Next day I had a hang over. Just a dehyreated one. It took an hr to wear off. Johnny very kindly drove me towards the airport to pick up the camper van then was goign to the artic centre.
I spent an hr going through red tape and maps at the backpackers/manui/britz camper van place. Got shown how to put snow chains on which is a legal requirement to have them in the car just in case.
Finally I was ready to head out. The camper is the size of a ford transit. It has a sink and basic cooker (two rings and a grill). Their is a table and the two sides fold down into a double bed with a small bed up to for dwarfs or small children. Their's plenty of cuboard space but it's very green when you close the curtains. A bit clostraphobic but my lttle abode until the 1st september.
So I took off heading towards Dunedin. Ther roads are single lanes and have 100kph speed limit. They have overtaking lanes so traffic doesn't build up. Lets face is their is hardly anyone on the roads any how.
First stop was ahsburton where i did a horrific shop then realised how do i get all this in small cubboards and a tiny fridge.
I finally got to dunedin after having to stop for petrol and ask directions to a camper park. It wasn't a bad campsite and not many around. It was freezing cold but I made myself dinner. Had candles and a bottle of wine and made a salad with green beens and alfalfa sprouts and even had napkins on the tabel (just to note havn't done it since. I had terrikaki slamon which I had marinade for supper. Also forgot there is onbly two rings on the stove oops.
Also discovered the camper is freezing at night and I only have a small electric heater which I dare not use as I have a really heavy sleep.
I also had the get the man who owns the camp to help me with the electrics which didn't work. So he showed me how and everything was fine.
Overslept the following morning and played on the internet and had a nice cooked breakfast.
After that I drove off (forgetting one glass left on the top which then bounced and broke and also correctly shutting the cupboard door so all teh contents went everywhere. That was a stop and pick up.
I went the scenic route to launach castle which a couple found in the 60's while driving down the same road. Itr was derilict and up for sale so they bought it and renovated it themselves ion return for some help from the locals. In return they opened the ballroom up and had the first launach castle ball in years.
It was smashing to see what they had done to this castle in the middle of now where.
It was a beautiful coastla road journey stopping off along the way in many different parts and beautiful bays.
After that I walked round the town. Went into the station which is a hallmark in itself and back to the camper park after driving along the bay road looking onto this beautiful long beach.
Next day I was booked on the cadbury's chocolate tour. Morro is the popular bar like a mars bar but crunchie is their biggest seller. The factory wasn't in operation but I got to see a cholcolate waterfall and get some free chocolate.
The waterfall was great. From one of the towers it realeases a tone of chocoalate which falls into a container below. I was like a big kid. If only I could have stood underneath it!
Posted by alexd at August 3, 2004 10:15 AM