The Big Trip down south.

[ZeroID (Brent)]

Ok, it's only 4 days away now, our two week Sth Island excursion. We have some critical times\places to be but a lot of it will be just find somewhere to crash each night.
So because we're driving our own car I can take a bit more than the usual fly/rental situation.
I've managed to pack the 102mm f7 Lunt along with a sturdy tripod, RFD, EP's and even camera adapter into the boot. We have a short stop in Wellington on Sat so going to try to get up to the Carter Observatory just to see the place. At Mt Cook, Hermitage they have a scope tour setup but we'll also be a few days at Tekapo in the dark sky reserve and Mt St John Observatory.
Now all I want is some clear sky time so could you guys all just hold off with your expensive purchases for a few weeks it would be much appreciated.
I hear there are a few wineries down that way, also a single malt whisky shop and Steam Punk in Oamaru.
We finish the Sth Island stint at the Irish Pub/Motel at Kaikoura before catching the ferry at Picton next afternoon back over the strait and a drive back up to Auckland.

P.S. - Don't expect much post activity, hopefully I may have something worthwhile to say when I return.

[N1 (Mirko)]

Good decision . There are some pretty dark, easy to reach spots:

SH 8 Tekapo-Twizel

Lake Tekapo

Coalpit Road

Dunedin

But just about anywhere away from houses is great down here. I saw the Gegenschein from the shore of Lake Ohau some years ago. You might even get an Aurora thrown in. However the weather isn't so great right now .

[ZeroID (Brent)]

Just been checking metservice, looks to be a big high coming slowly across behind this current rain belt. I've got my fingers crossed and I guess I've already jinxed it now ... Bugga !

[gbeal]

Nah, the high looks firm, you'll be Jake mate.
There is a forum member "SouthPoll" IIRC, he is at Mt John, I think I have his e mail address, if I do I'll shoot him a message.
Jealous.
Gary

[ZeroID (Brent)]

Well, the gods that be have chosen to throw a bit of a spanner into the works.
Woke up this morning @ 4am with an extremely tender and sore left elbow. Swollen, touchy and downright painful to move or touch. Got an emergency Doc apptmt about 11 am and he diagnosed Bursitis. Infection and inflamation of the bursa, the padding inside the elbow that stops all the bits grinding together. MOST uncomfortable and actually quite painful.
So nlow my left arm is in a sling and I have a new diet of antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. He reckons 3 days slung up should see it coming right but looks like the wife might be doing a bit more driving than originally planned for the first part of the trip.

I think it may have been from the heavy gardening session I did at the weekend cleaning up before the trip. It apparently just needs a scratch to open it up to infection and I was hacking at Camellia bushes with hedge trimmers. Lots of sharp pointy sticks.

Bugga ...

We'll beat it

[gbeal]

Spanner? Nah, it means you can relax, and even better, at the aforementioned wineries, you can sample, while the driver doesn't, perfect result.
Gary

[BPO]

The weather's coming right for the SI's lower elevations. These past few days have been pretty horrible. Even up here I copped some of the rubbish, when I'm usually looking down on it. Things are nice again now, though, so hopefully you'll have a great trip, weather-wise.