tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26406822541460219222024-02-19T18:30:19.604+13:00Mark and Sylvia's AdventuresWe're now back in New Zealand. We'll try to put some of our more interesting adventures up here - if we're not too busy doing fun stuff!Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16310734985127377014noreply@blogger.comBlogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-74547254142854715622011-09-27T01:13:00.002+13:002011-09-27T01:24:57.814+13:00Bits of my weekend in Singapore<span style="font-family:arial;">I was determined to go and get some exercise after a sedentary week (and a cold) so headed up to Macritchie Reservoir. It's a great nature reserve, and again it was busy but not as bad as you might have expected in a city of 5 million! </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpuq9mguDg_gSsi04vHt5kd1jubT_-9s42JpKna9jnZPMRDGzPOqr119tV-cw3AMjLXI4Cz-TITXNXFR0QtjLhUXZe7ZUWQ61UjiiTU7IwOaPo9r7UiQIqej0MaXJTsFIeAoRu2xXBnuAG/s1600/P9240004.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656641522179554178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpuq9mguDg_gSsi04vHt5kd1jubT_-9s42JpKna9jnZPMRDGzPOqr119tV-cw3AMjLXI4Cz-TITXNXFR0QtjLhUXZe7ZUWQ61UjiiTU7IwOaPo9r7UiQIqej0MaXJTsFIeAoRu2xXBnuAG/s400/P9240004.JPG" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;">View from the Treetop Walk</span></div><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1pvkbqoOtLB4PB8GHsUGk7eJU-1wikSAIijFbJn4VZoz3pRj0jFtrKxP74POrXo_mYEdW5_FOs0obQpNWmKHXtgruYq7MJFa1ErVbXNe7yVkTTTRnwPEu0sUkF6cCQqdbIZ0k1oGXStoZ/s1600/P9240002.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656641519353342002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1pvkbqoOtLB4PB8GHsUGk7eJU-1wikSAIijFbJn4VZoz3pRj0jFtrKxP74POrXo_mYEdW5_FOs0obQpNWmKHXtgruYq7MJFa1ErVbXNe7yVkTTTRnwPEu0sUkF6cCQqdbIZ0k1oGXStoZ/s400/P9240002.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">The first part of my run was in the muggy jungle and I have never been so sweaty in my life, not even close. Luckily I had brought my camelbak with me but even so I was glad to emerge next to the reservoir where there was a bit of air movement. <br /></span><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXd42VL2OFg1YDRrNb8tVwsXebvYmopxqxPt42jPYSIxgqWSn2eEGOtQEbt_Ml26HAwvALu_SybeDdxO96VJuCc1775q2cA_2R_ysrFnl9djo1hXd0lBfmF8_ee3Cl266qYJLmoZHlv21/s1600/P9240006.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656641071984126642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXd42VL2OFg1YDRrNb8tVwsXebvYmopxqxPt42jPYSIxgqWSn2eEGOtQEbt_Ml26HAwvALu_SybeDdxO96VJuCc1775q2cA_2R_ysrFnl9djo1hXd0lBfmF8_ee3Cl266qYJLmoZHlv21/s400/P9240006.JPG" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;">The asian guy is not me - I'm still a pakeha. <br /></span><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr-Gd4JdJWBZVh6mCz5V91KBjPaIobR3JFoHgLb3i61Hpu27xhgLXX5plr_mvDbaXSoBI8cMbj3DnQVeymQMz8Pxj5jaq7prwPqJw75bPgni6_1Xs_y7lVNhsJWke3A_QcbJ2xubZnyy3V/s1600/P9240013.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656641071388408882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr-Gd4JdJWBZVh6mCz5V91KBjPaIobR3JFoHgLb3i61Hpu27xhgLXX5plr_mvDbaXSoBI8cMbj3DnQVeymQMz8Pxj5jaq7prwPqJw75bPgni6_1Xs_y7lVNhsJWke3A_QcbJ2xubZnyy3V/s400/P9240013.JPG" /></a> 1.5 m-long monitior lizard hanging out in the reservoir. The reservoir is a major part of the water supply of Singapore and contains 5-10% treated wastewater. Yummy! <br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZwy0KBgInaS5NhGu4_kMwf5kWiotptox6R6748tXK9lifnzY1WUUBSo6JH4yho9_fa6LKwwiJDM418CaY2U7iTD8LE6h3m-iWSzVgUWGWZPyOOqwCxpKEkgpVCD91__CVU-Ed07-_qNNB/s1600/P9250001.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656641068482571890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZwy0KBgInaS5NhGu4_kMwf5kWiotptox6R6748tXK9lifnzY1WUUBSo6JH4yho9_fa6LKwwiJDM418CaY2U7iTD8LE6h3m-iWSzVgUWGWZPyOOqwCxpKEkgpVCD91__CVU-Ed07-_qNNB/s400/P9250001.JPG" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;">Marina Sands Resort Hotel, home of the famous Infinity Pool. </span><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEiQcko2INDWYr5zKrf85eltYzWkrRsK6eWI3S9Iqe2KxeFRkxCjkdff8AxAbhechcOkogrd99msoZzQeRFIlUZCHy0b-vSjWX-jVPQcX5_jyHb6kIxntuhye5X6rpIzfyIX7vQ_QDqM-k/s1600/P9250004.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656641065800395778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEiQcko2INDWYr5zKrf85eltYzWkrRsK6eWI3S9Iqe2KxeFRkxCjkdff8AxAbhechcOkogrd99msoZzQeRFIlUZCHy0b-vSjWX-jVPQcX5_jyHb6kIxntuhye5X6rpIzfyIX7vQ_QDqM-k/s400/P9250004.JPG" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;">Beach on Sentosa Island where I spent a few hours on Sunday. </span><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vdeMuHC0yIzSlDiSwiTmJCzs3KBCS-zkuPxsiITQzAtcdTwmhr2GfohTzLjess26s4PMnZ008hSw2RP-d0Q8JegGtRuFGp0EBudjpt-E0DCGmDj0YjrHTterIJrqSLLjS0g2bArPmSVl/s1600/P9250005.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656641062584190242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vdeMuHC0yIzSlDiSwiTmJCzs3KBCS-zkuPxsiITQzAtcdTwmhr2GfohTzLjess26s4PMnZ008hSw2RP-d0Q8JegGtRuFGp0EBudjpt-E0DCGmDj0YjrHTterIJrqSLLjS0g2bArPmSVl/s400/P9250005.JPG" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;">Merlion! <br /></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16310734985127377014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-82333043967673337322011-09-18T20:31:00.003+12:002011-09-18T20:44:57.173+12:00Singapore - Bukit Timah<span style="font-family:arial;">My workmate Gary and I visited Bukit Timah nature reserve today, after first exploring out local surrounds and nutting out the public transport system. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">It was really busy there but great to see so many people out walking, running and mountain biking. It was a bit weird seeing lots of Chinese walking backwards down a steep path as a form of exercise and we had to work quite hard to avoid them as we walked up. Once we got to the top of the hill via the main track it was easy to take a quieter path and ditch the crowds. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The trees here are cool - most of them have long straight trunks with an explosion of leaves at the top. Some of them have got more leafy biomass in parasites than on the tree itself. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">No monkey photos unfortunately but there were heaps of them there! </span><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HURw62q5HHGQ9haVgFhWNKnnumJluJcf9V30LibMUHHOFqqSw03fvI-8INrJgX7tMJ8dnI5-kL7jFQ-hSIjHCuJpus0PWKo6TwKpV-BcfGF_L-Si7167fze7Rw0Suh4YUyJTkSTPtwBO/s1600/P9180012.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653616392065756690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HURw62q5HHGQ9haVgFhWNKnnumJluJcf9V30LibMUHHOFqqSw03fvI-8INrJgX7tMJ8dnI5-kL7jFQ-hSIjHCuJpus0PWKo6TwKpV-BcfGF_L-Si7167fze7Rw0Suh4YUyJTkSTPtwBO/s400/P9180012.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrW1OM_DXMGgnj6KZwtrYcc_JBPjr21PS7ase7qYkTj934YRIMXLLixjJurojSTtm4EmH5-KU0h4xS9GOSkKKgJOf5rJsUSy_Xa-Wq7EoZ4FHdXGbQo9vnZJ22wmMhPatwKqmidxbmelvV/s1600/P9180010.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653616393374390882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrW1OM_DXMGgnj6KZwtrYcc_JBPjr21PS7ase7qYkTj934YRIMXLLixjJurojSTtm4EmH5-KU0h4xS9GOSkKKgJOf5rJsUSy_Xa-Wq7EoZ4FHdXGbQo9vnZJ22wmMhPatwKqmidxbmelvV/s400/P9180010.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIjaYe8UkbhvuBmqffhSfcqKNVFby7nJjYXZ1YUfmGphrqiM783Hsms-hAKB8up35SudyW-9s__v5wffmSv3FUUY7BQQOzLz02IIcX-mcy1JI6mDDNFEGzUCEmASP6VRHEM17S6o0hmBeJ/s1600/P9180009.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653616388073893586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIjaYe8UkbhvuBmqffhSfcqKNVFby7nJjYXZ1YUfmGphrqiM783Hsms-hAKB8up35SudyW-9s__v5wffmSv3FUUY7BQQOzLz02IIcX-mcy1JI6mDDNFEGzUCEmASP6VRHEM17S6o0hmBeJ/s400/P9180009.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTWULjwcuT_dCzBN0tTl2ZtONIe05lxVUFUzYEuKibkDFxFJw9TabuTr5wimIkyakt-UJBf6Hkn-KIERTCohvgWhXj5vtHc7qlLq7tw1qQKYTFhnLh9pkrhk-xl8AVp6_IJ1Bl-qT8BWZ/s1600/P9180008.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653616388919041010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTWULjwcuT_dCzBN0tTl2ZtONIe05lxVUFUzYEuKibkDFxFJw9TabuTr5wimIkyakt-UJBf6Hkn-KIERTCohvgWhXj5vtHc7qlLq7tw1qQKYTFhnLh9pkrhk-xl8AVp6_IJ1Bl-qT8BWZ/s400/P9180008.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqcpXLy2m7CNcSB4IO5vOFQVFu9T6jvrLWXOFmIa32NP4aj6Qz_k0nezTa_pAWLseH9-WdRB5qCRDuQK_g8R3FeCcffHVLwv4fExgqTeaf8mdgVQcoXSutaP8qGd-BeXunmjJdxUzkAHg/s1600/P9180007.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653616381264214226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqcpXLy2m7CNcSB4IO5vOFQVFu9T6jvrLWXOFmIa32NP4aj6Qz_k0nezTa_pAWLseH9-WdRB5qCRDuQK_g8R3FeCcffHVLwv4fExgqTeaf8mdgVQcoXSutaP8qGd-BeXunmjJdxUzkAHg/s400/P9180007.JPG" /></a> </div></div></div></div>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16310734985127377014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-59417362204215971392011-08-20T07:24:00.008+12:002011-08-20T09:34:04.105+12:00Ngauruhoe and New Plymouth<span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" >Last weekend I headed up Mt Ngauruhoe with a bunch of people who had been my students on an introductory alpine course a couple of weeks earlier. We successfully met at the car park at the appointed time in light drizzle and clag but with high hopes that it would clear...</span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" >
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<br /></span> <div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipX0YfjsSn2Ohyphenhyphen3Xh_blcJM3iLpTE7Hrpkyen9Dm_vTWVhec_6P7kU6rfGRAS3vdtna0bvqz751t1EKRZxyGYPbOUilKMw7JW9-KkeHdqv3NKvth0FVujznIGBiE4ZrhECYOpnYXUanvue/s1600/P8130009.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipX0YfjsSn2Ohyphenhyphen3Xh_blcJM3iLpTE7Hrpkyen9Dm_vTWVhec_6P7kU6rfGRAS3vdtna0bvqz751t1EKRZxyGYPbOUilKMw7JW9-KkeHdqv3NKvth0FVujznIGBiE4ZrhECYOpnYXUanvue/s400/P8130009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642652642096869234" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Not much to see so far.</span>
<br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="font-family: arial;" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCWIk9N7SanRlMLInnwwL-rx61tcXwIT4na7adUO1crLPkfCXOeLV-Xr_Vp709J7720VDUdA-pfJe6sQaCRgo9MoRzSUim3aGhjF7jRoU001IlI8_dYfbvQYRI39Dl50U-MNVlZB3VD4i/s1600/P8130011.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCWIk9N7SanRlMLInnwwL-rx61tcXwIT4na7adUO1crLPkfCXOeLV-Xr_Vp709J7720VDUdA-pfJe6sQaCRgo9MoRzSUim3aGhjF7jRoU001IlI8_dYfbvQYRI39Dl50U-MNVlZB3VD4i/s400/P8130011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642652642859833586" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Ngauruhoe teases us with a brief glimpse before disappearing again</span></span>
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="font-family: arial;" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JLTQ6YYAbuvJy5wjJx2somGNYccBj98MHQQvdczoifojDGzDkeQko6B3aQKgJKDkGtqGNywuaeDvJNiWU-3Yr2ckPW0Wiu0TIl1NU-r5M_BkQ5C-CDI1mimzQZsA2DH-AqetZqrX6eiW/s1600/P8130016.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JLTQ6YYAbuvJy5wjJx2somGNYccBj98MHQQvdczoifojDGzDkeQko6B3aQKgJKDkGtqGNywuaeDvJNiWU-3Yr2ckPW0Wiu0TIl1NU-r5M_BkQ5C-CDI1mimzQZsA2DH-AqetZqrX6eiW/s400/P8130016.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642652637899457442" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Climbing up through the cloud</span>
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="font-family: arial;" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZsnTqyqWgz7CqWHWUDVZ1Mg-tWAu3LzNDWIebhpZAd26-_fh57bm1_7vMnI3gr0uJXk95bII8nsnX7gjmXhyphenhyphenvprSDy4XZBRnLrff7kF_ZdCmyEgg1iHVgot6ABdxOIN58WpNuc3X9UU6/s1600/P8130017.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZsnTqyqWgz7CqWHWUDVZ1Mg-tWAu3LzNDWIebhpZAd26-_fh57bm1_7vMnI3gr0uJXk95bII8nsnX7gjmXhyphenhyphenvprSDy4XZBRnLrff7kF_ZdCmyEgg1iHVgot6ABdxOIN58WpNuc3X9UU6/s400/P8130017.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642652632043207698" border="0" /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Dan perfects his "staunch pose", an outstanding matter from the course previously</span></span> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="font-family: arial;" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjBSHV0AxZCumSigU0ltF-YXAcshepQuYjb_qt7sQDemS8ssgIa84RU1P6ht2fuUpgJ2b8PsmAgFLn7aQUBRuByBf0syKtyvC9yjkz_pAte5KHoSKh3LCccnNW9GrKbHA2W2iYT2szKm7m/s1600/P8130022.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjBSHV0AxZCumSigU0ltF-YXAcshepQuYjb_qt7sQDemS8ssgIa84RU1P6ht2fuUpgJ2b8PsmAgFLn7aQUBRuByBf0syKtyvC9yjkz_pAte5KHoSKh3LCccnNW9GrKbHA2W2iYT2szKm7m/s400/P8130022.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642652427023616546" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Nearly there</span>
<br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="font-family: arial;" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25gV4KWDsp8NGWIqQmbhWIzFMRgmkzUM8IDDwxq2N6_HS-22JqNrFpj_paHEwVOVBJdlDNmTJutq5gsYLv9jtvnoiB46vvQJ9UPvbYmnI9O-IXnPI214gEnJoHDbKY2MTxFHwXpqkmg6v/s1600/P8130026.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25gV4KWDsp8NGWIqQmbhWIzFMRgmkzUM8IDDwxq2N6_HS-22JqNrFpj_paHEwVOVBJdlDNmTJutq5gsYLv9jtvnoiB46vvQJ9UPvbYmnI9O-IXnPI214gEnJoHDbKY2MTxFHwXpqkmg6v/s400/P8130026.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642652425792483314" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:arial;">It was really good to be on top of a mountain again!
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="font-family: arial;" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJKGfxKMsIFn9jKIXSUBSud-NhZkvAfC3lK8slRe9lP_nywzIJo-U6bO6p6um_xwCY-nPXsQP-BrQxuKz_u-_vi4cNdiCjgV9rJTyt899ng-0cYIpZmoMibzL2YAaZ0_u0VCchbdizdObt/s1600/P8130029.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJKGfxKMsIFn9jKIXSUBSud-NhZkvAfC3lK8slRe9lP_nywzIJo-U6bO6p6um_xwCY-nPXsQP-BrQxuKz_u-_vi4cNdiCjgV9rJTyt899ng-0cYIpZmoMibzL2YAaZ0_u0VCchbdizdObt/s400/P8130029.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642652422272644946" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >A steaming fumarole at the summit. Great for melting snow in your water bottle. Eat that, South Islanders</span>. <span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Unfortunately the warm rocks near the summit meant the snow had been hollowed out from underneath and we fell into a lot of holes. </span></span>
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="font-family: arial;" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTmRYnYV4f_PEoTT5Vu30JodtQhXwjhOXkcckp4gnSDjQe1tFzQGn_N5zgaFdoobZg9BlLG7wtUUNfeTDVZXasrpeV8SMWYHSWOnXkEo5-p3uqHCM1QplkUtPS06ebiCuto05TG_B5_XFR/s1600/P8130035.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTmRYnYV4f_PEoTT5Vu30JodtQhXwjhOXkcckp4gnSDjQe1tFzQGn_N5zgaFdoobZg9BlLG7wtUUNfeTDVZXasrpeV8SMWYHSWOnXkEo5-p3uqHCM1QplkUtPS06ebiCuto05TG_B5_XFR/s400/P8130035.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642652420084193826" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:arial;">There were heaps of ice feathers and cool sastrugi
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="font-family: arial;" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg78ILg6tWQonl-BWC8zR5j8aGOW0EDvErA0okIE71KsdKaN1GaxajUlnqXATf-ufyhXultbivj5UDnXJpZBSF3k-WHg6h0S7pQYl49HQaT8SZkkosU9_TMl4hRJioQQvgmTDy52Ww6BHJ_/s1600/pana+1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 142px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg78ILg6tWQonl-BWC8zR5j8aGOW0EDvErA0okIE71KsdKaN1GaxajUlnqXATf-ufyhXultbivj5UDnXJpZBSF3k-WHg6h0S7pQYl49HQaT8SZkkosU9_TMl4hRJioQQvgmTDy52Ww6BHJ_/s400/pana+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642652413611251778" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Ngauruhoe has interesting terrain on top - it has three summits (one of them is the crater) so we made sure to bag all of them.
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: arial;" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcw9v55pykFzn_4_RBjuZ5SmqnNcGRKwfyrCj8JrFPkUp54jPJoGxjyC2yK5yoqi6bLHtG_QnUTfuHEjciQwn4q3flRxPnL6vyj64g06LVcrgC6LE5-3V_puukHCLgYhTlDOGgRLTMApJi/s1600/P8130049.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 281px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcw9v55pykFzn_4_RBjuZ5SmqnNcGRKwfyrCj8JrFPkUp54jPJoGxjyC2yK5yoqi6bLHtG_QnUTfuHEjciQwn4q3flRxPnL6vyj64g06LVcrgC6LE5-3V_puukHCLgYhTlDOGgRLTMApJi/s400/P8130049.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642653686570241202" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Evidence of a fast and fun descent</span></span> </div><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" >
<br />I then drove to Taranaki to see Kyle and Betty and hopefully to climb Mt Taranaki. Unfortunately the route that looked the most direct on my (large-scale) map was apparently the worst road I could have taken. It was State Highway 43 from Taumaranui to Stratford and is known as "The Forgotten World Highway". I think this is because: </span><ul style="font-family: arial;"><li>They forgot to put any people in there. Sometimes I would drive for 1/2 hour without seeing the lights of farm houses and I saw five other cars in 150 km.
<br /></li><li>They forgot to clear fallen trees and rocks off the road, luckily I was able to squeeze through</li><li>They forgot to seal 20 km in the middle of it.
<br /></li></ul><span style="font-family:arial;">I didn't take any photos but I saw lots of these:</span> <img src="file:///tmp/moz-screenshot.png" alt="" />
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz0x1lPUktTOVH_oMO9OLJpvm9OukQAUJc9d3ymcpx1K7t2o-w2IHwxE7wlySBdBtmr-DSx7lRoSmn8bWBt-w6qntpkDMszvTHjxM8wGEWv3gX2SoCbpyf5q_Rni8JB1trMBuCEyJQhvJD/s1600/pw41.gif"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 100px; height: 100px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz0x1lPUktTOVH_oMO9OLJpvm9OukQAUJc9d3ymcpx1K7t2o-w2IHwxE7wlySBdBtmr-DSx7lRoSmn8bWBt-w6qntpkDMszvTHjxM8wGEWv3gX2SoCbpyf5q_Rni8JB1trMBuCEyJQhvJD/s400/pw41.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642658318400620578" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHvvxb0hZ9hhkSyZM0Z_pOkJ2TAoZeAUErQS2rtwpUdm4TPLp_OYbgEaJW95kDZ7Mo8CAOOxPTsuzAgTPXYKlN0XHyurVhk-4wwA9B68j8_7cuHanKjKW1keZi7CYQRlGyJH5KNh0ONAew/s1600/pw42.gif"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 100px; height: 100px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHvvxb0hZ9hhkSyZM0Z_pOkJ2TAoZeAUErQS2rtwpUdm4TPLp_OYbgEaJW95kDZ7Mo8CAOOxPTsuzAgTPXYKlN0XHyurVhk-4wwA9B68j8_7cuHanKjKW1keZi7CYQRlGyJH5KNh0ONAew/s400/pw42.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642658307299870850" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7zaVsRLz3gaBz9LmrWQG0oIBOXM2QFDw2kyThuzDyyqL2yRPQxTrqXhb3E7MNVAIsGQ4KZP7MkEXy3v5tHSHRQjD7crLC0JSsq4ladH2pXbK7cQVva4eUMK7AeyZCEgqHJmnTW06MZgr/s1600/pw43.gif"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 100px; height: 100px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7zaVsRLz3gaBz9LmrWQG0oIBOXM2QFDw2kyThuzDyyqL2yRPQxTrqXhb3E7MNVAIsGQ4KZP7MkEXy3v5tHSHRQjD7crLC0JSsq4ladH2pXbK7cQVva4eUMK7AeyZCEgqHJmnTW06MZgr/s400/pw43.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642658299605841794" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6FS0G6YKjOVflQlNuKftyPHiIWyg97geiPrcAE_zKv8iZ0Ux-JWd5t48oqWBK3IkYZco9pRb2dgOdcoEtyCRtgwT78hfod5fsyHc9R3fPPaYyCNk3ezFcWGrhBgkT5EFsuHhhC_Biqo2J/s1600/pw44.gif"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 100px; height: 100px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6FS0G6YKjOVflQlNuKftyPHiIWyg97geiPrcAE_zKv8iZ0Ux-JWd5t48oqWBK3IkYZco9pRb2dgOdcoEtyCRtgwT78hfod5fsyHc9R3fPPaYyCNk3ezFcWGrhBgkT5EFsuHhhC_Biqo2J/s400/pw44.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642658296434502114" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZsqT7-dClJD9CI7rG010IaO4Z64FAnpLxXGP03Sal0OAh812VYYlUZ2vrLikgY9DsgFKu9pn5t7kYOb8RIGnBrD7WCLgq4QE_2HZ_K04vRlyl4r0xfxggPdvKA25Nvor_scDT-D1pPRi9/s1600/pw52.gif"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 100px; height: 100px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZsqT7-dClJD9CI7rG010IaO4Z64FAnpLxXGP03Sal0OAh812VYYlUZ2vrLikgY9DsgFKu9pn5t7kYOb8RIGnBrD7WCLgq4QE_2HZ_K04vRlyl4r0xfxggPdvKA25Nvor_scDT-D1pPRi9/s400/pw52.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642658295326575186" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJe_A6J-rtuCK5QA8ScFV-TfsvNki3sBLIuZdRHOiztPkHZQciujsNboh2BcxjfSBI38M4seB59GqqDjfnfhUB_Mxo7O-WM8PW8w0lAeBvoJbJaPMKtOC9DWVzCxLs0dFawdijx0iOQnw9/s1600/pw23.gif"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 100px; height: 100px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJe_A6J-rtuCK5QA8ScFV-TfsvNki3sBLIuZdRHOiztPkHZQciujsNboh2BcxjfSBI38M4seB59GqqDjfnfhUB_Mxo7O-WM8PW8w0lAeBvoJbJaPMKtOC9DWVzCxLs0dFawdijx0iOQnw9/s400/pw23.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642658582628331234" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZAIp60u_yqy7ZiUU2TG4qivvHzy0SHO0hYbS03tjp8Mq8MpTpvbGKAH-3whP7siJ6LPFXtw1Ak1dALOwlhFFFtPBkYysNqh9ncCxfR0IiGkaRZurZvlqjM90wGV40F2uBVlLd-t7ICw1S/s1600/pw27.gif"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 100px; height: 100px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZAIp60u_yqy7ZiUU2TG4qivvHzy0SHO0hYbS03tjp8Mq8MpTpvbGKAH-3whP7siJ6LPFXtw1Ak1dALOwlhFFFtPBkYysNqh9ncCxfR0IiGkaRZurZvlqjM90wGV40F2uBVlLd-t7ICw1S/s400/pw27.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642658579611198274" border="0" /></a>
<br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Apparently it's an amazing drive during the day (and when you're not in a hurry) so I'll have to go back sometime. </span>
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<br /><span style="font-family:arial;">That night driving to New Plymouth, Mt Taranaki looked strikingly beautiful, standing above the plain in the crisp, clear moonlight. However the forecast wasn't great and sure enough, it was shrouded in cloud and showers the next day and I never saw it again. Instead, Kyle and I went mountain biking on some local tracks. The mountain biking was hardcore extreme so I didn't take any photos (actually I forgot my camera). We also visited a multi award-winning footbridge that is one of the nicest I've seen</span>, <span style="font-family:arial;">it cleverly frames the mountain. Obviously I stole this photo off the web since you can see Mt Taranaki:
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<br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzn-bSGLHLoUOAbcoGB-F8PT7ZfMvRrVl62piHyzoN5QMGJedI9vcIu2KBFk_dUQKyRXe8VEdP-s7DoFtVquQUlEjwkbz0OYT_AF-qleBj2OXlifbZRIU5X8hjfH5OclR-KuYWUkVjE8tK/s1600/280px-Te_Rewa_Rewa.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 280px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzn-bSGLHLoUOAbcoGB-F8PT7ZfMvRrVl62piHyzoN5QMGJedI9vcIu2KBFk_dUQKyRXe8VEdP-s7DoFtVquQUlEjwkbz0OYT_AF-qleBj2OXlifbZRIU5X8hjfH5OclR-KuYWUkVjE8tK/s400/280px-Te_Rewa_Rewa.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642683437058589714" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">
<br />After lunch with Kyle and Betty (they look great but sorry no photos) I had the long drive back to Wellington - with the added interest of driving head-on into the Great Storm of 2011 on the way and having to wait at Pukerua Bay due to snow on the road to Porirua!
