Author Archives: Ross

Sojourn In The Sounds – Part Three to Raetihi

From Cowshed Bay we moved on with the weather showing signs of improving. We drove to the head of Kenepuru Sound, and then continued on along the north side to Ohauparuparu Bay. Here we are allowed to park up for … Continue reading

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Sojourn in the Sounds – Pt 2 Cowshed Bay

Cowshed Bay does seem to be an awful name for a beautiful bay down Kenepuru Sound. It’s a DOC camp just before the Portage Hotel. DOC in this case is the abbreviation for Department Overlooks Cleaning. (More on that shortly.) … Continue reading

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On The Road Again – Sojourn In The Sounds

We got away from work and Blenheim last week. We saddled up Suzi motorhome and headed down the Sounds. Even though going to Marlborough Sounds involves going north, it’s always terms as doing “down” the Sounds. I wonder why. The … Continue reading

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Wandom Walking in Wither Hills

The first big break from work we had in Blenheim we hung out around Blenheim. We had a few things to catch up with, and some rest and relaxation to do. The weather was warm and spring was in the … Continue reading

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Work – The Continual Curse of the Retiring Types

Yep, it’s been a while. Again…. We’ve been working, and rather a lot. It’s an excuse I know. But heck, we’ve just finished 5 weeks of working dawn to dusk, with a total of only 2 nights off (and sort-of … Continue reading

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We Get the (Local) Government We Deserve – Some Thoughts on Voting

It’s election time for local government and we all struggle to sort out who to vote for our local councils and boards. And we complain about how it’s hard to know who to vote for and it’s all a superficial … Continue reading

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Photo of the Day #26 – The Big Red – My Part

This is the last part of my 1970s nostalgia saga of dust and diesel. I’d flown north from Perth to Tom Price and been impressed by how long it took the jet to get there. It was a long way … Continue reading

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Photo of the Day #25 – The Big Red Part 2

I’ve always liked this photo. For me it somehow captures the time and place. Mid 1970s. Out back up north in West Australia. Specifically the Theiss Bros maintenance yard at Mt Tom Price, adjacent to the open-cast iron ore mine. … Continue reading

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Photo of the Day #24 – Down Memory Lane – The Big Red Out Back

In the mid-1970s I lived and worked for 6 months in the middle of not much in the north of West Australia. Mt Tom Price is the name of a hill, and the town nearby. Mt Tom Price is composed … Continue reading

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Photo of the Day #23 – Snowcraft on the Tasman Glacier

I’m still back in the 1970s – down memory lane of the old photo collection. Early in the 1970s there was the mountaineering push as the Otago Tramping Club morphed into the Otago Tramping and Mountaineering Club. There were a … Continue reading

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Photo of the Day #22 – Sailing Away – 1970s Style …

Another day and another old photo. Another from my collection of 1970s tramping photos – and this one definitely showing its age. I think it was New Year’s Day 1971. Those were the days when the Otago Tramping and Mountaineering … Continue reading

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Photo of the Day #21 – Rockclimbing Day at Long Beach

The rockclimbing place near Dunedin in the 1970s was Long Beach. That’s where the Mighty Mini (Photo of the Day #20) was seen. Beside the rock that we climbed all over. This photo was taken one busy day in the … Continue reading

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Photo of the Day #20 – The Mighty Mini

So here we are, blobbing out in Blenheim. Having finished our first spell of motel minding, we’re trying to catch up on a few things plus get some exercise. Some time back I had fun resurrecting some of my old … Continue reading

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Fast Forward – All Over the Place

And that was about it. We’d spent five wonderful weeks touring the northern beaches of Auckland City. And never left the city. We’d taken advantage of the wonderful chain of Auckland Regional Parks on the eastern side. And explored a … Continue reading

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In Search of South Head – Kaipara Harbour

Having passed up on one day when the weather didn’t seem as bad as was predicted, we headed off the next day in search of the sun and the South Head of Kaipara Harbour. Back in the winter of 2009 … Continue reading

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