Thursday 5th

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Thursday March 5th

To paraphrase Rudyard Kipling…In the land of the Itchy-Scratchy the man with THE cure would be king.

Did I mention that I have hives from my waist down? I assume it is a reaction to the fly bites. Up early and moving on down the road to Fox Glacier and Lake Matheson. I swear, if I have to walk down one more fern lined path, see one more mountain stream, and stop to take one more breathtaking picture I am going to scream! What is it with this place? Took a look at Fox Glacier. It’s smaller but more photogenic than Fraz Joseph. Spent about an hour in Fox eating breakfast etc. Spoke to a biker, the unmotorized variety, and he explained that the part that broke on the bike the day before is actually designed to do just that rather than have the frame snap under stress. He guessed about a $20 repair in Queenstown. Also not mentioned before, the mechanicals in the camper are playing games with me. The plugs were non-functional for several days and yesterday the frig went out. An hour before I was going to call Jucy they both mysteriously began working again. No more problems after this. Its about an hour and a half down the road to Hasst. Believe everything you have read. This would not be a choice of places to stay. The three Cafés, using the term loosely weren’t much. McGuire’s had a sign in the window that the Café was closed but frankly the whole place looked closed. Stop for my afternoon double long black and banana bread (with chocolate icing) down the road. Turning east up the Haast River, over the pass and into the land of milk and honey. Yeh right. Actually a little place called Makarora. Now setting in the pub/cafe enjoying a pint with the mates who are shooting pool.

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Photos

Haast
The west coast road turns east