<br /></span>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16310734985127377014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-63074810481213553092011-05-23T06:51:00.006+12:002011-05-25T19:17:04.095+12:00Easter in Turangi<span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >Well hello - sorry it's been a while. It's been a few weeks since Easter so I'll make this a brief post.</span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >At Easter a bunch of us (11 people) headed up to Turangi, at the south end of Lake Taupo to hang out at a bach (holiday house).<br /><br /><br /></span> <div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJW0tsdaru7oKnEBUQZApbqW5G3u0CLFUu1fJa0lDGZVDENQows-RVIGxYDdI-0GxRqyHAXJ-xRXW4lvnjkZgwmSALt3S4jlot71da6YJJFaGIvXBajn3Ds3C5GF4c7OoYRQULLR8eiX0/s1600/IMG_0530.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 210px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJW0tsdaru7oKnEBUQZApbqW5G3u0CLFUu1fJa0lDGZVDENQows-RVIGxYDdI-0GxRqyHAXJ-xRXW4lvnjkZgwmSALt3S4jlot71da6YJJFaGIvXBajn3Ds3C5GF4c7OoYRQULLR8eiX0/s400/IMG_0530.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609615493788974610" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Lots of hanging out was successfully done. </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:85%;" >The weather wasn't amazing but occasionally the sun broke through and it didn't rain too much. We had a big group so we split up and did various things, but they mostly involved walking/running on various alpine and bush tracks in the area. The highlight for me was probably running the Tongariro Crossing with Neil and Frances - Neil and I ran in from the Ketatahi end to enable a car swap with the walkers coming from the other direction. Fortunately we didn't miss Frances in the mist at the top and the three of us descended through gradually-increasing views to the Mangatepopo car park. I was glad I'd been there before to see the views! I would have felt a bit ripped off if I was one of the hundreds of first-time walkers that day. <br /><br />These photos are from Sylvia and Paula's run to the Tama Lakes nearby.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJBM1shRIy0Qsfpo2l9GJDSrGMlpi_MHDAvxer2_DTOfD3vIvlPcPGfu5R8vQy0MHXNwl0NwL5dcRtAK-k-akWjXzgj49fAGnCcOOnEf1UIUrDbvbUmLYVcGaI1do3xT82FAbKcuky9LHD/s1600/IMG_0489.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJBM1shRIy0Qsfpo2l9GJDSrGMlpi_MHDAvxer2_DTOfD3vIvlPcPGfu5R8vQy0MHXNwl0NwL5dcRtAK-k-akWjXzgj49fAGnCcOOnEf1UIUrDbvbUmLYVcGaI1do3xT82FAbKcuky9LHD/s400/IMG_0489.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609616074576566818" border="0" /></a><br /></span> <span style="font-family: arial;font-size:85%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTCDl9Z53FTKkEX5DcrZdsCtKqOTEy5OPLltnHO978VuTX1WLxAv5SxTAucmMlDm6KbeYM_yhyKdFYmZ2yidQclVPIBEi-bYr9NEwrO5MlOTCp8VIqrsJADAenP-GRBm7TDYqXMgXf2Tvl/s1600/IMG_0494.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTCDl9Z53FTKkEX5DcrZdsCtKqOTEy5OPLltnHO978VuTX1WLxAv5SxTAucmMlDm6KbeYM_yhyKdFYmZ2yidQclVPIBEi-bYr9NEwrO5MlOTCp8VIqrsJADAenP-GRBm7TDYqXMgXf2Tvl/s400/IMG_0494.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609616071091973954" border="0" /></a><br /></span> <span style="font-family: arial;font-size:85%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLYky2FL-2vZ_M6dX5wj-FBnHxyGpM8Dq0ytYLdL1MpHKn8LINFA54r3jLLiFmYn0-jxXV-naSjSP2JyhSCJj4zpnokGBjYXx_YIJ892qxovgh51aK9ohwafAhR5t2JgWpl3SHdilgWlp/s1600/IMG_0517.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLYky2FL-2vZ_M6dX5wj-FBnHxyGpM8Dq0ytYLdL1MpHKn8LINFA54r3jLLiFmYn0-jxXV-naSjSP2JyhSCJj4zpnokGBjYXx_YIJ892qxovgh51aK9ohwafAhR5t2JgWpl3SHdilgWlp/s400/IMG_0517.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609616059422096322" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br />The next day a group visited the historic Waihohonu hut. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhByRmlL4SlwQWVmvJHQKCD8gLJmgxKi3EOa_0L6Oujmxog-9MtPJAHL3uq_F7rvb0DMag6v9aamrzdY4xF0SwN7GIjtyrtG0od0uzxKD8qoST4oaIv3C_1xtvm013XwansdnjqK8hoampe/s1600/IMG_0524.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 276px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhByRmlL4SlwQWVmvJHQKCD8gLJmgxKi3EOa_0L6Oujmxog-9MtPJAHL3uq_F7rvb0DMag6v9aamrzdY4xF0SwN7GIjtyrtG0od0uzxKD8qoST4oaIv3C_1xtvm013XwansdnjqK8hoampe/s400/IMG_0524.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609616055561216594" border="0" /></a></span> <span style="font-family: arial;font-size:85%;" ><br />On Sunday we decided that group activities were in order to celebrate Easter. Of course we had the traditional egg hunt...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJW0tsdaru7oKnEBUQZApbqW5G3u0CLFUu1fJa0lDGZVDENQows-RVIGxYDdI-0GxRqyHAXJ-xRXW4lvnjkZgwmSALt3S4jlot71da6YJJFaGIvXBajn3Ds3C5GF4c7OoYRQULLR8eiX0/s1600/IMG_0530.JPG"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRS-sZnppgKC8jssae8R_HXTMLy3spT-qpNCtROd2M5NpV3uc61X6fZ-OMQjL3kySvfgzBNSEbvuAc0GNkeYnZolVWPiV3-ZOPffgLQocY5ziu-om9TIfa1dyRzNKAbWUkS3jvkn-kDCxK/s1600/IMG_0538.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 276px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRS-sZnppgKC8jssae8R_HXTMLy3spT-qpNCtROd2M5NpV3uc61X6fZ-OMQjL3kySvfgzBNSEbvuAc0GNkeYnZolVWPiV3-ZOPffgLQocY5ziu-om9TIfa1dyRzNKAbWUkS3jvkn-kDCxK/s400/IMG_0538.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609615500865012658" border="0" /></a></span> <span style="font-family: arial;font-size:85%;" ><br />And the not-so-traditional lemon and spoon race.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodj83N5EqTNIKjNw9_AeuJChYe_733iXN88gO4OsHRU_PLzYhy817eoqZ081L_8sq3cru5nlyYyYFVRYs4w6cj9UpE7Z1Or-hHvTjcc2DTDYcn5wqC_T_UWBG4hbV-KrnIuB043y0gx6C/s1600/IMG_0554.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodj83N5EqTNIKjNw9_AeuJChYe_733iXN88gO4OsHRU_PLzYhy817eoqZ081L_8sq3cru5nlyYyYFVRYs4w6cj9UpE7Z1Or-hHvTjcc2DTDYcn5wqC_T_UWBG4hbV-KrnIuB043y0gx6C/s400/IMG_0554.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609615515794075730" border="0" /></a></span> <span style="font-family: arial;font-size:85%;" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgonmgEiDTQ1202taMArsrYhXD8PB400yU5Ex7sfSdTzhqig0W_t9FC0Mk_ajQnJQ-aFraH9xJ62Svr2vzs-wjiXO5gQt7ig5RYiHbXUpr_6tNgfk5OC8YaZWs01t0CfSwlr1nTrqbuFWPX/s1600/IMG_0544.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgonmgEiDTQ1202taMArsrYhXD8PB400yU5Ex7sfSdTzhqig0W_t9FC0Mk_ajQnJQ-aFraH9xJ62Svr2vzs-wjiXO5gQt7ig5RYiHbXUpr_6tNgfk5OC8YaZWs01t0CfSwlr1nTrqbuFWPX/s400/IMG_0544.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609615507138132610" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:85%;" ><br />We then went for a leisurely stroll on the Tongariro River walk above Turangi. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggqjOK0bgKKJmJOgvp_OZ621Er7cI3UIOHDpTd-8BVCO80AMQ1OFDieRYm9lEDTrsXNHSIvQZcJkxIqG8plB9vhS2BN3iM38TN770euyd4z0OSMFcQMaGBi_2RP5D0fw_Itqy1zdsJWxTb/s1600/IMG_0558.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 295px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggqjOK0bgKKJmJOgvp_OZ621Er7cI3UIOHDpTd-8BVCO80AMQ1OFDieRYm9lEDTrsXNHSIvQZcJkxIqG8plB9vhS2BN3iM38TN770euyd4z0OSMFcQMaGBi_2RP5D0fw_Itqy1zdsJWxTb/s400/IMG_0558.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609615526437870514" border="0" /></a></span>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16310734985127377014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-60583715642674941042011-01-18T19:35:00.005+13:002011-01-18T21:14:27.543+13:00Holiday Tramping<span style="font-family: arial;">Between Christmas and New Year, Sylvia and I went tramping for four days with Neil and Frances. Due to continuing strong westerlies we decided to go tramping as far eastwards as possible - which turned out to be the Seaward Kaikouras. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">It's not an area many people go, and certainly not somewhere we'd have planned to go if we hadn't been scouring the guidebooks for ideas. Our tramp was in an area called the Clarence Reserve and is a mix of farmland, retired farmland and alpine tops/river valleys.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5D3lT7h0PBz2UokSAkaaL3zt4FZoxwprXD0z7CSQS6SRs49GCaE1ooMbQn7jF7Ggx2hoP9W_SfR-2Uw09fX34lq2eghh99zyA7Ilx2wgXDpHymfJu9lgx7vEsjkrtCkr8FJMxv_7OCpae/s1600/IMG_0364.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5D3lT7h0PBz2UokSAkaaL3zt4FZoxwprXD0z7CSQS6SRs49GCaE1ooMbQn7jF7Ggx2hoP9W_SfR-2Uw09fX34lq2eghh99zyA7Ilx2wgXDpHymfJu9lgx7vEsjkrtCkr8FJMxv_7OCpae/s400/IMG_0364.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563411868556972434" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;">Quite a bit of the tramping was on gravel road or 4WD track. We thought it might have had the potential to be a bit lame but it worked out just fine. It was also more social because we could all bunch together and natter away! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">We didn't start walking until after 4 pm on the first day and didn't get to the hut until 9.30. Late dinner then bed. It was quite a flash, modern hut and seems to get quite a bit of use by a variety of users - trampers, horse riders, MTB, 4WD and quad bikers. </span><br /><br /><br /> <a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0-6OPI2h3JRvRrmPC14Ps1P83Nkd1WV7gT1EOWvnOZWgrKPl7GNdDN9C7h-X2z9DI5CmpEZhUswr_-NI6z2-aip54Jv1lInnbmDttdDI7Fht2PlsAO6RSkHxkELnxupBRMpy7ECo_p9Wz/s1600/IMG_0365.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0-6OPI2h3JRvRrmPC14Ps1P83Nkd1WV7gT1EOWvnOZWgrKPl7GNdDN9C7h-X2z9DI5CmpEZhUswr_-NI6z2-aip54Jv1lInnbmDttdDI7Fht2PlsAO6RSkHxkELnxupBRMpy7ECo_p9Wz/s400/IMG_0365.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563411864595681922" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;">We didn't see a lot of native bush on this trip, but there were other items of scenic interest, such as interesting geology, to keep us entertained. Definitely some scrambling possibilities. </span><br /><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizYXCqZIZUKiB-mZK1_3Jv_0Sg6Eb6kz7ojL4-KbZ_h4Ix_CzWeNr-7xU0lIYIRxlcOlFRKQ8slJXjVz_cDhcpnNwhNytMU9rLSUtABDa0xJIb00Fiq7VowUinCSrPh57O-Ho3LX8xyPhQ/s1600/IMG_0373.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizYXCqZIZUKiB-mZK1_3Jv_0Sg6Eb6kz7ojL4-KbZ_h4Ix_CzWeNr-7xU0lIYIRxlcOlFRKQ8slJXjVz_cDhcpnNwhNytMU9rLSUtABDa0xJIb00Fiq7VowUinCSrPh57O-Ho3LX8xyPhQ/s400/IMG_0373.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563411863574145346" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;">There were also several historic huts. The route we followed for the first two days was a historic stock droving route from the Clarence Valley to Kaikoura. </span><br /><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC-ORVUyGVbMPLGgvpwkc76nZOfA_CqMnO8AiP18zxw547c_G0IDSebuHMSYXJQu2gnkt4YtpRyJmpvsXaI9Zs0lIGqrGI3CWyJeWYhHbKS2uOgqwqdJ5d4kSrN5eSj3_rDNFFhdsGala7/s1600/IMG_0374.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC-ORVUyGVbMPLGgvpwkc76nZOfA_CqMnO8AiP18zxw547c_G0IDSebuHMSYXJQu2gnkt4YtpRyJmpvsXaI9Zs0lIGqrGI3CWyJeWYhHbKS2uOgqwqdJ5d4kSrN5eSj3_rDNFFhdsGala7/s400/IMG_0374.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563411304513138354" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family: arial;">On the third day we ditched the 4WD track and headed up the nearly dry Gore Stream... </span><br /><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq43jOw3zZVh-Z0bSsbBYw8m43zqvzMkdhF-87THXiLfZAfv45_8CPE1TpchUZvQTCY7bJrLNWDORJNIaHq7mCnJ64deGLhcAJBjYJa53EQdtqNMJ91FYnaU1k3nllAKP6CBFDnf9yTrCV/s1600/IMG_0376.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq43jOw3zZVh-Z0bSsbBYw8m43zqvzMkdhF-87THXiLfZAfv45_8CPE1TpchUZvQTCY7bJrLNWDORJNIaHq7mCnJ64deGLhcAJBjYJa53EQdtqNMJ91FYnaU1k3nllAKP6CBFDnf9yTrCV/s400/IMG_0376.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563411308836914626" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;">...then the much more scenic Alfred Stream. Swimming stop compulsory. </span><br /><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGr0w4L68JcxP0QwuxZ_ZP-cEs_0F_LwXYVg_lJRewyMaqWEmaIXKANXz9W5u2J-TZNtq2YjUNcFchpi0LQUYdfNG5yfFDTo6m1Nnh7HUcWCotjWH40t_ttzBuGfW9ZtBED48h-tfioZ8/s1600/IMG_0378.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGr0w4L68JcxP0QwuxZ_ZP-cEs_0F_LwXYVg_lJRewyMaqWEmaIXKANXz9W5u2J-TZNtq2YjUNcFchpi0LQUYdfNG5yfFDTo6m1Nnh7HUcWCotjWH40t_ttzBuGfW9ZtBED48h-tfioZ8/s400/IMG_0378.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563411313238415858" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family: arial;">The lovely but seldom-visited Alfred Hut (a standard NZFS 4-bunker in good condition). On the 29th December we were the second party to visit in 2010! Or at least the second party to write in the hut book. We didn't spend the night here since we arrived at 2.30 pm, but we did have dinner and wait for the day to cool down a bit before heading up a ridge to our evening's camp. </span><br /><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLzwTN_YDN-Lhrxl8ZEeh_dycVpnW06lzZ9D0qoshVqUYRgksVYb1LjcacyQ-8T6eQSKtzc64vwKaEoEf6ovL92bEXftH_4NcvujBCbvhfb4zKcMTD_7HW3aP5MyHT1SkExOMyXjYa48Ot/s1600/IMG_0381.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLzwTN_YDN-Lhrxl8ZEeh_dycVpnW06lzZ9D0qoshVqUYRgksVYb1LjcacyQ-8T6eQSKtzc64vwKaEoEf6ovL92bEXftH_4NcvujBCbvhfb4zKcMTD_7HW3aP5MyHT1SkExOMyXjYa48Ot/s400/IMG_0381.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563411316421776786" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family: arial;">Speaking of which - a slight breeze to begin with but we awoke to a beautiful calm day and views of the Seaward and Inland Kaikoura Mountains. </span><br /><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitaRHivtTCKTty-xyiOykyasypOQmL3p5tnfHVfpcjcq3Lc2lU_QSKhL66hj6rPRqqFhWMRqm20c2CSnyFFWV5cEht4iCc7rFj6OSF-GEJphhMhas5WtcPK1V4uGXvXQNGREC6qu59jH_y/s1600/IMG_0382.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitaRHivtTCKTty-xyiOykyasypOQmL3p5tnfHVfpcjcq3Lc2lU_QSKhL66hj6rPRqqFhWMRqm20c2CSnyFFWV5cEht4iCc7rFj6OSF-GEJphhMhas5WtcPK1V4uGXvXQNGREC6qu59jH_y/s400/IMG_0382.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563411321604274002" border="0" /></a> <br /><span style="font-family: arial;">The last day involved some slightly arduous scrambling and a short but dodgy loose descent before things got a bit easier. We finished with a bit of a water shortage and a 4WD and pasture walk back to the cars. </span><br /> <a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGr0w4L68JcxP0QwuxZ_ZP-cEs_0F_LwXYVg_lJRewyMaqWEmaIXKANXz9W5u2J-TZNtq2YjUNcFchpi0LQUYdfNG5yfFDTo6m1Nnh7HUcWCotjWH40t_ttzBuGfW9ZtBED48h-tfioZ8/s1600/IMG_0378.jpg"><br /></a> <a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq43jOw3zZVh-Z0bSsbBYw8m43zqvzMkdhF-87THXiLfZAfv45_8CPE1TpchUZvQTCY7bJrLNWDORJNIaHq7mCnJ64deGLhcAJBjYJa53EQdtqNMJ91FYnaU1k3nllAKP6CBFDnf9yTrCV/s1600/IMG_0376.jpg"><br /></a> <a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC-ORVUyGVbMPLGgvpwkc76nZOfA_CqMnO8AiP18zxw547c_G0IDSebuHMSYXJQu2gnkt4YtpRyJmpvsXaI9Zs0lIGqrGI3CWyJeWYhHbKS2uOgqwqdJ5d4kSrN5eSj3_rDNFFhdsGala7/s1600/IMG_0374.jpg"><br /></a>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16310734985127377014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-86468587309495141692010-12-24T16:32:00.008+13:002010-12-24T17:06:18.604+13:00A Great Week in the Mountains<span style="font-family:arial;">About a month ago, Dan, James and I headed into the Southern Alps to climb some stuff. The main objective on this trip was Mt Cook, but we were happy to just have a crack at climbing whatever we could. The weather was amazingly good, too good in fact, with cracking sunny days for over a week and a freezing level that never fell lower than 3,500 m. This meant that we had to look at higher peaks and cross our fingers for a decent overnight freeze. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">We did some multi-pitch rock climbing at Sebastopol Bluffs on the Saturday afternoon as a bit of a warm-up for three-person, two-rope climbing techniques (though it was a lot of fun in itself). On Sunday evening we flew in to Plateau Hut at 2,200 m and went to bed hoping for a freeze. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">We actually got one and at 3 am we got up to climb Mt Dixon. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554089336146448386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzgHUnyzA2GHVt41nwPFNQ-Y_n_cuxEt1dJkBcpyCNrHC3D0Nmb-eX4joGe65weGYKi-XMMlCgoBqwTObgyupWknG-pHNUBUR2_4k2s5ppOUYzmtB2LWSlt4yaL47nu4e4cCoNBpfa-IB/s400/IMGP1617.jpg" /></span><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;"><em>Mt Dixon - South Ridge on the left, East Ridge on the right</em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">The conditions up at Cook were actually very bare for the end of November, probably more like typical late December conditions due to the lack of snowfall this winter and the warm weather since. The glaciers are all opening up and the bergshrunds ("schrunds" - big crevasse-type things at the top of snowslopes) have opened up too. Also a lot of stuff had fallen off. </span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">We climbed the slightly harder South Ridge because there was no way onto the East Ridge due to the large shrund at its base, except for traversing the crumbly ridge from Glacier Dome which by all accounts is awful. However, the East Ridge was a suitable descent route because we could just abseil over the shrund. </span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ9aGjH9bTgH1Cg-91snJqI5tjjwrYaImtEp3d8VUYeVhbEUr4SeVKHdXY58_wrXnKJ1FyWMB1Ln56XTan2AmkQWlxsfOvVGFNeAojdSwUmuxAkPz3YlGZHVS2Xx9V2Ppr4x9nAbuEtgFJ/s1600/IMGP1588.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554089344906152642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ9aGjH9bTgH1Cg-91snJqI5tjjwrYaImtEp3d8VUYeVhbEUr4SeVKHdXY58_wrXnKJ1FyWMB1Ln56XTan2AmkQWlxsfOvVGFNeAojdSwUmuxAkPz3YlGZHVS2Xx9V2Ppr4x9nAbuEtgFJ/s400/IMGP1588.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> <em>Working our way through the glacier to the start of our climb actually turned out to be more intricate than we'd expected</em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></em></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChPRoYyL70KmkfRrBh9TGOrO1eyUjW325L0bLcnXp6TSlF_ig2PagtGsf2Bz0ifZ6WCwKKpMG5GDhWpPP1yt4ridYI5emM1V1nnPJIZEexVJS4yeBVX2S6dUr64-WjVpj8pFYPIgMGkCx/s1600/IMGP1597.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554089343653214498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChPRoYyL70KmkfRrBh9TGOrO1eyUjW325L0bLcnXp6TSlF_ig2PagtGsf2Bz0ifZ6WCwKKpMG5GDhWpPP1yt4ridYI5emM1V1nnPJIZEexVJS4yeBVX2S6dUr64-WjVpj8pFYPIgMGkCx/s400/IMGP1597.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><em> On the South Ridge</em></span></div><p><span style="font-family:arial;">We did 3 pitches up a snow/ice gully with rock steps onto the crest of the ridge, and a further short ice gully pitch at a step just below the summit. Apart from the strong winds on top (which meant we had to crab our way along, or at best walk very hunched over) the rest was reasonably straightforward and the descent of the East Ridge was quite quick in soft snow. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;">After a rest day (when there wasn't a decent freeze anyway) we got up at midnight to climb Cook via the Linda Glacier. We didn't get a lot of sleep the night before - due to nervousness, and the fact that we were only in bed for 2 1/2 hours!<br /></span></p><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdV-omkeETDAm8_rmT3GYBqcVkp4PPqqA_O2qGTrDJJQURLz4PYONG8YIMKtK5ydV4sjh0JHhoHlhoGxpsKF_NpOoN-5ZsQXYibGE2GJ5KGONXB6FXgO_qlccmkHWY55pOnHLBwFoFcj3/s1600/IMGP1629.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 231px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554089338278223426" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdV-omkeETDAm8_rmT3GYBqcVkp4PPqqA_O2qGTrDJJQURLz4PYONG8YIMKtK5ydV4sjh0JHhoHlhoGxpsKF_NpOoN-5ZsQXYibGE2GJ5KGONXB6FXgO_qlccmkHWY55pOnHLBwFoFcj3/s400/IMGP1629.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> <em>Sunrise on the summit rocks</em><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAW7O4GVMC5geBOWhfmsDt-G3yw3e2iwyunwsk0rtgFEFv_Wf13-SyXflaPzcFQZrSNSpXb6lAiucUg2QufwokB5sLHIHh9ADAonXz-7RrDLNajjk6nPhLTnjdy2IezIvY1JaUw9sb0Mos/s1600/IMGP1631.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554089331738932066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAW7O4GVMC5geBOWhfmsDt-G3yw3e2iwyunwsk0rtgFEFv_Wf13-SyXflaPzcFQZrSNSpXb6lAiucUg2QufwokB5sLHIHh9ADAonXz-7RrDLNajjk6nPhLTnjdy2IezIvY1JaUw9sb0Mos/s400/IMGP1631.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> <em>The start of the summit rocks</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><em></em><br /><br /><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI25kWJymJ-X7QSxcEfOStTevwaxog3n9aqTcni0wNNmDYBVnA01dgDaqDmbou7TDVyG3Jl1L9pN-5QcQuTUdQcWDjBumOMEh_snQ_Agw_O8d293tW_LC-ljAUtGQkTIpoSQIx2A6SmKlC/s1600/IMGP1643.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554088897033522642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI25kWJymJ-X7QSxcEfOStTevwaxog3n9aqTcni0wNNmDYBVnA01dgDaqDmbou7TDVyG3Jl1L9pN-5QcQuTUdQcWDjBumOMEh_snQ_Agw_O8d293tW_LC-ljAUtGQkTIpoSQIx2A6SmKlC/s400/IMGP1643.