A wee holiday
A the weekend there we were given Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off - the packhouse only Sunday. We used the time very profitably! On Friday it rained solid all day. On Saturday everyone had a long lie then at 2.15pm I was told that at 2.30pm we were leaving on the trip we'd been intending to take for a week or so. I did get ready in time but nobody got the energy to go till after 3. A wee road trip going North first and then round a few of the small villages on the way seeing some of NZ fantastic scenery. Then we started looking for a place to stay the night. Camping! After about 2 hours we found a brilliant spot - truly amazing once we explored it and stayed there. Although we were due for rain all night - the skies cleared and we were able to sit up all night and watch the stars, drinking into the late hours and talking even more.
The group which went were the 'oldies' : Me, Chris, Steven, Seira, Matt and Giacomo. Matt and Giacomo have since left us for the wider world than Roxburgh hopefully we may meet them some other time and have a catch-up. Chris, Steven. Seira and I leave on Sunday to go our separate ways into the world.
We set up camp in a flat land surrounded by pines which we camped under, with a campfire in the middle. I was beautiful the pines were in a circle and we had the stars above us in the middle, toasting sausages and marshmallows with chocloate sauce and drowned with beer (wine for me as I still can't quite get the beer thing). Talking about god knows what and having fun at what god would smite us from the earth for but all totally worth it!
About an hour after we set up the tent we heard a car passing us (strange as it was so secluded), the campfire was burning brightly but thankfully could not be seen from about a metre away from the road as it was a farmer telling us it was private property and couldn't camp there and under no circumstances could we light a fire as the grass was too long and it would be a fire hazard to the rest of the countryside. He didn't see it - any of it and we stayed the night, hidden from the world - just the 6 of us enjoying our time togther.
The next day we cooked and ate the rest of the food we brought for breakfast - eggs, noodles, beans, spagetti, bread and a lot more besides :-) It was very yummy and one of the best brekkies any of us have had in a long time. Then we had a quick clear-up (thank god) and left the area just as the farmer/owner turned up at a distance he couldn't follow us so we waved goodbye and headed for the coast.
We didn't swim - it was too darn cold. but I (just I) paddled in the sea and then sat on the beach with the rest enjoying the sun. We had a little trip down the coast then with the flat blue sea on one side and the hills and fields on the other. Then after a few hours (and taking the next inland road - there are very few roads in South Island only in the towns and cities can you go anywhere you want) we headed back to Roxburgh. As we went inland the clouds appeared and as we got into Central Otago (supposedly the sun central of South Island) the black clouds came and the rain dropped heavily. We wanted to turn back and never return but we braved it and got back to Roxburgh. Meeting the new people that are invading the hostel and not talking to us was strange on Sun night as they were right in their assumption we were all crazy!!!
Got to go before I spend far, far too much money here and I will write again when I am in Dunedin (possibly) and not in Roxburgh (maybe forever). So say your last fond farewells to Roxburgh because I will be here no more - watch out the rest of the world. :-)
