Congratulations Willie, 70 years and still going strong.

Programme - July to September 2012

15 July - Orienteering at Ratapihipihi. Contact Jacqui 7510676
16 July (Monday) - Slink pickup by Adamsons
22 July - Waitara Heritage Trail bike ride, including  Bertrand Road bridge if the wind is kind on the day. 11am start, contact Sharon 06 763 8365

29 July - Wilkies pools boardwalk and the Power Station pipeline. 11am start at Dawson Falls car park.  Contact Neil 7510676

5 Aug (Sunday) - Slink pickup  volunteers needed

8/9 Aug - SAR helo training 

12 Aug - Orienteering. Noon start, contact Jacqui 7510676

19 Aug - North Egmont area, exploration of the tracks. 11 am start, contact Sharon 06 763 8365

25 Aug (Saturday)- Slink pickup  volunteers needed
26 Aug - Tramp to Kaiauai  shelter, leaving from the Kaiaua rock carpark 11am, contact Len A 06 763 8365
2 Sept - Orienteering. Noon start, contact Jacqui 7510676

9 Sept - Lunch at the Lodge, with a quick tidy up of the building and grounds.

10 Sept - committee meeting at Willies

14 Sept (Friday) - Slink pickup  volunteers needed
4 Oct ( Thursday) - Slink pickup  volunteers needed

3/4 Nov - Sarex

Please ring Sharon asap with your offers of help for the Slink runs ( 2 teams per run required).

Frewins Folly - an update from Africa

The flight over was uneventful although we did have a bit of trouble with Joberg customs when arriving in Sth Africa but that’s another story.

We spent our first night at the Peermont Metcourt hotel - right across from the Emperors Palace Casino where we had a small meal & looked around the casino - very lavish - saw a banquet hall 1½ times the size of TSB stadium. Picked up rental car next morning & off out of Joberg to a large town called Polakwane where we purchased an African sim card and other provisions for the farm house stay at Kurisa 

Moya nature lodge which was self catering. We had a late lunch & set off to our accommodation - what a trip - we really were in the real Africa looking at how people lived. It was a great sunset & a full moon rose to greet us, spectacular - but now it was time to enlist Newton and the GPS as we bumped along a gravel road & finally found a sign to our accommodation which turned right up a hill & what we thought was rough before it turned into a real experience which would have been ok in a big 4x4 but we were in a Toyota 1.5 Avanza it’s only saving grace was the ground clearance we had. This track was 3.2km long with little signs that appeared out of the darkness like "keep going" and "your almost there" reminded me of the Taupo cycle ride. Newton gave a commentary on how the GPS was going and finally we came to a sign saying "stop & unload here".  As we climbed out Paul our host was there on the steps to greet us with torch in hand to show us where to go and help us with our bags. The farm house was amazing with big candle chandeliers and some solar lighting in hall, pantry & bedrooms - gas to cook on & keep fridge cold & torches supplied by our beds. No cell phone charging here. Paul showed us around then left. We sat down & opened a lovely red wine & laughed about the day. So much for going to a restaurant for tea tonight - no way are we going anywhere on that track!! We had enough nibbles, cheese and crackers so we would not starve!!

Next morning dawned clear & crisp & while having breakfast on the balcony we were joined by some monkeys getting theirs in a nearby tree. Next it was off for a bush walk but the birds where staying in the tops of the trees where they had the sun to warm them, it was good to see African bush but it was very dry under foot. After an interesting shower we headed along our bumpy road back to Polakwane for lunch and a Bird & Snake Reserve - what amazing snakes.  Next we found a normal shopping complex where we decided to buy food for an antipasto platter for tea and head back to our lodgings where we lit the fire in the lounge and a couple of games of euchre where played.

In the morning we headed for our overnight stop at Punda Maria in Kruiger National Park. At park gates you have to be signed in (not like Egmont)  and off we travelled 50km per hour - this is the park speed limit, keeping a lookout for any wildlife we headed to the booking office at Punda Maria. We paid our fees and were issued with our hut keys, unpacked then decided to get back in car and go on a 25km loop looking for animals. Well 25kms took 2½hours, we just had so much to stop & look at. We arrived back at the camp gates at 5.25 - 5mins to spare - they close the compound gates at 5.30 and do not open them if you are late - next morning they open at 6.30am so it would be a cold night in your car if late. We had a meal in the local camp restaurant then off to bed for an early start.  7.30 on the road and it took us 5 hours to do 71km to next camp - there was just soooo much to see animals & birds. Lunch was had at the next camp Shingwedzi under a large outdoor Rondarva where we watched squirrels and glossy starlings. After lunch we still had 137 km to go to get out of park so had to stop the intensive sightseeing and focus on getting to our nights accommodation. Once again the track to our accommodation was interesting. 12km this time and equally as rough - I made the comment that even on a mountain bike it would be B!!  rough.

We arrived to lovely accommodation and a nice meal had outside with the owners and 2 other guests.

Morning once again was crisp and I just had to get out early 6.00am and explore. The sunrise and river view was magnificent.

We have spent a very lazy day looking at monitor lizards, warthog families who come right up to you & monkeys who stole bread out of our room &cheese off the breakfast table.

Till next time, Hilary & Newton

Photo Location Comp Part3

Photos from Hilary

Sorry about the rotation, perhaps it's because she's on the other side of the world at the moment!