Wet Down Under

So, 12 days of rain puts a strain on the most intrepid hard-core camper. Last night, watching the deluge something broke inside, and we forked out the extra $12 that gave us a cabin, rather than our moist tent for the night. Ironically, they'd had no rain for weeks here on the northern end of the South island until we arrived. We're obviously travelling in the same direction as the prevailing weather systems. Rotorua saw us hurtling down the Kaituna river in search of cheap thrills. Fun it was, too, dropping 7m in a rubber dinghy and 14 rapids to follow. Six hundred kilometres of driving, bisected by a (very wet) stop at the thermal pools of Wai-o-tapu, saw us in a dodgy backpacker's in central Wellington. Once across the Cook Strait, the sun actually shines in Picton as we drive through NZ's wine country. We stop at a few choice 'cellar doors' for fine samples and walk out with a few pricy bottles. This is the capital of Sauvignon Blanc, but we settle for an apparently oh-so trendy reserve Pinot-Gris, which, we learn, is a common mutation of the Pinot-Noir grape, and a somewhat less trendy Chardonnay, oaked and all. NZ whites are truly world-class. At Mud House we also tried their 'methode traditionelle', a champagne analogue that would hold its own against its French brethren. Actually, the guy who runs the vinyard is French, the son of an eighth-generation Champagne maker. Once we reached our intended destination it started bucketing it down in true style.

New Zealand is undoubtedly one of the prettiest countries on earth, a sort of blend of the Scottish highlands, the alps, the Norwegian fiords with an element of South Pacific tropics in places. Driving down the Desert Highway (SH1) to Wellington felt almost like the drive from Bishop to LA - snow-capped, cloud-covered peaks, and a real desert landscape.

If it wasn't for this unmentionable weather. The woman who owns the Subsurface dive shop at Beachcomber, Fiji is a Kiwi. When I asked her why she left NZ the answer was that she couldn't stand the weather. I can see where she's coming from. I've resigned myself to the fact that we're unlikely to climb much here. We'll head for Payne's Ford tomorrow in a vain hope that the sun will make a brief appearence, but I suspect we'll mostly kayak or snorkel in the rain. After that the tentative plans are Kaikoura, Christchurch and Castle Hill for some bouldering. At least the weather in the Castle Hill basin is rumoured to be more stable.

I'll believe it when I see it.