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Published: December 26th 2008
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River after earth quake
1929 earhquake caused this of the river to drop. We didn’t do much in Murchison as it kept raining. The town is rather small and quiet but is a mecca for white water rafting and kayaking. The surrounding countryside is quite beautiful. The nearby Buller Gorge is another adrenaline spot with jet boats and zip lines as well as the far gentler pursuit of panning for gold in the Buller River and a few other nearby locations.
We needed to head for Christchurch again as Kevin has gone and opened an account on Trade Me, (Nzs version of eBay) and bought 2 push bikes!! We did a little detour up to Hanmer Springs, a place I instantly liked. We went for a ride in a Hagglund caterpillar track thing that can go up near vertical inclines and lean over at ridiculous angles……. It was a very fast and bumpy ride…. Kevin enjoyed it!
We arrived in Christchurch and booked onto a site near the beach….nice. We went out in search of a bike rack for our new bikes. Having found a rack, we needed to purchase a tow ball on which the rack would fix. Whilst in the car accessory shop we each bought some fins for $31, later finding
the same item on Trade Me for $55.
We spent a pleasant afternnon at the bike sellers house filing out the hole and fitting the new tow ball…… the rack didn’t fit, we needed an imperial 1 and 7/8ths not a 50mm. Eventually we got it sorted and drove off with bikes on the back. But we couldnt leave Christchurch for a couple of days as Kev had bid on a camping table and another chair!! We had already bought 2! Oh God no……!!
While we were in Christchurch we decided to visit the Antarctica Centre, it was indoors and it was raining.
It was a very worthwhile visit if only just to see the little blue penguins. The ones in the centre have a disability, and would not last long if released into the wild, so have now got permanent homes at the centre.
Kev won said items on Trade Me...…. I waited outside in the van while he went to the house to collect. I caught a glimpse, in the rear view mirror, of a huge 6ft white tressel table crossing the road, wearing boots that looked very much like Kevs. I said nothing (but thought “Are we
Pink MG
Even sillier number plate starting up a market stall?”)….. He knew, and was on the defensive straight away.
So, our journey continues…..unable to open the back door ‘cos of the bikes and unable to get into the side door until the table is first wangled out, it also has to spend the night outside.
We headed up the coast on the Scenic Alpine Pacific Triangle route to Kaikoura, where we watch the seals on the beach. We carried on up to Blenhiem, just to view the coastline, and return the same way finding a nice spot to spend the night on a beach.
From Kaikoura we travel along the inland leg of the triangle route through Mt Lyford and on to Hanmer Springs.
We called in to the small supermarket and buy a cooked chicken for Christmas dinner. Kev then sets up camp as we’re here for a few days. The gazebo gets dressed in fairy lights, and the huge table gets some wild birdseed spread on it! Dino gets ready for Santa and a chimney is erected on the roof.
The dear elderly neighbours in the caravan next door came over to say hello then enthusiastically videod our festive encampment, complete with commentary
Bike rack
Now take them off so we can shut the back door!! ….”Yis, and this is Dino, he’s all tucked up in bid waiting for Santa… and, yees, those are the twins in there too, hmm, yis. And, yees, look at all the pretty lights up there shining, isn’t it all just wonderful?… Yis, Yis it is.”
I was a bit unsure whether they were as mad as us or just ‘playing along’ with the stupid pommies.
Anyway, a few hours later they came back to invite us for Christmas dinner….. And it was fantastic, (I have to admit here, that Kevs 6ft table came in very useful)….We had a great time, refusing to leave until well into the evening….. We love them and want them to adopt us…. As we are, Kev and I, both orphans. Mel is amost 80 and Isabella just a couple of years younger.......so full of fun, energy and a wicked sense of humour. People here are just so unreservedly friendly.... Which reminds me of another encounter…….
Stopping for fuel in a busy (relative!) gas station, we approached the furthest pump, to find a 4x4 attempting to reverse towards it from the kiosk. He hit the kerb and stopped at a silly angle blocking the exit route.
Poor bloke was obviously flustered and Kev was giving me the commentary.”Yes, well done, nice manoeuvre….Mate ….. No, no don‘t you worry about me, I’ve got nothing better to do ….twat”.
As the poor bloke then struggled to untangle the pump hoses, Kev wound down his window…..The red faced bloke said ”Sorry, forgot which side it was on”., “No problem” says Kev, giving a sympathetic smile as he gets out the van. As he fills his tank the guy asks where we’re from and where we’re headed, and they chat about the weather and places we should visit, then he thanks Kev again for allowing his push-in. When he returns after paying for his fuel he says “What you doing for Christmas?”. We say we’re going to Hanmer, and he says he has a friend with a chip shop there and that we could probably say in his field, he then proceeds to write down his name, number and email and the name and number of the friend….. Says he’ll give him a call so he can expect us, and that if we need anything, anything at all, just call him. …. Incredible.
Oh yes, forgot about the bikes..... They
had to be taken off so the back door could lift up to give access to the storage space housing the gazebo and chairs. We were due to go for a ride when we'd set up camp. But Kev had a puncture..... further inspection revealed a rather large hole with hard crumbling edges. The wheel had been rather too cose to the exhaust pipe....... won't be mending this one with a patch!
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