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195707 [2016/04/25 15:34] – [May Walks Report] kennettj195707 [2016/04/25 15:37] – [Seven Weeks in New Zealand Part V] kennettj
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 led by means of short lengths of metal conduit down to a waiting kerosene tin. Very effective. Whaka gave a demonstration of glissading down a snow slope on the seat of his pants - F. Winterbottom Esquire, As we lay in the sun we studied and learned the names of the peaks on the range opposite and selected the one we would climb tomorrow - Phyllis. But when we woke up next day we were startled to find that the beautiful sunny weather had vanished and it was raining and snowing. We kicked ourselves for having wasted a day yesterday. However we had much fun in the hut, reading and singing and stamping around, and Whaka who is a magician of the first order, kept the troops entertained for hours. We studied the barometer from time to time, and were pleased when Whaka announced that tomorrow would be fine. It was. led by means of short lengths of metal conduit down to a waiting kerosene tin. Very effective. Whaka gave a demonstration of glissading down a snow slope on the seat of his pants - F. Winterbottom Esquire, As we lay in the sun we studied and learned the names of the peaks on the range opposite and selected the one we would climb tomorrow - Phyllis. But when we woke up next day we were startled to find that the beautiful sunny weather had vanished and it was raining and snowing. We kicked ourselves for having wasted a day yesterday. However we had much fun in the hut, reading and singing and stamping around, and Whaka who is a magician of the first order, kept the troops entertained for hours. We studied the barometer from time to time, and were pleased when Whaka announced that tomorrow would be fine. It was.
  
-Dawn saw four exceptionaly frisky bodies shooting down the snow slope from the hut, laughing in the early morning light. We crossed the Murcheson Glacier and embarked on the long plod up Phillis through limitless fields of snow. The weather was perfect and almost windless; the snow was in good condition and life was a grand affair. Snow viewed the world through rose-coloured glasses (metaphorically speaking). "Gee Whaka," he cried enthusiastically, "This is the best day we've had!"+Dawn saw four exceptionally frisky bodies shooting down the snow slope from the hut, laughing in the early morning light. We crossed the Murcheson Glacier and embarked on the long plod up Phillis through limitless fields of snow. The weather was perfect and almost windless; the snow was in good condition and life was a grand affair. Snow viewed the world through rose-coloured glasses (metaphorically speaking). "Gee Whaka," he cried enthusiastically, "This is the best day we've had!"
  
-My glasses coloured the landscape in beautiful amber sunshine. Whaka took his off from time so time and closed his eyes down to mere slits as a protection against the light, but none of us seemed to notice that George, finding his a bit awkward over his head bandage perhaps, had taken them off altogether and gazed on the brilliant shining landscape all the afternoon with his big beautiful eyes wide open to catch every glint of glare that was offering, with the result that when we got back to the hut after having achieved our peak and stood on the summit in brilliant sunshine with the world at our feet, George was beginning to suffer the first agonies of snow blindness.  Poor George! As if a bash on the skull with a sharp rock wasn't enough to put up with without this extra affliction. The next couple of days were sheer Hell to George. We closed down the shutters of the hut to keep the light out, and in darkness and pain George sat on his top bunk and suffered without one single whisper of complaint. Snow and I, worried and perturbed, would hover round like a couple of sheep that uneasily gaze at a companion that is down: "Can we do anything for you George?" "Can we read to you George?"But Whaka, knowing that a man must go through his own particular Hell alone, just passed him up his meals, and pads for his eyes, and a few quiet words of encouragement and waited - and two days later George was sufficiently recovered to move on.+My glasses coloured the landscape in beautiful amber sunshine. Whaka took his off from time so time and closed his eyes down to mere slits as a protection against the light, but none of us seemed to notice that George, finding his a bit awkward over his head bandage perhaps, had taken them off altogether and gazed on the brilliant shining landscape all the afternoon with his big beautiful eyes wide open to catch every glint of glare that was offering, with the result that when we got back to the hut after having achieved our peak and stood on the summit in brilliant sunshine with the world at our feet, George was beginning to suffer the first agonies of snow blindness.  Poor George! As if a bash on the skull with a sharp rock wasn't enough to put up with without this extra affliction. The next couple of days were sheer Hell to George. We closed down the shutters of the hut to keep the light out, and in darkness and pain George sat on his top bunk and suffered without one single whisper of complaint. Snow and I, worried and perturbed, would hover round like a couple of sheep that uneasily gaze at a companion that is down: "Can we do anything for you George?" "Can we read to you George?" But Whaka, knowing that a man must go through his own particular Hell alone, just passed him up his meals, and pads for his eyes, and a few quiet words of encouragement and waited - and two days later George was sufficiently recovered to move on.
  
  
195707.txt · Last modified: 2016/04/25 15:39 by kennettj

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