The Road Goes Ever On and On...and Off!

Thursday, January 26

Yesterday was a very quiet day, recovering from Tuesday's activities, made memorable by an evening walk down to the Lake where I was amused by the sheep, and enjoyed a dramatic sunset and the colours of the lupins along the shore.
Today, however, we were ready for another adventure and signed up for an offroad trip with another (American) couple. Our driver Jason piled us into the Toyota Land Cruiser and off we went through the farm gate, "into the wilds." It really felt like being in one of those TV ads for SUV's as we splashed through streams and powered up steep hills.

Eventually we reached our main destination, an unusual geological formation locally called the Pinnacles, where soft gravel has eroded away from spires of hard rock to reveal this dramatic landscape:

We stopped here for tea that Jason brewed up in his trusty billy (that's what is by his feet, above), and homemade muffins. The grandeur of the scenery here is difficult to capture on film--it's all wide sky and towering peaks, with no sound but the rushing of the river or the overhead cry of a hawk--or perhaps the less romantic bleating of sheep! We've decided that the near constant exchange between ewe and lamb is the sheepish equivalent of "Mummy!" "Yes?" "Mummy!" "Yes?" "Mummy!" "WHAT!!??" "I forget..."



I also very much enjoyed the many varieties of alpine flowers that grow a mat of tiny leaves close to the ground, then burst into delicate bloom in summer.

On the way back to the station, we stopped at a highland mountain tarn, where the Ryton's daughter is getting married next month. Apparently all the guests have 4-WD vehicles. I can see the appeal--great view!


Our final stop on the way back was beautiful Lake Ida. The family has constructed a big flat square that they flood from the lake in winter for skating and hockey, a new sport for NZ.


As we approached the station, Jason pointed out a mark on a nearby mountain and told us it was an earthquake faultline. When he told me that it didn't have a name, I christened it "Nobody's Fault"--sorry, had to get that in!