Rocket stove gets first fire lighted

The Rocket Stove - invented by Larry Winiarski - so simple and efficient! It was developed with Africa in mind, as it uses far less timber (by about 2/3rds less) to burn for the same amount of heat! That is a labor saving device for the local woman - as they do not have to go and collect timber from miles and miles away - and then of course carry it back to the hut.   Any how - after some Youtube-ing on the subject matter I came across a version of a rocket stove I thought I coud easily do as well.  Yes well - first stop - finding the right fire bricks! After many phone calls I found eventually a place in Invercargill that makes them - long story short - I got them from a sub-retailer in Rangiora - only 25km's away - so went and placed a order.

http://www.youtube.com/16 brick rocket stove

Larry Winiarski rocket stove making video


From there it was a small step to collect a special fire hardened insulating plate and then I got lucky. A special friend made me a metal box - just perfect fitting. Spray painting / buying Cement, etc etc - cutting a long story short eventually I got a fully made Rocket Stove.  So I invited said friend and others for a first firelighting Ceremony that involved (naturally) cooking.  Once it got going there was almost no smoke - so that is more environmentally friendly! In fact such was the clean burn of the timber inside the Rocket stove, that on the inside of the chimney stack there was no soot at all- nice and clean white bricks!!


After the first fire lighting and the intial burn settled down we put on the top a golden syrup tin full of cold water.  The 500ml liter got boiling in less then 8 minutes! Not bad really all things considered. 



 Coming back to Africa - seeing it uses less timber - it saves the local forests. There is a company in America that makes and sells them commercially and for every one unit sold, it donates one stove to the local African community - very commendable.  One can cook more then just straight of the heat - I used it the other day like a BBQ grill and if you put on a hot plate (leaving enough gap for the air to get under and out of it) you can fry etc anything. Very versatile, I'd say.  Indeed I also used my Wok on there successfully one evening.








Roasting Marshmallow. Unbelievably how much heat there is coming from there.  In fact Mamabear managed to burn her marshmallow in less then 3 seconds, unless you keep it turning over and over.







Oddly enough the couple who helped with the manufacture managed to avoid the camera all night. Stitch here seem to enjoy the occasion despite the drizzle and the "refreshing " nature of the evening. 

 

Short holiday trip to Lake Tekapo and Mt Cook

Yes well,  after a good nights sleep we decided to do the walk around part of the peninsula and see the lake Tekapo from another angle.  The 3 hour walk was well posted (even though we missed one on the return leg and had to climb uphill to re-join the track! So much for scouting skills!! At least we got back on track.)  So part of the track leads you over the top and you (yet again) get stunning view's of the lake - the blue water and of course the Tekapo township among others! As it happens we were the only people on the track! Very enjoyable, peaceful and quiet!  Further along the track got over grown with wild rosebushes - more like rose hip - and they started to flower. You probably cant see it - but on the left hand (beach) side is another campsite - which would be a great spot for camping - only 2 tents there at the time we walked round!!   In the afternoon we gave the local and very newly created hot pools a whirl!  They reminded us of what Hamner pools used to be like before they got developed and (dear one say it) overrun by locals and tourists alike! Very peaceful to sit in and soak and if you are on the right level and tall-ish you can see the lake as a back drop! There is also a hydro rubber-ring slide and other options include various spa / steam / beauty rooms - options! Sadly even though I tried to get into the shade - I got sun-burned rather badly, should have been less of a male and more of a 'normal' person and put on good sunscreen!!

As this was the last night of the holiday we decided (and seeing it was a nice enough and warm enough day) to sit on the beach (more or less in front of our cabin) and enjoy the last rays of the holiday.  The clouds rolling in over the hill top suggested that the next day will not be so sunny!

The sun drops quickly and everything became still - the lake itself calmed down just enough to give a hint of reflections and it was time to pack the stuff and head to the shore.