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> <em>Past the summit rocks, just the icecap to go. I started to feel the altitude at this point (3,500 m)</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><em></em><div align="center"><br /></div></span><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkXQNkTez8xz5ILqO36fjsSMRMJKjjTK4WfeNKIK_h87YxW_Pkvd3MHTbsmTWeaX88Fr_eMxkmIQZDPr4I4jSvRZBXg6BQBSwm2AE23vcHDaoqsfGnBljN9Qwk45evJnktET0SOvBThEIJ/s1600/IMGP1652.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554088880845908386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkXQNkTez8xz5ILqO36fjsSMRMJKjjTK4WfeNKIK_h87YxW_Pkvd3MHTbsmTWeaX88Fr_eMxkmIQZDPr4I4jSvRZBXg6BQBSwm2AE23vcHDaoqsfGnBljN9Qwk45evJnktET0SOvBThEIJ/s400/IMGP1652.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> <em>Nearly there!</em><br /></span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><div align="center"><br /></div></span><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGYrOwfjxaZMn_tMvb1_VbIER8AvPzdyzK6EgMyGUh5mg8jW_5K_dMgOhdrHFcMa49Bfh4AccexHAzkAGET9f8xW1GHAY0IQ1TfmMr7zd27zJM16ZZf7d-W-nlmM6xWE9Ia-kjjTsXzKXC/s1600/IMGP1661.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554088878751807218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGYrOwfjxaZMn_tMvb1_VbIER8AvPzdyzK6EgMyGUh5mg8jW_5K_dMgOhdrHFcMa49Bfh4AccexHAzkAGET9f8xW1GHAY0IQ1TfmMr7zd27zJM16ZZf7d-W-nlmM6xWE9Ia-kjjTsXzKXC/s400/IMGP1661.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> <em>Boys on top. L-R Dan, me, Jim</em></span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><em></em><div align="center"><br /><br /></div></span><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCChvbfOzsRY-wQWqyXtq1fRbrBYafkGFfnmA1EoHcpxZGvieVm0tCe3QNhAZVZGsyAiRnRC6SKH2Wzb7F_csf1khHaEaK-1j2NwMrpuVbDhr7qKZpmkQ9Tlr0T65Q5hObIi6HagZHwtyT/s1600/IMGP1671.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554088875065665122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCChvbfOzsRY-wQWqyXtq1fRbrBYafkGFfnmA1EoHcpxZGvieVm0tCe3QNhAZVZGsyAiRnRC6SKH2Wzb7F_csf1khHaEaK-1j2NwMrpuVbDhr7qKZpmkQ9Tlr0T65Q5hObIi6HagZHwtyT/s400/IMGP1671.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> <em>Just have to get back down now! </em></span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><em></em></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Apart from an ice gully at the start, we soloed the summit rocks because they were so dry. This helped a lot with our speed because we were still quite slow pitching as a party of three. We had two ropes for the descent but only did full-length abseils for the last couple of pitches due to the nature of the terrain. </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">It was so warm that day that I got through at least three litres of water and probably could have drunk twice that. I was sweating a lot but particularly when I was puffing at the higher altitudes. It was completely still on top and I think I could have been quite comfortable in a t-shirt and shorts! </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></span></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHW6RgG3Qvo2rN6MJQRhvocghXwAS4xXfXkjcbABj3Yau5P4EfIOOlBQ0VPvKJWaNWoodJjvGZvttnxIfPrA4rTN-5FOK9JEJLd-7QPK1uP-_2gPDviUawF1Uyjl38LP9u2hTjyBSGAKLO/s1600/IMGP1713.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554088510080146306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHW6RgG3Qvo2rN6MJQRhvocghXwAS4xXfXkjcbABj3Yau5P4EfIOOlBQ0VPvKJWaNWoodJjvGZvttnxIfPrA4rTN-5FOK9JEJLd-7QPK1uP-_2gPDviUawF1Uyjl38LP9u2hTjyBSGAKLO/s400/IMGP1713.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> <em>Teichelmann's Corner in the Linda Glacier. It was so soft coming down that I frequently sunk up to my groin and sometimes had to dig my foot out. The only way you could tell if you'd fallen into a hidden crevasse was to look for a bottomless hole where your foot had been once you'd pulled it out. </em></span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><em></em></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /></div></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgn_zxECMmJilqTzBzybo6hFYQ2EaonXRkLL9RZwyfI0iQAjggqapi3DLgyfK9MMoudOzUOcOFRjZERWck7tLCnPub3TfAkJHD0LrjIMRpuORM3Om6IJpLO8A4Al8s9R9V2px-zl3swD4Q/s1600/IMGP1715.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554088509793218306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgn_zxECMmJilqTzBzybo6hFYQ2EaonXRkLL9RZwyfI0iQAjggqapi3DLgyfK9MMoudOzUOcOFRjZERWck7tLCnPub3TfAkJHD0LrjIMRpuORM3Om6IJpLO8A4Al8s9R9V2px-zl3swD4Q/s400/IMGP1715.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> <em>Fallen into a crevasse or just sunk into deep snow? He probably doesn't know either. </em></span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><em></em><div align="left"><br />All up it took us 16.5 hours, not bad considering the soft conditions on the way back. </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">After a day of rest we headed out via Cinerama Col. Another early start was required to make the most of what freeze there was. </div><div align="left"></div></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><div align="center"><br /></div></span><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQUwV1Olpp0x5GMX3rk6SACUhZBslyJZMbhSZrhM3nQyLjiWbgAEbSzNydAx27MjtbAn-knZ3H53CdhEDq-yqt-NQyB9MlcBr9xbcbZ5j0Xz2q0mk9Td6HvlwYfJRw1b75KjmLgrwNndsr/s1600/IMGP1745.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554088506379085250" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQUwV1Olpp0x5GMX3rk6SACUhZBslyJZMbhSZrhM3nQyLjiWbgAEbSzNydAx27MjtbAn-knZ3H53CdhEDq-yqt-NQyB9MlcBr9xbcbZ5j0Xz2q0mk9Td6HvlwYfJRw1b75KjmLgrwNndsr/s400/IMGP1745.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> <em>4 am and we're on the move<br /></em><br /><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPU9ga_0kQkP5aK_Ejaz-HPimZYjj3AoIddLpFdbk0uH5pXqnugYURE8VUmuGlEckyasKKETBDmKISn_WCBjCwcRm5ccJKDyP6b1bCTePuPqPr3oil6ILfGNP2aJ0cF3QBwCFe_z-SfIiE/s1600/IMGP1772.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554088504478561234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPU9ga_0kQkP5aK_Ejaz-HPimZYjj3AoIddLpFdbk0uH5pXqnugYURE8VUmuGlEckyasKKETBDmKISn_WCBjCwcRm5ccJKDyP6b1bCTePuPqPr3oil6ILfGNP2aJ0cF3QBwCFe_z-SfIiE/s400/IMGP1772.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> <em>Traversing below the Anzac Peaks</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><em></em><br /><br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7io7MO2XZh4VI7B_bUA3rQOHLy1aDZvZVzm56Yo3KKQ5BY16K3Ze30i6zB9K-ooTdysFytzd1KZ9Hu5PNnXrnGxBu96OpbofjOsohdbBabgVWn2d6KzMOFLBXSa5DUfT7MSzPfPFaL5J/s1600/IMGP1774.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554088497456920530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7io7MO2XZh4VI7B_bUA3rQOHLy1aDZvZVzm56Yo3KKQ5BY16K3Ze30i6zB9K-ooTdysFytzd1KZ9Hu5PNnXrnGxBu96OpbofjOsohdbBabgVWn2d6KzMOFLBXSa5DUfT7MSzPfPFaL5J/s400/IMGP1774.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><em> Get our harnesses and warm clothes off for the last time - it's too hot now that it's 7 am and the sun's up!<br /></em><br /></span><div><div><div><div><div><div><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16310734985127377014noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-46307852562284252362010-10-04T21:09:00.006+13:002010-10-04T21:44:47.922+13:00Tararuas Day Trip - Mt Hector<span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNVcVTydT3HIJVFCKCGOYXDgqQVd04F7udTjSDwQmRxe92Xx1q1ui3XYNz9J8k2uV-53MHew7ODs2ifyKZEqzjQRlxcYA7SHjlUWQD0e9jaBVpWAJIB77J_oH7z9MhSNgoxdqN-3pdfHz/s1600/IMG_0111.jpg"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></a></span><span style="font-family: arial;">We had our first venture into the Tararuas at the weekend. We thought we'd do a fairly vigorous day trip to start the training buildup for the World Rogaine Champs in November. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">So is the weather always this good in the Tararuas? </span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXgrUFpJEO5Wv_4xsHsKO4-z1aQccd8sw7qSIrHVr5L5W5EMq_brjU1W6Nbu2sfskVz1mJYLAAJXK6vT3UeIPyLlUdkqk9DeJ1LH1uqN2M9NoQnfcqsJaKe4vEiZiFmj5xHCz-fHVBthJ/s1600/IMG_0114.jpg"><br /></a><br /></span><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZp0SHy26n9MSlf14r528swqja79n8qndR8-oC9xCgkL_YRXuCkDHa-a19xFQo0YwoLiSQhsKql0iM8k6vJMlWs1x7B7RDdACqpK9zcTPUp0Y0nMdk9tPlq2azfpKhUsuJqrmAbBesqu7c/s1600/IMG_0093.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZp0SHy26n9MSlf14r528swqja79n8qndR8-oC9xCgkL_YRXuCkDHa-a19xFQo0YwoLiSQhsKql0iM8k6vJMlWs1x7B7RDdACqpK9zcTPUp0Y0nMdk9tPlq2azfpKhUsuJqrmAbBesqu7c/s400/IMG_0093.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524106924964283826" border="0" /></a></span>A minor hiccup at the start which meant we had to walk an extra 1/2 hr at each end<br /><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ8wci22Pv6TgCpDexp94uHsZEqNSrica2uBjijgq6ZlllFf5i0GTE47FqBsyB0cQaBvlN3x8a5IFzHYUE0fNCCtxv3OIEX4O7eREHa-g-4eBs9gifqOto82KOELtB5LTvFBgBQBKGT5tp/s1600/IMG_0095.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ8wci22Pv6TgCpDexp94uHsZEqNSrica2uBjijgq6ZlllFf5i0GTE47FqBsyB0cQaBvlN3x8a5IFzHYUE0fNCCtxv3OIEX4O7eREHa-g-4eBs9gifqOto82KOELtB5LTvFBgBQBKGT5tp/s400/IMG_0095.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524106924650959490" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-VIucikK6ZyId86Y03CRlAZ1TxfZKXXyjnRLOdxigkz89dXL1d0Jwg5-ddqzrGVBn5UBP-khFizHYEEwTasg-xVLsziJhwdChewk48wqkr-4c5HjvmJaEwYVOzMBJMCGwIOTLFzr3PWAb/s1600/IMG_0097.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-VIucikK6ZyId86Y03CRlAZ1TxfZKXXyjnRLOdxigkz89dXL1d0Jwg5-ddqzrGVBn5UBP-khFizHYEEwTasg-xVLsziJhwdChewk48wqkr-4c5HjvmJaEwYVOzMBJMCGwIOTLFzr3PWAb/s400/IMG_0097.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524106915810710530" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_rdTKK9fuW46dMsqOPBUkoUb9LKE25W1E-yBKT67ZCQxC_VRERCRZk41W6Lys-OddmExuvVw8590-aiWJgrRzDk2kl0zk_zSLTHYtc-msF-B6g_mdrxML_lK0zZtu10_qsWv-QY2wWkb/s1600/IMG_0102.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_rdTKK9fuW46dMsqOPBUkoUb9LKE25W1E-yBKT67ZCQxC_VRERCRZk41W6Lys-OddmExuvVw8590-aiWJgrRzDk2kl0zk_zSLTHYtc-msF-B6g_mdrxML_lK0zZtu10_qsWv-QY2wWkb/s400/IMG_0102.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524106915164261634" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1jSklmo30TML1CGNyAViAxgscwiR2k3YtBlyMtkJtw36IoY8fgNbzuDp10zQH-bq9V3V40oKx2bKUhs4GXNMQu3dXt7nOC4Y0HMZ50N1Rt4N0e8XLoigPtw_YgK2B3L_JxAKs-asX8Y6F/s1600/IMG_0108.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1jSklmo30TML1CGNyAViAxgscwiR2k3YtBlyMtkJtw36IoY8fgNbzuDp10zQH-bq9V3V40oKx2bKUhs4GXNMQu3dXt7nOC4Y0HMZ50N1Rt4N0e8XLoigPtw_YgK2B3L_JxAKs-asX8Y6F/s400/IMG_0108.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524106910550598898" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNVcVTydT3HIJVFCKCGOYXDgqQVd04F7udTjSDwQmRxe92Xx1q1ui3XYNz9J8k2uV-53MHew7ODs2ifyKZEqzjQRlxcYA7SHjlUWQD0e9jaBVpWAJIB77J_oH7z9MhSNgoxdqN-3pdfHz/s1600/IMG_0111.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNVcVTydT3HIJVFCKCGOYXDgqQVd04F7udTjSDwQmRxe92Xx1q1ui3XYNz9J8k2uV-53MHew7ODs2ifyKZEqzjQRlxcYA7SHjlUWQD0e9jaBVpWAJIB77J_oH7z9MhSNgoxdqN-3pdfHz/s400/IMG_0111.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524107061890186562" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXgrUFpJEO5Wv_4xsHsKO4-z1aQccd8sw7qSIrHVr5L5W5EMq_brjU1W6Nbu2sfskVz1mJYLAAJXK6vT3UeIPyLlUdkqk9DeJ1LH1uqN2M9NoQnfcqsJaKe4vEiZiFmj5xHCz-fHVBthJ/s1600/IMG_0114.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXgrUFpJEO5Wv_4xsHsKO4-z1aQccd8sw7qSIrHVr5L5W5EMq_brjU1W6Nbu2sfskVz1mJYLAAJXK6vT3UeIPyLlUdkqk9DeJ1LH1uqN2M9NoQnfcqsJaKe4vEiZiFmj5xHCz-fHVBthJ/s400/IMG_0114.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524107055086735378" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07mP1964C1UvR3rLTjE6Hk9ppCXN07957kaaeKFw2PTAGN1T4m9SbSFwzOx72oD8J7nxOOX-8FuVelisPnPrVCPKj7pPdnDT1VBkpyAyOwRCK-4_6TFD-L-eS5CVC-TmY00XpFVjbmVCZ/s1600/IMG_0077.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07mP1964C1UvR3rLTjE6Hk9ppCXN07957kaaeKFw2PTAGN1T4m9SbSFwzOx72oD8J7nxOOX-8FuVelisPnPrVCPKj7pPdnDT1VBkpyAyOwRCK-4_6TFD-L-eS5CVC-TmY00XpFVjbmVCZ/s400/IMG_0077.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524106689784410050" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16310734985127377014noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-46012818530783150832010-08-18T10:40:00.010+12:002010-08-18T13:39:28.549+12:00Butterfly Creek Nighttime Madness<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLfzyGT2tHe6aKN3x1RL5LTQbq8-4Nb3QI2XmC2bL7j0i8tYFZmDCyQzksGhktHZ0ybF_4xg9vKbkZC2y07BVJIUreVv6SZhV7Dke445pWdWwIIKWPw0schx5NVmRd_yB6aKQnpDsltSAf/s1600/DSC_5563.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 315px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLfzyGT2tHe6aKN3x1RL5LTQbq8-4Nb3QI2XmC2bL7j0i8tYFZmDCyQzksGhktHZ0ybF_4xg9vKbkZC2y07BVJIUreVv6SZhV7Dke445pWdWwIIKWPw0schx5NVmRd_yB6aKQnpDsltSAf/s320/DSC_5563.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506519131251321666" /></a></div>Several months ago Mark and I entered the Butterfly Creek Nighttime Madness cross-country race. It seemed like a good idea. At the race start after dark on a Saturday night in the middle of August, our sanity certainly seemed in question. <div><br /></div><div>The race is done in pairs. For me, this basically meant that Mark was going to have a cruisy race while I was the one pushing myself to the limits. This wasn't helped by the fact I had a cold. I was tempted to pull out but the lack of girls willing to take my place (why is that?) meant I decided just to man up.</div><div><br /></div><div>The race was 9.75 km and 400 m climb. It started in Eastbourne, winding along through a little native bush track over the ridge, down the creek, over the ridge again and back along the waterfront. </div><div><br /></div><div>We did really well with a placing of 8th in a time of 1:19:15. I think this was (mainly?) due to our awesome gear. We had our Inov8 'Mudclaws' and my super-duper bright Silva headtorch that my lovely parents bought me for my birthday. With traction and illumination we were able to steam past everyone else slithering into unseen tree roots. I expect they were also intimidated by my impressively loud wheezing. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzWrDTtRGEPhcQfeIgLJoJOz53lc8EN6pZdM7VZL3dBuPij32zY3Jn3tOu_DDaCIpFFrFvwCGKooKb3PWWiMJVJEaWJ0GjL8r87VFsIE8rDDe75p9CNjyc8Hx_LxekpLsMUBoHfDtNq4xv/s320/IMG_0040.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506519135574308370" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 144px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span><i>Don't mess with the mud claws</i></span></div><div><br /></div><div>There was a cut-off point about 4 km from the end that if you didn't make it an hour you'd have to go back the short way. It is a little annoying that this isn't represented in the results, so potentially some of the people above us and lots of the people after us did a much shorter race. Perhaps something they could fix next time!</div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666842995369878258noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-15463256204689729012010-07-19T19:49:00.004+12:002010-07-19T20:24:53.819+12:00Queen's Birthday Weekend Tramp to Swamp Swamp<span style="font-family:arial;">It was a while ago now, but at Queen's Birthday weekend Sylvia and I headed up north to the 'Naki to go tramping and check out a part of the country we hadn't really spent any time in before. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">For those of you in the UK, we get a holiday for the Queen's Birthday and you don't. Naff eh! </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">The weather forecast wasn't too flash but we decided to go anyway because it had been weeks since we got out of Wellington. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">We drove north for a few hours on Friday night, strategically timing our departure until after dinner so we avoided the crowds of people leaving Wellington on the long weekend. We ended up sleeping in the back of the car somewhere north of Wanganui. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">On Saturday morning we continued our drive to North Egmont visitor centre and didn't actually start tramping until around midday. Our plan was to head along the Pouakai Range (a range of peaks just to the north of Mt Taranaki), spend the night in a hut, then return to the car park the next day via a track around the flank of the mountain. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495521720042130306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBKrQSOLLAqgA9MTHiRFnGtOK65j19s6y3VDtfObkzdUX1doYso9ms62hxOsCgO64-ACrJ6dJUNpkpQIe-8zVFZiLAs1Ky1CmgwKHnJshb0cQRP8fzw3HVGVKAPXF6hbn4GVAElCzl-lUw/s400/P6050016.JPG" border="0" /></span><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;">There were lots of boardwalks and ladders</span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495521727458736018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrx89t0iz9AfcmUY8iazxWSB_U859cQYdB7ue82iNaJXVQjg0QTriBxIcIJRLSbFn_Dn5lTm8z0rJ_BVGJHtBo4k4iz0yyOD0nTCC5IVCxQsJpEY95Bad87i-1Pl70QMk7_KPwhHJ5VPjQ/s400/P6050017.JPG" border="0" /></span><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;">Including some natural ones</span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495521715019308930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 204px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguMpLj0hYT1f-168E0kxuoj7WqNPi2Z3p-CT_UGNMK_HgpfQTjsKPwLHNhxaOB_CLqKtLS0qCvZccWDDd-TD-hV09oOzlmZRrJhfHAQ8hkoQ08UmrVbwCqAhE_tZxExkrVZ0og1TNLmhFU/s400/mt+taranaki+pana.jpg" border="0" /></span><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;">Unfortunately the weather wasn't that good and we didn't get great views of the mountain. </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span> </div><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495521736474058738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0NaowN1kGcuPGP-MywiE5Z36H8qnCpht1N49MK6NZNY2eKZlXfh35VCl5Rr9hUN_Fg857XhCLmYW3lZ5h8-Al9Srqx1CpZV_i-Q7-hlDyJpGfe-ig8CET3cNk7ky-FZ4i8Vdr_hwKvlSL/s400/P6050020.JPG" border="0" /></span><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;">I was lucky enough to snap this shot through a gap in the clouds though. </span></div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495521743265680386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimrsGL1ELKELeVJkJx8lxnFHZYKQCOl_cPjQCEKGOEEZjInPjoOpkrOG5yMHeCXUA5Uqwp71A77yP0TU4aWm6n_Kgik8fqbrAn_87mibE1z0P4vl8u7cc6gMxlFVPFwiNTJRL2QiJV_weo/s400/P6050022.JPG" border="0" /></span><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;">This is a huge swamp that lies between the Pouakai Range, where we are standing, and Mt Taranaki on the left. We ended our day at Holly Hut which is just to the left of the lava dome behind the swamp. </span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">During the night and the next day it rained with a vengeance (200 mm in 24 hours). It was quite spectacular - I had never before seen water running off, constantly, from every square meter of soil and flowing overland everywhere. Unfortunately it meant that heading back to the car wasn't an option since there were several streams that would be uncrossable. </span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Our extra day in the hut was an opportunity to get to know our hutmates. Most of them were a group of old boys (and girls) of the Vic Uni Tramping Club and it didn't take long to establish that we had all sorts of mutual friends and acquaintances, and some of us had actually met before. They were kind enough to share their dinner and feminist revisionist poetry with us, as otherwise we would have had to subsist on dried peaches, muesli bars and the normal old misogynistic poetry we usually take tramping. </span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-p5NFQHB1xWyXHpSjLZMrcZgSjw8NRveP0qrpY1D5GMOOMI4MGN4cfRCOaD-yxnNEz7nRdUGtC3eJKV8izxTlr1aH1VJvyFvV40S6mg6j4walyD1HosmzrwDXcJZiOZUJfQDqmOrGNUB/s1600/P6060034.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495522035019648898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-p5NFQHB1xWyXHpSjLZMrcZgSjw8NRveP0qrpY1D5GMOOMI4MGN4cfRCOaD-yxnNEz7nRdUGtC3eJKV8izxTlr1aH1VJvyFvV40S6mg6j4walyD1HosmzrwDXcJZiOZUJfQDqmOrGNUB/s400/P6060034.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> To ward off cabin fever, we took a walk to the nearby (and normally placid) Bell's Falls. They were really raging and it was quite hard to hear each other speak. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVngT3oAJOA0gn7x-RlcGZe5gogXa9a4lf8Sxt4BCHwp1X8DucfQZ2NHDE4fy3sc82DTOtW1M4mqO0eHR9HEF1bEl3KwZ5y0aZtwRd0MdVJkyB5YrqoxcuN3SGyqr12UrcEGb6_2DzcKwV/s1600/P6060027.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495522025988538258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVngT3oAJOA0gn7x-RlcGZe5gogXa9a4lf8Sxt4BCHwp1X8DucfQZ2NHDE4fy3sc82DTOtW1M4mqO0eHR9HEF1bEl3KwZ5y0aZtwRd0MdVJkyB5YrqoxcuN3SGyqr12UrcEGb6_2DzcKwV/s400/P6060027.