihao Forks, there's a signpost pointing down a road we've never been before. 

Maybe should have read
 this more carefully first!

So, in typical Mike fashion, off we go, saying "I wonder where this will take us?"  Well, over hill and down dale - on a very narrow dirt road! 

Got to a ford after several steep climbs, tight corners with major drop-offs and stared at it for quite a few minutes, wondering if we'd get through ok.  Thing is, we couldn't turn around, and we couldn't reverse all the way back to the start, so here goes. 

Oh yes, the AB's won!!!!!

No problem in the end!  Got to the Hakataramea Valley and parked up at a park not far from Te Akatarawa Campsite.  And just as well we did - we were ok all night, but there were such strong winds that there was damage everywhere in the lower South Island - and we never felt a thing!  But next morning was cold and windy, so we decided to head home.  Only thing is, we stopped at Neville and Wendy's for a coffee and ended up staying the night!  Another too late and too much to drink night, but oh, it was good!

12 Mile Delta, Queenstown, 20 to 23 September 2011

Decided to not do such in depth blogs anymore - all gets a bit boring when you mostly go to the same places.  But anyway, Mike was on a course in Queenstown, so Marielle picked him up from the Millenium and we went and parked up at 12 Mile Delta for the weekend.  Pretty much did our normal stuff, except that we ended up going for a 3 hour plus walk! 

It's a long way back to where we came from!

As we left the campsite to go along the track to Bob's Cove, we came across a new looking track, so followed that.  Really awesome, as it took us to Lake Dispute - magic views along the way and a stunning climb.  But, very tired feet when we got back! 


Met up with a Dutch couple (Riemer and Karli) travelling round the world that night, invited them to join us for tea.  Good night - but too late and too much to drink! 

Next day decided that we would go for another walk, but just a short one as we were both feeling the after-effects of yesterday's marathon!  So drove to Bob's Cove, so that we could walk the last bit of track from the road to the Cove.  Short walk - yeah right!  Ended up climbing up the rock, and got back to Maggie over an hour later!  And decided this campervanning was just hard bloody work!  LOL.

Off to the Coast - again - 11 to 13 August 2011

11 August 2011
292396kms, 10:42, 0°C with a bit of cloud around.  Off to the Coast for the weekend - the West Coast, that is.  Just thought I'd put that in there because Mike programmed the GPS unit and when we got to the top of the Clyde hill, it said "now turn left", which we did - and that took us down to the boat ramp!  It always says "now turn left or right" way too early - so Mike was playing silly buggers.  Well, when we turned around, the system got it's knickers in a complete twist, because the next thing you know, it's sending us across the Clyde Bridge towards Earnscleugh and after that who knows where.  And all this time it still said it was sending us to Haast Beach - 546kms away!  Had a good old laugh about it, and thinking we're glad we are not actually relying on it to get us there - would have been a long day's driving!  Anyway, stopped at Cromwell for some diesel with the 20cent discount voucher for 37.24L.  Oh, and here's the thing - we heard on the news this morning that BP had dropped the price of petrol and diesel by 3 to 4 cents.  But just because it's on the news doesn't mean to say that's what you pay at the pump - we rang around our local petrol stations, and not one of them had actually put the price down - they wait for official notification from BP - and that doesn't usually get through until "about 1pm", we were told.  So a lesson for those who rush out and fill there cars when there's a price decrease - don't!  Amazing though, that the price seems to go up immediately!  Anyway, I digress!  Had lunch at Relishes in Wanaka - not as good as last time, simply because last time we felt it was real value for money, and this time it wasn't!  Mike had smoked cod acini (which is just a fancy name for berry shaped!) - which he said could have been any fish, and there wasn't enough of it.  I had salt and pepper lime squid with a spicy korean dipping sauce.  The squid was cooked to perfection, but not enough salt or pepper and the dipping sauce was so sour it was acidic.  So we'd have what we had last time again, but not this.  Shame.  15:21 - all set up at our normal spot, after filling with water at DoC.  And what a surprise we got - the area where we park seemed to have inordinate amounts of driftwood - and so does the wee path from the beach. 

