Happy Anniversary to us!

Friday 13 February

A night of rain and a muddy morning - Russ did a couple of hours of work & we all packed up, said farewell to Abby as she went back to Dunedin and we cruised out of Tasman Holiday Park comfortably before their 10am checkout time - but only after I had captured a montage of the beautiful blooms all around the holiday park.

The road took us south for a bit then across on all manner of rural roads to SH8 towards Roxburgh. We stopped for lunch at Must-Hang Diner in Waikaka which turned out to be a hidden gem.

A Route66 style diner decorated with retro album covers and a welcome from Elvis (in 2D!). Louis ordered his lunch from a Slim Dusty album, while Nickie stuck to her British roots with a Cilla LP! I was delighted to finally find a copy of Swinging Safari on the ceiling - this was the album that most reminds me of my early 70's childhood! Burgers, nachos and a steak sammie for lunch then back on our way through green and rolling hills, sheep stations, and past a paddock of Clydesdales 💚

As we came down from the hills and neared SH8 & central Otago the landscape changed drastically to schisty outcrops on a stony brown backdrop.

We got to Jonny & Debs’ place near Alexandra mid afternoon & parked up with them. Louis had a swim, Nickie & I did a supermarket shop and Russ worked.

Jonny cooked us steak & mushroom pie for dinner and we cracked open a bottle of Daniel Le Brun bubbly to celebrate 30 years since Louis & I got engaged in Bali. Everyone chilled & chatted into the evening, while I walked and walked under a glorious darkening sky - gotta get those Fitbit steps!