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Piers and Jenny, you may notice that Ben is wearing an Oringi parka. He obviously likes it because he is smiling. </span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><p><span style="font-family:arial;">When we got out, we were a day late so we went straight to DOC and told them we were out safely. The lady said "oh, they've already started searching for you, I'll go and call them to let them know they can stop looking". We thought it was a bit odd they'd started looking for us, given the weather conditions and that we were only a day late - it turned out that they were actually looking for another couple, but we'd been at the hut with them and could report that they were on their way out and not far behind us. Excitement all round! </span></p>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16310734985127377014noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-22168229161611520872010-06-26T14:39:00.003+12:002010-06-26T15:03:02.978+12:00From Fish to Water<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDHP3ICnqUN91Ig-bIR2ah_ruIHMrQugXfPPhA-AzsXo28sn823qUCRIJ1ZW5aPX0-n0KS3ISPWWXw4FApE9mBQqIfRMFrE3QUOD4HSItyDbfd4xpVU8yuxsOK7UnmDHC0elF_5ht4oGnC/s1600/Orange+Roughy+MFish+leaving+cake+(8).JPG"></a><div style="text-align: left;">All good things come to an end, and all too soon my 5-month contract at the Ministry of Fisheries is over and I'm moving onto new pastures (or more likely waterways - I'll now be a water scientist at SKM). I've had a brilliant time, learnt a lot about fish, and amused a lot of people with my @fish.govt.nz email address (what is so funny about that, anyway?). </div><br />Everyone knows the time-old tradition of blaming the person who has left for everything that goes wrong so I thought a little bit of culinary bribery would go a long way to offsetting this. I decided on an Orange Roughy cake:<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzk9MlXdIqquWdsBeump-EPtcWcoR8ilualEfR0TFMqIJpGyF6uM-DwqucN2nA9b8mbStQgWrN3_P9Urxead6g3Y9gAPHj0pmEMxFPKvWhi2KSEeKb6cjLQoa9oi9B5gQGGSOOlqunpGC2/s400/Copy+of+Orange+Roughy+MFish+leaving+cake+(6).JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486911359119016354" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 330px; " /></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH5pqwJenPuo0cZnyINUX0BfYcZ0vTZ0CDviUeiqK6kS1rKOQsV9YNOyaHtcMfuDMHr7LZDdRaxAACct-DO_lX0dPXpWzWFGZLd-Qfq98Xd_lOJFOwbKfY-IPwI9sZN2ztqweOYd3FpM-W/s400/Copy+of+Orange+Roughy+MFish+leaving+cake+(2).JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486911369544269778" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px; " /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDHP3ICnqUN91Ig-bIR2ah_ruIHMrQugXfPPhA-AzsXo28sn823qUCRIJ1ZW5aPX0-n0KS3ISPWWXw4FApE9mBQqIfRMFrE3QUOD4HSItyDbfd4xpVU8yuxsOK7UnmDHC0elF_5ht4oGnC/s1600/Orange+Roughy+MFish+leaving+cake+(8).JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDHP3ICnqUN91Ig-bIR2ah_ruIHMrQugXfPPhA-AzsXo28sn823qUCRIJ1ZW5aPX0-n0KS3ISPWWXw4FApE9mBQqIfRMFrE3QUOD4HSItyDbfd4xpVU8yuxsOK7UnmDHC0elF_5ht4oGnC/s400/Orange+Roughy+MFish+leaving+cake+(8).JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486911385890723810" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 251px; " /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBuCRCxxXzkMpPVgsHCqu7fBtlTCPD-AOJIi9N6NckSz8ojwFo20We105-M1tgNUdtY9iPZCXVeIA4AEOk0-HbYeDmAfhBIBkyJIbKh-djl_nBsMDRmBh52LGp_9Zn6Bpt3btXOdt9vfxe/s1600/Orange+Roughy+MFish+leaving+cake+(7).JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBuCRCxxXzkMpPVgsHCqu7fBtlTCPD-AOJIi9N6NckSz8ojwFo20We105-M1tgNUdtY9iPZCXVeIA4AEOk0-HbYeDmAfhBIBkyJIbKh-djl_nBsMDRmBh52LGp_9Zn6Bpt3btXOdt9vfxe/s400/Orange+Roughy+MFish+leaving+cake+(7).JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486911375448730226" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 205px; " /></a><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span>Everyone was impressed, although there were a few comments that they looked a little undersized, and perhaps we should have established a quota system to determine who got the biggest slice.<br /><br />Also, I cleverly timed my last day with the infamous MFish quiz. With a brilliant team of spatial and data analysts (and an team name I'm too embarrassed to print) we managed to overcome 15-odd teams to end with a very impressive second place, equal with the previous year's champions, the Silo Busters.<br /></div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666842995369878258noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-49802558966669944512010-06-12T08:50:00.003+12:002010-06-12T08:58:14.905+12:00SCUBA Diving<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Bridget has got into SCUBA diving in a big way, and invited us along to a pool in Petone one Wednesday night to try it out. It was heaps of fun (anything with so many gadgets has to be) and we both had a great time. Once I got over the initial weirdness of breathing through the regulator I was away...although I never did get the hang of keeping my buoyancy right. If you take in a big breath of air you start floating up, let it all out and you hit the bottom! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">We both got a bit nauseous after a while, it may have been due to breathing air out of a can, but probably had more to do with the rollie pollies and handstands we were doing on the bottom of the pool! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">People just look odd in SCUBA gear:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6uZMYIhLvVbdhPqKaeePX7XT4mnuSHGgEimNUOeDwwnbnzaQJcGcGhw5G0jV4k7xcGlJZ4bKbvKmgKm1fiEowveGQ_V7vRWBNJ7tPUDK8yeD4ShQq9BPNiq-8E3dMoo9C83nj_ws72bqp/s1600/sylvia.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 298px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6uZMYIhLvVbdhPqKaeePX7XT4mnuSHGgEimNUOeDwwnbnzaQJcGcGhw5G0jV4k7xcGlJZ4bKbvKmgKm1fiEowveGQ_V7vRWBNJ7tPUDK8yeD4ShQq9BPNiq-8E3dMoo9C83nj_ws72bqp/s400/sylvia.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481621596807991522" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0mxVlNH621OjBsO0qThaI7uaNrsflApIYQNbrHeTNQxQFhz_dtgfnCaI5HWBgSzdqK3kFRZdJhE10577SLD41e6s1YxUmCvvMcafSrnwdtSjmb9tCsMv_RdEoCBmV7pLYXIo-b_YDHTts/s1600/mbs+(1).jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 287px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0mxVlNH621OjBsO0qThaI7uaNrsflApIYQNbrHeTNQxQFhz_dtgfnCaI5HWBgSzdqK3kFRZdJhE10577SLD41e6s1YxUmCvvMcafSrnwdtSjmb9tCsMv_RdEoCBmV7pLYXIo-b_YDHTts/s400/mbs+(1).jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481621588719285234" /></a>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16310734985127377014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-56811146144429947932010-05-10T20:08:00.006+12:002010-05-10T20:26:01.995+12:00Southeast Coast<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; ">We were going to go to the Tararuas at the weekend, but on Friday night Penny and Jamie rang up to see if we wanted to go to the south-east coast for the weekend instead. Caspar and Nadine are going overseas and this was a sort-of farewell for them (even though they're only going for six weeks).</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Caspar and Penny hatched a last-minute plan to hire a bach for a night at Ngawi, near Cape Palliser. [For the overseas readers, a bach is a holiday house]</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJd_AeVrnzzXiRzd4wnkVkPlKQWx3ac2NJP94C7E41zH7_Nn8XyR7bmPmOkytn284Dk4KSDv37zyU-urU5-3bhWBPzpme93pPDymX3gyvSDmfQf4wA-I9tzfrxfhbhA9wbRoM9M1fzwCz8/s1600/P5080002.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJd_AeVrnzzXiRzd4wnkVkPlKQWx3ac2NJP94C7E41zH7_Nn8XyR7bmPmOkytn284Dk4KSDv37zyU-urU5-3bhWBPzpme93pPDymX3gyvSDmfQf4wA-I9tzfrxfhbhA9wbRoM9M1fzwCz8/s400/P5080002.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469551045399118194" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Would you hire your bach to this guy? </span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">On the way to Ngawi we visited Lake Ferry and the Putangirua Pinnacles. The pinnacles are funky (though a little unstable). </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvF0OQj9ltt03wySYDb3WUxm7Dt3nC8jf998mA2GUCxqArrDiYkl7aBcdN0E8eEhS_A8DF4gTrX_3V9Ge6Mx47lmFuVEIBoYBqFwndq_miJ397EHX58PbMxbY6fhzp9h4IsCWLAWNlQZgM/s1600/P5080013.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvF0OQj9ltt03wySYDb3WUxm7Dt3nC8jf998mA2GUCxqArrDiYkl7aBcdN0E8eEhS_A8DF4gTrX_3V9Ge6Mx47lmFuVEIBoYBqFwndq_miJ397EHX58PbMxbY6fhzp9h4IsCWLAWNlQZgM/s400/P5080013.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469551039377785490" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJxow5O_JkBic4y3ixXnUuxfn9egcTUA-AgUqzFuiReZYp6zsBsEoE34u1s7rZOBdTt0CBjbaTigGrHXcpwoerMxmGmUEiR9X23YjnPI-s98_jTofLoImdu4Uz54pQSWlES38Fuy2mx_po/s1600/pinnacles+pana+2.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJxow5O_JkBic4y3ixXnUuxfn9egcTUA-AgUqzFuiReZYp6zsBsEoE34u1s7rZOBdTt0CBjbaTigGrHXcpwoerMxmGmUEiR9X23YjnPI-s98_jTofLoImdu4Uz54pQSWlES38Fuy2mx_po/s400/pinnacles+pana+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469551944641770914" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 395px; " /></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">That night we stayed in Kupe's Retreat (actually just a standard bach with a fancy name) and played an epic boys vs girls game of Cranium. Unfortunately I couldn't find my camera so there is no photographic evidence that the girls won. How many people know how to spell "isosceles"? </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I also don't have any photos of Caspar, Nadine, Ramesh or Jo! Sorry guys. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-py2tGJBUFFw3wdFp-690ytiis3VZwbuoOD8L1nLDZcZQNDDhjoafQpToiMQ88Pelm6aYPhrwFCyiqfZJK-T6MSSAU7UO8XSDHSkGKKsOA1sdAsTVUAfHjg3gr8Mk5rU9CAZvNql2ELdA/s1600/P5090019.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-py2tGJBUFFw3wdFp-690ytiis3VZwbuoOD8L1nLDZcZQNDDhjoafQpToiMQ88Pelm6aYPhrwFCyiqfZJK-T6MSSAU7UO8XSDHSkGKKsOA1sdAsTVUAfHjg3gr8Mk5rU9CAZvNql2ELdA/s400/P5090019.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469551028696333826" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The lighthouse at Cape Palliser is probably the most famous thing in this part of the world. It has 250 steps. Boys' stair challenge results: Caspar 0:57, Mark 1:00, Jamie 1:03 (though he didn't haul with his arms). </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The landscape was very similar to the southwest coast of the South Island - quite bare, windswept and wild. With lots of seals. </span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwxu5W1RCThXdOWMPa3XWvdAp-dPV2zzN1iurnfsAorojnUt6ZpXbf1iPe-bDo9pbGLPuEmilxlFbUw28xF0d78DalGRN5J3qacCQd7RUBAT4OTDfRzh8yJL_jHeV5gR2VeGAmx6eVwh9y/s1600/P5090023.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwxu5W1RCThXdOWMPa3XWvdAp-dPV2zzN1iurnfsAorojnUt6ZpXbf1iPe-bDo9pbGLPuEmilxlFbUw28xF0d78DalGRN5J3qacCQd7RUBAT4OTDfRzh8yJL_jHeV5gR2VeGAmx6eVwh9y/s400/P5090023.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469551022005301410" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Camping is OK, probably pimping too, but definitely not both at once. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv36apmGQf4Piz0wsU5_gSk5CY7XcOsyEWDczkHk75N0c8d00plFStnhq1wUIKprMhKze50k3Z-G5hJHGF0YM7U8JVkku1QLInlWRu6UAW9ZAS0-xYLXMrj2IvYohaCzTvHZ1kf3y474bH/s400/P5090025.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469554077835484194" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">How many seals can you see? We generally smelt them long before we saw them. </span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></i></div></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG0PEgGb7YXsaXZSf2Oq0YV1x2ESDTZ5EZ9dpAbgQKMiWpN-QpYiBBceTHHQ4JRrrY7sz0B4V4U_W7a0LBeXJ7vKOfJqUjYrzIBPFUPt2S5e5cRouXMN-Vi-SfXGnic43dLeTGpNuk-Au_/s1600/P5090031.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG0PEgGb7YXsaXZSf2Oq0YV1x2ESDTZ5EZ9dpAbgQKMiWpN-QpYiBBceTHHQ4JRrrY7sz0B4V4U_W7a0LBeXJ7vKOfJqUjYrzIBPFUPt2S5e5cRouXMN-Vi-SfXGnic43dLeTGpNuk-Au_/s400/P5090031.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469551015885334546" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Jamie led us up this cool gorge and we found a couple of ropes already attached. We didn't get far but will have to come back with our own ropes and do it in reverse. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; font-family:Georgia, serif;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDlmXVjvLG9c8uJg_l_D3ZWLhQ-e9KADcaOPQINIYAJDLOl0wsUDWq47n8dI1t0JxGj0fOy-Bhuk5LOLDZC80O3QTk4f7TpRwy5tt6aqz43Ot70POjmAPPAXXPRxUNaD20FT0TEzqTdOkS/s400/P5090036.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469551951264577186" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i>I managed to get a bit dirty. </i></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; font-family:Georgia, serif;"></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16310734985127377014noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-5257221582987587612010-04-24T12:59:00.008+12:002010-04-24T13:41:49.679+12:00Cakie goodness<div>Just for something different: a post entirely devoted to food. Not really surprising as Mark and I spent a fair whack of our time in the kitchen making various concoctions. I'm sure many of you have been subjected to our culinary attempts, and given that most of you lived to tell the tale they can't have been that bad.<div><br /></div><div>We don't usually take photos of our creations, but over the past couple of months I've gathered a little collection of some; here is three of the tastiest or most interesting looking cakes:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJUJQbzRu9DOED8OEInkY6fhvHuOQfXa5N8xGo7X3W-Hwhfixtm-71Iaho0G3q-YdYhBRFTwB5TG_KgYOY_DRQrKlPXFPq1rCibj9h6o9IHZqxtHtYislDcAlgc9G8Ou4ndS4P1s7no9S/s400/Whole+orange+%26+almond+cake+(2).JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463504333505277954" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i>This is a whole orange cake & almond cake with a white chocolate palisad</i>e <i>that I made for Neil Kane's birthday</i>. <i> The title doesn't lie: it involves boiling a whole orange in a pot for an hour before blending it to a fine mush to add to the cake. Can't beat orange and white chocolate!</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXWAbinirTQD18R1HtKdf255L1MJhyRsHsg8Xqy8gwwkNFB1KHOkXTkWrzJO0xuZ3Jdy1zy5TJq2qFcTrRQtl0mY0J9uO-GXD4AyP6Im4abe1Z51dbilFJ-NdoW2OuKCemVylQqkf95Qn/s1600/P4100008.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXWAbinirTQD18R1HtKdf255L1MJhyRsHsg8Xqy8gwwkNFB1KHOkXTkWrzJO0xuZ3Jdy1zy5TJq2qFcTrRQtl0mY0J9uO-GXD4AyP6Im4abe1Z51dbilFJ-NdoW2OuKCemVylQqkf95Qn/s320/P4100008.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463510956219990978" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 315px; " /></a></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This was one of my cupcakes for Rosa's cupcake bake0ff (you can see the rest of the entries here: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><a href="http://culinaryexplorationsnz.blogspot.com/2010/04/first-wellington-bake-off-cupcakes.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">http://culinaryexplorationsnz.blogspot.com/2010/04/first-wellington-bake-off-cupcakes.html</span></a>). <i>It was entitled cupcakes squared, as it's a cake in a cup in a cake in a cup. Everything apart from the big cup is edible. I'm sure my grandma would be 'tickled' to see her coffee cup set used for such a purpose!</i></span></i></div><div><div style="text-align: center; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><br /></i></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTA9stLjLSwMhi29agOq3pgH-ubVPM129c-I0XULmWK9vn6c0nJAzd1LqtNGopPcoHj-T3GkHyOJmf9AFTySD9bh_8y68tkBdfdixgU7gfBNvwPgIZ8GWhD1JLXTFAkssDBPgzEtseiump/s1600/Banana+%26+chocolate+(1).JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTA9stLjLSwMhi29agOq3pgH-ubVPM129c-I0XULmWK9vn6c0nJAzd1LqtNGopPcoHj-T3GkHyOJmf9AFTySD9bh_8y68tkBdfdixgU7gfBNvwPgIZ8GWhD1JLXTFAkssDBPgzEtseiump/s400/Banana+%26+chocolate+(1).JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463507307514701938" style="cursor: pointer; width: 286px; height: 400px; " /></a></span></span></i></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTA9stLjLSwMhi29agOq3pgH-ubVPM129c-I0XULmWK9vn6c0nJAzd1LqtNGopPcoHj-T3GkHyOJmf9AFTySD9bh_8y68tkBdfdixgU7gfBNvwPgIZ8GWhD1JLXTFAkssDBPgzEtseiump/s1600/Banana+%26+chocolate+(1).JPG"></a><br /></span><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimukETnJVfEh1MAVj54Gi2hG5oQrqA6qCD9pZY1g8pwx_pH-SDSyCqN08vBy24uaIzNArOZVIA-HZfzUM7SwBj39dLlWoDg5jz_IdWN0Mom3G-ETFlmkN_z4xm78vpkJ5hLzXWwe4HwB28/s400/Banana+%26+chocolate+(2).JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463507021417117570" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 119px; " /></span></i></span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></i></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This is another set of cupcakes I made for Charles & Sally's flatwarming. They are banana & chocolate, topped with chocolate buttercream and either a rose, peace lily or daisy. Fair to say I spent the better part of a Saturday afternoon playing at moulding sugar paste...</i></div></div></div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666842995369878258noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-7276555177732845112010-03-16T20:24:00.003+13:002010-03-16T20:48:43.564+13:00GutbusterIn a fit of apparent self-hatred about a month ago, I entered the Gutbuster race. It is a cross-country run around the Karori Sanctuary in Wellington, which as any local would know, is very hilly. It is 11.8km and 400m climb, which might not sound like much to you fitness bunnies out there, but was a reasonable challenge for me.<div><br /></div><div>I did some appropriate preparation, including running the route a couple of weeks beforehand to ensure I wasn't going to collapse halfway in a wobbly pile of unfit jelly. I set myself a goal time of 45 minutes to the Meridian wind turbine and 1hr30 to finish. There was a prize for making the turbine in 35 minutes but prizes are for losers. Or rather, winners, but that's not very motivating. Besides, it was a hat and I don't need a hat.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's me at the start of the race:</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9AvMcyiSqTh9LpptLAztTLT-33z1sA6QHhG32w94IxCiPCN1DS2KUuf3gOZAYrfjr9eFueOIMWITF-yKL6tkde-RUlhvcvx4rr6VjPniPIyUmvAA8DL8I7e1fdj7Hd7QRo6eaWh7cANpE/s1600-h/Gutbuster.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9AvMcyiSqTh9LpptLAztTLT-33z1sA6QHhG32w94IxCiPCN1DS2KUuf3gOZAYrfjr9eFueOIMWITF-yKL6tkde-RUlhvcvx4rr6VjPniPIyUmvAA8DL8I7e1fdj7Hd7QRo6eaWh7cANpE/s400/Gutbuster.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449131410566851634" /></a><br /><div>Note how I'm speculatively looking off to the side to see if there's any way I can sneakily escape without anyone noticing.</div><div><br /></div><div>From there on it was pretty hard work as my natural competitiveness argued with my lungs over whether I should run faster or slow down. Here's me about 20m from the finishing line:</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7b8-bU_N8eRE6O3ydhBDuISLPV0zXFUoY-PN_p1oksdNy0fEVacdg2ax9GHcrOh-q_15K8YMBKpStN3TSol0MOTZTq1KHScV1h4obFntOAG_koLK2HF-94V1GFAmIqtWWen1lXeTuTyZ/s1600-h/Gutbuster+(1).jpg"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 261px; height: 400px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7b8-bU_N8eRE6O3ydhBDuISLPV0zXFUoY-PN_p1oksdNy0fEVacdg2ax9GHcrOh-q_15K8YMBKpStN3TSol0MOTZTq1KHScV1h4obFntOAG_koLK2HF-94V1GFAmIqtWWen1lXeTuTyZ/s400/Gutbuster+(1).jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449131398014412594" /></a>I appear to be smiling. This was nothing to do with my state of enjoyment, but rather because I've just seen Mark, who came along to support me.</div><div><br /></div><div>I made it to the wind turbine in 44:10 and finished in 1:20:54, with a (commendable, I think) placing of 28 out of 63 tough-as-nails ladies. And who knows, maybe next year I'll try for a free hat (but if I don't get one remember I said I didn't want one anyway).</div><div><div> </div></div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666842995369878258noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-56076783015272081642010-03-11T21:34:00.003+13:002010-03-11T21:52:20.156+13:00<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The other weekend we headed north with Chris and his family to do the Tongariro Crossing. Unfortunately I didn't take very many good people shots, so you'll have to be content with scenery! </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjliAapA8Gy2tL8Qja4c84qhTibHpHV7bPj-8A0kZCrdRMJiSTtznwKj-i4I51M82tssjrG5hRS2UGZBIRcsoYx3r9QrPMosKmykuoNYsaA0TCgc-8f6jpm7rmTc_dA5YALLj9M7_c_Nwe4/s1600-h/P1010098.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjliAapA8Gy2tL8Qja4c84qhTibHpHV7bPj-8A0kZCrdRMJiSTtznwKj-i4I51M82tssjrG5hRS2UGZBIRcsoYx3r9QrPMosKmykuoNYsaA0TCgc-8f6jpm7rmTc_dA5YALLj9M7_c_Nwe4/s400/P1010098.