There will be pics... just depends on if the real camera or a walking camera makes the grade...LOL

There is a story to this. My best mate (of over 35yrs) called a couple of weeks ago to say g/day. We were talking and it went kind of like this...

Him (H) "So I turn 50 next year"

Me (M) "I know, you old bastard, picked a walking frame yet"

H "Get..." (OK I will leave the witty back for forth out as it does not take us to the point, it only proves that swearing is very common here).

H "So I want to do something, I was thinking of a trip in on Sika in NZ, chopper out of Napier, get dropped in, pack around for a week - ten days".

M "Sounds like a great trip mate"

H "It does, but I wanted to know..."

M "Hell yes (I cut him off before he actually asked), of course, lets get it planned"

H "Great.... the Mrs said I couldn't unless YOU came with me".

So there you have it. It also looks like we may spend his actual 50th in the bush (and maybe my birthday as well as it is only five days before his).

So, there have been endless exchanges on ideas and such over the past couple of weeks (yes there is a year to kill), we both KNOW that we could pack up with what is here and do this trip without spending a cent extra, but that would be no fun at all. He does need new boots (legitimately) and I need to break a pair in. Some lightweight hootchies, some solar charging arrangements and maybe some titanium cookware are the only real things that need chasing down.

I just need to get the .300 sorted out to where *I* am happy with it. No doubt I could just grab it and go now....but again...where's the fun in that.....