Bugger! Sorry about swearing but how else can we describe how we felt when Ian woke this morning feeling under the weather. A Covid test done and immediately two lines appeared! How will this effect our plans? Not a hundred percent sure. Time will tell.
This morning we also had an email from the Interislander team. And good news we are still sailing on the 25th. The bad news is the times have changed from an afternoon to an evening which will mean a very late docking and even more important, no campsite to go to in Wellington. Marilyn (bless her) has given a few places which may still be able to take us at the late arrival hour. But that's the least of our worries now that Ian has the dreaded Covid. Will I be unlucky and get it for the second time in 5 months? Hopefully I have enough antibodies doing their job to keep it at bay. More worrying, will we even be able to travel on the ferry?
I was going to have a go at driving, so far Ian's has been behind the wheel and that is exactly where I want him to be. With him not feeling 100 percent I did offer but he assured me he felt fine, I didn't pursue the matter!
So we left that DOC site with the wind still blowing a hooley and the rain coming down intermittently. The ground was ever so wet with lots of mud and try as we might, still got some on the carpet. Stupidly one of the mats had been left outside, this was not only covered in mud but dripping wet. I hung it on a bush to dry, well that was never going to work in these damp conditions. It will be sorted later!
Arrived in Blenheim after a good hour's drive, the scenery reminded Ian of the Teletubbies! Hmm, I didn't know he watched kids TV although thinking about it, he has always said there is nothing but dross on the telly! Maybe the Teletubbies are more riveting.
Anyhow I'm beginning to wonder if he can also tell me all their names? With him now infectious and me still clear (I also tested this morning) armed with mask I did the shopping. It was also down to me to enquire at the i site about a DOC camp ground nearby. Normally this can be done online and I did mention on a previous post that in the future this will be the way to go, but it seems that Onamalutu campsite can not be booked online. To pay the fee...yes, but to reserve a place...no The only 4 power points are on a first come, first served basis, a bit worrying when one is reliant on solar and no sun to be had today. The lady behind the desk assured me that this was a very quiet camp ground, less popular being 30 km from Blenheim with nothing at all to do but sit in a big field. Anyway I returned with this information and Ian decided to go for it anyway.
But first...a shower to be had. A Kiwi Camp was slightly out of Blenheim at a truck stop. We could have stayed there for $30 a night but the thought of trucks coming and going at all hours, as well as the SH 1 right on the doorstep, put us off somewhat. But we could use the showers for $2.50, with 5 minutes of wonderfully hot water.
Oh dear, on arrival most noticeably was the wet field. Would the Toy be man enough to cope with boggy bits? First thing to do was find the power points, Typically it was toward the far side and those boggy bits would have to be driven through.
Oh, well. in for a penny...and then. Well done that van. Ian kept her in low gear (automatic) and allowed this to drive the Toy where we wanted her.
Apart from a caravan parked on another of the powered sites, there are no others campers here. And most pleasantly surprised to discover the toilets were proper flushing ones, not a long drop in sight.
We await a call now from the Covid helpline. A nurse was spoken to yesterday and Ian has been placed in the system. This means that he will be entitled to have the anti-viral drug. Not sure of the cost but there is a reciprocal agreement with the UK for such cases over here.
Having a walk along the perimeter of the field I came across a a bee I have never seen before. It was almost white and black with a very elongated stripy abdomen. I haven't found out anything about this bee on the web but there again I only put in native NZ bees. It could be a foreigner for all I knew.
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| Sorry about the blurred photo. It was the only one that showed the length of its abdomen. |
And plenty more bees/hover flies to see
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