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447292272009418818" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The Emerald Lakes</span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The scenery was spectacular and I can see why so many people do this walk. And lot of people do it - there were between 1000 and 1500 people on the day we walked. Although we started walking at 7 am, we were still in crowds most of the time. Sometimes there were big holdups on the track, other times you'd stop to take a photo but would feel rushed because of all the people behind you. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcvUsJPBQceHzqtg_wRq6QxKJ3ayP7_mb5Ax_1SxCd6ZxfPu3-uDiHsOsWxp_7rRazlf9W2uiCELEpfIqfl4FPB4OxzxRLP-XLjK86D-ond3N3iAU7dkIYd2YfLYJFg5XTChw1WlmcwqZx/s1600-h/P1010089.JPG"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcvUsJPBQceHzqtg_wRq6QxKJ3ayP7_mb5Ax_1SxCd6ZxfPu3-uDiHsOsWxp_7rRazlf9W2uiCELEpfIqfl4FPB4OxzxRLP-XLjK86D-ond3N3iAU7dkIYd2YfLYJFg5XTChw1WlmcwqZx/s400/P1010089.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447292263545395330" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The Blue Lake</span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">There are several craters on the crossing; some with visible steam or a whiff of sulphur, others with gorgeous lakes in them. There were signs warning of what to do in the case of an eruption and there was evidence of lava flows about the place that were younger than most of the people walking the track. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcvUsJPBQceHzqtg_wRq6QxKJ3ayP7_mb5Ax_1SxCd6ZxfPu3-uDiHsOsWxp_7rRazlf9W2uiCELEpfIqfl4FPB4OxzxRLP-XLjK86D-ond3N3iAU7dkIYd2YfLYJFg5XTChw1WlmcwqZx/s1600-h/P1010089.JPG"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></u></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2NskiE287-WwWDRqRF2q3MDV1K2g2tGL_Ol7nJhrbrhL3MU04_6Tpa7tIx-2rx8HvjuuC6VWFByYJalw0C9rsZwAThyphenhyphenoEpqVN5sj-99qT-Bmhdw0gh5vDv6eKRrzgc4f6lJK2k0Ynwnx/s400/Red+crater+pana.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447292595397029682" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 175px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The Red Crater (one of the sulphurous ones)</span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">We stayed at a local motel/cabin/campground complex. Difficult tent peg terrain because the soils are so rocky in these parts! There were interesting hummocks all around, and we were informed by a member of the group that these are all from the debris piled up at the front of lahars. Very cool. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQtVJ_t_p8TwEwEO70gifuAIX0iyhh19YsY_d3iudn4aQ_6FVSjqEBi23A9oxLqfL1_7oX4nfUIbzQ5qqEELN2lBMLTWBEObgG9RtEiyjEX1RudmcSWq9sxBlxfnTPAtI5hbJqBuEu64GC/s400/P1010115.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447292275471850738" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">This is one of the residents of the campground. It was a bit grumpy on the Saturday night (and fun to wind up), but much more chilled on Sunday to the point of being a nuisance and getting into everything. It was quite happy to be handled and even started talking to us after a while. I was its best buddy after I turned over a few rocks to expose the critters underneath. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Cl8Qg92p73XolzzTax7cK9DyJ4xlCqWZ9wuapoXNhqpyDSszEDfWCRt89cKbwbSUy6UUYQDjaLMlUDkaiCrPV3k59dSovFTsQ2I7cIuoIytRFvv7wWPI-ozcEbsY-px_3QLfJuXcr9Hd/s1600-h/P1010119.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Cl8Qg92p73XolzzTax7cK9DyJ4xlCqWZ9wuapoXNhqpyDSszEDfWCRt89cKbwbSUy6UUYQDjaLMlUDkaiCrPV3k59dSovFTsQ2I7cIuoIytRFvv7wWPI-ozcEbsY-px_3QLfJuXcr9Hd/s400/P1010119.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447292282554256402" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Sylv and I went for a run on Sunday. The first part was the hardest running, across a rock field and lava flows on the flanks of Mt Ruapehu. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcvUsJPBQceHzqtg_wRq6QxKJ3ayP7_mb5Ax_1SxCd6ZxfPu3-uDiHsOsWxp_7rRazlf9W2uiCELEpfIqfl4FPB4OxzxRLP-XLjK86D-ond3N3iAU7dkIYd2YfLYJFg5XTChw1WlmcwqZx/s1600-h/P1010089.JPG"></a></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdp0lQ2frpK_5q2W99KVJXQN_nPetCf05VrUw6gnjYrJq_MDvF-FPIX5TI5EfacKcswNks6Tmn3i2G7kz9HqTSzEekp-_Ie2q0eaiS2WN-_nGKT3b0KDplI_u-4fGE95T4su9e_acczPYl/s1600-h/P1010128.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdp0lQ2frpK_5q2W99KVJXQN_nPetCf05VrUw6gnjYrJq_MDvF-FPIX5TI5EfacKcswNks6Tmn3i2G7kz9HqTSzEekp-_Ie2q0eaiS2WN-_nGKT3b0KDplI_u-4fGE95T4su9e_acczPYl/s400/P1010128.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447292296213808562" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The track settled down after a bit and we soon found ourselves running through tussockland and bush. This is Mt Ngauruhoe in the distance - the Tongariro Crossing goes through the low point you can see in the middle of the range. Apparently Mt Tongariro (to the left of Ngauruhoe) used to be bigger until it blew its top! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Cl8Qg92p73XolzzTax7cK9DyJ4xlCqWZ9wuapoXNhqpyDSszEDfWCRt89cKbwbSUy6UUYQDjaLMlUDkaiCrPV3k59dSovFTsQ2I7cIuoIytRFvv7wWPI-ozcEbsY-px_3QLfJuXcr9Hd/s1600-h/P1010119.JPG"></a></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16310734985127377014noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-80153838895134999232010-03-04T20:48:00.004+13:002010-03-04T21:02:06.464+13:00Our house is a very very very fine house<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Last weekend we walked the Tongariro Crossing with Chris and others. But first, we thought it was high time we bombarded you with some mundane details of our lives in Wellington. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlQT15Byj7-_mvUVeBI9P_HN1WOXL8mTV0qQ2KBMgObS4xonMtm4oral9WtmhG5ICtcHhvn9vEnsKkYNhe5OcPfgShgYNuNXtUIsbGp28tJGS-5ctf6p7IXFGv4WMQZqFqYy2ieb1aQdJ/s400/P1010129.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444682712523321090" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">This is our flat (the white one with the grey roof). We have the top flat. As you can see, it's nearly surrounded by bush and sits above a fairly steep little gully. This means we get lots of tui and bellbirds shitting on our car. We've also had kaka overflying our house and squawking away, pretty cool! It gets sun most of the day, which is unusual in Wellington. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RIOZ8CiVeZIKJKLbDft6V-M_0nvRfsG4Pa080mf24LKC8Q9OekO7y51_6uh62jpOZV_sux3N9QVsc33tRpaYN39fF8gxixBD_nMzHdZ76pCqO-gDvODygvv3Ft9wD9NAck1oplVGb8dD/s400/P1230065.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444682731857916514" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Things were a bit grim for a week or two when we first moved in. We even borrowed the mattress that you can see! Fortunately now we have a few more comforts, though we still need a vacuum cleaner. Guests, don't look too closely at the carpet. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">All the drawers that you can see are representative of the rest of the house, ie. storage capacity bordering on ridiculous! But quite handy. You should see our toy cupboard...</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphenDFkl5DtjeLst2SOPXru6CfEAVTQdC3KF-V7EpmVDcQVJTtBFczkgs8aKEsDBuUMXgXQn1eCf6z_IBY0lqC5FpZO6TTUur4GGE6VrTZnxpEiyJsqzT9LBYBAI79w9OJGuvjpa0N3xjpz/s1600-h/P1010131.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphenDFkl5DtjeLst2SOPXru6CfEAVTQdC3KF-V7EpmVDcQVJTtBFczkgs8aKEsDBuUMXgXQn1eCf6z_IBY0lqC5FpZO6TTUur4GGE6VrTZnxpEiyJsqzT9LBYBAI79w9OJGuvjpa0N3xjpz/s400/P1010131.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444682722675892290" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The view from our street. I get a full view of the harbour from the top of our street as I begin my bike ride to work, very nice. Sylv doesn't get this, but does get a nice walk past the Botanic Gardens after she's slithered her way down the Military Track (down the aforementioned gully) past Julia's house. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1x2THno_1K3UQ7WJzVSQQrkoEjNATDeTMMsX8zMtjpxzY80ljAMpdx5tl_hSwCa7z9tAam3_itB340svehFii0TO6bIStobBh-1S_InP94A0shW4JEx1kG7881sDTIIAVO3ybxvU0svi/s1600-h/P2060074.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1x2THno_1K3UQ7WJzVSQQrkoEjNATDeTMMsX8zMtjpxzY80ljAMpdx5tl_hSwCa7z9tAam3_itB340svehFii0TO6bIStobBh-1S_InP94A0shW4JEx1kG7881sDTIIAVO3ybxvU0svi/s400/P2060074.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444682738761762818" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">This is the view from our bedroom window. Look at those suckers in the shade! Can you spot the ludicrously long cable car access lift? </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">For those who haven't caught up on our news, I've been working at CPG Ltd (an engineering consultancy) for about six weeks now, as a drainage engineer. Basically, dealing with a lot of poos and wees! Fun :-) Quite complex and tricky jobs now (though not so much from a design sense) and I've been thrown in at the deep end a bit with people leaving. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Sylv is working in the Research Data and Reporting team at the Ministry of Fisheries. She is a Senior Business Analyst, didn't you know! She's still finding out exactly what that means but is enjoying it so far. We'll see how much she enjoys it on Monday after doing a running race called the Gutbuster on Sunday. <br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RIOZ8CiVeZIKJKLbDft6V-M_0nvRfsG4Pa080mf24LKC8Q9OekO7y51_6uh62jpOZV_sux3N9QVsc33tRpaYN39fF8gxixBD_nMzHdZ76pCqO-gDvODygvv3Ft9wD9NAck1oplVGb8dD/s1600-h/P1230065.JPG"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphenDFkl5DtjeLst2SOPXru6CfEAVTQdC3KF-V7EpmVDcQVJTtBFczkgs8aKEsDBuUMXgXQn1eCf6z_IBY0lqC5FpZO6TTUur4GGE6VrTZnxpEiyJsqzT9LBYBAI79w9OJGuvjpa0N3xjpz/s1600-h/P1010131.JPG"></a></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlQT15Byj7-_mvUVeBI9P_HN1WOXL8mTV0qQ2KBMgObS4xonMtm4oral9WtmhG5ICtcHhvn9vEnsKkYNhe5OcPfgShgYNuNXtUIsbGp28tJGS-5ctf6p7IXFGv4WMQZqFqYy2ieb1aQdJ/s1600-h/P1010129.JPG"></a></div>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16310734985127377014noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-30225423030910067452010-01-09T12:31:00.009+13:002010-01-09T13:21:26.838+13:00A Month in Summer<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; ">Hello loyal readers. If you thought we'd been up to nothing since we got back to New Zealand, this post should put you right. Sylvia and I have had a most excellent month and here it is in summary. I apologise that it's still quite a long summary but I hope you enjoy the pictures!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Nearly a month ago, I left Chch with my Dad to head over to our family bach (pronounced "batch", a Kiwi word meaning holiday house) for some much-needed repair work. It should be noted that it always need repairs (it's 80 or 90 years old in a wet environment) so this is not unusual. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">This time it needed a new section of pitched roof on the front side of the house. Taking bits of roof or cladding off the bach is always an adventure because you never know what you'll find underneath. (Well actually, you know that you'll always find rot, you just don't know how much or where). Over a couple of days we managed to replace the entire front section of roof, replace or bridge rotten purlins and barge boards and even get a coat of paint on the whole thing in between rain showers and the power company disconnecting/shifting/reconnecting our power supply since it was actually bolted to the roof (very illegal apparently). </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOOtQ1E7xAcuA4565tBiK99U4rxVZcMcgD7NDTxSghN4sAudm7AeaX6nSy3xTwmxWcrlMMaEHonsg5Z_mlz03GCp0VSSg0oUeEPnL3GokOLtl3X86_yKoAZHGgYZLSmOaJy9_bz4zYtQOk/s1600-h/Leslie+pana.jpg"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></a></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dGsddPpxB121broqI9K_dt8iS96UOQ1jnPjAkknG_EtK4bWaxA5Pihxl4NUwwFLYR84gTgkKr9qUNz10rsOdcDVTRMQgz4GVEx71sHq9FhTdefEhJKGkgiBb5Rg6oApPw1vu_HDR5t4t/s1600-h/PC090068.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dGsddPpxB121broqI9K_dt8iS96UOQ1jnPjAkknG_EtK4bWaxA5Pihxl4NUwwFLYR84gTgkKr9qUNz10rsOdcDVTRMQgz4GVEx71sHq9FhTdefEhJKGkgiBb5Rg6oApPw1vu_HDR5t4t/s400/PC090068.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424517201752544514" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Dad doing the actual work while I take photos</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Sylvia came and joined us for a night, then Sylv and I headed up north to Little Wanganui (just south of Karamea) to walk in to "Moonsilver", her parents' place in the back of Golden Bay. We walked the Wangapeka-Karamea-Leslie tracks, then crossed the Tablelands to the Old Upper Takaka track which leads directly to their place! Kinda handy. </div></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCjohRhULL88hqrnN1R4ZfIY7wu7YoZtaPx5momgpm00DZN4MQaIXwiAVi-iBdvOaU_5blWGKDXTRtAH5ndpchS72laDkYdqliWD2j302RoNJAfIvBW9cbyMhOs5kC6y_c_dSwQRG0CkE/s1600-h/PC120070.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCjohRhULL88hqrnN1R4ZfIY7wu7YoZtaPx5momgpm00DZN4MQaIXwiAVi-iBdvOaU_5blWGKDXTRtAH5ndpchS72laDkYdqliWD2j302RoNJAfIvBW9cbyMhOs5kC6y_c_dSwQRG0CkE/s400/PC120070.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424516986119959730" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"Little" Wanganui River</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Unfortunately it pissed down on the day we'd intended starting. We only got about an hour down the track before reaching a side creek that we couldn't safely cross. After sitting around scowling for a while, we retreated to a fortuitously-located backpackers and spent the night there. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCzC8GlQx2-DM4SlxRWAZjyMVeIajnRIhS00IvXStSYbgpJejeJUvSHSya1SxN-tKpyAx01s3T6aS5TGpBrvz7ktmzTJp77AxntfHWbLGWObK26F-zKmi8L1AHrzOprhBQraFm_BE9nfjh/s400/PC120072.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424521228280296706" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i>Yep, that's Sylvia standing on the track. Give us a smile, love! </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i><br /></i></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: left;">After the first day's setback, things improved over the next couple of days until we were tramping in bright sunshine on pleasant tracks by the Karamea (in constrast to the less pleasant tracks of the Wangapeka and Taipo). </div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicq1LkpgLeM1aRXvRpK5_ViJIBgsWkCdI7tw6dGl2dYJLG6xBGfDaLg6PCkH89_Pz_DDQnmJGMLsGpoh8OPb5rV6xZDLkWkixYhjq2Kb2rwhTZlHTr3FCorTKO3yG1_Rx5ZApNlMyr_0pI/s1600-h/PC140079.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicq1LkpgLeM1aRXvRpK5_ViJIBgsWkCdI7tw6dGl2dYJLG6xBGfDaLg6PCkH89_Pz_DDQnmJGMLsGpoh8OPb5rV6xZDLkWkixYhjq2Kb2rwhTZlHTr3FCorTKO3yG1_Rx5ZApNlMyr_0pI/s400/PC140079.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424516978240246594" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Venus Hut - nearby are Apollo, Mars, and Mercury Creeks, and Thor Hut</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh339aYn_k9FSxy0Uue3vSvI7GUEkNAMVGPYyDUYicad17f-kzsHPmCsQY7OyzY-g701Bpn5dRAYXjvXsVDVYKIm1ttsSDtDlJy67RVweHC4RVnyF3sLWOy31CG2N_7hUhcIqYjz7_Eq5Ad/s1600-h/PC150082.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh339aYn_k9FSxy0Uue3vSvI7GUEkNAMVGPYyDUYicad17f-kzsHPmCsQY7OyzY-g701Bpn5dRAYXjvXsVDVYKIm1ttsSDtDlJy67RVweHC4RVnyF3sLWOy31CG2N_7hUhcIqYjz7_Eq5Ad/s400/PC150082.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424516968489896994" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Obligatory swing bridge photo (Karamea River)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It was nice walking down the Karamea River over a couple of days as it grew from a stream to a massive flow. It is a beautiful and remote river, and I can understand why people go to the trouble of flying in to the head of it for rafting and kayaking. In fact, we saw Clare McLennan's name in one of the hut books! </div></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7IxoXcS_EnAPqDtSNBZRjPDqHYOB_L1S4I5Ovw6OB7dSgtpE5pcyuQxcAupxHM1ULZKgqOLrpXw1iDZei_EE3ORBB0akDcjo19FwBRNPkuoSCIZMzejM0Brd2PHFPr3GOqlQkx3Tv4f-O/s1600-h/PC150085.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7IxoXcS_EnAPqDtSNBZRjPDqHYOB_L1S4I5Ovw6OB7dSgtpE5pcyuQxcAupxHM1ULZKgqOLrpXw1iDZei_EE3ORBB0akDcjo19FwBRNPkuoSCIZMzejM0Brd2PHFPr3GOqlQkx3Tv4f-O/s400/PC150085.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424516965590885938" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Sylvia and Teresa</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">We met an English girl, Teresa, at Venus hut. We'd already done a pretty good job of stalking her via boot prints and entries in hut books and had put together a surprisingly accurate profile of her (age, height, hair colour and length, personality and pack colour) before we met her. Since we were arriving quite late at the hut, we weren't sure how much this solo tramper would appreciate our company but it turned out she was glad to see us and we enjoyed tramping with her for the next two days. </div></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio2ybcuMMKJs3JDIbH4jd85PsLV_ZMvJsts1wjM50eKmLKhL6KIaBW-Vf88dvRJWzDkFg_klET5fNecxuzW4ZDckrt0evU-UKvfPMS9gRQM8kLX1SHh2kFLX474Ia-5Zjzo5qpM3lpVMdK/s1600-h/PC150091.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio2ybcuMMKJs3JDIbH4jd85PsLV_ZMvJsts1wjM50eKmLKhL6KIaBW-Vf88dvRJWzDkFg_klET5fNecxuzW4ZDckrt0evU-UKvfPMS9gRQM8kLX1SHh2kFLX474Ia-5Zjzo5qpM3lpVMdK/s400/PC150091.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424516729313061618" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Karamea Bend Hut - "Strike a pose, honey". We were soon driven inside by the sandflies. </i></div></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj15-_oknRYBRYcBp5TE2dUVraxIytRyU8GRqblph88IukthUSKuB7gNkNUc2pbm6IEwPHR1Ns8GpOkVRHhyphenhyphenWcXbjZoPLk63CanrMNdltkInEe6Ms8Rc-9KVY7zn5O2bphj7X6ilmcsI1cZ/s1600-h/PC150093.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 293px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj15-_oknRYBRYcBp5TE2dUVraxIytRyU8GRqblph88IukthUSKuB7gNkNUc2pbm6IEwPHR1Ns8GpOkVRHhyphenhyphenWcXbjZoPLk63CanrMNdltkInEe6Ms8Rc-9KVY7zn5O2bphj7X6ilmcsI1cZ/s400/PC150093.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424516723367797458" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">We hadn't got a good look at the scenery in the Little Wanganui and Taipo Rivers, but as we climbed up the Leslie River from its confluence with the Karamea, we were treated to some stunning valley and tops views (as well as this sunset). </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0TOwBoPhWaAEoEeeEmkFz_s4t9TKxDJZSmR7HX1yOVskGTI_u4IZYNQU6J0iFe2sP4XORO2xYkdRKChrYyu-RMnlCugKskyD0Sh6Xn-KTdbJVAoRwvnr_yCqBppEnQEYW2YKWCyyABYNw/s1600-h/PC160103.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0TOwBoPhWaAEoEeeEmkFz_s4t9TKxDJZSmR7HX1yOVskGTI_u4IZYNQU6J0iFe2sP4XORO2xYkdRKChrYyu-RMnlCugKskyD0Sh6Xn-KTdbJVAoRwvnr_yCqBppEnQEYW2YKWCyyABYNw/s400/PC160103.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424516714420093362" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Splugeons Rock Shelter</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">I was surprised to find the Splugeons Rock Shelter wasn't a rock shelter at all, but a shelter built on top of Splugeons Rock. It had the most character of all the shelters we visited, including a fabric feature wall and a tribute to Sir Edmund Hilary! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOOtQ1E7xAcuA4565tBiK99U4rxVZcMcgD7NDTxSghN4sAudm7AeaX6nSy3xTwmxWcrlMMaEHonsg5Z_mlz03GCp0VSSg0oUeEPnL3GokOLtl3X86_yKoAZHGgYZLSmOaJy9_bz4zYtQOk/s400/Leslie+pana.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424517212739920690" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 205px; " /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><i>View from the head of the Leslie River back towards West Coast</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><i><br /></i></span></div></span></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSUoRUnMcRqGyhx-pilMywRiRcWYbLVrfUiuVkvTkS12E8g6hf3FKuxgDCG_9KEIJL9Uo9e6XJV_-32MgOjI067jJgTK8lXCvcq6P31wt4r5mtDcH0Zo59f1CpBsi9o1N_NZ8uaQ4qLUCD/s1600-h/PC160109.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSUoRUnMcRqGyhx-pilMywRiRcWYbLVrfUiuVkvTkS12E8g6hf3FKuxgDCG_9KEIJL9Uo9e6XJV_-32MgOjI067jJgTK8lXCvcq6P31wt4r5mtDcH0Zo59f1CpBsi9o1N_NZ8uaQ4qLUCD/s400/PC160109.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424516711317914226" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Emerging onto the Tablelands</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmba3beTs9_6GnTQ0fQwmEs1x24VH5Fr87XLDT9cR0vdoLydUj8W6ehO35djLVlJTftnBrKO02_2HEGm1USc-vxziOBi_7lqdh_PjR-K0n4XSsfceBDfvko4S2Je9vC_QVAaW-nr9bbDo6/s1600-h/PC160114.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmba3beTs9_6GnTQ0fQwmEs1x24VH5Fr87XLDT9cR0vdoLydUj8W6ehO35djLVlJTftnBrKO02_2HEGm1USc-vxziOBi_7lqdh_PjR-K0n4XSsfceBDfvko4S2Je9vC_QVAaW-nr9bbDo6/s400/PC160114.