Reflecting how seven minutes is perfectly adequate for a shower, and enjoying the view of mountains through the shower room window, I suddenly had a thought: SCABIES!! As you do.  Hmmmm. Itchy when hot. Forearms and ankles. But then I’ve not been in contact with scabies. Slept in my own bed. How could I …..OMG. I’ve slept in this campervan bed for almost three weeks. and the shower went cold. More shower mayhem. 

The site was the best we’ve stayed on so far. Adequately without being overly organised. And they had animals. 

Murchison is a town at the confluence of four rivers – a service town to the scattered populations of the Buller River plain and sits at the confluence of four rivers. It’s main claim to fame, sadly, is its situation at the epicentre of the 1929 Murchison earthquake. It’s other claim to fame is being the site of the world’s earliest non military suicide bombing attack. See below. 
At any rate we spent a happy morning looking at the remains of the local HEP station, another impressive engineering feat thAt had my companion rapt. Me less so although the Walk was pleasant and a baby Weka (sort of water rail bird) showed no fear and came very close to K. Within kicking distance. 

Murchison also had a disturbing businesss. V disturbing for those of us with a basic tenet that Ifor Williams, Corwen, is the world’s only trailer maker. Bad news guys – there is competition and it’s strong. 

The museum contained something of pretty well everything. The main interest for us was the telephone exchange, operative until about 25 years ago: 

And the numerous cuttings about the two very local earthquakes within the last 100 years, quakes which led to the creation of a waterfall and redirection of one of the four rivers. 

Pies are big round here. In Australia all the small towns advertise poker games. Here it’s pies. 

The post office is relaxed and in the general store. 

Rest of day spent making our way to takaka, stopping at awesome viewpoints and for lunch and snacks on the way. 

When we started the trip I was a little concerned about drinking a glass of wine each night. But surely, I thought, that’s only the equivalent of a couple of biscuits mid morning, or cake/ I e cream in the afternoon, which many people have as a matter of course…..this week was added the morning biscuits. Today the ice cream. I’ll roll rather than fly home. 

Now we believe we’re in the Garden  of Eden – lemon trees at campsite. And we know that God is watching us……

Awesome. So let’s deal with that by having a smile (the mural at tonight’s restaurant):

No new words or tantrums (or lewdosity), no endangered species eaten or seen, although they were mocked: same campsite tomorrow. We’re off to some springs, and may be salmon fishing…..