Time Off For Good Behaviour

Currently having a couple of days off in Oamaru. As mentioned in my last blog the office at the Waikouaiti Motor Camp is not open during the day. On my second day there the owners daughter opened the office after arriving home from school. To say that customer service at this camp is not taken seriously would be an understatement as she was in her dressing gown and more interested in texting than serving customers. Shortly after this I was talking to Fred in the caravan parked next to my tent when I heard a car pull up behind me. To my surprise it was Alan my walking buddy. He had gone for a job interview and was driving past and tracked me down.It was good to see him again and he stopped and had dinner with me. A Swiss couple Marion and Stephan started a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle at 8pm and I wondered what time they would get to bed if they intended to finish it. Next morning the jigsaw was back in it's box in pieces. They told me they still hadn't finished it at 12.30am when they went to bed.

 As Fred from the caravan next door was going to the shops he gave me a ride and I restarted walking from the shops as I had walked there the day before. Initially I was carrying my large back pack. The first 4km was on a back road and then 5km on State Highway One. While walking along SH1 Charissa phoned me and I was sitting on my pack when a ute pulled up and asked if I was all right. This led to an offer of a ride which I decline but the driver agreed to take my pack on to his destination.Coincidentally the drivers name was John Morgan the same name as an ex work colleague. John was heading for a grain farm near Shag Point some 10km away. I then walked another 8km on side roads and 2km back on SH1 and easily found the farm. The owner Ronald Sheat advised me that there were no motor camps or backpackers locally and I asked if I could camp on their lawn. This led to the offer of sleeping in his partially completed gypsy caravan in his shed, I eagerly accepted the offer. Ronald even provided lighting, chair and radio for me. His wife Fran gave me a cup of tea and later even gave me my first home cooked meal for awhile. Later I sat in the caravan reading my book with one of their kittens warming my lap, domestic bliss!

Next day Ronald was heading north and offered to take my pack onto the Hampden Motor Camp. I left at 8.20am and walked 2km on SH1 before dropping down onto the beach at Shag Point. Walked several KM's up the beach with one rocky headland to go around. Walking along a rock ledge I came to a spot blocked by a landslide. Rather than go back I scooped up handfuls of gooey clay to expose the rock beneath so that i had somewhere to place my feet without slipping. I had been advised that when I got to a river I would have to rejoin the road but the river proved to be easily forded without even getting my feet wet. I carried on to another headland and clambered over rocks and had to get down into the sea.  In several places the sea was up to my knees.  There was one deeper part where the sea entered a cave and my shorts got wet. There was lots of bull kelp which made life interesting and was quite slippery. Finally arrived at a small beach below Moeraki Lighthouse. Clambered up the grass covered hill only to discover a deer fence at the top. To make matters worse the fence had an electric wire at the top. I did try to climb over but got a zap and so decided discretion was required and walked back down hill and found an alternative way up to the lighthouse. After viewing the lighthouse (photo taken for you Neville!) I walked down a metal road for 2km and rejoined the beach and walked past Moeraki Boulders.Near here I met Marion and Stephan again, the Swiss jigsaw puzzlers, and they advised me that my pack was waiting for me at the Motor Camp. Finally arrived there after walking about 18km for the day.  This was the best Motor Camp to date, Reasonably priced, no charge for showers, everyone friendly and nice clean facilities. The owner Alex offered me a ride to the local shop as he was going that way and that he would give me a shout. Five minutes latter he called my name, I wondered how he knew it as I had not introduced myself yet. Apparently he had seen my blog address on my backpack and checked it out. He thinks I am a "crazy feller". When I went to pay at the shop I realised that  I had left my wallet back at the camp so had to walk back to get it.

Once again my pack was taken on the next day, this time by Marion and Sebastian Walked mostly on the beach this day with every short of rock, stones, pebbles, pea gravel and sand.Luckily it was low tide and I managed to get around several headlands. Sometimes I was wading up to my knees. At one point I came across a Seal colony and rather than disturb them I walked around then climbing a very steep hill. Later disturbed 3 seals and we all got a fright. When eating lunch I saw some seaweed moving 50m along the beach and it turned out to be a sea lion. Later after crossing a river a man appeared above the beach took my photo and then walked away without making eye contact.Finally came to Taranui beach where families were building sandcastles and surfers were in the surf. After walking around the top of the headland at Taranui I found Kakanui Motor Camp and was reunited with my pack again after walking 17km.

For the 4th consecutive day my pack was taken on again this time to Oamaru by the camp owners. Another 17km day. A short track from the camp led to the road and then I walked across farmland and then road again for about 4km.Managed to get back onto beach but the small pea gravel was very tiring to walk on so
when I saw an old road above the beach I climbed up to it. The road was officially closed to vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians as it was falling into the sea but was better that the slow progress on the beach.At the end of this old road I found a local couple who gave me advice for further up the beach.Latter a couple walking their dog gave me contradicting information. Climbed a hill over farmland before getting back onto the beach.Saw a few seals on the beach and later while wading around a headland there were two seals fighting just 1m above my head on a rocky ledge. One jumped into the sea at my approach but the other just looked at me.Later found a good path above the beach and followed that to Oamaru. When I got to the end of the path I found a notice saying the path was closed because of subsidence, although I'd seen no evidence of it. The path also ended in a commercial penguin watching area and i had to climb a tall gate to get out. I booked into a backpackers and about an hour later was very glad I wasn't in my tent as heavy rain and hail flooded the main street in front of the back packers. Next day the local paper had a colour photo on the front page of the flooding.

Having a couple days rest here before heading North again tomorrow.