What many people do not know is that the average lake temperature is between 8-12 degrees and jolly cold!  Maybe that is why you do not see many swimming in it - but rather use it for other on water activities - mainly boating and water skiing!  Mamabear had to try out and - as usual- paddle in the water - priceless reaction!!  Oddly enough it did not worry the handful of kids dunking in a few meters down from us!  They had great fun walking in and snorkeling - well for 10 minutes - no longer then that. The rest of their time was taken up with trying to bounce/skip the stones across the water (mostly unsuccessful).  So I showed them how it was done among many uuuh's and ahhs'  (not bad for an old geezer.  After that it was time to sit down and crack open a bottle of local vino an enjoy the evening.  It was indeed enjoyable - until the breeze died away and the local swarm of mozzies decided that they could join in on the feast.  So after a while we packed up and headed back to the cabin where we continued to enjoy the rest of the evening, vino and cheese until it was time to go to bed.
















Next day we had to make choices and so we travelled the long way home - stopping in Waimate for late lunch and a spot of shopping!  The local info center pointed out various places of interest to visit (incl a newly established winery). After a quick discussion we decided to give wine tasting a go and found the place ok - left with some purchases - nice place!!!  Waimate is also known for its berry growing so one of the roadside stalls had delicious punnets waiting for us.  From there it was a quick stop over at Caroline bay (and sand sample) before we finally got back home late in the evening. Another 1975km trip ends happily!  Now back to reality . . . . .    :( 


PS.  Mamabear now wants to re-visit this place in the depths of winter - I don't mind, as long as I can bring my thermals / new duckdown jacket and nipple warmers (hehehe)  Tekapo has a reputation for hoarfrost (eg temps below -15 degrees)






 

Short holiday trip to Lake Tekapo and Mt Cook

As said before the next day was a cracker!  After seeing the observatory and being gobsmacked with the view we hot-footed it to Lake Pukaki and the glorious Mount Cook!  I have to say - we regarded ourselves extremely lucky - not often you get to see the mountain in all this glory!  Often the top is shrouded in clouds and the previous locals used to call it "cloud piercer"!  Aptly describing the mountain!!
These two pictures were taken from the far end of the lake.  The water is the same milky blue as in Lake Tekapo - and almost the same source glacier but same reasoning!  Incidentally  both lakes are storage / feeder lakes for New Zealand's hydro-electric generation scheme.  The water from Tekapo gets 'used' 8 times for electricity generation before it hits the ocean! Not bad going!!  Of course the lakes are getting used for various outdoor on-water activities! Most notably the newly created rowing Venture at Lake (urm - something rather) for international regattas! Then there is sailing / fishing / salmon farms / water-sking . . . etc the list is endless.
Ah yes and both pictures were taken from the same spot, I played with the lenses - 18-75mm and 75-300mm focal lenght's! Still learning the limitations of the cameras and playing round with the F-stops!

 At the Mount Cook village is of course a information center that doubles as a Department of Conservation (DoC) office for the hikers and outdoor freaks! Not to mention the souvenir shop (where this bear found some more iron-on badges of local theme - and splashed out! Said badges are being sewn on a new camp blanket with a NZ -been-to town's theme)
This is the office view!  Not bad going on a day like today, and surprisingly they do get some work done!!

 It was time to have some lunch. We decided to forgo the local cafeteria and found this roadside outdoor spot.  The camper van belongs to the other older couple sitting at the other table.   Given the scenery the al-fresco dining was something special, and you had to remind yourself that there WAS some lunch at the table waiting to be eaten! In fact we could have sat there for a long time if we didn't have more planned and of course the 1.5 hour drive back to the campsite later in the day. 
It is a national Park and as such Mount Cook has a large number of short to medium to several overnight hikes/walks.  For us we did the kea-point walk - 3 hours return.  Basically it takes you right up to the bottom of the glacier mountains.  As it was summer and lunchtime - no Keas to be found (although we heard one or two during the walk) They usually come down from their lofty heights at either breakfast or dinner time!  In-between there is a lot of views to take in and to be photographs taken of - which made the walk longer then expected.  At least this river crossing was done on dry foot - but trust me if it had rained this would be a raging torrent.  Reminded me of my Milford Sound tramp back in late 1980's- (NZ wettest region and we had 4 days with 32 degree sunshine - and only ONE river crossing where the ankles got wet!). 











