Te Anau 8th March International Women’sDay
SANDFLIES!! You whwn something is in your life all the time and it affects you but because it has been there all the time you don’t mention it? Well bloody sandflies need mentioning. Since Abel Tasman I have been bitten and the bites, despite treatment, carry on itching for weeks. I would heartily recommend the white pencil shaped After Bite from Aldi. It reduces the swelling amazingly. I have Paw Paw cream too which Caroline introduced me to in Aus which seems to help the itching. Fascinating stuff eh?!
Ok then onwards and upwards! Went to Doubtful Sound for the day yesterday – was an epic journey! A bus picked me up at 9.30am and drove us to Manapouri Lake (35 mins), then we got on our boat across the lake for 45 mins, then got a bus over Wilmott pass (35 mins) and then the big boat for 3 hours on Doubtful Sound. It was fine as we approached the Sound and the driver told us about the flora and fauna on the mountain side at either side of the pass. The mosses were amazing. The bus stopped on the hill going down to the Sound for our first view of it. Oooh! Big, exciting, remote and beautiful – even in the sun as we had been told it was better in the rain – which is fortunate as it rains 200 days a year or 2/3 days. It was bigger and quieter than Milford but part of this was due to the boat having a quieter engine. The weather gave in and the mist and rain came down. Looked quite mysterious as if something amazing would come out of the mist. The hills/mountains had softer edges so looked quite ethereal. Bit gobsmacking really. I met a french girl travelling on her own called Clautilda. So many young people are giving up work and going travelling. She has a job in Paris but saved up her holidays so that she could travel. So many different people you meet! Talking of which i met Carol a member of staff in the school where i was deputy head. Amazingly small world! Back by 6.30 I was dropped off feeling quite tired but happy!
Freejan