Holiday photos

I promised in the post that went up about 30 minutes ago that I would post photos, so here are some of the ones we took:

The Kokoaahi Band at the Hokitika Wildfood Festival - they are a fixture and I think they have played at every one of the 29 festivals. Some of the band members look like they have been in the band since its inception (probably not ...) and others have joined over the last 29 years.You can read about them here.

Vicki with one of her daughter's dogs who has just destroyed one of the toys - and doesn't look dismayed about that at all ... Considering the bag of toys was huge and overflowing, the loss of one is not a biggie!

The jetty at Lake Mahinapua - this is where David and I decided back in 2016 that we needed a motorhome to explore this beautiful country of ours. We had a lovely night here in the CROW. We had intended to stay longer but I needed to see a doctor and so we headed off to Greymouth. We did stay in a great motorcamp there - very good facilities, so we will have to return!

After a night in Ikamatua where we caught up with Dean and Phaedra we headed to Nelson Creek for a couple of nights. There is a neat walk through an old gold mining area - best to keep to the track as there are deep declivities all over the place and many of them are hidden by undergrowth now.

Parked by the river at Nelson Creek - more people arrived later in the day. Dinner at the pub was fun, but no chardonnay so I had to drink fizzy wine instead, dammit.

Through the short tunnel on to the swing bridge at Nelson Creek - David took this as I could not go through the tunnel and I definitely would not have done the bridge if I had been able to get through the tunnel. Total wuss!

The bush walk at Nelson Creek. Some of it is quite open, like this, and other parts are very dense bush.

Down in Ross on a Sunday morning, we went for a ride with Suzie. Here we are rejoining the main highway so we have taken care to give way ...

Suzie driving Breeze and Chico with me reclining in the back of the gig. David had leapt off to take photos and was allowed back on a bit further down the road.

Carrots for the ponies after their hard work of pulling David and me around Ross. CROW is in the background. David went back to the ponies after lunch to give them more carrots and he broke them up for them - doesn't seem to think their teeth can cope, silly man! And they don't mind picking up the bits they drop on the grass either.

CROW down by the Totara River - after our lovely time with Suzie, Breeze and Chico, we had thought about going down to the beach at Ross, but the carpark looked a bit dodgy with sand - and we didn't want to get stuck. The side road down to the river looked interesting and we decided this would be a good place to freedom camp next time we are down this way.

Seawards at the Totara River

Now this bridge is more my style! Not a swinging section in sight. The new bits have been constructed over the old rusting away bits and it is steady and sturdy.

The view from the former railway bridge at Totora River - it is now part of the cycle/walkway trail which extends from south of Ross up to Greymouth, I think

Told you its name, now didn't I?

Back in Westport before we headed up to Murchison, Blenheim and Picton then home. Paul and Leonie's house - a beautiful home that Leonie designed. CROW is visible outside.