I am up before the sun this morning, but it sure is not to go paddling, it is to drop Jase to the airport for an early morning flight heading back to Auckland, 6.30am is the departure. It is really a little strange, the feeling to be up that early and not be the one going somewhere, strange to be getting someone else ready. I have to say I am rather good at this support role gig, breakfast served, a hot cup of coffee made and the gear all packed away ready to hit the road by 5.30am. I left the power cable to Jase to roll up and put away, I am rather below average at the coiling of electrical cables, it is a very entertaining moment watching me try to wind up cable leads! You could sell tickets to the scene that can happen if I am left to this chore. Let me tell you it is a quick way to fire up this redhead, so I leave this to others where possible.

Once I wave goodbye to Jase I head back to the campsite for a few hours. I ponder for a while on the weather forecast, reminding myself of the big swells from the weather patterns this week and the only day that looks okay is Tuesday and there are still massive, 3.2m swells! I get a few things done inside Cuzzie and then head off to the River cafe in Nelson to have sit in the sun and write for a while about my past couple of days. I drink the most excellent espresso and a pot of peppermint tea. When I get there I can not resist another sweet hit of the Devine chocolate bar. The sun in the courtyard is lovely and there is enough of a wind blowing to settle my frowning brow.

I am now solo and what does a girl who can not paddle do? Well it is a luxury really to be off the water, waiting on the weather and be able to leave the ocean and the beach and go inland. I smile to myself as if I was without Cuzzie I would be stuck in one spot, not being able to go sightseeing and just sitting and waiting. I have experienced that on my solo sections in Stewart Island and Fiordland, so this is amazingly cool to be able to go on an adventure. I finish my writing and emails then I am back into Cuzzie, we hit the road and are heading to met a long time friend who now lives in Reefton.

There is now heavy cloud cover rolling in and the sky is getting dark and very stormy as I head out of Nelson. Once we get on the open road I crank up my music, listening to very loud personally liked music. I am on a road trip on my own, this is unusual but kind of fun. The entire time of driving it is pouring with rain, the rivers and streams are now extremely flooded and very muddy from all of the heavy rainfall.

I stop when I need to eat, I deviate down roads to look at fruit stalls, orchards, fresh vege stalls antique wooden furniture stores, just whatever takes my eye really. Then once I have looked around I jump back into Cuzzie, crank up the music and we whiz off again. There is so much to see and do before I get to Reefton. I find a lake to visit, Lake Rotoroa. It is only a short distance from the main road and the lake is calm, covered in mist and low cloud with rain falling onto the still waters. I walk out to the end of the jetty and look at this mystical place. As I wander back I can not believe how much rain has fallen, I stand in the puddles ankle deep. It is always a reminder of when I was young on our farm, we just loved getting in the deep puddles in our bare feet! I stand and look around, I am the only person around today, everyone else seems to have stayed inside because of the rain. They must all be 'made of sugar'.

I am mindful the day is slipping away and I still need to get to Reefton, so I push on. As I drive towards my final destination the rain stops and a rainbow appears, This is just what I needed. Thank you for whoever sent this to me, magical. At last I arrive just on 5pm. Cuzzie settled in the campsite, the night has been spent catching up with old friends and also meeting new and very interesting people. Some I feel I have meet before, others with crazy ambitions and adventures like mine and even crazier, but they are holding Guinness book world records and still looking for new crazy adventures! Me, I have still to complete this one adventure yet.

We eat dinner and chat, we discuss the books they have had written and published, their mad stories about being colour blind and not being able to see many colours including red! I have to also thank them for their kind and generous donations towards this journey and hope to be able to chase them and their possible records on any new challenges they have for 2017.

My bed is calling after a very late night. Reefton by night was fun, lets see it in the light of day tomorrow. This is going to be a long off the water stint, maybe even a new record for no paddling. MN you are in control.

My smiles today:
Rainbows.
The Devine chocolate bar.
Me sitting writing in the sunshine,it was calming.
The rain. Mother Nature was surely sad and crying today.
My road day trip, what fun it has been.
Crazy loud music in Cuzzie on my roadtrip.
Delicious T Bone Steak for dinner, thanks Helen.

My thoughts today:
Everybody wants to be happy, no one wants to feel pain, but you cant have a rainbow, without any rain.