Renata, October

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Renata, October This trip started with a miracle: the Kinzett technique of lighting fires. One bus arrived on time. We all piled on old joker with rabbis, raved on about and departed leaving one who was sick his burn't down snow cave, and another and one who didn't turn up. A two-hour smoked like a crematorium. Sleep was bus ride saw us somewhere on the Aka- out of the question as the silly old tarawa-Waikanae road. After gaining fools kept breaking into songs. About permission from the farmer, we spent 11.30 p.m., after the "F" blokes had a frigid night in a hayshed to be awoken left, Ripper (always carries the axe), was at some unrespectable hour by two fools wakened by Adam (Moron) McSweeney, leaping about the place with knives, who was sitting bolt upright talking to seeking to expel their wrath on the local him about some primus fitting. After opossum population. a short conversation with him Ripper Next morning we were up at the crack concluded that Adam was either raving of dawn (7.30) and had breakfast down mad, or sleep talking (or both), and so on the river bed. (We found straw very went back to sleep. useful for lighting fires.) We were on Sunday morning (unlike Saturday, the Frances Creek track about 8.15 a.m. which was beautiful) was raining, foggy after nearly losing Ken over the side and windy. We were up fairly early, of an ice-covered bridge. Many hours had breakfast and then hit the sack later we reached the end of the creek again. track and were at the turnoff for the We were just going to clean the hut Maymorn Ridge. when in walked the "F" blokes, and At 11.00 a.m., after a hearty feed we being utter friends we left cleaning it climbed up onto the ridge and crawled to them. They in turn left it for the for two hours to the hut, for what was Alpha-Renata (FE) jokers, who arrived hoped to be a rest. However, Bruce shortly after we left at 11 a.m. We left Ludlow had other ideas: half an hour the fog on the Maymorn Ridge and of collecting wood (enough for another belted down Frances Creek, past the hut), and then a quiet stroll (quick Scout Hut (15 minutes from the road, sprint) along to Renata "A". This took the lazy scum) back to the hayshed in 1 hour and 35 minutes for the return 1 hour 50 minutes. It had stopped raintrip. ing by now and we had a mixture of About 5.30 p.m. the others on the soups, and waited for the others to ar- Ngatiawa-Kapakapanui-Renata (F) trip rive. arrived and constantly demanded a On this trip were Bruce Ludlow "man's size brew". Again you-know- (Leader), Marina Thompson, Murray who demonstrated his skill (?) at light- Taylor, Brian Proffit, Willie Coe, Adam ing fires. Heat was finally obtained McSweeney, Ken Stokes and Richard when the Kinzett Kid showed us the Naylor. -KS. & R.N.