New Zealand 74 Nonchalant

 This thing shot flames 3 feet into the air without even being turned up to high; she literally smoked us out of there. She had some sort of pathetic aluminum shade which she placed around the cooker as a "screen". Yeah, okay, it didn't really screen much of anything. They were so nonchalant about the whole incident (they nearly burned down this hut made entirely of very old wood; it would have incinerated in minutes upon contact) that we all just looked at each other and had a good laugh.

Matt and Cynthia (to be continued) 

New Zealand 73 Flames shooting to the ceiling

 We jumped up in a panic just as the fire alarms (all of them) began to go off. The kitchen was completely filled with smoke and the guys were running around opening doors and windows trying to clear the air. Once the smoke was under control the alarms stopped their incessant bleating and we were able to determine what had happened. The girl was trying to use what she called a "gas cooker" and what Matt and I call a blow torch.

Matt and Cynthia (to be continued) 

New Zealand 72 Whoooooosh

 I was so impressed; I could hardly believe they had actually walked all that way (20+km) with the tremendously heavy packs they were carrying. This young couple from Holland was such a trip; I turned out to be so glad they showed up. About 5 minutes after they arrived, the girl began to make dinner.

Matt and I continued to play cards, not really paying attention, until whoooooosh!, we turned around and there were flames shooting all the way to the (entirely wood) ceiling.

Matt and Cynthia (to be continued) 

New Zealand 71 They were so weary

 It was a very romantic setting and I was thrilled when the ranger showed up around 6pm to let us know that only one other couple was booked for the night and they weren't there yet.... ...Matt and I ate quickly and began playing cards in front of the fire by candlelight when the other couple literally drug themselves in around half 7. They were so weary; apparently they walked all the way from Bark Bay but had to wait until 3pm for low tide at Awaroa (the crossing we had made this morning).

Matt and Cynthia (to be continued) 

New Zealand 70 Whariwharangi

 We hung around about 2 hours but we could easily have spent the whole day there. Alas, we still had to get to our hut and set up shop for the night so we had to move on. We made it to Whariwharangi Hut around 2pm and this hut, though the only one without beachfront property, was by far my favorite. It was an old homestead so it felt like "Little House on the Prairie". It had an ancient pot-belly wood stove and Matt chopped fire wood while I took a COLD shower.

Matt and Cynthia (to be continued) 

New Zealand 69 - The Results Are So-So

 By the time I got to the top I realized I had to descend "into" the seal colony (which means I would have to ascend to get back) so I dropped my pack right there and made my way down. If anyone wanted my clothes, they could have them. By the time I got down, Matt was making lunch so I began to seek out the seals. They weren't hard to find and so darn cute. I must have taken about 200 pictures but the light wasn't great (they lie in the shade) so the results are so-so.

Matt and Cynthia (to be continued) 

New Zealand 68 - Separation Point

The sand flies (these buggers bite) were monstrous so we applied our repellant as advised by the trusty DOC and continued on our way. The walk today was, scenically, one of the best, and we were headed for a 1.5 hr detour to a place called Separation Point where there was a seal colony. The climb up Separation Point was a difficult one, all the more so with the weight and I told Matt to go ahead so I could bitch about it under my breath all the way up. Quite therapeutic.

Matt and Cynthia (to be continued)