And then when we got to the beach we see that everything has changed.  No driftwood on the beach at all - it's all (apart from the big tree trunks) been washed into the dunes.  The beach is completely clean, and is now also just pea gravel - hardly any sand to be found.  Must have been one heck of a storm because in the years we've been coming to Haast Beach (even before Maggie) we've never seen it like this.  Did the normal relax stuff for the rest of the day (knitting, reading, nana-napping). 
Had tortellini and harvest sauce for tea, bed at 10:30.  Oh, temperature did drop to 2.9°C during the evening, but now back up to 4.9°C.  And, as you can see from the photo's, it was a lovely afternoon - very mild, sunny with little wind (which did make for a few too many sandflies!)




12 August 2011

Up at 07:30, 2.9°C.  Beautiful morning, not a cloud around but the breeze is keeping things a bit cool.  Now 10:40, 9°C and have had sausages, eggs and mushies for breakfast, had showers and done the chores (dishes, quick vacuum) and now contemplating going for a walk.  12:05 - just got back from a lovely walk along the beach - beautiful weather.  Light breeze, sun and 11.6°C, but felt warmer. 

Did the normal relax stuff for rest of day. 

Mike did get firepit ready, and collected firewood but apart from that we just chilled.  Now 17:00 and Mike's just prepared tea - his famous stuffed (sourcream, garlic salt, cheese) chicken wrapped in bacon and baked spud - YUM, salivating already!

And while we've been sitting here during the day, we kept saying that the gorse (that Mike did reduce in height about 2 years ago) had grown again, and it was spoiling our view - can't really see the sea unless we stand up, and can't see the island either. 


So at 17:35, Mike grabs the slasher and hoes into the gorse again - much better, now we've got a view again!  So that was Mike's exercise for the day!

And then we watched the news, and more importantly, the weather forecast.  Now, if we didn't have a TV, we'd probably still be stuck on the wrong side of the Haast Pass - but we now have TV, no matter where we're parked.  And the forecast is for a major winter storm, with heavy snow, blizzard conditions and gale force winds.  So we've decided we should head home before that hits - we don't have chains, and Mike really does have to be at work on Monday. 

13 August 2011

Up at 07:30, 6°C and we literally hit the road after a coffee.  Stopped at Albert Town camp ground for some brunch (ham and cheese sandwiches) and a cuppa and got home, in beautiful weather, just after midday.  292849kms. 

PS - the storm did arrive, but not until Sunday afternoon - and did cause major disruption on the roads, with the Haast Pass still listed as "chains essential" on Wednesday morning.

Waitaki Valley, 28 to 31 July 2011

28 July 2011
13.5°C, 291835kms, 15:10 and YAY, we're finally away again. Hopefully all the recent snow will have disappeared off all the roads and we're off over the hill for the weekend. Mike has been on day work for the last 3 weeks, and will be again for the next couple of weeks, so between the weather (heavy snow everywhere but at home) and his being on Monday-Friday, 8am to 5pm "normal" working hours we've not had a chance to get away. 16:44 - stopped at Omarama at Mobil to fill up with 51.99L of diesel (291963kms). 

At Wilderness

Then we stopped at Sailor's cutting for a few minutes to let Roxie have a run, because we'd decided that we were going to have a couple of beers at the Otematata Pub before parking somewhere for the night. Got to Wildlife Reserve at just after 18:00 - didn't park in our "normal" spot because it's blowing and we wanted to be sheltered but still able to get TV reception.   Sitting watching TV we swore we could hear something or someone outside. Now, we're the only ones here (everything's locked up) and there is signs of boy racer activity all around the place, so Mike got the gun ready. 

Sheltered at Wilderness

And then we heard something again, so Mike grabbed the gun and the torch and went to investigate. Couldn't see a thing - but did try to shoot the rabbit though! Missed. Had pork and veggies in hoisin sauce for tea and watched TV, Marielle until 21:30, Mike until he'd finished watching "Justified" at 22:30. Oh, and it's been a very, very mild afternoon and evening - not what you'd expect for the end of July, at all.

29 July 2011
Marielle got up at 08:00, but we were both awake much earlier due to the cars that arrived at the campsite, while it was still dark. Have no idea what they were doing, but certainly woke us up.  And then the road to Benmore got so busy with everyone off to work that it was difficult getting back to sleep for a while - like a super highway! Anyway, 8.7°C - once again, very mild. Forecast is for wind, rain and snow to 500m this evening, but for now we'll take this! 

