Renata, July 17-19

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Renata, July 17-19 we fought savagely for a sleeping spot, there being 19 of us in the smallish hut, Bus left town as per usual on Friday and some on the floor was inevitable. night and chundered out to the Hutt. Saturday night was not one of the After many hairy bends and engine- best, what with a raging storm outside, roaring up the Akatarawa road, the 11 307 rats making much noise, a dripping of us on the easy trip to Renata were tap, a leaking roof, some ardent snorers, spewed out near the haybarn by the a police cadet with a very loud verbose Salvation Army camp. Permission grant- cold, one member's half-night capacity ed and primitive introductions offered, bladder, and the absence of heat caused we trooped into the barn for a brew and by a draughty chimney. a good hay-feverless night's sleep. Apart, So at a very earthly hour Sunday of course, from the lorries roaring past morning we awoke (for want of a better and a deluge of rain in the wee hours. word), and after much ribbing, swearing Even the roof didn't leak. Amazing! and complaining (someone slept on his Ever gone to sleep in a whole barn butter - it melted all over his scratcher full of room, and found yourself next and my groundsheet. Does butter stain? morning being ruthlessly exploited as he asked. We mostly staggered up. to refill a mattress and pillow simultaneously our ever-empty stomachs and relieve our two different people? Yes, well, we abdomens. The had never empty "convena brew and "brekky" in the midst of a ience" supplied for the latter function M.F. tractor which trundled in and out was a truly remarkable monument of for hay, and, at about 9.30 we "moseyed" architecture, and God knows what kind off up to Renata. It was a bit drizzly and of crude obscene creature designed it. the bunch thinned out. We came to the Most humiliating and cold. Scout hut burnt to the ground, leaving We wandered off after 11 a.m. in a only a chimney standing in respect to the bunch, leaving the fit trip to enjoy our victim of fire and vandalism. absence. We roared down Francis Creek We splashed up Francis creek, and (well, sort of roared) and the last bounce got to the hill. Much climbing, groaning bounced in at the barn at 2.30. Some of and resting, but finally reached the us had a rather startling introduction and burned off through much bog and to a large horny Hereford bull, looking slimy green vegetation. The last of us like a cross between Marty Feldman and arrived at the hut at about 1 p.m. We the Devil, standing outside the barn on sliced a stew and some wood, whilst wait- dinnerplate hooves. Even the bravest ing for the fit trip to engulf us (all 6 plus kept a wary eye in its vague direction. 2), which they did in a forest of blue After more ribbing, and many wet knees and stiff fingers. A bit snowy up socks, and a mouse, the bus came, so there. We still had'nt got a fire going, home to a bath and much cursing at but with help from the experts a roaring another batch of pimples from all those conflagration was soon chewing up the damn barleysugars. dust, and a stew was cooking. After a JO HALLEY.