Sleeping- go away!

Another from the shed collection

Two boys enjoying the countryside

South end of the North Island

The sea is quiet today (that rock is about 10 meters high)

Things you don't see everyday- in other towns

Another view from work

Cheese Emporium

An old dairy factory, now converted into a sort of shop.

Iconic NZ towns- Eketahuna

No, I'm not going that fast- the flash was on and there was a bit of a delay in the camera actually taking the picture!

This is my property pick. Buy here cheap and you will make a packet in 5-10 years. This place is up & coming property for lifestylers and holiday homes.

A great country playground

Forty years ago I was sliding down this- now my kids are!

It wouldn't be an NZ blog without one of these!

Here there be cows!

This is a track I have to navigate every day.

This is what it looks like after a few days of good weather. After a week of rain, it's mostly under water.

You never have the window down here!

A road to the back of nowhere

I think I would like to live at the end of this one!

And fire in the sky!

Smoke on the water

well... fog...

Where the get water #6

This also doubles as a duck pond and my private eeling spot!

The classic nz shearing shed

That's my idea of a backyard!

another of the Ghost House

I need a telephoto lens!

These things are popping up everywhere

Yet another vinyard appears- this one out the back of nowhere!

Who left the tap on?

That's what 40 litres per second looks like!

Lets' go the back way!

Why not?- I'm getting paid by the hour!

Where they get water #4

Here there be Cows!

It's not all pretty pictures out here in the sticks.

Be thankful I have turned the smell off!

Still holding together!

The view from work

I have been a bit slack in posting here, due to working crazy hours and the kids hiding the camera download cable!

I'm back in business with this shot of the view from just outside the plant.

Fox Glacier august 2000

The dump right next to the glacier. I hope it's gone now- even if there was some grat bird-watching!

The backyard in the sticks!

Things you find in small towns

Wheel clamp me- I dare you!

This really is out in the sticks!

The Minchin Biv- a tin tent up the Poulter river, Arthurs Pass.

When I last stayed there (Christmas 1983) the hut book showed an average of six visitors. annually.

Sign of the Bellbird- Port Hills, Christchurch

The remains of an old tea rooms, this used to be a great place to camp out for the night and enjoy a few drinks in front of a roaring fire in the old fireplace.

That is probably all forbidden now....

Just another bit of magnificent scenery

I've found boiling mud- can I take it home?

This is MY kind of Museum!

The caterpillar experience, Rotorua.

http://www.caterpillarexperience.co.nz/

What young lad wouldn't love it!

or dad, for that matter!

One of the lakes near Rotorua

Can't remember the name, but its out towards Tarawera

Country Pub

This one is out the back of nowhere, but is still well known, as it has appeared on a TV commercial.

Any guesses?

On holiday- back soon

That shed looks like a good place to hole up with a book and a few bottles of gin, but no.

I have to take the family with me...

Where they get water #2

Another old shed

You can never have too many sheds...

Sheep-Shaggers Warning

The shed at the end of the road

Down the Hall on a Saturday night

http://folksong.org.nz/down_the_hall/index.html

(This doesn't happen anymore, except possibly in Southland!)

The Haunted House

Just derelict, but if a house were to be haunted, it would be this one!

Beware of the tree!

A large Poplar or Cottonwood, if you are from the USA.

Often called 'the widowmaker' for their trick of suddenly dropping branches or falling over.

Classic kiwi bachs

Ocean Beach, South Wairarapa.

My hut site

I'm building a hut here- one day. After 18month, I have half the foundations done.

Rome wasn't built in a day- especially when the builder works 12 out of every 14 days!

Where they get water #1

Every couple of weeks I have to walk into the bush and service this emergency water supply.

By emergency I mean straight out of a Taurarua stream, into the pipe and give it a shot of chlorine gas. I had to run a town on this for a couple of month this summer, due to the hi-tech wonderplant being SNAFU.

But it tastes good anyway! Bugs and all!

Another hut from the past

The Minchin Biv- next on up the line from the Poulter Trust Hut.

In my day it didn't get a lot of visitors- the hut book showed an average of six per year. It's small, but was very welcome to be back in'82, when I spent four days there after the rivers flooded. I spent most of the time pacing up & down 300 meters of riverbank, between two streams, to keep the sandflies off.

The boulders I could hear rumbling down the rivers & streams were saying ' Don't Cross!"

Never mind the door-shut the bloody gate!

At the other end of the market...

Tin Hut this ain't!

Even phoning them costs a packet.

But hidden out in the backblocks it is indeed!

Most of them that stay here fly in. If you can't afford a chopper, you can't afford the drinks before dinner!