Ian's latest purchase is one that combines two of our interests; boating, and lying around eating and drinking. It's a Sweetwater pontoon boat - or, as I like to think of it, a floating lounge and bar, complete with a roof to keep out the West Coast torrents.
The only problem is that at the moment, it is in Rotorua, so the lads are mounting an expedition to pick it up - and this is where the Himalyan quantities of empathy come in. Until mine own eyes had seen the lists of required equipment, the booking schedules, the maintenance/prep work required on MY car, and the growing piles of gear in MY living room, it hadn't really occurred to me what it must be like to be living with someone mounting an alpine expedition. Now I'm getting an inkling, and I really hope that I never have to live through the real thing.
However, it's charming to see how excited the lads are getting. It won't be a trip without its challenges - such as finding somewhere to park the car and 9 metre trailer for the night in suburban Wellington!
My responsibilities in all of this are minimal - my (self-appointed) job is to work out a way of keeping the wine cold...
