Balclutha

Some interesting driving on Monday - on dirt roads. This is probably fine in a big, 4WD truck, but in my rather light saloon I found I was slipping and slithering all over the place at anything over 25kph! NOT a happy experience. Trouble is, that by the time you've decided enough's enough and you want back to the made up roads, you realise that actually, you may just as well keep going and hope that it returns to hard surface sooner rather than later!

The highlight was probably the falls at Purakaunui - a ten minute walk down through the usual quiet rain forest to this low but wide waterfall surrounded by trees... just you, nature and the water - well, for the few minutes you are there on your own anyway... I so hate being a tourist!

Every day I send out a little prayer of thanks to whatever god/spirit/influence made me rethink my original plan to hire a campervan. I would have absolutely HATED it I know! Being stuck with the one living space for a start, as well as the enourous, neon sign that screams 'TOURIST' at every turn of the road. At least with a car I get to stay at interesting places, I don't have to worry too much about cooking, the beds are usually comfortable...

At the moment I am staying at 'Poller View' - a farm with charolais cattle, sheep and general mixed farming. The guys have given me a couple of tours, explaining sheep farming in some detial. I find it all fascinating as when I was a kid I always wanted to be a farmer! This morning I got to drive a quad bike round the fields in search of some sheep that had gotten where they shouldn't have. Scary at first until I relaxed a bit: I can see why they considered so much fun to drive! It's also great to soak in the hot tub looking out at the sky as evening draws in...

Oh, and the weather is still fabulous - especially today - glorious hot sun. Albeit friggin cold at night.

Tomorrow I head on up the coast to Dunedin and Oamaru...

Sorry about the continuing lack of photos - I've still not found anywhere I can hook up my own computer!