Moonlight (July, '68)

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MOONLIGHT (July, '68) If you had been around at a palatial wanted to do was crawl into a nice warm residence in Wallace Street on a beauti- pit. We could not help noticing the ful Wellington Saturday in mid-July, you difference in welcome from the other may have got involved in the following hut. Here, Jan, Brian, Ann, Keith, Lindconversation. I wish I hadn't: say, Neville, and several others were "Still going out the Bay tomorrow, prepared to talk and share our brew, Bill?" even at two o'clock in the morning. Not "Dunno, Dave, the weather looks that they had any option, but it made good, might be a frost tonight, full moon a change from listening to Bill. too, what do reckon?" A couple a7no hours later, after having A bite to eat, another brew, and we tried to get numerous people to come were off again. Optimistically we had with us, including the Chief Guide put on our crampons before leaving the (newly married, they say), we were on hut, but as we more or less expected our way to Otaki Forks; stomaches the snow was deep and soft. For mygrumbling contentedly having, been fed self, the only enjoyment was the teron the usual luscious "greasies". rific view, in all directions. A cloudless Bill was full of optimism. He almost night, a bright moon, and not a breath had me believing Alpha was downhill of wind made it a remarkable night. If all the way-the cold does funny things only my feet weren't SO flaming cold. to the mind. Getting up to Fields proved On Hector at about 5 a.m., we stopamusing, snowmen, mud and once again ped for a photograph, and after stat- Bill dispelling all doubts with his ing our various opinions, my cold feet philosophical sayings. I hope he never won out and we plodded back to the takes it into his head to write a book. nice warm pits at Vosselor. There were rumours about, that Ken Lindsay Cuthbertson, Keith Dick, and Churchill might be at Fields, so we a couple of Taraua's passed us near were looking forward to dragging him Kime; the only ones from the F.E. trip across with us. However, he was not who felt like finishing their crossing. there, sO we moved on after a good The others paid the price by missing brew. With all the snow about and the the bus, except for one who cunningly hardness of it on the route up towards got a ride in a clapped-out V.W. Vosselor we were anticipating an easy Somehow I don't think any of crossing. Not so, for it was over three others were convinced that the hours before were able to wake up the moonlight are "good value". trips by F.E.'s at When Vosselor. feet thaw out I might not be so biased my Bill's thoughts on a quick trip were myself. slightly glazed by this stage, and all I D.T.