Anniversary Weekend in the Park (A Comedy)

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ANNIVER ARY WEEX END IN THE PARK. (A Comedy). Mary, Custard, Hori and myself left Wellington on the Field's Express bound for the Park and Totara Flats, on Anniversary week-end, I cannot recall the time we left the Pipe Bridge but we were able to reach the bush line without using torches I but Custard and I were too light to shed a light and much to the amusement of the other two adopted a sort of sailor horn-pipe walk, whereby we travelled as near to the ground as possible so that we would not have so far to fall. Our legs shot out from underneath as if we were clockwork - which meant occasionally we would disappear into a hidden ditch. Talking of clock work - the only time piece in the party was owned by Custard. Was this evidence of conscientousness for party safety or unawareness of the effects of Tararua wa ter on internal mechanicism, No doubt we shall find out on the next gorge trip. The track to North Ohau Hut has been greatly improved which makes for faster time and we reached the Hut at 10.15 but continued up river in strong moonlight for another hour where we found a small piece of soft flat ground to make camp. At 5 a,m, the Mellbary Bird ( or Mary Bell Bird) woke us up. She had slept on a sandy bank and this was exceedingly cold, I had slept under a small tree fern in bright moonlight - and was like wise cold and had had very little sleep; consequently Custard and "Hori" very nearly got chopped up in the morning for sleeping like logs. (The main reason for not being chopped up ofcourse was that we had no axe - to save weight.) But here again Custard proved to be ever so conscientious as he carried both primus and fuel and when I mentioned that if he had mentioned that he thought we should carry these things I would have brought the fuel whereupon he thought I should carry his - fortunately for me the conversation was diverted to another stream. After breakfast ( about 7.30 a.m,) we moved off and reached South Ohau in about an hour, and after eternity climbed Yates "600" swears, I mean stairs. Now at this point I must mention that the main theme of conversation during the whole trip. commenced here - namely "Where are the Hutt Valleys?" Te knew that a party of 14 were doing the same trip as we were and in all probability were somewhere behind - or - maybe - before, We also thought they vere or could be reformed with their prominent sack basher down with a polar night-cap and perhaps they would get up for or with the larks and roar past us at 5 o'clock whilst we were still sleeping, Maybe too they had taken off their shoes and socks rnd crept past - but this being so would they not have grabbed our jolly blonde girl and as the song goes stuffed her in their sleeping bags. We agreed that they had NOT passed us after all.

19 1 E-v-e-n-t-u-a-1-1-y we reached Te Matawai Hut where our illustrious Chief Guide and husband, Mary's that is, had arrived some 60 minutes before us and made tea. After lunch we climbed Pukematawai - Custard making it an hour before the slowest member - myself - and this despite primus and fuel ( but we lat ter discovered to our cost that his mother ha given him two days food only - instead of three! ) We commenced our trip proper from the lowes: point of the saddle be tween Pukematawai and Arete. To all contemplating doing this trip it would do well to bear in mind a large rock immediately below this point. Here, however some small streams converge and the best route is rot und to the right of the rock ( i.e. looking down the Valley) thus avoiding some small waterfalls and then joining the stream lower down having followed the grassy slopes to the right of the waterfalls. The flats of the Park consist of some well watered tussock. Thus, the abundance of moisture gives them that pea-green look when compared with dry tussock of the hillsides. We took advantage of the leather wood on the flats and having found a suitable spot made a brew. It was two o'clock when we set oBf down the Park still asking ourselves "Where was this team of young, fit, ambitious H.V.T.C.'s." Every so often to relieve the conversation we would beg Custard to lose his hat in the firet big pool - to 1 hich he retorted that he had lost it but it was with him and he was found before he was lost. (Apparently the powers that be commenced the search a little prematurely not knowing that W.T.M. C's don't get lost - not with Custard hats anyway,) The Park Valley itself lives up to its name and its natural beauty is so enhanced that it is as pretty as an ornamental park in any town. The novely ofcourse was being able to : down the river and boulder hop instead ofcrissing and crossing quaint rustic bridges. The river, for those interested in doing the trip,proves the best track, A member of a previous party who bad done the C--1: trip had informed us that one of the party had climbed out instead of keeping to the river and thus had ta cen about two hours longer than the rest - they had not carried tubes, but we who did carry them found no use for them on this trip, so it is possible to ceep to the river. Now and then we came across or rather throuch the odd large pool and only once did we all nearly get wet but by grasping the sides it is possible to avoid swimming which is an advantage if you are unable to swim, Mary Bell Bird told me afterwards that I always looked ever so funnr. because when I was almost submerged I began to wave my arms about towards the sides 1 so then we discussed her and I said well anywy she was like a Mermaid on account of her wet tale (tail), Shortly ( about 5 o'clock) we arrived at what we had been warned to expect the false forks. This was a larce stroam coming in from the left.

However, we continued until 8 o'clook before we hit the true Park Forks. At the actual point of confluence there is a cliff face and not a good place to camp, the best camp spot is as marked on the map ( just before the forks on the true right bank). We slept here - sweet - sweet sleep - only the sleep that a tramper knows after a long day. So far we had managed to negotiate big drops, big pools and slippery rocks - that is except Custard who had not quite negotiated everything successfully. We hinted it was best to move so cuickly that he was not on a rock long enough to fall off, whereupon he pointed out that he had fallen off before he got on. Anyway his hat needed a wash except that he had put his watch in it to keep it dry! We think that we were away at about 7 o'clock in the morning, the watch unfortunately had become a little unreliable. Mary-Bell woke us up "Hori' said he loved the change from being at home - but with Mary Bell to wake him up - what is the difference home or bush? Once again came the question as to the whereabouts of the Hutt Valleys. We had still not used the tyres and at 12 o'clock came to the first comulsory pool which is just before Francis Creek and just after the i big slip". A strong cold wind was blowing and at such a cold prospect we had lunch. The weather had become unsettled - it was alternatively sunny and cloudy, cold, blowy, and still, One moment we were basked in sunshine and the next sheltering behind each other. We decided to pull out over Isabelle, rather an illogical thing to do really to go over the tops because of the wind in the valley. We climbed up to the bush line like nothing on earth - well - ever,t thing on earth is supposedly and fundamentally made of energy - so we were like nothing on earth. Immediately we left the bush line we were blown back into it - the wind was - well no words big enouch to describe it. We vere blown over, along and bacldwards, clothing turned inside out and each of us was in turn blown off the ridge; and thus we came to Mountain House and the comfort of our own Hut. Eight hours later the missing contingent turned up bearing the H.V.T.C. Badge ( plus one T.T.C.) who claims to have been the soul source of inspira tion. Well - T.T.F.N. and I sha'l see you along with Mary-Bell in the Otaki Gorge. Dave - Live life at the flood; wrest joy from its storm; Sleep sound at the close; fierce in labour and pleasure, Guard but honour for measure; God, certain of good, Light, shadowed in form, shade, flung to repose. Life is motion, and splendid rest - and your part is ended.