Hanging Around in Central Otago

Lake Dunstan Thursday 19 February
The diary doesn’t record much activity for this day. Probably we were tuckered out from keeping up with the walking group the previous day. The forecast was for rain for a few days, and it started in the afternoon. We ended up driving a km or so to my sisters to pick up our mail. We got a recipe for peach chutney at the same time, we had a bit of an excess of peaches, and chutney sounded like a good idea.
More rain Friday 20 February
It’s depressing when the forecast is so reliable these days – rain was predicted, and rain we got. We managed to get out for a walk in a break in the weather, up around the vinyard above Pisa Moorings. When we got back, someone had left us a copy of the rules for camping in the district. While these were contradictory and confusing, it did seem like a hint that it was time to move on. We’d been there quite a while, and had more places we wanted to see, but figured they’d keep for another time.
Moving on – Saturday 21 February
Moving isn’t soething to be rushed – we had a bit of sorting out to do first. There was fuel to get, and waste to dump, and fruit to buy. Plus we visited the Macraeway Show home, to see what you get for a house these days. Eventually we drove on up the valley to Queensbury, and a parkover place on a lovely property up off the road.
Bike riding at Alexandra Sunday 22 February
The rain continued overnight at Queensbury, and Sunday morning was a heater morning. Wyn talked to a friend in Alexandra who invited us down for a bike ride and tea. We went after lunch. It was still sort of almost raining, but we went out for a bike ride anyway – up Letts Gully Road and back by a bit of the Rail Trail. Tea was some very nice blue cod, and later we checked out some of her photos of Europe. We headed back at 10.30pm, in pouring rain.
Moving to Mt Barker Monday 23 February
We moved on up the valley, sometime around midday. On the way, Wyn had her first drive of the truck/motorhome, without the car on behind. This was around the back roads to Hawea Flat, which were actually quite flat. We’d sort of been putting it off for too long, and it was time to make a start. It went well, and was a good beginning. We went on to Mt Barker Road and her son’s place, which is a fabulous spot overlooking Wanaka and the surrounding hills and mountains. Wyn started making the peach chutney, which involved roasting the peaches. It was a long process, and now we’ve got to be patient for a month or so before using it. It might have a bit too much vinegar, or that might settle down as it matures.
Washing and Paperwork and Shopping Tuesday 24 February
This was designated washing day – sheets and towels and biking gear. It was a good drying day – the weather was clearing up slowly. Ross busied himself with sorting out things with Inland Revenue – never a fun process but not the sort of thing to be left undone. We went into Wanaka later in the afternoon. Wyn bought some good tramping shorts, and we had a lovely coffee in the sun on the waterfront. From there we could see Mt Roy which overlooks the lake. We hoped to walk up it the following day – we’d been working towards this after seeing it a couple of weeks earlier from Mt Iron.