Hanmer Springs

Another rather cool night - I think I can safely change the van duvet over from summer to winter when I get home!  Lucky I had my van blankies to keep me cosy.

It was 3.03am when I looked at the time.  I'd been woken by a strange noise that seemed to be very close to the van.  I was scared for the first moments of consciousness, until I reasoned with myself that this certainly didn't sound human.......snuffling, grunting and shuffling, and as there are no predatory animals in NZ, what was I scared of.  I lie motionless whist I tried to figure things.  During this time, I became aware of the van beginning to rock in time to the snuffling.  It was alarming, but I remained calm. Then it came to me - it must be a wild pig.  The campground isn't fenced as such and anything could wander in.  I listened more closely and convinced myself that it was a pig, then I gingerly pulled the corner of the curtain back to see if I could see it.  As I pulled the curtain, all I could see was blackness.....then it moved!  I jumped.  It moved it's big, black head........two big cow-eyes centimetres from my own eyes, staring straight at me, nostrils virtually on the window, big ears poking skyward.  It snuffled some more then shuffled off to another part of the campground.  I fell back into bed torn between laughing hysterically and crying with relief.  Instead, I simply fell back to sleep with a grimace - I don't remember anything else until 8.30am so I guess it didn't scare me too much!


Today has been stunning - perfect for meandering through mountains and taking in the fresh air.  It's only a short hop from last night's campground to Hanmer Springs township but the contrasts couldn't have been more pronounced........people everywhere, noise, busy-ness.  I took some time to sit and think about how I might head back to Nelson.  Originally, I thought I'd turn around and drive the Molesworth again, but in the opposite direction (obvioulsy!) as the views would be quite different.......then I thought about heading back along the regular highway and stopping at a camping stop near the Lewis Pass.......then out of nowhere came option #3 - return via Kaikoura.......so that's what I'm doing.  Road works galore along the coastal highway but at least it's open.  I'm contributing a smidgen to their economy and staying in a reglar camp ground tonight......power AND no cows!  Back home tomorrow at a leisurely pace - should be home for around tea-time I hope.