Operation Ōtaki

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OPERATION OTAKI, This, our first open weekend proved 2 success judging by the comparisons thet went on when we all finally met outside the Cottahe for lunch prior to setting out for the truck : but although folk have asked for this type of trip say once in six weeks or two months there are 2 few "egainsts" as well as "fors". In the first place trips like this tendto sort themselves not into little bunches as you would st first imagine but into "cliques" and it means that new folk unless taken under the wing ofa thoughtful: group or an ex xperienced member would practicnlly have to ask could they go on your trip to so and so : fortunetely this did not he ppen this time because a few were content to meke the Cottege their hendquarters and mke trips from there which suited the new and the not so enorcetic ndmirably. Secondly, when you pile out of the truck the Truck Leader for thet trip knows to 8. certein extent that A is doing Penn Creek; B is going to Hector and C is heading for Weitewnowe.e - but what say en route they chenge their minds - because after all it is an open weekend and you don't have to keep to any schedule, not even your own - that's the beauty of it : then somothing crops up and you don't zet out in time 0 meybe 3 slight eccident, maybe you're a bit off the beaten track : whet then cf the Truck Leader and the rest of the party? Thoy haven't the faintest notion of just vhere to start looking for you should you not turn up at a certain time. These are just two points which ere well worth remembering if and when the next open weokend is scheduled 28 they can be rectified to a certain extent by the group leaders making sure that their party is quite self contained as far as gear etc, goos, that map and compass and first aid kits are takon and that the Truck Leader has an accurate knowledge BS to what ground is being covored. As far as our share in Operation Otaki went, well - it could be called the "Mishaps of Mx","Inbetwoon times, that is going to Fileds, Table Top and Kime and swimming in the well below the Cottage, we were entertained by Max giving himself 2. cold, cold shower from the spouting end soaking himself thoroughly, Hax hopping through the window end splitting the most importamt pert of his shorts thus treeting us to ballst skirt and what do you wear under your kilts, Max and his dismay and disappointment on finding that loverly pineaplle jelly which he hrd been thinking of all the way down from Fields hod completely and utterly disappeared, Max slipping down muddy bank in his "pyjame.s" alias khaki longs - in the end Barrie declared he was a bit wenry of photographing lax end his opisodes : however, due no doubt to the sunshine and the pleasant little group that "cottaged" we too enjoyed the open weekend and hope that it shall not be the last. E.C.