Third time lucky uploading this wee vid.

Orientation in central otago...

Return to Wanaka..

(some of this repeats the content of the previous blog..so please bear with me avid blog readers)

It was about three weeks ago that i left Dunedin. Sione finally sailed into town in our new toyota townace and after a few days preparation for the back country and some farewells we set off for Queenstown.
The van was throughly loaded with stuff..2bikes...clothes..my entire art portfolio...obscure foodstuff supplies...motorbike gear..camping equipment...bedding...kitchen supplies...we could probably be pretty much self contained for a few weeks..save for the fact the van was too full to sleep in. The poor van dawdled and trundled under its honorous load and hungrily gobbled petrol in an effort to perform. But at least i was inside without concern for biting wind of icy fingers.
Mental note to self; Never buy an automatic petrol 2l van without prior knowledge of its fuel economy.

Queenstown welcomed us with blue sky and minus temperatures. We were lodged in a stationary bus belonging to friends. Although delightfully designed the bus is a compact space to say the least. Lots of "excuse me...pardon...could i just squeeze past...could you pass me the.."to"...your in my bl#@dy way for the 5th time in two minutes...and ...NO! i was here first"
After i few days and a smattering of adapted routine we concluded that we needed an upgrade and a space big enough to swing your arm...if not a whole cat.

We took the town ace to Glenorchy for a long weekend. Funnily enough, in the sub zero conditions we had the campsite completely to ourselves. Long walks during the day to keep warm..fires, endless hot drinks and alchol to banish the bitter night air. However bitter night air such as this does not banish easily and even chased us into bed shortly after seven one evening. The reward was incredible scenery..heavy brooding mountains adorned with pristine white snow caps...icy blue waters in the tumbling river..yellow winter morning light over thickly frosted fields and trees.

Keeping warm in Glenorchy

It is clear in such a stately and untouched environment how nature has the upper hand. It would be unwise to underestimate the vastness of the distances...the relentlessly penetrating cold..or the fickle nature of powerful un-containable weather.
I am so glad i bought a puffer jacket in Dunedin..everyone down this way seems to own one.Indispensible!
After a couple of chilly nights at lake Sylvan campsite the clouds sank lower along with the temperature and we returned to Queenstown. The winter festival was just starting and town was slowly filling with 17-22years old sporting shorts, sleeveless tops and jandals. My god i must be getting old i thought eyeing the generous expanse of flesh bared to the eager southerly. (apparently we were see on tv siddle-ing past the scantily clad youth) As the clumps of excitable pre season boarders and skiers descended upon Queenstown with increasing intensity we made preparation for Wanaka.

A roof!

A new friends of a new friend(such is the nature of travel) offered us his house to sit while he sunned him self in Fiji for a week or two. With out further ado we relocated and have passed a wonderfull week with in a spacious abode with easyily accessible flush toilet..running water ..log fire and functioning gas hob. Heaven!

Out walking in Wanaka

On sunday we retrieved the front wheels of our two bikes which were left behind i auckland.... it was great to put the wheel back on, tighten the brakes and head off around the lakes edge. There are cyclists all over the place here. Its really good to see people out enjoy the lakes and mountains in such a virtuous and heathy fashion.

Dunedin back to Queenstown...

Greetings from Queenstown…
The last few weeks have been spent in Dunedin..enjoying the comforts of four walls, some routine yoga and gym sessions and even a smidgen of paid work. I have also met some lovely new people. It seems a bit easier to meet folk in a smaller smoke where life goes at slightly more leisurely pace and you can get most places by walking.
The SV 650 now has a new home somewhere up in Timaru, in a garage no less. I am sure she will be pleased about that….but I like to think she will miss the last few months of open road adventure…. I was sad momentarily to see the bike go..but it didn’t last long.. because there will be other bikes along the way. Lighter bikes with a more upright sitting position and less unappreciated grunt.

Bye Bye ...... :(

So now I am the owner of a Toyota Townace.
Sione has driven down from Auckland to join me picking up the new van along the way.

The slopes of Southern Edinburgh...

We spent a day or so in Dunedin organising and getting van tuned and headed to Queenstown.
I must confess to thoroughly enjoying being inside watching frosty grass and snowy paddocks whizzing by. Here in Queenstown I spot the occasional nutter riding round on their motorbikes without gloves. They obviously suffer an abundance of blood in their hands… lucky sods!
I am listening to flamenco music on my computer as I write this. I choose to actively not listen to it most of the time because I just quickly get sad and frustrated that I am not dancing. It is only when I hear that my body starts swaying and twitching in an effort to respond to vaguely recognisable rhythms.



Instead…I look out of the window and see sharp clear blue skies and snow covered peaks in most directions. The landscape here is indeed stunning and of gargantuan proportions. We are living in a bus belonging to Siones friends. It is a small space but sufficient with sink, stove, shower, toilet etc However the cold encroaches into this small dwelling the minute the heater turns off or the door is left open. It was -4 degrees a couple of nights ago and the tea strainer and dish cloth were frozen to the puddle in the bottom of the sink…
We are both sleeping like logs and I look forward to adjusting so that getting out of bed before midday doesn’t seem like such an achievement.