Along the lake walk

10:00 - been for a walk along the lake towards Otematata, and now just about to have a cuppa - the sun's out and it's warm: 12.5°C in the shade! 11:09 - going to find another spot further away from the Divide to see if we can avoid the bad weather that's meant to be coming as it's supposed to be better towards the East Coast.

YUM!

Had lunch (home made sushi) beside Lake Aviemore at Akatarawa Campsite - outside!! Gorgeous weather with 16.6°C and sunny. A bit windy, so not quite good enough for no sweatshirts! Thought about staying here because it really is a lovely spot, but then decided we should carry on as it's not that much further than where we were this morning! But in the end, we didn't get much further - it was just too nice to be driving, so we stopped at Waitangi, by the boat harbour. 







At Waitangi

Initially Mike couldn't get TV reception, so he drove a bit further out from the trees, with the TV going and dish up, until he got it! Funny to watch! Went for a walk to explore the area a bit and then spent the rest of the afternoon sleeping and resting (Mike) and cross-stitching (Marielle) with the doors and windows open! Clouds came and went, and it wasn't quite nice enough to sit outside due to the wind, but nice enough to let the fresh air in until 15:00, when the wind changed, and the temperature started to drop. The rain arrived at 17:00 and the temperature started dropping too. Had chicken stirfry with veggies and chinese bbq sauce for tea. Now 21:15 and 3.2°C. Which is not bad when you consider what we've had at home recently (minus 3.2 at this time of the night!), but compared to last couple of nights it's getting cool! Doesn't really worry us though - we're always snug as a bug on Maggie! Hit the pit at 22:00.

30 July 2011
Up at 08:10 after a restless night from 01:00 onwards thanks to a gaggle of noisy, chattering, having a party around Maggie, geese! It sounded like there was heaps and heaps of them, and they were seriously interested in telling each other all about whatever it was they were talking about, all bloody night long! So interspersed with Mike occasionally snoring and some hefty winds dropping twigs on Maggie, it wasn't the best ever sleep! And with the overnight winds the temperature rose - it was 7.4°C at 01:00, and now it's still a balmy 6°C.



Nothing like relaxing in bed
playing games!

10:49, sunny day, but very cold southerly blowing now (although it's 11°C) and we are ready to move to ??? We'll see when we get there! 12:18 - in Oamaru. Thing is, we did need to dump the toilet etc., and there is nowhere open anywhere between the Lakes and here. We tried a few places, but everything's locked. Quite amazing really - everybody goes on about people needing to be more responsible when freedom camping and then they lock all the dump sites.  Ok, not many people out and about at this time of the year - but we certainly weren't the only campervan on the road.  And although we enjoyed chinese for lunch in Omarau,



It is called Fisherman's Bend!

we were hoping to eat at Fleur's "other place" (The Merc & Loan) except for the fact that they still only just do Ploughman's - we were hoping for something better than that, so hence we ended up with Chinese.  13:47 - heading back up the Valley!  Nowhere nice to park from Oamaru south, so we're just heading back.14:59 - at Fisherman's Bend. Lovely sunny day and when you're out of the wind it's not bad at all. In fact, in full sun and with Maggie as a shelter belt we sat outside !!!! 'til 17:00!!! YAY, spring is showing signs of arriving! Mike made a awesome venison stir-fry for tea, watched the AB's beat South Africa and when we went to bed it was just on freezing.

31 July 2011

Up at 07:50, 2.4°C and blowing a stiff NW - and has been for much of the night.  Which is good, because it was forecast to be minus 3 this morning!  Had bacon, eggs and mushrooms for breakfast and now 10:50 and on our way home.  And then we get to Sailor's cutting - absolutely no wind, and obviously hasn't been at all as it's minus 1°C here.  So obviously the NW almost gale we had is very localised! 

Called it to see Neville and Wendy but they weren't around, so on to Mobil to fill up with a slurp of diesel (30.94L) before heading back over the Lindis.  13:22 - just done our weekly grocery shop at Cromwell New World.  Got home at 13:42, 7°C and sunny, 292371kms.

Boundary Creek, 1 to 2 July 2011

1 July 2011

291578kms, foggy and minus 0.5°C at 14:24.

