Many (many) years ago, I worked for the NZ Forest Service which included free lodgings in an ancient villa deep, deep in the forest. I don't know how old it was, but on reflection I would estimate 1930's. The house and outbuildings were removed when the govmint sold us out.
But whilst wandering around, killing wild pigs to pass the time (as you do when you're an hours drive away from the nearest neighbour and no TV reception), I came across an even older site. Nothing more than a dying orchard and the giveaway daffs and lilies. Just a passing interest at the time.
Spin on about 30 years...
Looking at Google Earth recently, I revisited the sites, just begging to have a coil waved around them. Roads still in place, albeit 4WD rather than car. A plan was hatched.
Drove in this morning, desperately hoping the pipe gate would either be open (or gas axed off, as often tends to happen) as the road got narrower, and the slips got bigger...
Arrived at the site, well didn't recognise it to be honest, so had to turn around and drive a few hundred metres back, and hopped out and thrashed my way up what used to be the driveway.
Gutted.
Google lied.
The site is actually now under about 2-5 metres of logging slash. Still there's always the older one.
No there isn't. Same again.
So much for up to date imagery (the not-yet (or only just) planted pines in the pic are now around 4m tall...)
40 minutes later I was back on tarseal and thoroughly fed up.
Turned to one of my 'pet' permissions for solace which only turned up a half dozen early 1900's pennies in various states from downright ugly to virtually unrecognisable (thankfully George V has a mo' like a walrus) by which time it was approaching low tide.
Beaches were packed, so headed to the rocks for some easy lead collection. Ended up giving two large handfuls to a couple of enthusiastic fishos as by that time I weighed so much I was walking as though I'd shat meself.
This is what I had left anyway
(I haven't bothered with the pennies- more crud than coin)
Edited by user Thursday, 2 January 2014 11:08:18 PM(UTC)
| Reason: Typos
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