Wanaka

---

Saturday saw me arriving in Wanaka by bus with the bike in the back. What a beautiful place when you meet it on a warm sunny day like this. I visited some friends of Bill Barkers, who he met in Mongolia and was made very welcome, following which we went to the pictures together to watch 'The children of the Silk Road'. A very good film about the Japanese invasion of China in the late 1930's. Bed called at 10 o clock ready for an early start.
Sunday set off warm and sunny as I departed at 7.50am against a force 5 in my face. What a ride it was following Lake Hawea and then the bottom of Laka Wanaka. This sounds like it is a level ride since it follows the lakes, but believe me it swoops up and down quite severly and makes a lot of work and the wind was so strong that I could make no more than 8mph on the level at times. With rest stops it took me aboiut 5 hours to do 40 miles to Makararo. Light rain joined me for teh last 5 miles and became so cold that I put on my jacket and leg warmers. The Makarora Wilderness Site, where I am staying, is quite nice with sharply pitched buildings with very clean rooms and toilet facilities. Tommorrow I climb the Haast Pass to Haast 50 miles away and I can see it being another challenge harder than today, with the same wind and a stronger chance of showers.

---

Comments

[Paul Dugdale]

Hello Father, it sounds like you're having a very challenging time and have had some bad luck along the way. I'm glad your that leg is improving and that you're enjoying the scenery. See you in 12 days! Paul