Love Every Drop

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26th November

It rained all night. I woke up at 6.30 and it was still pissing it down, my chair, table and cooker were we through. The bucket with my washing up in had about 2 inches of water in it.

Sod it, I really did not want to attempt breakfast in such heavy rain. I loaded the van up, went to the loo and got dressed and was left the site by 7.15, breakfast would be at a bakery.

Every small town has a bakery, which serves as a cafe as well. Got to a place called Freetown and spotted The Corner Bakery, did a u turn and parked up.

Got quite a stare from a local who was drinking a cuppa. Looked at the menu, Big Breakfast, that’’ll do, I could a full one or a half I ordered a half and a coffee. I thought they had given me full serving in error as it consisted of half a large tomato, poached egg, large sausage, 2 huge rashers of bacon, 2 hash browns, 1 sliced of buttered toast and mushrooms.

I was not sure I could manage it all. I managed the mushrooms, half a sausage, egg, tomatoes, toast and hash browns before I admitted defeat and asked if I could have container to take the rest away for lunch.

Suitable bloated I carry on my journey to Wellington. It was still raining by the way. Again I made the decision to carry on driving whilst it was raining.

The rain got worse and I got to a road that was more halter smelter than rollercoaster. The rain was so heavy the road had water flowing down it and there were waterfalls from the upper slopes on to the road below. Visibility was pretty damn poor. I have told you about the sheer drops at the side of these roads haven't I?

We carried on climbing with visibility gradually getting worse, we were so high up that my ears popped. At this point we were no longer driving in rain but through low cloud.

It is a good job that I am not a nervous driver, that is all I can again. Eventually we start to descend, my ears pop, and we are driving through heavy rain again.

The slope them starts to become less steep and before I know it I am in Wellington rush hour traffic. It’s still raining. I had planned on going to a couple of museums in Wellington, but I really could not cope with the hustle and bustle. So I carried on my journey following the coast road.

Feeling in need of coffee I pulled over at the next small town I found, still raining by the way. I sit under a canopy at the cafe ready my book and get to g chat to g to a group of people originally from Manchester, but they have been living over hear for about 15 years, the husband makes me laugh as he says his wife still insists on watching Coronation Street, they suggest a couple if places to go to. I told them I had seen signs for Queen Elizabeth Park, and they agree that is a good spot to visit. Decision made then about my next point of call.

I get in the van and set sat nav. I was listening to the radio and Wellington Water was asking the customers to Love Every Drop because of the water shortage. Then came the news where they were talking about all the rain they had had in the last few days, wettest November in 100 years, 3 months worth of rain in a month. Wellington Water's advert reminded me if work 2 or 3 years ago when we were talking about a potential water shortage in the summer because of a dry winter and the it did nothing but rain.

I got to Queen Elizabeth Park and looked for a manageable walk, the only one which looked a reasonable distance in this weather was close for safety reason. To be fair I had not looked forward to a walk in the rain. Drove for a bit and found a small Department of Conservation site nearby, so parked up and decided to have lunch. It was raining again. When I parked up I saw a building with information boards in it but no benches, so I go back to my van get my chair and make myself at home with my book and make myself a bacon sandwich.

I continue by journey northwest in the rain. I book it to a campsite about 2 and being fed up being wet I took over the kitchen , took my chair in, switched the tv on and settled in with team and my book after I put my washing on I the launderette.

I stuck my stuff in the drier and continued with my book. The rain started to clear, but it was still overcast. Feeling peckish I heated up left over Chinese takeaway in the microwave. My domination of the kitchen was challenged by other campers cooking their evening meal, so I headed out for a walk.
I got chatting with a local walking his very excitable 14 week old Labrador. She had just discovered water and jumped up a t me, looks like I am not going to get another day out of these trousers after all. After a short walk I head back and found the usual instructions about where to head in the event of a tsunami.

I headed back to the kitchen sorted out my laundry and washing up and made by bed up both the night. I finished my blog and called it a night.

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