Quick stop at the Clyde Library because the cross-stitch is finished and so I am going to need something else to do & then into Alexandra for diesel and a quick shop and then out of the valley to sun - apparently it's sunny just up the road - but in reality heading for the West Coast as that's where the weather is meant to be good for the next few days.  Mike filled up with 37.8 litres while I went shopping.  14:57 - on our way.  Fog lifted just outside Cromwell but back again from Hawea onwards - much higher than at home where it was ground level after this morning's hoar frost.  Arrived at Boundary Creek at 16:22 and while Mike set things up I took Roxie for a walk along the beach.  (And that's where everything started to go wrong - me taking Roxie while Mike set things up was a break from our normal routine - and it never got right again!  But anyway, I get ahead of myself!).  When I got back from the walk, Mike is standing beside Maggie with a somewhat perplexed look on his face, and at that point he asks me if I happen to have a standard BSP plug on me.  Turns out he had drained the hot water cylinder the other day for frost protection and to check the anode (which is corroding (as it should) but not that bad that it won't last a bit longer) and while he had it out he decided to fix and paint the end as it was showing signs of rust.  But, he’d left the anode sitting on the garage bench, and there was just a gaping black hole where the anode should be!  Meaning, we couldn’t fill with water!

Oh well, no drama's - we can last until we get to Haast where hopefully someone will have a plug - just means no showers.  Good thing is at Boundary Creek DoC kindly provide a tap with drinking water - must be a reason we only got this far today!

I had decided to get something different to eat this trip, so I had packed soy sauce (to go with the sushi I made yesterday) and fish sauce (for the Thai chicken stir fry we love) in little Glad containers.  Lesson - they may claim they are watertight - but THEY ARE NOT!  When I got onto Maggie after filling all I could smell was fish sauce.  Thank god the glad containers were in one of our plastic hold-everything-in-place baskets - otherwise the woodwork would have reeked of fish-sauce!  But despite that, we smelled fish sauce for the rest of the night – despite the smellies we had going!

Beer o’clock – that’s when we noticed that some of the Speight's cans are dinged- bought last week but Mike didn't notice at the time that it was old packaging - and inside it we now discover are 9 old style cans and 3 of this year’s Coast to Coast cans.  When we opened the old style cans – FLAT!  This is all going a bit pear-shaped so far.  OK we have heaps more non-flat beer so no dramas but still - too many things not going right.  And then we saw on the weather forecast that instead of it being nice weather on the coast they are now forecasting cloud for tomorrow (Saturday) and rain on Sunday - so after a very stressful day what with ACC not paying me and Mike being on mornings so he's tired we went to bed having called this trip a write-off and we will head home as soon as we get up tomorrow morning.

2 July 2011

Got home around 10am 2 July 2011 291834kms.

 

Dansey's Pass, 25 to 26 June 2011

25 June 2011
13:50, 4.5°C and partly sunny/cloudy.  291338kms and we are off to Dansey's Pass Coach Inn for the night for Contact Energy's Mid-winter Christmas do. 

Looking towards the pass.

We were supposed to go to Naseby first so that everybody could go luge-ing or curling, but because it's been so warm, there is no ice to do either.  So it'll just be dinner - should still be good though! 

Looking towards the hotel.

Taking Maggie so we don't have either a long boring bus trip there and back, or have to pay $160 for accommodation at the Hotel.  Stopped at BP Alexandra to fill (291348) with 66.2L of diesel, using our 20c per litre discount voucher - just as well, because it was $103.87 on the pump!  Got to Dansey's at about 15:45, just ahead of the rest of the troops.  Found ourselves a nice level spot beside the river, and headed off inside to have a thoroughly enjoyable night.  Early night though, considering we were out - back on Maggie at 11:15, bed soon after.  Oh, and it was only 1.8 degrees and raining when we walked from the hotel to Maggie!

26 June 2011

Fog in the valleys!

Up at 08:40, 1.6°C but the sun is coming up! Had bacon/eggs/mushrooms for breakfast, did the dishes and ready to hit the road at 10:20.  And it became evident as we were travelling along that the rain had finally deposited some snow on the hills!  Yay!  And it also became evident as we got closer to home that we would be decending into the fog - yet again!  Home at 11:44, 291577kms, 2.5°C and foggy!