Halfway Down the World

Friday 17 April

Wild weather was in the forecast and the clouds were certainly pretty extraordinary when we awoke at Lowburn. Louis captured the purple skies and red tinged clouds before dawn and then as the sun rose it lit up a wild cloudscape which definitely indicated a weather front heading our way.

The geese came visiting and we soon saw why as another camper came out with handfuls of bread for them and the ducks!

Before the weather could close in I strapped on my Spider-Man knee braces and we wrapped up warm then headed off to finally conquer the 45th Parallel track. Halfway between the Equator and the South Pole, the 45th Parallel is actually 11kms south of here, due to the earth being an oblate spheroid rather than a true sphere, as it bulges at the Equator (middle age spread? We can all sympathise!) But the official marker and track are just about 1km north of the freedom camp and it had been on our To Do List for ages so pleased we finally made it there.

The track went up about 500 steps from the road to the top of Sugarloaf Terrace, one of the Lowburn Glacial Outwash Terraces (a geo-preservation site) then along the top to the 45th Parallel plinth & sign. I was delighted that the Rotary Club had thought to put in a few benches along the way as I definitely appreciated a sit down during the climb - though Jonny advised later that local runners go up and down several times in a row on their training sessions!

It was blowing an absolute hooley by the time we reached the top and we were nearly blown right off! Had to remove my cap even though it was looped through my pony tail, but then I couldn't see a thing for my hair whipping my face!

The views up and down Lake Dunstan from the 45th Parallel marker were pretty special - I took some photos for a lovely group of Philippino visitors and we got the obligatory selfie then we scrambled back down an old water race gulley from gold working times to the inlet then wandered home to Banjo. Clouds overhead were still pretty Spooky Mulder and we did wonder if an alien abduction was about to happen...

Lunch in Banjo then popped into town to do laundry, food shopping, op shopping and get our flu jabs. We siestaed soundly after those - amazing how the body responds!

Pork chops for dinner whilst watching the Blues v Highlanders then an early bed.