Weekend 15/16 March 2025

The weather remains nice and warm, despite the weather department predicting rain. It’s a lazy weekend, with some admin, cooking curries and soup, doing the washing and playing with the dogs. Venison backstrap for dinner Saturday was delicious and tender (perhaps a tad overcooked) and Lady P stoked up the hot tub again.

Monday 17 – Wednesday 19 March 2025

A drive into Winton this morning for supplies as there is a gale warning and rain predicted for this afternoon and tomorrow. The calm before the storm this morning though, with high cloud and darkening skies. Winds at midday hitting 40 Knots.

Tuesday’s rain came but there wasn’t much in it and by Wednesday morning we were back to blue sky and sunshine. These days have been a good opportunity to catch up with completing the photobooks from last year and play with the dogs. They have destroyed three tennis balls but are struggling with the little hard solid rubber one. They will fetch all day, almost, up and down the long driveway.

Thursday 20 March 2025

Today we walked the Milford Track. Well, 10K’s of it. The start of the track is at Te Anau on the big lake. A water taxi takes the trampers to the trailhead and off you go. There were some serious walkers, doing the 4+ day, hut to hut walk, with fairly big packs. And there were some pussy walkers doing the luxury hut to hut with all food, grog and equipment transported for them. They were a bit obvious. All the latest walking gear, designer sunglasses and, makeup and perfume for some as well. Then there was the couple who were in camo gear and rifles. They were going to a different part of the park to shoot Wapati (Elk). And of course, (only four of) us day walkers.

We walked an hour and a half to the first hut in glorious sunshine, along a shaded and flat path among the NZ evergreen forest, following the Clinton River, which correctly has been described as “Gin Clear.” And it was. We’ve never seen such crystal clear, blue/green water. The massive mountains from which the river springs, were covered in forest right up to the snowline, where the exposed quartz hilltops were awaiting the arrival of winter snow.

There was a dozen or so trampers at the hut, sitting in shorts and T-shirts. By the time we set up at the table on the deck; took out our table cloth, wine, glasses, smoked Kingfish, cream cheese, capers, onion and baguette, they had scampered inside, hunted off by the sandflies. Flashy of course, was in long pants and longsleeve shirt, so had no issue with the no-see-ums! Lady P’s bright outfit only attracted the bumblebees.

After a delicious lunch, we walked back to the pier and our fast water taxi back to Lake Te Anau car park and home to the dogs and cat.

Clinton River, Milford Sound







Storm Clouds at farm

The hot tub
Bluff Oysters
The drop off pier at Lake Te Anau
Milford Track
Suspension Bridge along the track

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