Parked Up

Busy busy day. Met the builder at 8.30, did a bunch more stuff around the house, then off to work at 10. Lots of discussions, and meeting at 11, and then picked up just after 12 t head to the airport and pick up the camper. That's it. Work over, what a rush and a few loose ends ...

Took a surprisingly long time to pick up the camper. You had to watch a DVD (much of it which didn't apply to the model we've rented it turned out), had a slightly surly receptionist, but then a good guy that took me thru the van, and in general it looked good. For $106/day it's crazy cheap (plus insurance). We got a god deal due to a contact on the insurance, but I declined the $89 rollover cover. Yep, we had full insurance, but it didn't cover a complete roll over. Nah, that won't happen!

Then off to pack it with gear from our car parked nearby and off to the West Coast. Finally headed away at 2.30, and then the fun began ...

It had been suggested there was a weather warning for the mountains, so you'd expect it to be a but rough. And then the highway sign said "strong winds". However, when I got to Porters Pass it wasn't just strong, it was gale-force. Seriously. The road was littered with stones and rocks being blown off the hills and a truck was literally ploughing them away. But, if on Porters, there's no turning back especially in that wind. It was very frightening and you could see the gust coming down the mountain, fairly obviously as it was a dust and rock storm. How the windscreen never broke I am not sure, although it is severely pitted now, and how the van didn't' roll I am also unsure. All I could think, should have got the roll over insurance!

But, I had to keep going, made it to the top, even worse. But again, no chance to turn around, so onwards. Optimistically I thought as I went West it would improve, but to cut a long (3 hour) story short, it didn't. Occasionally it would wane, and you keep going and then it would come back, but if there was a redeeming factor it was that for the most part I was head on into the wind. Albeit in a 3.5 tonne high sided camper van! Made it to Arthurs Pass and it was calm, ok, that's it, I'll make it. But then, the viaduct. Wind back with a vengeance and I literally stopped before I started the traverse (It's probably a hundred metres down). Started in a lull but a gust caught me half way over, had to keep going and all I could visualise was going over the edge in a 3.5 tonne camper. I was hoping it had a good roll cage! Made it though, although the wind persisted to Jacksons.

Crazy crazy trip and by far one of the most stupid and scary things I have done. Brown pants material for sure!

Needleless to say several calming beers were consumed when I made it to Lake Brunner. Whew!