I flew down to Christchurch on Thursday and worked remotely on Friday (although a healthy amount of time was spent drinking beer with Nick at the adventure park). In the evening Katie, Gina, Cass, Simon and family, and I drove to Port Levy Saddle and walked to the Rod Donald Hut. Due to all manner of disorganised-ness we arrived at the saddle at different times in different cars. I transported (formerly) my ladies and noted that I was slowly paying down my massive taxi-ing debt that I racked up in my previous pre-Europe life. They noted that the debt was great and the trip was short.
The Smalley’s had already set off when we arrived at Port Levy Saddle and after some faffing we did too. It was a short walk to the hut. We walked along the ridge in the moonlight with just a couple of headlamps between the four of us. Once at the hut we made hot chocolates and desserts and the girls toasted marshmallows on a candle that Gina lit. After the kids went to bed we lay outside in the grass near the hut. It was a warm night with some wind. The hills were illuminated by the almost full moon. It was very nice. We kept an eye on the stars and chatted. I asked Gina if the last 21 years had been good. We retired later to the hut to sleep.
The hut is a tidy nine bunk arrangement that you can book. I’d booked it all, which was nice.
On Saturday we made pancakes downstairs in the kitchen and started the day slowly. Before leaving, we hid Easter eggs outside for the girls to relive the great Otehake Easter Egg hunt from days gone by. The walk out was short again and we drove down to Little River for lunch. Such are the ways of us cafe dwelling types.
Gina and Katie headed off home and the rest of us went to Okains Bay for a night of camping.
