Tales of the Slightly Unexpected

We have been away for the weekend, camping in the Balmoral Forest, a pine plantation north of Chrictchurch. It is beside the shallow and fast flowing Hurunui river.

The campsite is free and a real Kiwi experience. Lots of people were camping there, most of them in huge tent and gazebo complexes and with masses of equipment, like motorbikes or complete kitchens. Other people were in converted buses complete with solar panels, satellite dishes and wind turbines.

In some ways it was a bit like Asia, with lots of interesting things going on that you wouldn't normally see. Here's what was happening:

• A man was riding around on his bike with his daughter sitting on his shoulders.
• In the river a man was surfing, standing upright and hanging onto a rope attached to a car whilst the water rushed past underneath him.
• A quad bike went past with 6 people hanging off the corners.

It's not a different world. My equalibrium wasn't shifted sideways by what went on. But it was all slightly different.