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May Gourmet Trip

Right, there were originally 7 people on this trip, but they actually did about 4 different trips. Here's what Julia and Jane did.

First we beg, borrow, or bludge a ride up to Holdsworth with Owen. The Friday night puff up to Mountain House is enlivened by a possum stop (Owen being seized with an uncontrollable urge), and several stops to read signs along the way. (A good excuse if you're a slow reader). Bumble into Mountain House: "Anyone for Powell?" sez Jane. No takers, so she takes her boots off. John Black arrives, asking "Anyone for Powell?" Finally we hit pit, after being niggled at by a grumpy Tongue and Meat. We thought we were being so quiet!

Next morning we drag up to Powell, having decided that the other 3 who were supposed to meet us must be having Citroen trouble, (which proves to be the case). At the High Ridge turnoff Jane and Julia peel off, leaving Owen and John to continue at a more masculine pace to Angle Knob. The girls potter down the open part no trouble, and drift simlessly round in the bush for a while. Julia is deceived by Jane's nonchalant air and authoritive tree-climbing act. Which is just as well, cos Jane doesn't really know where she is. However, they see a stag (thrills!) and finally grind to a halt at an open spot where the weak sun is faintly visible. Lunch of fruit cake and orange as is fitting for a gourmet trip (sort of), then away with a great hiss and a roar to Flaxy Knob - 2 minutes. We move downwards from blaze to blaze with caution (this track has mercifully been de-disced) and after many false alarms Jane finds "the place where we went wrong last time." Correcting this mistake, we reach Totara Creek with no trouble and sit down to have a "think". That's what we call it, anyhow.

We decide to make the most of the weekend, and move off at a relaxed pace towards the Waiohine. Wind each other across the cage (watch out for that handle!!) and amble down the flats to the new hut, looking suspiciously behind every clump of totaras. You can't really miss this great blot on the landscape tho. Its all painty (would you believe pukey pink and yukky yellow?) inside, and very empty for 2 girls. It takes us quite a lot of giggling to fill it up, believe me. Out with the gourmet goodies, tho its sad that we haven't met up with the leader yet - he's got the chicken and we're left with the stuffing. Noodles, mushrooms, and assorted savouries later, we move onto tamerillos and choc instapud with condensed milk - bloated isn't the word! Eventually we give up on the pud and crawl, distended, into the pit.

Sunday, 9.00 a.m., we are rudely disturbed by the patter of tiny feet outside. Horrors! a troop of small boys rushes in, not quite catching us in the pit. An intermediate time later, we pootle back to the cage and up the creek to the bottom of the page 14climb out. Jane (oh sacrilege!) takes off to do a red-lining stunt. and eventually meets Julia again at the Lodge that afternoon. We while away the time eating and taking bets on the others estimated time of arrival. They come in eventually, and we meet Rod, Erica and Tony for the first time on the trip. They're full of intrepid tales of Angle Knob and Pinnacle Ridge, but they soon come down to earth after another spot of Citroen trouble and several spots of rain. Then Jane and Julia hop into Owen's car, and go blatting off into the distance in a cloud of gravel.

J.F.