 



At the aptly named kea point is a platform to gawk at the scenery. Time to stop and take it all in, when this lovely blond-haired, young swedish lady turned up and started snapping away, and all I c o u l d  focus on was the luxury of using a Cannon 400 mm lens (and quote = there is enough light to be able to hold it steady with out using a tri-pod)! What a little beauty!!  I was pleased that I manage to snap this particular pic - unobserved / framed / and just a tad underexposed. Darn that blue sky and strong sun!!  Again patience was in order as many a time other tourists walked into the frame, but eventually I got there! 

Coming back to the 'local base' is the newly (ok - its about 2-3 years old) opened Sir Edmund Hillary Education center. (He of Mount Everest fame) This statue was formerly in a green space but has since been shifted, making snapping him and looking at Mt Cook a challenge.  You would not believe from this photo that he is standing on a balcony with a lot of fence and concrete around him!
Anyhow after a exhausting day seeing the observatory and all the heat / sun and snow / ice and fresh air / 14 km walk - it was time to head back to our campsite. 

Short holiday trip to Lake Tekapo and Mt Cook

We were in some need s some good r+r so decided to take the opportunity to head down south into the  Mckenzie country and spend some nights at Lake Tekapo.
We were lucky that we got some reasonable priced units at the Tekapo campsite ( a en-suite cabin - no kitchen though) which meant mamabear didnt have to face going for miles to the common toilet block in the midle of the night.  We had booked in the Mt John Observatory the very day we arrived and looking out over the lake we wondered if the viewing would be great.  Indeed that very day, further south they had snow to lake level - so it was cloudy and very cold.  We checked in at night and the word was it is extreme cold on the mountain (it was deemed a 2 jacket trip) and everyone got issued with additional goose-down jackets.  The view up there at night is stunning and no wonder they are trying to make it a world heritage site and protect it from further light pollution.  In between freezing your nuts of we had stunning views through the telescope and saw various constelations (tarantula nebula and a dead star and the 7 sisters [or was that seven diamonds?]) and various other heavenly bodies.
The very day we arrived - a favourite picnic stop and scene of our last stopover here (enroute to Te Anau) where Mamabear stood in a rabbit hole and severly twisted her ankle.  Suffice to say this episode featured many a times during our walks here.

The multidenominational church of the Good Shepherd (Ang / Meth / Presb/ Cath)  managing to have regular sunday night services.  Not surprisingly many a visiting preacher has been heard saying/complaining that during the sermon time many folks sitting in the pews have "vacant" or "dreamy" expressions on their face - and who can blame them with a altar view like this???

I shot this picture during our meal time - we sat in the restaurant and had a grand window seat - took my 300mm zoom lens and focused through the window on to the scenery - I had to be very patient as there where always people in the frame. but eventually managed to get this shot!






Evening mood on the first day - before we got kitted out to go up to the Observatory.   

The next day dawned! Bright and cheerful.  We got back from our trip on Mt John just after midnight - with Ice-blocks as feet.  These managed to thaw out during the night and again Mamabear was grateful for a solid roof over the head.  The  view in the morning was good compensation and despite the cool air we manage to have breakfast on the deck abd see the campers below waking up.

After a quick stop at the church again we decided on advice of the local's to head up to the Observatory and check it out during daytime.  Suffice to say the view is just stunning!! It was still very cold!

Looking back out over the lake towards the snow topped mountain ranges! The blue-ish tint of the lake is due to the glaciers in the mountains grinding the local rocks to dust and this gets washed eventually into the lake, giving it the distinctive milky colour!