Anderson's for Lunch

Machine-read text (unproofread)

Read from the scans by software, so it contains mistakes. Typing it up properly would help blind readers: use Suggest an edit.

ANDERSON'S FOR LUNCH morning tea. I left my day pack in the hut and we trotted up the hill to the Nick picked Laurie and myself up at bushline and Shoulder Knob. There was 6 o'clock on a cool clear morning. A no sign of Nick so we strolled along the hasty decision the night before had spur to Junction Knob. Our spectacular brought us into this horrible situation, view of the Otaki Valley and surroundof having to arise at 5 a.m. ings was now lost in a thickening mist. It had started at the beginning of the Laurie and I continued on around to wcck when on the news it had been Anderson's. reported that a tramping party in the Our hopes of finding everything packed Tararuas had been involved in an acci- and ready to bring out were dashed, dent, and one member had been airlifted when we found the door open and gear out. At club on the Thursday night we strewn from one end of the hut to the found that it was a Club member and other. The place was filthy. We didn't two of his mates who were doing a expect him to have everything spick and Middle Crossing. Ron Fayle had asked span because there wasn't time to muck Nick if he would go up to Anderson's around when the helicopter arrived. but (from where the injured person had this was ridiculous. Nick arrived about been taken out) and retrieve the gear five minutes later and we had a brew. that had been left behind. Nick wanted We polished that off and put another one to take a weekend over it, but we were on to boil while we got to work and busy on Friday night and a stir was in cleaned the place up. the planning for Saturday night, so it The second brew was soon polished would have to be a day trip on the off, and we finished cleaning up and Saturday. were off. It had become much cooler so We arrived at the forks at 7 o'clock we kept up a brisk pace to Junction and were away a bit later. It was Knob and across to Shoulder Knob. We pleasant walking, with the sun rising and then bombed down the track to the the early morning fog clinging low to the Otaki and Waitewaewae Hut. It was hills. The air was calm and still, and brew time again, being six o'clock in the a brisk pace was kept up to keep the evening and dark. body warm. A short stop at Plateau We enjoyed a quick snack with the Stream and we wandered on across the brew and packed and were ready for plateau and down the other side to the drag out to the Forks. We had a Arapito Stream. The Otaki Valley was short break at Plateau Stream and then full of an early morning fog that mingled took off along the track, across the farmwith the trees. The strong rays of the lang, to the river. We reluctantly crossed sun filtered down through it, making a it and went up a scungy steep track to very picturesque walk. the road. It was only five minutes on to We strolled into Waitewaewae two the car park where we got changed and hours after leaving the Forks. Being all left for home at about 10 o'clock. A little a bit peckish we had a quick brew and bit late to go stirring. a late breakfast, or in this case an early BARRY BIGGS * * * *