This was a nice day on the gardens - quite a relief for me and Pete as our tent had filled with water during the 2 days stuck in the storm

Thankfully this eyesore is now ripped down and stuffed into big bags ready to be flown out.  Sadly, it is to be flown out at the same time that Oriwa Ridge biv - a superb spot and a rare Tararua 'remote hut' - is being flown out too.  :(

Headed up to Rua-potatoe on the weekend ostensibly to assess the impact of the Lahar on the stability of the crater rim (ie to traverse the top of the mountain) and also to monitor any ongoing seismic disturbances on the mounatin (ie to camp on the summit plateau) but of course what I was really there for was to nip down the Mangaturuturu glacier ...

> There's also tons of wineries in hawke's bay and i've never done a tour - so we could always come out a day early and 'sample' some quality hawke's bay produce! Hmm, whose got a new fulltime job then???  A few Double Browns at the carpark (not for the driver) would be more appropriate

If you go with the Marlborough Sounds Adventure company (I think that's their name) you can go without a guide or experience we did a couple of years ago (see Heels 2005, whoops it hasn't been published yet...), and I'd recommend it. In seriousness, you hire boat, paddle, life jacket, they tell you how to tip it up the right way if you capsize ...

>>>> maybe one to Penn Creek then tubing out  But not staying the night at Penn Ck of course as it is closed this weekend.  :-)

The NZ rogaine champs - The Peggioh Merry-Go-Round - was held in Marlborough on the weekend, in the dry barren hills between the Flaxbourne and Waima rivers.  There were lots of ex-vuwtc members taking part, and three current members (some of whom did quite well!) in the 24hr dash to navigate to as many points as ...

See discussion on the forums page for a debate about this (under hut and track updates forum)

The new Carkeek could well become Burn Creek Biv in Nelson Lakes NP.  Was in there a week or so back and the last entry was Alyn, Sam, Regan, Bernie and Jeroen.  Before them no one for four years and 3 months.  Its marked a wee bit wrong on the map, maybe thats why.....  VUWTC domination awaits.  Mwah ha ha ha

When you get a bit old and a bit crusty and have spent too much time in the Tararuas there are not many options left to you.  Some leave Wellington and move to the South Island where they take up paddling or mountain biking unable to adjust to tramping in an environment where if the weather is bad it makes sense not to go (in Wellington this ...