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424516704410674994" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Tramping across the Tablelands</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9ptVr2vxtu2YHDAiH7dUvracQS0if0Z8QUHmX06MWrXhpZs7KGk22vX0JIMrxIfg6rvpoxrrw3oq6KXCabFQhhTfbAfRl8fnGQWRPfvrq34l_ny2ejXAP-OaFniS8CWttZ3ZdDLAqBLn/s1600-h/PC160125.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9ptVr2vxtu2YHDAiH7dUvracQS0if0Z8QUHmX06MWrXhpZs7KGk22vX0JIMrxIfg6rvpoxrrw3oq6KXCabFQhhTfbAfRl8fnGQWRPfvrq34l_ny2ejXAP-OaFniS8CWttZ3ZdDLAqBLn/s400/PC160125.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424516466976547058" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Dry Rock Shelter</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">We bid farewell to Teresa at Salisbury Lodge on the Tablelands (it was a bit full for our liking) and continued another 1/2 hr to Dry Rock Shelter. It was neat to sleep on the wooden platform built under an overhanging rock, and we had the place to ourselves. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">From there we walked the remaining 6 hours or so to Moonsilver the next day, arriving one day late on Christmas Eve! Once it became clear that our two days worth of emergency snack food rations would only need to last one day, we managed to eat them in half a day. Funny how that happens. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Unfortunately we didn't take any Christmas photos but here follow some random photos from Moonsilver over the next few days. First my parents arrived on Boxing Day to stay two days, then a trickle of friends arrived over the next two days to spend New Years up there. Lots of the photos were in caves, because the property is riddled with them. </div></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTqwMtgrGQ9tWdIOB0gV9l68PHQ33u7hsHxsK5MEPOr3Cds9sVkSRUx1LXGDdyzxbH3t4DN0PMKHG6Zg9-UZTCgd-UhuyntXKdRFFhQoSJySSlEtPRTj8G8_WKdFHuOwKJ3XuywW4XzIL/s1600-h/PC190141.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTqwMtgrGQ9tWdIOB0gV9l68PHQ33u7hsHxsK5MEPOr3Cds9sVkSRUx1LXGDdyzxbH3t4DN0PMKHG6Zg9-UZTCgd-UhuyntXKdRFFhQoSJySSlEtPRTj8G8_WKdFHuOwKJ3XuywW4XzIL/s400/PC190141.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424516461129230018" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Culvert Cavern</i></div></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ShzddG45-itXr1iecjluYywwdd4cN3YPAxMcYpiC33nilCTLlXirVAIyYJXR6fGuCy2zm2kxEOeRtpYIrtw1NXt_WT8KttzI_5VjOqZ8H6RytmsvV7k0M20PVhmiqsZCBjnODeQA1T1K/s1600-h/PC190162.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ShzddG45-itXr1iecjluYywwdd4cN3YPAxMcYpiC33nilCTLlXirVAIyYJXR6fGuCy2zm2kxEOeRtpYIrtw1NXt_WT8KttzI_5VjOqZ8H6RytmsvV7k0M20PVhmiqsZCBjnODeQA1T1K/s400/PC190162.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424516454921793170" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkunZEjjR3UrnAasyhhQXt0e9wyXISSfz6qFEj8jfkKf9oWzYDW2_sCnPVnZHp8zrh_MR9pYzm77U4aG4IQ5_Js4SRLIiXNFdywnOBDpe52MGQJeKGm-SNTFAxjY7RS2b8Zg-aHxGD83mN/s1600-h/PC190164.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkunZEjjR3UrnAasyhhQXt0e9wyXISSfz6qFEj8jfkKf9oWzYDW2_sCnPVnZHp8zrh_MR9pYzm77U4aG4IQ5_Js4SRLIiXNFdywnOBDpe52MGQJeKGm-SNTFAxjY7RS2b8Zg-aHxGD83mN/s400/PC190164.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424516444786517954" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG5Ml1DPMLMBflI3tVv69Y7vcMS_FjgGu58k8YowZOHtrTR4nlm-vfN0e7_XHY83c8L99zwhw_5rOHBHuoQkRD4zgYdMyaYEX6Yjbcim32c4993PLENB7QYBx4ND6TSVUYFlZQD3Kma5j9/s1600-h/PC200172.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG5Ml1DPMLMBflI3tVv69Y7vcMS_FjgGu58k8YowZOHtrTR4nlm-vfN0e7_XHY83c8L99zwhw_5rOHBHuoQkRD4zgYdMyaYEX6Yjbcim32c4993PLENB7QYBx4ND6TSVUYFlZQD3Kma5j9/s400/PC200172.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424516441623841874" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A morepork! (Small native owl)</i></div></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOdW0bqrLKMmlzIGLrCW1OZvIHVZPWr5MBwHAiC6JnT_ntVDiRBJcfJaqbax9qkyu9Kp7yv3IFVVGg-PSPwTalamdUDiDDTggVrXjPR7SCFaezJasYR_sHpwC61vxFtK0cDr6oTAtJGAF/s400/PC200178.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424516159618198258" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i>Dad in the main Silverlode cave</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLw8mCg4PMdBrSC3tI7SMsn29dpx5K_rKpmrNzC55i0AgLhO0tVvp5oKa3naUKTqCR3G2dyXoBf32LuX4lOeVOlRMLc7dOodVbKQzbps95zo_0HNuDyZUgNOT1qABRubO0xC3t-VsOuWjc/s400/PC210184.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424516161816904418" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i>Clockwise from L: Sylvia, Piers, Jana, Julian, Jenny, Sue and Chris</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvioF8qBI2KbT9n-s0MfVSCFCxXSO87pBX-FFDdP0rUwjhE1q91LyVmBCQjjQx2TDJdG-l_YiZItaOzjD5njw0Ev33bzaqxsWLrEzGmcPQ7k_zfCyetsvbLnEJSQvLlnoXbXOwwR6P6mY/s400/PC310198.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424516166813467058" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i>Moonsilver Golf was another popular pastime. It is played with hockey sticks and has some interesting rules. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjgOQ2dGJw9TAV0bArpYCya75xM_L23YsJCk9O-UFR5lRTHs9DY_fKdLuEIMQgqa964t68bchJaGPZF4tuUCUhwpWI5BceX0V6VKcCwYeVvo6Kis9LkolzwNBVItQn-Qf0ufzdT3uE6Y6K/s1600-h/PC310215.JPG"></a></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqE6O59w8OS9eq8VnYtbvmbOB0x_9FO1GnEqL7K5lPqOyGdjp96QgFSi2R6aXF98GY2FbFY7IShYzCelhGK8GBaB6Ox3JhuCeJBmHFUuGLpDgYB1p7SqE1BEQz2FH2uGplMbdQu_vnOM6z/s1600-h/PC310206.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqE6O59w8OS9eq8VnYtbvmbOB0x_9FO1GnEqL7K5lPqOyGdjp96QgFSi2R6aXF98GY2FbFY7IShYzCelhGK8GBaB6Ox3JhuCeJBmHFUuGLpDgYB1p7SqE1BEQz2FH2uGplMbdQu_vnOM6z/s400/PC310206.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424516173895323426" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Steve and I shot a couple of goats. Mmm, barbecued goat. </i></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjgOQ2dGJw9TAV0bArpYCya75xM_L23YsJCk9O-UFR5lRTHs9DY_fKdLuEIMQgqa964t68bchJaGPZF4tuUCUhwpWI5BceX0V6VKcCwYeVvo6Kis9LkolzwNBVItQn-Qf0ufzdT3uE6Y6K/s400/PC310215.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424516184902536242" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i>All my New Years Eve photos are blurry or grainy. Sparkler photos are easy though. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIsyN28NPrBsk6DKI-7RPRlqSfreZhKtOfAdSoK5yYIAkQVoU35r7Xla5Yrjt0xDuk5zOLDl5ZVddV3BDoXPUccuv86Oo30YFJqpb0DASds-qispriqqUqPT9Zm5Utd3uwiqgwm6Y-QE8/s400/P1050235.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424517207451251570" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i>View over Westhaven Inlet from Knuckle Hill on the Kaituna Track</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">After New Years, we all headed our separate ways. A few people came and went from Takaka and we managed to do a bit of climbing, walking and a run along the 18 km, rough but beautiful Kaituna Track. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Now Sylvia and I are back in Christchurch, managing to find time to socialise and have fun as well as doing the many things that must be done before we move north in a week or so. Our next blog post will probably be from Wellington! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Happy New Year everyone. </span></div></div>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16310734985127377014noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-62862577230331471632009-11-29T21:43:00.003+13:002009-11-29T22:11:22.566+13:00Biking<div><span style="font-family:arial;">On Tuesday we cycled from Christchurch to Akaroa to visit Sylvia's uncle Tim. Sylv's bike was equipped with slicks, and my town bike was specially pimped for the occasion. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">We didn't leave until quite late because Sylv had a phone interview at quite short notice! We took the 22 km Little River Rail Trail - not because it was easy riding (it wasn't - it's quite a rough surface) but because it was off-road. </span><br /><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdFR97FxJutVDSIfhxCigjxrag8z8htnEHax6CHEfzY0qDDm_GhDKzhUN9p8g12MGV-2aKs3sJ7ksdHHTRPFFUpqfm-AJuDEu0jbrJpVtiJI1JW8usAKpZEBlZENFB5ptZ2jCp9YBAaec4/s1600/PB170049.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409444029693337842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdFR97FxJutVDSIfhxCigjxrag8z8htnEHax6CHEfzY0qDDm_GhDKzhUN9p8g12MGV-2aKs3sJ7ksdHHTRPFFUpqfm-AJuDEu0jbrJpVtiJI1JW8usAKpZEBlZENFB5ptZ2jCp9YBAaec4/s400/PB170049.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> As usual, our cycle touring had an exploratory dimension. Damn maps. </span></div><div><br /> </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4rPOD0Enf2oOhqoUgUtIMRpgJDg4k2hNJByPEZ7NaD0_q8bux_Q6P754VBKIj6t7B-ZYGhj2Vwb4mDbd4WMgKaC0lInRjMM42bM2KMTjEG3pxVox0eagCHBjEPyMiTXuPOf5EEv9Yz5W/s1600/PB170052.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409444028572206434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4rPOD0Enf2oOhqoUgUtIMRpgJDg4k2hNJByPEZ7NaD0_q8bux_Q6P754VBKIj6t7B-ZYGhj2Vwb4mDbd4WMgKaC0lInRjMM42bM2KMTjEG3pxVox0eagCHBjEPyMiTXuPOf5EEv9Yz5W/s400/PB170052.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Yay! </span></div><div> </div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">It's an 80 km ride overall. Once you get to Hilltop, it's only 12 kms to go...but in those 12 kms there are some nasty, steep little climbs out of the various bays you go around in Akaroa Harbour. We were pretty tired by the time we got to Tim's cottage. </span></div><div> </div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Tim kindly shouted us to dinner when we got there, just the kind of pampering a couple of tired tourists need. The bath at Tim's place also felt pretty good :-)</span></div><div><br /> </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjnUBqBddqxklQKMg6wpsFmJkbjHQqvoFMTu6Df_S-45OZGGgBxOblRFK-uMzejFQzAanIb1nFpOT0kZl2LW3nQK2kjT5QrQ5QkrJ4crVsj-31Sk5YACOBLFqF2R_Zwr4vUDOc35c_2iql/s1600/PB180055.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409444021198899490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjnUBqBddqxklQKMg6wpsFmJkbjHQqvoFMTu6Df_S-45OZGGgBxOblRFK-uMzejFQzAanIb1nFpOT0kZl2LW3nQK2kjT5QrQ5QkrJ4crVsj-31Sk5YACOBLFqF2R_Zwr4vUDOc35c_2iql/s400/PB180055.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Breakfast at Nicky's place</span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><div> </div><div align="left">We stayed the night at Nicky's place on the road to the Kaik. She has a beautiful piece of land sloping down to the harbour, with an amazing house and garden.<br /></span></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjSxa0sRt9H5Yo2lH_EM9AdEY-z5sIjfmWpWDp-MRgy1j3VpFD37Y14dudCHJZ9nxdPJcmhUmqQ0jMFpWMfo1bhfG_deGpXv1Z3JuFkRkCJ47E95NiZ8YCOrQp0pEo3h_C7gtDBNDccU7t/s1600/PB180057.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409444014612119874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjSxa0sRt9H5Yo2lH_EM9AdEY-z5sIjfmWpWDp-MRgy1j3VpFD37Y14dudCHJZ9nxdPJcmhUmqQ0jMFpWMfo1bhfG_deGpXv1Z3JuFkRkCJ47E95NiZ8YCOrQp0pEo3h_C7gtDBNDccU7t/s400/PB180057.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> L-R: Frances, Tim, Sylvia, Nicky</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-family:arial;">We felt pretty lazy catching the bus back the next day. However, after Little River the NW headwind picked up and we saw a bunch of roadies struggling into it and felt some satisfaction in a decision well made. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-family:arial;">We've also done some random mountainbiking since we've been back. Here are a few photos from the newish tracks at Mcleans Forest, part of the Waimakariri River Regional Park.<br /></div></span><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409444035807574882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTAeuZoQMINrKe2mMuJERbLgvVboZh_X_kdohpTOcjctVo1yygZ2bs4oRdkMx-f9c2Qm_QjY2pNHtgpB2fXR3Q4InNzVQpiYwHRkk630Z5CuQZpHs3LSHCRv77oMJ8X8SS677sIlpDiQhc/s400/P1010041.JPG" border="0" />Sylvia</p><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409449783918013330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKq2tK1WNLC-6N9c5mmP0sv8YenFoUOEWpGecipD1owH2i5-4sfbZy-WjFImIt_FYorUH3sV7exNGmfRvidgoKOXaATAuQzQY1P27nfDVSPFCLGkN_lNZS_Cvv5sJyjdsfpN9Uhp0LDXnf/s400/P1010011.JPG" border="0" /><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;">Looking sexy in lycra?</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span> </p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409449779036980498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFZ0ofhr54hc8Wce9rhu8bhJetSysKvunedpZIVLD7JGV6yuub6p4jtBztuU_xXqtKYSxJ1YLbK3Y-vf3vRT1kBzdVhfeYlhdZ_P8wBNWoHpA-HA5d9keO7kDIPTppYVv9UI78b-mz-rJ/s400/P1010006.JPG" border="0" />Kylie</p></span>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16310734985127377014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-53246885852480794862009-11-21T09:05:00.004+13:002009-11-21T09:26:51.423+13:00DubaiWhew - the last of our travel blogs (for a while at least). Right at the end of our trip we had a 3-night stopover in Dubai to stay with Jeff & Greer. Dubai is one of those places we'd heard so much about, so we wanted to confirm / destroy our prejudices. I think the photo below captures the spirit of Dubai: a series of dichotomies. There's immense wealth + poverty, luxious water features + desert, multinational tourists + strict islamic regime.<br /><br />All-in-all a rather interesting place to explore and ponder upon.<br /> <br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406279907130906370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDQYzcSZbyTIn8rtArFyp-c_-CLwmHGghUBXAeOC92WLyZwnodFwF6dOqQVl6e9jjLATKu5w1Keqaanx74TJL72Y-SJbbdJfsEVdc9RyGSEur6PSzIymWMCtmGMyXwgGm6kH3iKPrXZN1D/s400/P9130544.JPG" border="0" />We went on one of these little boats across the river. Cheap and fun touristing - our favourite.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBqbQEzJha1H9XhDQQYcjnIRaxg75HmYAEF3vFKJNdVfmjMcAJi1kr4RMMtu3EE4vTptpoKpEXWhK9p5bCWe3FE8sCk2jrSgOpw7NwokUTzb3pxTBpKB8mObdR8i4scSY_6imFVCfdcm4/s1600/P9130531.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406279759348826322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBqbQEzJha1H9XhDQQYcjnIRaxg75HmYAEF3vFKJNdVfmjMcAJi1kr4RMMtu3EE4vTptpoKpEXWhK9p5bCWe3FE8sCk2jrSgOpw7NwokUTzb3pxTBpKB8mObdR8i4scSY_6imFVCfdcm4/s320/P9130531.JPG" border="0" /></a> This is the only camel we saw (in case you can't tell, it's stuffed). We didn't have time / money / inclination to head off into the desert on a safari, but went to the Dubai museum instead. The heat was quite oppressive and walking anywhere difficult and rather grimy (due to the white sand that would get in everything). </div><div> </div><div>We had a lot of fun hanging out with Jeff & Greer at their flat, making use of their rooftop gym and pool and playing on their Wii.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUd-gTYpTMGFvtOAnGRAs0jq422g_2mEgsy0DLjkNEg4ovAYtceT-sXyhwfQkXTOoL0PbzBsP_f3_WnKYb3mITeqxqUeiTuEbfT4iMBEsHTTwx7mZ39pwv-yGicdJeXC3AtLK5i-ZB9q0j/s1600/Copy+of+P9120521.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406279756740407650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUd-gTYpTMGFvtOAnGRAs0jq422g_2mEgsy0DLjkNEg4ovAYtceT-sXyhwfQkXTOoL0PbzBsP_f3_WnKYb3mITeqxqUeiTuEbfT4iMBEsHTTwx7mZ39pwv-yGicdJeXC3AtLK5i-ZB9q0j/s320/Copy+of+P9120521.JPG" border="0" /></a> We also did the Dubai Mall thing. This is the world's largest indoor ski slope at the Mall of Emirates. We also saw the world's largest indoor-in-a-mall aquarium at the Dubai Mall. Oh, plus the world's tallest building. Do you think they are compensating for something?</div></div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666842995369878258noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-49299623315238405952009-11-07T17:48:00.010+13:002009-11-07T21:00:16.325+13:00Turkey Tour<span style="font-family:arial;">We did our first ever tour in Turkey. It was with Intrepid Travel (who came recommended) and was one of their "active" tours. We had a great time, and it was interesting to experience a different style of travel. Everything was organised and prepared for us, there was always someone to give us answers if we had questions, and we could just generally switch our brains off for the last part of our European adventure. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Since it was a while ago now, I won't bore you with screeds of text, here are some photos instead. </span><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibq6mYKya1iw4jRxfMj30cAaAjpaagDlPWTguanrOSEX0K3XdaBLWDbNA4RtXKcVhw9cfjn3CUQYPVjm675qUpe_grR4Gg5428SyV_EcUGIgv5_ltRDT1rr_Rp_Jy5I9OtprcYf-_tjUl4/s1600-h/P9290224.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401222647070731250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibq6mYKya1iw4jRxfMj30cAaAjpaagDlPWTguanrOSEX0K3XdaBLWDbNA4RtXKcVhw9cfjn3CUQYPVjm675qUpe_grR4Gg5428SyV_EcUGIgv5_ltRDT1rr_Rp_Jy5I9OtprcYf-_tjUl4/s400/P9290224.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> You get served tea and snacks on the buses. Bus transport was excellent in Turkey. Our overnight bus from Pammukkale to Istanbul even had entertainment systems in the back of the seats like on a plane! </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqffj0YGolY2oikudSVQD0bBQvV7vldxWsrIKJ0HVMUrzJfR-8vskEJh9waDsSjBC1aTaiCgFw5NoSGSV__jKLmskZtePm9C2rDmQVrp5pjRUze3fuHkbokkAxEoJKclOdx1HEirCLW4g/s1600-h/P9290225.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401222641154016642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqffj0YGolY2oikudSVQD0bBQvV7vldxWsrIKJ0HVMUrzJfR-8vskEJh9waDsSjBC1aTaiCgFw5NoSGSV__jKLmskZtePm9C2rDmQVrp5pjRUze3fuHkbokkAxEoJKclOdx1HEirCLW4g/s400/P9290225.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Our tour group. Meals together were one of the fun points, because the two of us were running low on conversation by this point (only kidding)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2nTx4Q4FnV_8F_zTLuH57qXSUVQTcTleWiETSueG7i96YlWLQCQkUVwuDfYkOhUjIqXz3Ex83u3sTYvIk6NResbyhcbgMWtN9-k7zCsuV5forDgsHT-SxtKvXsp8M4UiXeeXfBZGuAPur/s1600-h/P9300235.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401222639899136370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2nTx4Q4FnV_8F_zTLuH57qXSUVQTcTleWiETSueG7i96YlWLQCQkUVwuDfYkOhUjIqXz3Ex83u3sTYvIk6NResbyhcbgMWtN9-k7zCsuV5forDgsHT-SxtKvXsp8M4UiXeeXfBZGuAPur/s400/P9300235.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> We visited Gallipoli. There are lots of cemeteries scattered around the battlefields. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq7oJAFh_lFjeWUiSBTyYs8yJXAbZCIWDC0-cved_oiBGVuDj_GvYTCogJ2r8xUikLkWdWL-I2ZR4Wj0Pbcp9f0wETtNt3qpYrA2E5NNDX1l0q9z76pHRZRQCkY28M1U2LUb-1vnq4cWSF/s1600-h/P9300245.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401221982342752130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq7oJAFh_lFjeWUiSBTyYs8yJXAbZCIWDC0-cved_oiBGVuDj_GvYTCogJ2r8xUikLkWdWL-I2ZR4Wj0Pbcp9f0wETtNt3qpYrA2E5NNDX1l0q9z76pHRZRQCkY28M1U2LUb-1vnq4cWSF/s400/P9300245.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> The remains of one of the trenches the ANZAC soldiers dug, nearly 100 years on. </span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><div><br /><br /></div></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN9DPFTCcRzjinu9XT1r_a-rwZlHBQqQGxFFASHq1-S2RN6fkgJ87U0lTqhuQaiWZbj5Eb54S9VbeMWHQu7CG4C6wi9sxEZzkg8_4-1UmHIxoO-Uobzo_4NfltgpLsmUTQJeErR4TVfplO/s1600-h/PA010293.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401221971036362178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN9DPFTCcRzjinu9XT1r_a-rwZlHBQqQGxFFASHq1-S2RN6fkgJ87U0lTqhuQaiWZbj5Eb54S9VbeMWHQu7CG4C6wi9sxEZzkg8_4-1UmHIxoO-Uobzo_4NfltgpLsmUTQJeErR4TVfplO/s400/PA010293.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Food was a highlight. This picture shows a variety of mezes (starters). It was quite feasible to just have a meal of mezes, and quite a good option if you're a vegie.<br /><br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYCLNKJ2JUq0rgpd1tzKyp8sjtFgyz4EKV0FEgO4d7hoKAzq6jxu2-GKpSXn_UbzTp8k7_MMHEWrsLHzHKTgggU_zBgh_oLl6HZzAkwmoGKAzja0uhfGSBCKrfwTTKGf2QpFuefdNYCD6P/s1600-h/PA010300.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401221968353803058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYCLNKJ2JUq0rgpd1tzKyp8sjtFgyz4EKV0FEgO4d7hoKAzq6jxu2-GKpSXn_UbzTp8k7_MMHEWrsLHzHKTgggU_zBgh_oLl6HZzAkwmoGKAzja0uhfGSBCKrfwTTKGf2QpFuefdNYCD6P/s400/PA010300.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> The remains of the ancient city of Ephesus. It was a Lycean city first, then a Roman port. Now it's the best-preserved Roman city in this area. Perhaps people would be living here still if the sea hadn't retreated from the harbour. Bummer for them! </span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><div><br /><br /></div></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSgpzwDp7-wT52-C9vKDiRVs7mkKxahyphenhyphenccg4pN3AAzungcLlktXFAoFBKSoDN8w8DdW_RiWclyk5vs6bFEFRX1NnvsX6wgrYFx0AlN2TO-0fDrqF2nx11GRj9U0tFFqqsk-aFjmLgGWF3_/s1600-h/PA010303.