Down By the River

Friday, January 4th
On the banks of the Wanganui River
South Island, NZ



Well that plan was pretty much a flop. Got down to the bridge to find a swiftly flowing river and a major construction site with really no way to even chat anyone up. I decided to wander up the river along this back road always. The Wanganui Valley trek starts here...at least it used to. Completely obliterated. Roadway ends with a cliff to the river bed.



After I set my tent up back here, a quarter of a mile from the bridge, I saw a helicopter going over and coming back. Over and back. The road back is quite rocky with a couple of creek crossings so I rode and walked back to where I could see what was going in. They're moving supplies if some sort across. The other side is quite cutoff from things. I don't think I want them to sling Blaze from the bottom of a copter and besides they've got more important things to attend to than an American touring around.

So now I'm back in my tent at about 5:30. It's actually hot in here and some of those nasty sand flies managed to get in too. They're wicked. Remind me of black flies in the Adirondacks.

And now I don't know what to do. The information I've gotten from a couple of sources is that Tuesday is the outlook. 4 nights away. I may have enough food for that long. But do I just hang out here reading and painting and napping? Or do I get a lift the 40 miles back to Hokitika tomorrow and wait it out there? I'll spend less money here. I'm already here. Oh I don't know. This is quite a predicament. I met one of the guys driving these big rigs so I'm pretty sure I can get a hitch to town, then back here perhaps.

Swat. Ouch. Slap. Scratch. How'd all these buggers get in here? Raid!! You'll all be dead! I'll win this!! But it's so bad out there, I won't be cooking tonight. Tunafish it is! I don't think staying here is the best idea. Ben and Laura headed back to the nearby lake. Course I don't know that it's any less buggy there. Maybe by the ocean with the breeze. It's sure hot all zipped up in here.

Frustrated BagLady



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