Snowberry

Firstly, thank you everyone for your kind words and comments on my 4000th blip.  I knew the date was approaching but it caught me a bit unawares when it arrived yesterday - it was a very nice surprise indeed to read all of your comments when I eventually found some internet connection, which has been a bit hit and miss today.  Thank you, thank you, thank you :)


It was pretty much a day of driving, though I did stop in at a wilderness area not far out of Manapouri where I tried my hand at some natural history pics.  The rest of the day was a meander cross country, in some developing winds, to the east coast where I picked out a free camping spot at the mouth of the Tokomairiro River.  I should have read the details a lot more closely before making my decision as I ended up driving some 30-plus kms along largely unsealed and very dusty road.  I wasn't quite so worried about the shingled roads in Cybil, but I'm a bit more picky about driving Gerty great distances on them.  Still, I arrived safely and relatively dust-free at the location mid evening.  The location itself was like stepping back in time - a settlement made up of an array of quirky, totally individual baches - or cribs as they call them in these parts - most of which, I suspect, are well over fifty or sixty years old and few of which, I suspect, have any building compliance certification whatsoever!  Many of them appeared empty but there was signs of life at a number of them.  The local 'shop' was closed until Waitangi weekend in early February, after which, I imagine, it will close again and reopen in October for Labour weekend.  All good though - easy tea then settled down to watch a movie.......first one I've watched this holiday :)