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401221965470649858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSgpzwDp7-wT52-C9vKDiRVs7mkKxahyphenhyphenccg4pN3AAzungcLlktXFAoFBKSoDN8w8DdW_RiWclyk5vs6bFEFRX1NnvsX6wgrYFx0AlN2TO-0fDrqF2nx11GRj9U0tFFqqsk-aFjmLgGWF3_/s400/PA010303.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdOZqOmPohTVyfTfB50UDXV_ji1Dob2eNC78vbpR1FupABdSjhyaQW0i98SzPdYJyVmEVJGXAfJ4r1BSC0I9uI7EDNfOB7CccMxwDqzwFv2Hbz7zs8iQ7DZJydfkEY5eAFSDlLLsK3sKhp/s1600-h/PA010323.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401221958149810546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdOZqOmPohTVyfTfB50UDXV_ji1Dob2eNC78vbpR1FupABdSjhyaQW0i98SzPdYJyVmEVJGXAfJ4r1BSC0I9uI7EDNfOB7CccMxwDqzwFv2Hbz7zs8iQ7DZJydfkEY5eAFSDlLLsK3sKhp/s400/PA010323.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Yep, that's a Roman latrine. They were quite social.<br /><br /><br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2EdQl79ZPEahBs-p5pjeKCM0S6A1rkVdQUPk81YXvoELrOc_dL2y_eV-YLbB7_eGP62Gcd34E7UrbktWh-Q3c9f9wDd8fqdWj_kIMRvDvjzXMJIW7SEeiRdw-XigSbdHzEbMwXzerxPpm/s1600-h/PA010328.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401221183699930994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2EdQl79ZPEahBs-p5pjeKCM0S6A1rkVdQUPk81YXvoELrOc_dL2y_eV-YLbB7_eGP62Gcd34E7UrbktWh-Q3c9f9wDd8fqdWj_kIMRvDvjzXMJIW7SEeiRdw-XigSbdHzEbMwXzerxPpm/s400/PA010328.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> The remains of the library.<br /><br /><br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj63aBGTR5eLhM8nglB3pboC2YJsOp1X_T8jR-oajiHdSAaE-gSuxoe_Z6efLduGpqbyBd7kkH14YZA0e_ENpZZbwEyvQsF6TfCS3XKTvmG0KWKBvRvM6FM-zPqnZzKVevwxLc0czFkiZ4-/s1600-h/PA010348.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401221177086701666" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj63aBGTR5eLhM8nglB3pboC2YJsOp1X_T8jR-oajiHdSAaE-gSuxoe_Z6efLduGpqbyBd7kkH14YZA0e_ENpZZbwEyvQsF6TfCS3XKTvmG0KWKBvRvM6FM-zPqnZzKVevwxLc0czFkiZ4-/s400/PA010348.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> More food! This will become gozleme, a stuffed pancake. Now I wish I'd had some dinner before writing this blog post.<br /><br /><br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HuMZvuB0NAdCwjtGYAhjxQYzdKQGomvhdV6D-X6Mg1rVnFjUP4MS3m2JAs-7agt55KP7NyIhjGiHQQ-3NZyDvr9mOjP8mYfnJXAD4P8tn2vOs91jJaBUi0sVvUvQ_7dNKmI-huToTspb/s1600-h/PA010353.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401221173747320754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HuMZvuB0NAdCwjtGYAhjxQYzdKQGomvhdV6D-X6Mg1rVnFjUP4MS3m2JAs-7agt55KP7NyIhjGiHQQ-3NZyDvr9mOjP8mYfnJXAD4P8tn2vOs91jJaBUi0sVvUvQ_7dNKmI-huToTspb/s400/PA010353.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUs58bcCDjY31LshDK9rLo-joIOA2IGlJEJ9iD_fxuQ6xpsCI4ULFz1WJwoj9xtcVqcLtsEUn65eM9FRSoBfwLXX-1boG1rizzhyjnOOG5-2FYtfOhxmZ8T6VgNxrQE-up5P9E2qxWG5rh/s1600-h/PA020379.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401221171969064002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUs58bcCDjY31LshDK9rLo-joIOA2IGlJEJ9iD_fxuQ6xpsCI4ULFz1WJwoj9xtcVqcLtsEUn65eM9FRSoBfwLXX-1boG1rizzhyjnOOG5-2FYtfOhxmZ8T6VgNxrQE-up5P9E2qxWG5rh/s400/PA020379.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Rock tombs above the city of Fethiye. The Lyceans carved these out of the rock. </span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><div><br /><br /></div></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDgj0iIR5tHbFhuoz1ztxdJQDmjeSqy7fklAEmDk8jVoQL2cXqidnRBQc80bg3z6shB9Wqn9_xV3GSJj52eJbaT4Q4hY65U5tZVYdRUnG9_SFWg9awhL2M66ObEBisTf8NP2RF1tW_VVy/s1600-h/PA030393.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401221163482937266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDgj0iIR5tHbFhuoz1ztxdJQDmjeSqy7fklAEmDk8jVoQL2cXqidnRBQc80bg3z6shB9Wqn9_xV3GSJj52eJbaT4Q4hY65U5tZVYdRUnG9_SFWg9awhL2M66ObEBisTf8NP2RF1tW_VVy/s400/PA030393.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Mmm, pomegranate! </span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06XuUW6ZRxhkaBr8sWo41Op8SUnkRDxpV-xltkebZMSR_5NixRdUq1LllDSAUpgg_3x3mwRlstQeLaJjXvptk5klAeOl2FskVtQA8M0I046263HzrqbvNPLamtvbJBqjJ3SsKG-Nj8J8K/s1600-h/PA030396.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401220546673508930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06XuUW6ZRxhkaBr8sWo41Op8SUnkRDxpV-xltkebZMSR_5NixRdUq1LllDSAUpgg_3x3mwRlstQeLaJjXvptk5klAeOl2FskVtQA8M0I046263HzrqbvNPLamtvbJBqjJ3SsKG-Nj8J8K/s400/PA030396.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> A simple village mosque. No minaret at this one - "we'll get around to it one day". </span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><div><br /><br /></div></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgeyXGm4YtKPWDahbUF4TRhkeXUdczvDEKb3bDz50EtYZFqkTdgU66mT_j6cq1kGKQOe0xCU85LakpRPBR0V88ciLPNXkrIjNc51eL5zsdibWc3wbT6Yj5fIAZiaciZVmYuMjEvCrgU83C/s1600-h/PA030408.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401220544250442530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgeyXGm4YtKPWDahbUF4TRhkeXUdczvDEKb3bDz50EtYZFqkTdgU66mT_j6cq1kGKQOe0xCU85LakpRPBR0V88ciLPNXkrIjNc51eL5zsdibWc3wbT6Yj5fIAZiaciZVmYuMjEvCrgU83C/s400/PA030408.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Lots of cards were played.<br /><br /><br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtpe88YiBNHPfW9CCkObb5pPobH1yYIShxLLLIJdfxtZfjPxTgu5n4GdInkNvincCvqRg0g3Sd6e0LYQLKEW_ESatssY8Hd7YHPsZTFBjwMM8L5jQdTpiR5sXY_GslAHqSAGGQsbEjv6sg/s1600-h/PA030418.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401220534089107058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 291px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtpe88YiBNHPfW9CCkObb5pPobH1yYIShxLLLIJdfxtZfjPxTgu5n4GdInkNvincCvqRg0g3Sd6e0LYQLKEW_ESatssY8Hd7YHPsZTFBjwMM8L5jQdTpiR5sXY_GslAHqSAGGQsbEjv6sg/s400/PA030418.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /><br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJWG8vb9qSdUXIEQ-nfGWfLJUCRuqmrnl7JHfLf7UNLmXVQNTFlBLcMwrRspPLODisTf5Q3OTna8Q6DNmi_hQQUNxV9zWC2dxRbW-wJ4S4s46zq23LOrDrh-9pe0t9JD_BPasMBm_QLoSl/s1600-h/PA040426.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401220531956564466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJWG8vb9qSdUXIEQ-nfGWfLJUCRuqmrnl7JHfLf7UNLmXVQNTFlBLcMwrRspPLODisTf5Q3OTna8Q6DNmi_hQQUNxV9zWC2dxRbW-wJ4S4s46zq23LOrDrh-9pe0t9JD_BPasMBm_QLoSl/s400/PA040426.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Not a bad spot for lunch! The end of our two-day trek.<br /><br /><br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAVOyEVEhuouI1eX2yVt5WoO9gSQtnAYPvdgKpxkc7Oc43UOwMKyD6E35uyvduH3BPjucdSKsOgzpmt704gnL8CitvsNRsTOrx2P3AIicKy_pRoUJPoBZxlnUliieuuuVfeebyf9Zli7vG/s1600-h/PA050453.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401220527072986786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 293px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAVOyEVEhuouI1eX2yVt5WoO9gSQtnAYPvdgKpxkc7Oc43UOwMKyD6E35uyvduH3BPjucdSKsOgzpmt704gnL8CitvsNRsTOrx2P3AIicKy_pRoUJPoBZxlnUliieuuuVfeebyf9Zli7vG/s400/PA050453.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Ramming speed! We sea kayaked over a sunken town, you could still see remains of walls and foundations. Apparently there was an earthquake, the land subsided by 2 metres, and it was enough to submerge the town. Bummer for them.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401219905100668818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwp9mqRNGqR05jb2cY_-P9AGhZT6LZZnVvyt1W4B_eAVuLl2d5Iq5soxJKgYdncS5Xy-0-Th-4icHot1WU5yoEGKPKxIav5TlqH4cxY-qHWyv8GheNYGH2cq6gx69A_BvDxN4XPXdE1Sj2/s400/PA060460.JPG" border="0" />MTB.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401219911538957970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB6vA0nIh4Vuc5F-5l4ZjfZZwKzchHcDWRLH2A0nz9TkqiWnEGtLikcuX7R3Q7eQ32QvMAyYDAzfyA-DeBJmBG0zs-KCIWaQvO5yGB5O3isxVCaGkLAc7Nrmbd0dMhQ6YsRy6TZ6QIbXqU/s400/PA070485.JPG" border="0" />It was long enough by now.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401219913638340514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 166px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwn-5O7OM5zM0jl7ggoKO48t6_rwt9V1cGojNesluzGNafVEgrz7xfE4izvHuc6N3X5gY6sSFkoTORwXlqWumyOQkOByUavKDjGA-Y1eLSa07LiRF47OOgtlybUlpBu1XyBJe-cZAYiTPc/s400/PA080488p.jpg" border="0" /></span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><div>The travertine terraces of Pammukkale. </div><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401219919480142946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFejgHWPIzgaG9iRvKrim7pF1qNBftPHAWktO0BvK9XG1WcojuOVSX67BcmaAcs8QRKvDvaylvTwlN0iIVfAkwPlkk_F2Puoikpd_iwXb0-x5JbvcH9IuMNNRq1jX9_K6FTil6VKqAe4tl/s400/PA080495.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO1EHEdEP-fJ4ByWA9fJ5ceHfX-nTcDFHePgxPuu7lfwzBq4W_ZIjmM6csonRqQCp_covlCVW2yYCf6vWLQTigbjUF1n-ab8becdeIWjKz723OvKGMd9cdMGtIH_kJlbIVg0169oNeHHIq/s1600-h/PA080498.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401219926436847362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO1EHEdEP-fJ4ByWA9fJ5ceHfX-nTcDFHePgxPuu7lfwzBq4W_ZIjmM6csonRqQCp_covlCVW2yYCf6vWLQTigbjUF1n-ab8becdeIWjKz723OvKGMd9cdMGtIH_kJlbIVg0169oNeHHIq/s400/PA080498.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Pammukkale was the site of a well-preserved Roman settlement (they did like their hot spas). There is a large necropolis with lots of pre-Roman, Roman and Byzantine tombs. These ones are being slowly overtaken by the travertine deposits. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">After Pammukkale, it was the overnight bus (yuk) back to Istanbul and a day with Simon, Julian and Jana. Then onwards to the delights of Dubai! </span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16310734985127377014noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-19610976341413572012009-10-22T15:02:00.006+13:002009-10-22T16:31:07.274+13:00Istanbul<span style="font-family:arial;">We're now home in New Zealand, but just a couple of short weeks ago we were in Turkey! It still seems strange to us. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">After the cock-ups listed in the previous post, we caught an overnight bus to Istanbul. There are worse places to do an overnight bus trip than Turkey - Turkish buses are actually really good. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">We stayed a couple of nights in Istanbul with Simon until our tour started, then another night with him after our tour ended. Simon has lived in Istanbul for a while now and he was a great tour guide. He was also a great host! </span><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRjyjAW9MpCLJwj9Fb2Ni1pe6env4Z4S5QMVeOsaqptWnz5Z6ugBdRzSczqcDLHCx4_e_7Nlqq_-Du3D_OAa4TbtLvT2eWNq5ecqQvfm_o7RKTcsMGO5YHgLZi6sm2bTr88ETtNK826FH1/s1600-h/P9270124.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395240466190815010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRjyjAW9MpCLJwj9Fb2Ni1pe6env4Z4S5QMVeOsaqptWnz5Z6ugBdRzSczqcDLHCx4_e_7Nlqq_-Du3D_OAa4TbtLvT2eWNq5ecqQvfm_o7RKTcsMGO5YHgLZi6sm2bTr88ETtNK826FH1/s400/P9270124.JPG" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> You see the Turkish flag a lot here. Good thing that it's probably our favourite flag! </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQO-AEynaQV-NwAFlvs8QWkuVCiaTnN828IS7syGqfyNoLNKgbPm89qoFHgI57oID2t65Y1e_48ykuXhzgNjqwXDSAps86AQmJRdtyfSybY-_uvxQ0QEMORQeWUlvaILCxDOJwrTKa_K5/s1600-h/P9270127.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395240464253146418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQO-AEynaQV-NwAFlvs8QWkuVCiaTnN828IS7syGqfyNoLNKgbPm89qoFHgI57oID2t65Y1e_48ykuXhzgNjqwXDSAps86AQmJRdtyfSybY-_uvxQ0QEMORQeWUlvaILCxDOJwrTKa_K5/s400/P9270127.JPG" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> The roof of the Blue Mosque (up inside the domes)</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJKv64dWo3Acz9hkH_Otrr5jIOgISHTi56BXvjSiKq2JVsApTawMp4R72QOx6S-d2Kh5Kk4_-1zFSghaJn58RsWYA-st3tI2ye2DkQNACd3Vt7Faz8mAcXAYqBWReO7H_VZ1iaqLy1d5n/s1600-h/P9270136.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395240451966213954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJKv64dWo3Acz9hkH_Otrr5jIOgISHTi56BXvjSiKq2JVsApTawMp4R72QOx6S-d2Kh5Kk4_-1zFSghaJn58RsWYA-st3tI2ye2DkQNACd3Vt7Faz8mAcXAYqBWReO7H_VZ1iaqLy1d5n/s400/P9270136.JPG" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> The Blue Mosque. Behind it is the Hagia Sofia, which was the biggest Byzantine church prior to the conquest of Istanbul by the Ottomans. They converted it to a mosque.<br /><br /><br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0QYnvyTqde4iJLYyn56oTuyvXJGVBkUhFxyx_PMCcZBPeSA42qndZjys6Kz2Fah6ONR1LlE7zt1g20m6RUj229JEiImnfc0n9XT9YU_AzegifNUIB8cJRzJtv-iBa4giunxcSrQQwMSb/s1600-h/P9270171.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395240447995829874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0QYnvyTqde4iJLYyn56oTuyvXJGVBkUhFxyx_PMCcZBPeSA42qndZjys6Kz2Fah6ONR1LlE7zt1g20m6RUj229JEiImnfc0n9XT9YU_AzegifNUIB8cJRzJtv-iBa4giunxcSrQQwMSb/s400/P9270171.JPG" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Byzantine Christian frescoes inside Hagia Sofia, painstakingly uncovered from beneath plaster.<br /></span><div></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395239741056724306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2JfXc_YG7cBSfzjVrvvsHnoWwDbWIR83imx1wtv_jCa_OmdlNOiU50HtMhrM35e6z9co9N5-CwFFpIFx_X-7pX4yvLFNjZBoEG1yHVnTc8rx7tAQWcIWcfNUjczhmy9OLsWI1j6ZT91NR/s400/P9280176.JPG" /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Us with Simon and Tash, another friend of Simon's who was also staying at his flat. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395239758741164674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHHaXwoWA7Cmq9M3_OFSnUIBftcr73ZkeMfFJMk0TyvK6J3RHMA87BZKBVno4Ww0xqtvUQgysxFmsHP8sqXtQNHOtuPt1j5F5ufU4O5nMmWYmE1oAemuurAOXIzXs_aZDzDRnl63LIzZ_f/s400/P9290206.JPG" /><span style="font-family:arial;"> The Basilica Cistern, an enormous Roman water reservoir constructed beneath the old part of Istanbul. It was only rediscovered relatively recently, when city authorities noticed that people were getting water out of a hole in the street by lowering buckets!<br /><br /><br /></span><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395239752488682802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgrnp4cUKA3KMWta0hKCmdvmgN6_uLqaIkJbIqO-q3E8KvrBl7OsyYyqQFzwOBYUJtoAiwLOohyqrabPWr4dWHeBml3Hcp1aXAHhnmqOxx5AmEC_L98H8q69alXayOyWLRVW38Tt0S6LrL/s400/P9280183.JPG" /><span style="font-family:arial;"> Ladies have to cover up in mosques.<br /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395239743255556034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh95UtjSkNnizJI0k9hNyDGWH8kyACsLsEu6HjdSR0RVtzrhrU5HdZfH3EBZureIanvjS196kD5BZ-MFBOvTo1Y2vkg7DzfzrYt8G9jQLLGkC-5twPdigoEncodg2OiRm1NXRveEa065fSe/s400/P9280179.JPG" /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Inside the Spice Bazaar. Sylvia haggled herself a great deal on a blue pashmina (see previous photo)</span></div><div> </div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395239761897760786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwUNBNKxZcKsBPlaB5y57Mwzbi5ADHayLMJYdx4cRuXmnwOk5torkVMsl8ZO5e4BD3CdsKwgyizBVLoATbxz3XYsb2tiYzYdk2u6xuoiZMrWxZPWLJ3LUrKNhx_kewcoE6smnLk06EfsJk/s400/PA090514.JPG" />We were lucky that Julian and Jana just happened to be in Istanbul on the last night we were there. They stayed with Simon as well, so we had a good old catch-up :-)</span> <div><div><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16310734985127377014noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-22812688605226829882009-09-28T05:03:00.006+13:002009-09-28T05:26:51.728+13:00Bulgaria<span style="font-family:arial;">Ah Bulgaria - another of these countries that we knew very little about before we arrived but found to be very friendly and wished we could have stayed longer! The challenge of a new alphabet (did you know that the Bulgarians invented Cyrillic?) was fun and by the end of our time we could have a fair guess at what signs said. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">We had originally planned to spend three nights at Veliko Tarnovo, a hilltop town in central Bulgaria, and three nights on the Black Sea coast at Sozopol. Unfortunately, due to uncooperative train and bus schedules (the summer season has already ended and frequencies have dropped a bit) we ended up spending one night in Ruse, two in Veliko, one in Burgas and two in nearby Sozopol. A bit more moving about than we might have liked but we did get to spend time in more places! </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnhrH2pQtgY4123hW6Ne375oYGs6hFt-4hw2x8xeuD-pWGxhYQ7IPo4zvhjS0RCiLafOMlrrerWK5PE8lhFq2MIGFHA4KwdbZtrXj0aVy20etpabdpoeucAp1jW4D50swskm2brEt4xcq3/s1600-h/P9210029.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnhrH2pQtgY4123hW6Ne375oYGs6hFt-4hw2x8xeuD-pWGxhYQ7IPo4zvhjS0RCiLafOMlrrerWK5PE8lhFq2MIGFHA4KwdbZtrXj0aVy20etpabdpoeucAp1jW4D50swskm2brEt4xcq3/s400/P9210029.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386178727626350498" border="0" /></a>Ruse is pretty nice for a border town. After another of our late night border crossings we found ourselves once more on the Danube River in the morning.<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5ZLUVCqmyHeygNIGEZYsBeeNB8Qg975EMWZfUUHY3nQUn1NLPa9BjMn6JvaS_EW6gjseLR38s2t0L43bLHjcD9sl0UMriWthIJBzqnZKHERiFMJbouqziklR6sv01GgASjPFfzhitKl2/s1600-h/P9210033.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5ZLUVCqmyHeygNIGEZYsBeeNB8Qg975EMWZfUUHY3nQUn1NLPa9BjMn6JvaS_EW6gjseLR38s2t0L43bLHjcD9sl0UMriWthIJBzqnZKHERiFMJbouqziklR6sv01GgASjPFfzhitKl2/s400/P9210033.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386178732779471538" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Then by (mini) bus to Veliko Tarnovo. Will we ever find ourselves on a proper-sized coach again? VT is beautiful and justly deserves its reputation as the nicest hilltop city with a citadel in Bulgaria, at least based on our sample of one hilltop city with a citidel in Bulgaria.<br /></div></div><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpLwUWrQ14M8aDcDGa43BSJZg21A2rVHTngC7oQiF_iE4JSdluShgYQB88KWE0fEJxaGAwbumE9uC6NZj1fNMEBLaa1GNj04NpL0WgtgstHRj5LVqVRAFA6KuvgU8J0R6VGSBG2x8IlOH/s1600-h/P9210056.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpLwUWrQ14M8aDcDGa43BSJZg21A2rVHTngC7oQiF_iE4JSdluShgYQB88KWE0fEJxaGAwbumE9uC6NZj1fNMEBLaa1GNj04NpL0WgtgstHRj5LVqVRAFA6KuvgU8J0R6VGSBG2x8IlOH/s400/P9210056.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386178743543825378" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdD9pCKubyCygkCA-R2g1sHIYB88gTDyg9I7bLsZgGZ0Yuyi2w8Fn1wtZzbp-OaNoyqtQNcd_3tgTeBFgu9XEh88S1iXK5eWLU5dvut3f8NYn0mStxHpfLFf-pfX9rr935LjrzS-LISSU/s1600-h/P9210065.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdD9pCKubyCygkCA-R2g1sHIYB88gTDyg9I7bLsZgGZ0Yuyi2w8Fn1wtZzbp-OaNoyqtQNcd_3tgTeBFgu9XEh88S1iXK5eWLU5dvut3f8NYn0mStxHpfLFf-pfX9rr935LjrzS-LISSU/s400/P9210065.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386178751987722498" border="0" /></a>The nationalistic "Four Kings Monument" built by the Communists<br /><br /></div><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxUAr5r81rR65XxlKdPDmDBNOjk2HUAUV9ys5G_00s_N26e9J5Zr7IO6-f_X6gBTh6Bbfalk76-w7GvxjWfA0ltz5XOv4ODP7uLThyphenhypheninGCMeD5FeIDAaZ4GsLYRmDHZkg1iImA40eOzEN5/s1600-h/P9220073.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxUAr5r81rR65XxlKdPDmDBNOjk2HUAUV9ys5G_00s_N26e9J5Zr7IO6-f_X6gBTh6Bbfalk76-w7GvxjWfA0ltz5XOv4ODP7uLThyphenhypheninGCMeD5FeIDAaZ4GsLYRmDHZkg1iImA40eOzEN5/s400/P9220073.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386178756247043074" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZYfEalnh8gJJcoF3gdSaHIpiJ7ulAEt2ftQnt7kHXCOE-yghbUU-p4McOpBFDVmrTxcncqcFezLrKtEZKIgwPoAp5bwt1xh2RYoVwTrVL9eqI50mcEfoxUYhFVTn_hUhX9FuHx5zEPxWQ/s1600-h/P9220076.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZYfEalnh8gJJcoF3gdSaHIpiJ7ulAEt2ftQnt7kHXCOE-yghbUU-p4McOpBFDVmrTxcncqcFezLrKtEZKIgwPoAp5bwt1xh2RYoVwTrVL9eqI50mcEfoxUYhFVTn_hUhX9FuHx5zEPxWQ/s400/P9220076.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386179039782078242" border="0" /></a>The river makes several loops through the city, through a deep gorge. Lots of rock climbing potential - including the "Executioners' Rock" at the citadel, where unfortunate souls were thrown to their deaths!<br /></div><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Burgas was fairly unremarkable so let's skip straight to pictures of Sozopol and our seaside relaxation. </span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPgftmOSmjcThx6l1x-ITYes4rRZFiy3gkkhLITBOWcT88lq3B48bgCBWSol5fDIOMMke4xTIqDHe3PU940XnZ4TeaL2wZpckznnvtszVf8ipYD5zHb3i3PQBKMV8DrEKWbwlHD-oexaO/s1600-h/P9240091.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPgftmOSmjcThx6l1x-ITYes4rRZFiy3gkkhLITBOWcT88lq3B48bgCBWSol5fDIOMMke4xTIqDHe3PU940XnZ4TeaL2wZpckznnvtszVf8ipYD5zHb3i3PQBKMV8DrEKWbwlHD-oexaO/s400/P9240091.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386179041509919122" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCxBYSYJsKRXFMQAaYW_AXd8bnmjqqYhqVP46FMEOMimRVkJm-egSMdpcv7oAigIR5Jfn_IuA7njiU0wUAnZSRpDVJ7BZfrKWW94AZw851EgE2gK8t4KtVDS-kdCzCf7zGTL6jfrsULHOO/s1600-h/P9250108.