We are back in Kerikeri for a couple of weeks, on-route to Dunedin. Well, the couple of days work at the station turned into 8, 12-hr days of grading, checking water lines, mustering, drafting, loading, de-horning, castrating and fire-branding cattle, and a continuous stream of meals to prepare and laundry to assist with, along with joining an evening kangaroo/wild pig hunt with Kim the roo shooter. The largest paddock required a chopper to assist with the muster. Sadly, the weather cut our visit short by a day or two as 10mm of rain turned the 20km trip to the bitumen into a slidey glug of red mud. Murray had the grader on the back of the road train, but the truck wouldn't budge. Our trustworthy landcruiser proved its worth and we threw it into four wheel ... read more

June/July 2010 Our trip back from Queenstown was stunning with lots of snow; and a heavy frost through the Gibbiston Valley. A car seemed necessary, so we bought a Galant. This means that I have transport, as Dave is working for the Taieri Gorge Railway in their workshop as an engineer’s assistant He is learning different skills and enjoying meeting a bunch of new people. I have caught up with old friends and enjoying doing a bit of distance learning in computing, via the Otago Polytech, just to brush up on some forgotton skills. Thanks to Steve, we were lucky to get tickets for the All Blacks test against Wales at Carisbrook. It was an awesome atmosphere as it was the last international to be held at the old grounds. We joined the “march” from the ... read more

8/5/10 to 21/5/10 After several days in Leeston, and a night in the truck at Rakaia, we moved on to Mt Somers where we met members of the Mid-Canterbury 4x4 Club for their run up to Browns Saddle on the Invarity Station. This was a great day and we meet some great people from the area, with a few beers at the Mt Somers pub afterwards. Dave and I stayed at the camping ground in a cabin, as it was quite cold, In the kitchen cooking breakfast we met a lady, Dale, who used to live in Sandys Rd, Kerikeri many years ago! We checked out the old limestone kilns, and drove in towards Erewhon Station to Lake Clearwater, then back to Temuka. Monday and Tuesday were spent in Temuka staying at the Crown Hotel (old ... read more

Hi... here's more photos to look at.... read more

20/4/10 - Flying tomorrow Auckland to Christchurch - have been in Kerikeri for a week to catch up with family, end-of-financial year stuff etc. Here's an update, and will get onto the gap between Easter and now as soon as I can..............going back to...... 24/3/10 - Drove to Albury via Opiha then over the MacKenzie Pass, Hakataramea Pass Road to Cattle Creek, then through Old Kaiwarua Rd to Waimate. Repairs were required for Al and Sue’s Safari after strange noises in the rear wheels. We stayed in a cabin in the camping ground after a sudden deluge of hail. The whole group endulged in a lovely meal at the Waimate Hotel - GREAT value. 25/3/10 - Mt Dasher Station was our next destination, inland from Oamaru, where we would attempt the Dunrobin Rd track. Wayne and ... read more