• Wendy Smith
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  • Wendy Smith

Retirement Holiday- number 2

An open-ended adventure by Wendy Read more
  • Day Three - Dunedin

    October 4, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌫 12 °C

    After txts, reading about the roads opted to stay another night in the same place.
    It rained all day!
    I quite happily filled in my day with reading, sending txt msg, watching a little tele/Netflix.
    Very pleased I have the internet and being so accessible to information and keeping in touch with everyone.
    I am self sufficient with a shower, toilet, power, bed, food, heat and cooking facilities. Gas for the heating and cooking.
    In the late afternoon I needed fresh air, so put on my gummies (wellies) coat grabbed my umbrella and off I went. There is a walk way right behind my campervan. Didn't actually realize the stream was so close! 20 steps would I be okay in the night? How far would it come up? I trusted the alert system would work and I wouldn't have a problem. By the photos you will see how much it went down over night (or you may not - you have to be here) so I didn't have to worry.
    I guess there are about 10 vehicles in the park.
    One chap, traveling with his wife and two children came to check on everyone in the park. Nice thing to do.
    This morning I walked up to the reservoir behind the park. Good to get my steps up but still not enough. The rain had stopped and I had too many clothes on for such a walk. I got very hot. As you can see the reservoir was okay. I wonder how much it was up yesterday with all the rain.
    Turns out the people beside me are good friends with Whangarei friends! Small world - we met in Cromwell earlier this year. Julie recognized me. They very kindly took me down to the supermarket in a car they have while in Dunedin.
    I will now have options for my meal this evening. Great feeling.
    The road is still blocked but hopefully will be open tomorrow, so one more night in Dunedin. I have no plans to be anywhere anytime so I am okay to go with the flow. I will book my ferry crossing when I get to Christchurch.
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  • Day Two

    October 4, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 9 °C

    Very wet night...!! I am in north Dunedin and resigned myself to staying on. Then opted to get up and dressed and pull the blinds. The NZMCA park at Woodhaugh st, is tarsealed so no problems with grass and bogging. No flooding I can see.
    Not sure if I will move on up the island or not. From my limited skills of searching the net looks like the roads are okay.
    Very pleased I have the internet and can "discuss" moving on or not.
    Will add more as I decide.

    10:37am
    Decided to stay put for another night. I have full gas bottles, so good heating. Plenty of food - perhaps not what I fancy but won't stave. It was my intention to go to the supermarket today to save me carrying the food down the stairs at home.
    Books to read, computer stuff and I can watch tele/Netflix if I want.
    Thanks everyone for caring
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  • North Island

    October 3, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 11 °C

    I finally managed to leave home around 2pm. Loads to do with my plans to be away till Christmas. I thought I would count the number of times I went up and down the stairs but too busy trying to get everything in the camper and forgot after a couple.
    House had to be clean and tidy also.
    Pretty sure I have everything but couldn't remember where I put the spare keys for the camper. It wasn't a problem last time so I will have to be extra careful this time. I may remember where I put them in the next couple of days.
    The weather wasn't too bad and I didn't have to put a coat on to load the camper.
    It rained all the way here to Dunedin. Still heavy rain out there!
    No problems with the roads but a little of water in the paddocks.
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  • Day One

    October 3, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 11 °C

    I left Invercargill around 2pm. It rained all the way to Dunedin and still is! No problems with the roads but lots of water in the paddocks.
    I wrote two paragraphs and not sure it has uploaded. So apologies if I am repeating myself. Just trying to remember how to use this app.
    Parked in the NZMCA park in Woodhaugh st in the Leith Valley.
    From all accounts may not get further up the Island because of flooding.
    I will post this and see what happens
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    Trip start
    October 3, 2024