Diary 6th January 2001 & Images
Journey to Methven.

Saturday 6^th January.

I had passed through the village of Moana on the Transalpine train so I stopped there to have a closer look. The station turned out to be a fairly barren place.	The houses are terraced down to Lake Brunner.	set in gardens of bushes and shrubbery and mostly built of wood.
Down at the edge of the lake I found this the beach and boats moored in a small natural bay.	Roadworks and mountains lined the rooute as I drove on	Snow-capped in the distance contrasted with the sun burned grass in the foreground
Braided rivers are a feature of New Zealand's topography and here as I drove down the Waimakiri valley I was able to enjoy this effect on the Waimakiri river.	As I crossed the river by the Bealey bridge the river bed widened and that fascinating blue coloured water floored underneath and continued its journey.	I continued my journey through the winding way taking the odd photograph of the magnificent vistas
Until I came to the Alpine village of Castle Hill at the beginning of the Torlesse Range.	Small wooden houses nestled beneath the mountain backdrop	The location is remote but a very beautiful setting
At Porters pass the landscape is scooped as though someone took a handful out of it	having a 4WD vehicle I decided to turn right by lake Lyndon and took this long rough and bumpy unmade - or as the New Zealanders say unsealed - road.	Driving along I left a cloud of white dust hanging in the air behind me. I stopped and left my car to climb a little for this shot of Lake Coleridge in the distance between the mountains
This route eventually to me down to the glacier fed Rakaia Gorge	Back on the main highway I crossed the river by the Rakaia bridge.	Looking over I could see a sign for Jet boat Tours and a Jet boat completing a 360° turn and casting a spray of water to impress the passengers.

I arrived at Green Gables, Mt Hutt Village, my bed and breakfast booking in Methven in the early afternoon. It is a fine house with well appointed rooms and I was happy with the accommodation that Colleen and Roger showed me on my arrival. I had a cup of coffee with them and telephoned to George Curry to confirm the arrangements for picking me up in the morning to go ballooning. It turned out that they would prefer if I join them in town so I agreed to do that.

Before ending our conversation I casually mentioned to George that I needed to find something to do this afternoon. He suggested that I go to see Murray MacDonald who operates a Jet boat under the Rakaia River bridge.
" You'll have crossed over it on your way in. Tell him you are coming ballooning with me and he'll give you a discount and a good ride."
"Sounds like an excellent idea. I'm sure I enjoy that. You're right I believe I saw his sign under the bridge when I came across on my way into Methven. I took a photo of it." I replied.
"You probably did, but there is another chap who works there also, George's main competition. Make sure you see George he's the one with gold coloured Land Rover." George explained.
I thanked him for his help, told him I'd look forward to his call later to advise me about the final details for the morning flight and then went to see Murray.

I arrived at the Riverside and found Murray by his gold Land Rover. After introducing myself he told me he was waiting for a couple to come back from their vehicle and he the ready to go on the next trip.	When the couple arrived they had their two kids with them and asked me to take a photograph for them then offered to reciprocate and this is the resulting image.	We boarded the Jet boat and set off into the river. Into the current we settled down making ourselves comfortable.
He is a very good pilot and gets the adrenaline running when it appears that there is no way he could miss a rock ahead he does, yet he skims so closely by them	It was indeed an exhilarating ride skimming the waves at up to 45 knots we travelled about 35 km up and down the river.	Murray explained the nature of the river formation. Pointing out the layers that have formed during the different periods
The contrast between sandstone and the grey rock from the topmost layers, how it is ever moving and the rocks crumble and fall down the cliffs.	Michael was thrilled by the danger and action as Murray went close to the cliff face	His mother and sister were in the seat behind screaming with a mixture of fear and delight as can be seen in this shot of them in the mirror. His father was very laid back as he had done the run before
We met another boat speeding in the opposite direction	a shot taken over the stern captured the bubbles and water thrown into the air as the jet boat gathered speed again leaving a wake behind it.	As we came back to the bridge and it was all but over I was delighted and reflected that it was $50 well spent for 40 minutes of pumping adrenaline and great fun.

It was 2230 when I bid them goodnight and went to my room. I prepared myself for the night and lay in the comfortable double bed. The silence of the night broken only with the occasional call of an animal as I lay there. I thought about my progress. So far I'd had a fine adventure and today felt happy with my lot. I switched the lights off and went to sleep just after midnight.

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