Christchurch Botanical to be continued

Pictures from a long weekend spent in Christchurch meeting up with Sione. Christchurch seemed relatively tropical after Dunedin..they tell me the cold is nothing compared to central Otago, home of great lakes and incredible moutains.For some reason i feel drawn to go spend a decent amount of time there. In a way it feels like the heart of the south island and i wont feel like i have really visited until i have lived here for at least a month or two.
Roll on Wanaka...




A nice Autumnal afternoon in the botanical gardens

Very serious....

In the tropical glass house... i wish it was this warm outside.

Reasons for not having a motorbike... and a closer look at Kim

Me and Kim rugged up.

Kim doing her day job at the hospital.

Would you put your health in this womans hands?

It was snowing a week ago, ice on the deck and i had trouble just staying vertical going to the washing machine in my slippers...let alone going

anywhere on two wheels.

Hardened bikers would no doubt tut and shake their handle bar moustaches at my brisk retreat..but i don't have to much to prove in that regard. My tires after all are pretty much square from failing to lean on the corners... haha!

Back on the blog horse..but not the bike

St Pauls (Fake) Cathedral

Hello all,
Yes i am still alive... fell off the blog wagon.
But i guess it was enevitable at some point... because life isn't always that interesting.
Or sometimes its so confusing that it is hard to decide what to pass comment upon.

Current location is the delightfully southern town of Dunedin.
Have been in residence here for the previous two weeks approx.
The bowels of winter are warming up their biceps for the chilly onslaught of the next six months.
And God did declareth

" there will no longer be any more camping, and no longer more motorcycling for those who are blessed with impoversihed circulation.... and those who take this warning in vain will be smited by the lord with the wrath of the dark heavy cloud and the many falling icy particles... and henceforth suchlike weather will condense and intensify over the coming season such that all mankind of southern hemisphere shall retreat both woman, child and ailing livestock into heated shelter with abundance of comforting foodstuff"

Consequently i am staying with a new found friend in her spare room, looking to replace the bike with a car in the new few weeks.

First Church of Otago

Dunedin is a charismatic wee town, with hills a plenty. Lots of lovely old building to contemplate and sketch. And i have even found flamenco teacher tucked away ...and a yoga teacher.
The art work has developed into a consistent daily trickle of something or other and there are definite signs of improvement.
So appart from failing to fully aclimatise to the reoccuring ice, rain and snow all is well.
A lovely lady called Kim who i met in Tekapo has generously offered me accomodation for the present...
So the poor bike now sits outside under a tarpaulin wondering what happened to all the action and where all the bloody rain came from. After all the months of loyal service i feel guilty and have promised to turn the engine over at least once a week.
I tried to explain to the bike that if she had heated handle bar grips it would all be different...but like most relationships its all about timing.
Maybe i should buy a bigger tarps...

Back track Blog...

Brook and Joseph at work on their home

So for those of you who have managed to contain your boredom i will now provide a quick summary of what happened over the last few weeks since i left Tarkaka.
To make up for a notable absence of written material this post will contain numerous photos and ofcourse the continuing artistic saga of my sketchbook.
Please enjoy.

Departing Tarkaka to Murchison

A pleasant ride to Murchison from Golden bay...sad to leave Brook & Joseph but excited about heading further south.
A rest day in Murchison was largely uninspiring due to semi constant drizzle and an abundance of sandflies.
Upon local advice i purchsed a cosumed a considerable amount of vegemite as the B vitamins allegedly deter biting insects. Could be the cold, coincidence or the Bvitamins worked as have had no problems since.

Murchison to Hanmer Springs

Stayed at a peculiar youth camp in the forest with military looking cabins and amenities. Treated myself to a cabin.Despite, slightly functional appearance of camp it was great value for money and very well resourced.

Delighted with my roof...
...despite its impersonal exterior appearance.

Went for many runs in surrounding woods.
Beautiful autumn colours everywhere.

Still struggling adequately encapsulate this with the watercolours.

Hanmer to Christchurch over Arthurs Pass.

Arthurs Pass Brrr!

A cold drive on the bike but plesantly short for i had been offered a bed in ChCh by Miranda, sister of friend(Janine) from dance school. Miranda is a practising artist with a studio and was busy putting the final touches to her masterpieces for a show the following week in Auckland.Miranda with her Art work above..

Doing the pout...

Her house and her man.

Made lots of biscuits, bought as possum-merino beanie(yey!) and saw Rita Angus at the Art Gallery.
Was a lovely few days refueling my slightly drooping artistic spirit and getting fired up about the southern landscape to come.
Lovely to get to know Miranda more, see her work and studio space and meet her man.

Cont next post...