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCxBYSYJsKRXFMQAaYW_AXd8bnmjqqYhqVP46FMEOMimRVkJm-egSMdpcv7oAigIR5Jfn_IuA7njiU0wUAnZSRpDVJ7BZfrKWW94AZw851EgE2gK8t4KtVDS-kdCzCf7zGTL6jfrsULHOO/s400/P9250108.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386179048991994130" border="0" /></a>A fairly typical Sozopol old town street showing the traditional "Black Sea" houses<br /><br /></div><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh32W3XZ0rhSfL3k_J0ls-Xxa_T5qoLGeH4uNCtnAqge3Mrq297wIKBrmodNj1ViquyDcUEs-M12oeLAp6X5fjRLk3bHEcxmAz8ruYUSKdpEfL1WzDIVRUV4AnIKRg9F7YZtLCqRCT0aup_/s1600-h/P9250111.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh32W3XZ0rhSfL3k_J0ls-Xxa_T5qoLGeH4uNCtnAqge3Mrq297wIKBrmodNj1ViquyDcUEs-M12oeLAp6X5fjRLk3bHEcxmAz8ruYUSKdpEfL1WzDIVRUV4AnIKRg9F7YZtLCqRCT0aup_/s400/P9250111.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386179053567068402" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Our plan had been to catch the 1200 bus from Burgas in order to be in Istanbul by 1900. Unfortunately this was to be a day of cock-ups. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">#1. Tickets for the 1200 bus were sold out so we had to subject ourselves to another night bus - departure 2200, arrival 0500...yuk</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">#2. Went to the movie "Inglourious Basterds" - although we were told it was in English, large parts of it turned out to be in French or German with Bulgarian subtitles (actually quite funny)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">#3. Decided to take a punt on a random platter for two with ingredients not translated into English. Turned out to be a massive meat platter - with the two of us not normally eating a lot of meat it gave us bursting bellies and the "meat sweats" on the bus! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Everything worked out fine in the end and we're now in Turkey. I guess our next blog will be about Istanbul or perhaps our upcoming "Active Turkey" tour. </span>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16310734985127377014noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-34511986128294000512009-09-24T06:26:00.008+12:002009-09-24T06:59:00.871+12:00Făgăraş Mountains and Sylvia the Love Machine<span style="font-family:arial;">Before I get too carried away with our tramping adventure, I had better tell you something about Romania that Sylvia forgot to put into her last post. It would seem that Sylvia has been something of a sensation over here. The local men have been falling for her in droves! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The first was the train conductor between Cluj and Brasov. He spoke little (no) English but told Sylvia, first in Romanian then in English, "I love you" and pointedly examined her hand for a wedding ring. Sylvia's second admirer was a drunk guy at a bus stop who told her in three different languages (English, Italian and presumably Romanian) that she was a beautiful girl :-) Of course we all knew that already and it's probably all going to her head. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">OK now the tramping. We had planned to do four days tramping in the Făgăraş Mountains near Brasov, but by the time we'd got organised on the first day it only ended up being about 3.2 days. We needed to obtain a stove (thanks Raluca :-), a billy, a decent map and some advice on transport. In the end we took a bus to a nearby town called Zarnesti and then a taxi from there. The taxi saved us 24 km of hitching or (more likely given the hitching conditions) walking, and considering the condition of the "road" I think the driver earned every cent of his ~20 Euro fare! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">We only ended up walking a couple of hours that night to a pleasant campsite on a spur leading up to the main ridge. </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSU4AadUHvVSETU-zJlUAhBauX_SITlAEFACBJw2OcnEQ67EQUWGSgx2JJJZmhfvTeYhqrvxt8DblUlLKITSF_DfB4wNS_9LR54hMuqIE71zWP7Ha0VM_jkgGMjooPSVg_N7TR2QGu8MCU/s1600-h/P9130282.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSU4AadUHvVSETU-zJlUAhBauX_SITlAEFACBJw2OcnEQ67EQUWGSgx2JJJZmhfvTeYhqrvxt8DblUlLKITSF_DfB4wNS_9LR54hMuqIE71zWP7Ha0VM_jkgGMjooPSVg_N7TR2QGu8MCU/s400/P9130282.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384731758660504546" border="0" /></a>Bears can be a problem - we took such precautions as putting all our food into my pack and stringing it up a tree!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">On the second day we continued climbing and traversing along the main ridge. Unfortunately the weather wasn't that great so we were glad to find a pleasant refugio to stay in instead of camping again. We'd all been a bit cold the night before.<br /></div></div><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVH_al1mnGzas63ve0e8aHB7bdoSVFdFQIAARxxP63LJM3pMTb4znaNzvddEvh2FakcJdx3m4QxdEZqKdxpNtcv7oTAgy8CPmMCESkflueItaXpAGsLSbZjwEkqAaO98OqwmoiepVWDnQ5/s1600-h/P9130295.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVH_al1mnGzas63ve0e8aHB7bdoSVFdFQIAARxxP63LJM3pMTb4znaNzvddEvh2FakcJdx3m4QxdEZqKdxpNtcv7oTAgy8CPmMCESkflueItaXpAGsLSbZjwEkqAaO98OqwmoiepVWDnQ5/s400/P9130295.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384731768488230530" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKy1kFGonn66J6wyqDg0J0ToiDoEvSz_zR1Efd4wuvxoztNa1_eIi7VYfYQcj2cRT5x2ATeunl7Sv1WbFkE2HYiFuAur0ReQhII0F5FdzrTbsMM3jRYQK_owuX9CECFSgf4A5qn17MGwr/s1600-h/P9130306.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKy1kFGonn66J6wyqDg0J0ToiDoEvSz_zR1Efd4wuvxoztNa1_eIi7VYfYQcj2cRT5x2ATeunl7Sv1WbFkE2HYiFuAur0ReQhII0F5FdzrTbsMM3jRYQK_owuX9CECFSgf4A5qn17MGwr/s400/P9130306.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384731776788813874" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8GiwEV5PU43buQ8r6sI4PVmqNIoAmuvPwteHIVhfEHMoXvn6sZ8xuGU9jxtA7eA9N9AdYSk_YUyhc3qcTzaEXDAl3ZTPR1gh577Yi7DzALwmVHOfQ-sj7V45lGNnB1xJ9ER9lTyBjPMs/s1600-h/P9130315.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8GiwEV5PU43buQ8r6sI4PVmqNIoAmuvPwteHIVhfEHMoXvn6sZ8xuGU9jxtA7eA9N9AdYSk_YUyhc3qcTzaEXDAl3ZTPR1gh577Yi7DzALwmVHOfQ-sj7V45lGNnB1xJ9ER9lTyBjPMs/s400/P9130315.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384731464154331682" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPW55FSumgXlpe1Z9hNa-ybIOGRaSXJ6vq22i4waCnEqQJWdW_xnnpTzNC4teJc3zzuboWU69wklO_f96YljYmEQXBKKvDTTpXrC4YunYMig_oMeri-oJzWtxz2yhie5bH52TzH5rFgFI/s1600-h/P9130318.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPW55FSumgXlpe1Z9hNa-ybIOGRaSXJ6vq22i4waCnEqQJWdW_xnnpTzNC4teJc3zzuboWU69wklO_f96YljYmEQXBKKvDTTpXrC4YunYMig_oMeri-oJzWtxz2yhie5bH52TzH5rFgFI/s400/P9130318.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384731466746599170" border="0" /></a>Mmm, cosy<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKR4n3l0iZCOVxODRbPxXLpLw3_dStMV7Hn4LHFd6JMc7k5wTqpidu_Qzuy5geEXBBr_YsH_SbRuUETBkbKXlichMnjFxzYW1QZFdpUeAwrXDUhgWcsAXczssEQiuqDjEAh_Bk_wawpLt_/s1600-h/P9130292.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKR4n3l0iZCOVxODRbPxXLpLw3_dStMV7Hn4LHFd6JMc7k5wTqpidu_Qzuy5geEXBBr_YsH_SbRuUETBkbKXlichMnjFxzYW1QZFdpUeAwrXDUhgWcsAXczssEQiuqDjEAh_Bk_wawpLt_/s400/P9130292.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384731764682363122" border="0" /></a>Water is a bit of a problem along the Făgăraş Range. We ended up carrying a lot, and topping up where we could. Fortunately this spring was marked on the map otherwise we would never have found it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0LKFnPG_Mfa7nxFHyYuaN8kEZxV7zzNSPQTGXy9lc7pGjaPUI0H6psx0-ztYo0sPxa-u6_3-3-59zLAkMSBwNCB3n0dJgliavXvw7L9G1ChK22lsfImHaY2QSOxfdpJjqR_1vhYHDtR6/s1600-h/P9130310.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0LKFnPG_Mfa7nxFHyYuaN8kEZxV7zzNSPQTGXy9lc7pGjaPUI0H6psx0-ztYo0sPxa-u6_3-3-59zLAkMSBwNCB3n0dJgliavXvw7L9G1ChK22lsfImHaY2QSOxfdpJjqR_1vhYHDtR6/s400/P9130310.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384731783084613682" border="0" /></a>Rubbish is another problem in the Romanian mountains. We encountered a similar scene several times a day, despite there seeming to be very few people up here (we only saw one other party along the ridge)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The next day dawned windier but warmer. Unfortunately the dark clouds came in again and it got pretty cold on the ridge. We made the decision to drop off the ridge a couple of valleys earlier than we'd originally intended to. This meant we didn't get to climb the highest mountain in Romania (Moldoveanu Peak, 2544 m) but as you can see, everyone was much smilier once they were off the ridge ;-)<br /><br />Before:<br /></div><br /></div><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDFZ2PjMT5e93ph0gaInLf0jMqsh9kY9cJPDPTG1pTmnjVGIBaBJnogJQGgkuDe8cSwGz51NMnX7BQE0J_8s4JdDkk6jh7_-i9qtMhq2TXg6PHejrDcr7Dz_f2Vl-D4wqu7skZtpPfX59L/s1600-h/P9140319.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDFZ2PjMT5e93ph0gaInLf0jMqsh9kY9cJPDPTG1pTmnjVGIBaBJnogJQGgkuDe8cSwGz51NMnX7BQE0J_8s4JdDkk6jh7_-i9qtMhq2TXg6PHejrDcr7Dz_f2Vl-D4wqu7skZtpPfX59L/s400/P9140319.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384731470919494626" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">After:</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6D8t_PjnB8Wv4RxTZB88tnWyH0WbOaXdfpOFKx4vebtB9ZoV1b5O55jOdC7hZHTJxbyTbLfvngwkMw01M55-l6vLeJRj9qBMOUxWMuqyTJJMqHy9CvU5TiKYcAo7r3GRj0RdeQpi0cEX/s1600-h/P9140328.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6D8t_PjnB8Wv4RxTZB88tnWyH0WbOaXdfpOFKx4vebtB9ZoV1b5O55jOdC7hZHTJxbyTbLfvngwkMw01M55-l6vLeJRj9qBMOUxWMuqyTJJMqHy9CvU5TiKYcAo7r3GRj0RdeQpi0cEX/s400/P9140328.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384731478510866274" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">We camped down in the valley that night. </span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0dyI3_2zDH1KPNgo7H_mprgUU5s9eo4Aza4uqe_ZF0nyK4KI5xB8PZJaXzAKS6SKim5ywuHoCS6lJlr63ccNoyNx6vFSJMHYogmIlq-RyIkJ3B9lb1cdc84DUgxc287GxGLtZtxT9_G_0/s1600-h/P9150347.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0dyI3_2zDH1KPNgo7H_mprgUU5s9eo4Aza4uqe_ZF0nyK4KI5xB8PZJaXzAKS6SKim5ywuHoCS6lJlr63ccNoyNx6vFSJMHYogmIlq-RyIkJ3B9lb1cdc84DUgxc287GxGLtZtxT9_G_0/s400/P9150347.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384731217507065698" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh0WQHWHaHEM-BeAA5ur5RsSnDESHrROSGsCbgsZfSga4gZWzJFIxfeTK2hm1ZPyu8MFfAODRfdluCqhIhJblk_cBioRgucfxQOlONnuuEcLr_YNVEbrg3XjNJyITZB7sl79lvSd51ruWF/s1600-h/P9140329.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh0WQHWHaHEM-BeAA5ur5RsSnDESHrROSGsCbgsZfSga4gZWzJFIxfeTK2hm1ZPyu8MFfAODRfdluCqhIhJblk_cBioRgucfxQOlONnuuEcLr_YNVEbrg3XjNJyITZB7sl79lvSd51ruWF/s400/P9140329.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384731485840425234" border="0" /></a>If only she'd brought us beer<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The next day we walked out down the valley then plodded the 12 km or so to the town of Victoria, only managing to hitch the last 2 km or so! But a lot better than nothing.<br /><br /></div></div><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUxUiNIRjCwLrMB-8EKszdmbP_LP20cSWG-B-1J2-wWah2gAhfUr9v2eKNRzzKmlUmjPvAv12QWJtqXt8lw0pq09u-1tAVJfyJ0mwt2FxZDpTsNRHZCz-JxrnCd2oB-UHw8NzzNoeMiwA3/s1600-h/P9150351.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUxUiNIRjCwLrMB-8EKszdmbP_LP20cSWG-B-1J2-wWah2gAhfUr9v2eKNRzzKmlUmjPvAv12QWJtqXt8lw0pq09u-1tAVJfyJ0mwt2FxZDpTsNRHZCz-JxrnCd2oB-UHw8NzzNoeMiwA3/s400/P9150351.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384731223083145714" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivRu3F8Hf1UeKYGq2uJtAbeLs6l5BE0o7uWBX4Ev4wbAhHK0mYXI1INAD3DpN9BgT_QATWJQXcXXIByvg0b2yWp7O_pUbS63EpfLjpb5G9UFGqL3Qn6KM0i32IDk8b3x0EV4XYtXMTcheF/s1600-h/P9150353.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivRu3F8Hf1UeKYGq2uJtAbeLs6l5BE0o7uWBX4Ev4wbAhHK0mYXI1INAD3DpN9BgT_QATWJQXcXXIByvg0b2yWp7O_pUbS63EpfLjpb5G9UFGqL3Qn6KM0i32IDk8b3x0EV4XYtXMTcheF/s400/P9150353.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384731230035487378" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Once we got to Victoria, all we had to do was wait for the train, and endure a very slow train ride back to Brasov. This is a </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >Personal</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> type train, the oldest, slowest and most frequently stopping of all Romanian trains. </span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUEmcT3CaR2rRXoU7WEMaU0jPj7NweLue-L53FcGPXterSkKutXf3TBRawcHdEgSqRrGbO2jd8ZxNfA1XRhEDkEd1Ac1udJL-1CHalJ2lbN28-LXitnqjOmbjZJ1JA6ZIxVsD104_3ZYXL/s1600-h/P9150362.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUEmcT3CaR2rRXoU7WEMaU0jPj7NweLue-L53FcGPXterSkKutXf3TBRawcHdEgSqRrGbO2jd8ZxNfA1XRhEDkEd1Ac1udJL-1CHalJ2lbN28-LXitnqjOmbjZJ1JA6ZIxVsD104_3ZYXL/s400/P9150362.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384731237689301154" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsKVz9-t8qtoJ98zup7FrmxKdUqxCqF1XRie3tq7_0cgmBbS5LiRStNuGMGcroNRWpn-H9NTIEjENGDie5d7VMFnJamgCAoN9MTuM0TqHYunvPSLWgPT3VxTUP7ZzSjUFhYCcXh4JHy-9o/s1600-h/P9150366.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsKVz9-t8qtoJ98zup7FrmxKdUqxCqF1XRie3tq7_0cgmBbS5LiRStNuGMGcroNRWpn-H9NTIEjENGDie5d7VMFnJamgCAoN9MTuM0TqHYunvPSLWgPT3VxTUP7ZzSjUFhYCcXh4JHy-9o/s400/P9150366.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384731238456944594" border="0" /></a>Are we there yet?<br /></div>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16310734985127377014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-70230988857880665862009-09-23T00:09:00.007+12:002009-09-23T01:41:52.124+12:00RomaniaOur grand mission with Cris in Romania was to go tramping in the Fagaras Mountains. However, our tramping adventures are exciting enough (yes, they are - promise!) to be the subject of a separate post. Here's some other Romanian highlights:<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384269386239744418" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 214px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJiE8pC2fZQzN5A9d7B61WtbMjlCJxa3lz1K2Buwl-dv4D-R2SiR4JaKpN-p3wu0aMIdt_5wMpcHV2BminJUYBGhNkxBMl9lRvlFKJlaBfr4C25_VjRphaX0XUtxvgVldMI4tJg_owxAP/s320/Tomas,+Mark,+and+Syvlia+at+a+pub+%28Kluj,+Romania%29.JPG" border="0" /> <div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>Friendly Romanian #1: Thomas whom we met on the long bus ride from Budapest. Here he is taking us out to the local student pub in Cluj for a drink (photo: Cris).</div><div> </div><div></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384268434443354130" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 240px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_sGquPhkmMhb2HmHiJW1rz-FzqJ9jxTq5RYgBZU9v-VjNkSXx6HjYfHgvtHux9LYsvR5L1U2pjhLzoOyERwIqFuKI5PtppLWRo1j_zNgMC8ecbNXW9iqL6NtFr-9Vkir04k2_rSr3qiyx/s320/P9100256.JPG" border="0" /></div><div>Our first Eastern Orthodox church. Religion is prominent throughout Romania, particularly noticeable when (even on the bus) people cross themselves if passing a church. </div><div> </div><div></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384269036770671506" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 214px; height: 320px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFPnTxEuKPsqS35PqVbde__gJIz-vAamFBGLeQCwBzsi1Mjs0Sn5GsZZxEP87tHe_rqolf-yn9OfGj3bwuyYFddURvEvoRTuuQrvEgKdmwLRsyCrG7XynueqwH3FsUdqmVWar7Tay5n4Y/s320/Night+view+4+%28Kluj,+Romania%29.JPG" border="0" /></div><div>Transylvannia has a significant Hungarian population, who are actively campaigning for their own state. This big statue in Cluj is a general who is famous for killing lots of Hungarians (photo: Cris). It was built by a pro-Romanian mayor who also embarrassed the locals by painting all the rubbish bins in the colours of the national flag.</div><div> </div><div></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384268440692307730" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 230px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPwd1svr53JTpclyYTotp5g3tx1utSibW3WEdJB3OVhcaYLHfI95knuIQiwHi70SP9HZegrrnQe4_XGXbVxnS4FIr0owFV5hfHK2jOwfOFptVSyBN7f4zRf3M3GrXrBoJ0LMaCqd2VjPSc/s320/P9100273.JPG" border="0" /></div><div>For the real Transylvannian experience we visited the local Cluj graveyard. It is local custom to 'baggsie' a grave before you are dead. Sometimes they even fill in the first two digits of your year of death. We heard stories of some that are still on 19-- oops! Better get that re-carved. </div><div> </div><div></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384268448579781154" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 110px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRWLDTuH939alD-8ljaFGd4U3sjEqV6BUQY4zmQpD0xJy-oKAC5yTIeZmnRkLm2-q9pg5A9QbTL3rsSGjII8QJlNvAOtS6riWYE0w3JKQH8GZ1Co-hVDjvFum1Yt-PJzlrsBB7hVRBpPH/s320/P9160370.JPG" border="0" /></div><div>From Cluj we progressed on an entertaining train journey with friendly Romanian #2 (Andre) to Brasov, which is quite possibly, but maybe not, the best city in the world. They also have a huge Hollywood-style 'Brasov' sign erected on the local mountainside. I went for a run up to it after dark, which I was later told was rather dangerous as that's when the bears come down to feed. It's not just vampires that eat you here... </div><div> </div><div></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384269027626824210" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 188px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnr7nzGwHeH-RH9pBhlio_YVf78iKSK2Jpy4_vLWjtGdEmih6HCPS8AYN_BCj0HM4udTzrZb_kbip9qwk1hC_rsbEufRMbjQ14dJDmedBVuFpZ6500wKHdr0nEdv-f8vpiW_Ww8NDapAj3/s320/The+shagging+room+%28Brasov,+Romania%29.JPG" border="0" /></div><div>In Brasov we stayed in a hostel with comically named rooms. The three of us shared this room, leading to hours of ... innuendo, as you can imagine (photo: Cris). This hostel also gifted me an extremely case of bed-bug attack, whereby my whole face was a swollen red blob and I couldn't open one of my eyes. [also attracting attention from a drunk local who was either appalled or amused that I seemed to have been beating her, I'm not sure which - Mark]<br /></div><div> </div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384268457692044802" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 214px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim5wL_tFjL40VIkuf4ehU3p9zvPLl5u-8Vn4whwyZ9jDEEVdZWCt_6EncykQNeQApsds9zqPRmPhTdhY4RWBece3WvG18rcTrMR3FhhtQ14ioEXZ8zLBzWjZXZPhpojm0nX0fWn1AF7oM6/s320/Dinner+time+2+%28Codlea,+Romania%29.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /><p>Our last four days we enjoyed the hospitality of friendly Romanian #3 (Raluca), who we couch-surfed with. Here she is having cooked us a local speciality of polenta with two types of cheese.</p>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00666842995369878258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2640682254146021922.post-37784367078122217822009-09-22T06:19:00.004+12:002009-09-22T06:27:08.219+12:00Doorhandles and doughy tubes<span style="font-family: arial;">Here are a couple of random things about Romania that I'd like to share with you.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">1. Doughy Tubes. These are not strictly Romanian (actually they're Hungarian, make sure you don't get </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;">that</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> wrong!). They also have a proper name but doughy tube will do for you and me. They are something like doughnut dough, but in a tube, spit roasted over charcoal then coated in your choice of yummy stuff such as chocolate, cocoa, cinnamon etc. Yummy! Eating a whole one by yourself can make you feel a bit ill.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWhKE6RrJdQWouPjYHs3hEO36zQtIZ4ZqHD3dpThmm7Tn5uzIQnoMTyjwalDMkuy7RO3sV9FpJ3PgXhvNNDAisPXfwZoi6_LAgTQgzDVhHw_upgCyUHoLBhXfEFw2A4_cdPRGSCxgSUa3E/s1600-h/P9180379.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWhKE6RrJdQWouPjYHs3hEO36zQtIZ4ZqHD3dpThmm7Tn5uzIQnoMTyjwalDMkuy7RO3sV9FpJ3PgXhvNNDAisPXfwZoi6_LAgTQgzDVhHw_upgCyUHoLBhXfEFw2A4_cdPRGSCxgSUa3E/s400/P9180379.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383988256885137426" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">2. Doorhandles. Romanians like to take their doorhandle off then take it away with them when they leave the house. I guess it helps with security but it can lead to all sorts of problems! </span><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2BHZMEz-4Lru6TKnlbbn33U_W9jIXlzj3pFtGd7cJ9rcxrnB045_QQg_eyI3JBAmozT6czETGsw35db4mafop7pjmhnUqDN8vGjgl4Uppc05vt25tTV2dUlrwLgYyx_8LgoLq1Ct_fc1/s1600-h/P9190001.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2BHZMEz-4Lru6TKnlbbn33U_W9jIXlzj3pFtGd7cJ9rcxrnB045_QQg_eyI3JBAmozT6czETGsw35db4mafop7pjmhnUqDN8vGjgl4Uppc05vt25tTV2dUlrwLgYyx_8LgoLq1Ct_fc1/s400/P9190001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383988251010406882" border="0" /></a>Raluca, our lovely host in Brasov<br /></div>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16310734985127377014noreply@blogger.com3