First Of The Summer Wine

Have just experienced a  wonderfully relaxing few days in a bush clad setting with Warrick and John. Three old men with time on their hands. We were helicoptered into Te Pua Hut in the Urewera's by Robert Fleming of Waimana Helicopters in his Jet Ranger. This was only my 2nd ever flight in a helicopter. Only took 10 minutes but eliminated what would have been a 5.5 hour tramp. The hut is situated in a clearing amongst native bush with a river only metres away from the front door. On the first day I climbed one of the hills behind the hut and on the 2nd day we all did a short walk up river. Warrick and John both have health issues so were unable to do any serious walking so on the 3rd day I walked up river for 3 hours on my own, crossing and recrossing the river and soaking in the pristine atmosphere and total lack of any evidence of human activity.   I would have gone further but a set of waterfalls blocked my way, I did try to climb them but was worried about slipping and how long it would be before I was found should I injure myself.  I did prove to myself that I could spend time alone in a remote environment even if only for a short while.

We did see a number of different bird species but very little of each, I wonder what it would have been like prior to stoats etc. I took several photos of the endangered Blue Duck. There was a pot belly stove in the hut for which we cut wood and it very quickly had us warm and cosy each evening while we drank beer and wine and told each other stories and lies.  On the first night we made a remarkable discovery, NZ is currently in the grip of Rugby World Cup fever and every man and his dog is avidly following each game. It turns out that none of the 3 of us is  interested in Rugby.The only 3 guys in the whole of NZ not interested in Rugby holed up in the bush together!! On the 2nd night I casually asked Warrick how old he is. The reply staggered me, "60.................... today"  Of course I had to have an extra glass of wine to help him celebrate, otherwise he was quite content to soak in the specialness of the place he has been visiting for over 30 years and, unless I had asked, not let on that it was his 60th birthday.

Luckily enough we did not see many sand flies although John did claim to have overheard two sand flies talking on the river bank:

1st Sand fly "What are we going to do with this horse now that we have caught it?
2nd Sand fly "Lets take it back to base"
1st Sand fly  "No, if we do that the big guys will take it off us!

Yes a very relaxing few days, although I did get rudely disturbed on the 3rd day, I was sitting outside the hut reading and had dosed off when a helicopter flew over. That was the only sign of other humans we saw from Monday to Thursday.

Ironically after spending three days walking in a rock strewn river where I was constantly clambering over rocks and boulders and then the first day back in town I tripped over a kerb and stubbed my big toe!

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