Don's Travels: Two nights in Oamaru

A good drive on Monday to Oamaru. Stopped at the Café at the turn-off to Waimatai for an orange drink and rosemary and bacon pie. Finally getting to David's place just after 1 pm.

After settling-in I set up my scanner and laptop and began copying the colour slides David had picked out for me. Slides from Jim Lennox-King, the leader, and Colin Baily, the doctor at Scott Base during the winter of 1960. Most of slide were taken in the mess hut during birthdays and parties and other celebrations. throughout this processing we had a good discussion about our separate work on the history of Scott's Northern Party. In the evening we went to the Star and Garter for splendid feed of belly pork, some garlic bread and red wine.

Tuesday was another sunny North Otago day and a lot more talking about the Antarctic and people we knew. After sitting outside for lunch we headed to Adventure Books to catch up Bill's latest Antarctic books. Yes, I bought some after all it was book shop not a lending library. Later that afternoon we headed for Scotts Brewery and had a couple of their wonderful beers. From here we trotted around to and Italian restaurant for a meal of blue cod cooked Italian style. The restaurant had some marvelous old picture of Italian scenes. Some showing people standing outside cook houses eating spaghetti with there fingers.

Wednesday morning, at about nine I headed back to Christchurch. I drove straight through because the weather forecast was for rain and gale-force winds and I wanted to get there before it started. So far neither has eventuated. I am sitting here at 7 pm typing with the sun is streaming through motel window and outside there is only a slight breeze.