Great day only marred by more RP problems

 Well well, I managed a shot of the moon. Still in the dark sky area, I played around with the settings. Not a bad attempt but trying for those stars has got me completely flummoxed.

Look very closely and a star can be seen.

 First stop after leaving the site was the Mt Johns Observatory. A left turn off the road and suddenly you are confronted with a barrier. There is the small matter of paying for the privilege of driving the road. $8 seemed rather a lot but break it down to UK money and it works out to roughly £4, cost of UK's parking perhaps? Anyway, it was well worth the money and it does go to Canterbury University. The views from the top were staggering, a good two hours walking and just gazing in awe at the vista before us, plus a sausage roll each and coffee to keep up the stamina.

Village of Tekapo

Mt Cook again.

Driving toward Geraldine and so many Deer. all enclosed in very large open spaces, It is all to do with the Venison trade and this type of farming has become a lucrative business. It seemed that at every turn in the road and every field we came to Deer were there in huge numbers. Click HERE for the facts.

At Geraldine, it was a quick stop for groceries (its a day to day shop now, Only three days left before we leave for Oz) and top up with diesel before heading for Peel Forest and the Acland Falls.

The Falls didn't seem to be that far, just a 25 minute, 900 m walk. Set off with a spring in my step only for that spring to become uncurled very quickly. I didn't even get as far as a 100 m 'cos when the ground rose to an unacceptable angle I gave up very quickly. Remember that photo of Ian in Puzzle World, him at that extreme angle? well, that was the gradient of the climb. I tried I truly did but had to give up as a bad job. Ian was game so I sent him on the way armed with my camera and instructions for the use thereof.

At the start and before the ground rose steeply.

Ian's return was earlier than I had thought. I had just settled down to a crossword puzzle when the door slide open.  In he waltzed camera in hand, "Well? said I "Was it worth it?"

Glad I didn't go now.

As time was now 16.45 pm we thought we should go and find a site for the night. Got into RP, started the engine, Ian started to drive off when he issued a loud expletive and turned the engine of quick. The red engine warning light had come on. Blooming 'eck...not again!! Lifted the bonnet, checked the oil and water, both were all okay.  Ian consulted the manual and found it to be the diesel injector system malfunction light that had come on. This will require a main dealer investigation. So we tried to phone the hire company but had no phone signal. Out in the sticks and no way of contacting anyone we felt pretty helpless.

But a glimmer of hope as a 3G 1-bar internet signal showed when Ian fired up the computer. So a Skype call was possible and we did get to speak with Graham after all. On his head be it because he told us to continue driving and return the vehicle as planned in three days  time."No thrashing of the engine" he warned, "And it should be okay until then".

Not 100yds from our plight happened to be a managed DOC site. Not really wanting to go any further tonight especially being stranded in the middle of nowhere, we paid our $40. It has showers and proper toilets, not a long drop in sight. What will tomorrow bring? Hopefully no more dramas.

And wildlife,

At the Cafe at St Johns Observatory