Driving On The Other Side ( Part 32 )

It was early when Bender awoke to find the drapes lightly blowing, with each movement, allowing the numbing cold air into the room. Billy moved toward the source of the winter like a culprit, while shutting the tall, narrow, tinted glass window, he was paralyzed by the beauty of a full, brilliantly white setting moon. The surface of the entire lake glimmered, one side was brilliantly illuminated, in complete contrast directly across the side of the Mountains were in total blackness. There was a bite in the air for a fine summer evening, the winds coming off the glaciers from the west, then across the enormous Lake, to hit the window where Billy is staring out, contemplating how his life just did a 180* in less than a few days, in a foreign country, at the bottom of the planet.

As the moon fell, the sun was just starting to rise, it was a perfect passing of light. Bender felt fortunate, the love of his life will now be his life partner, in addition, he was reinstated at work, plus, he had two more weeks to Fly Fish, a week in New Zealand, and a week in Fiji. Oh, and he just flashed on, the fact that he will be on a constant Honeymoon with the most fun, beautiful, sexist, woman he had ever met. Billy watched Jane sleep, first from across the room, then he laid next to her, moving her blonde hair off to the side so he could lightly kiss her cheek, forehead, and the top of her head. It wasn’t Jane’s best moment, after three days of hiking, sleeping on the ground, she was exhausted, not to mention last nights feast, and, way too many drinks. One of the world true beauties was dead to the world, simi snoring, mouth wide open, drooling onto her oversized ultra white pillow. Billy thought she looked as beautiful as any women he’d ever seen, he absolutely loved her.

Next door Kelly couldn’t sleep, Montana Mark was cutting z’s as loud as she had ever heard, and Kelly’s ex-husband was a famous snorer. She got up and took a hot shower, packed her bags, then needed some coffee and a light breakfast. Bender was sitting at the far end of the dining room at a table for four, drinking coffee, in his mind, planning the day. Kelly approached, “Good Morning,  Janie still sleeping?” Bender, ” Good Morning Kelly, yes,  Janie is out like a light, what a fun time last night !”.  Kelly, ” I’ll say, congrats on finally making an honest woman of Jane, you know she was ready to pop”.  The two eat breakfast and decided that Bender and Montana Mark will travel together,  the girls will drive the land Cruzer and meet them at the top of the South Island in the town of Nelson. This way, the girls can complete their original plan on doing everything together, since Kelly was nice enough to pay for the entire trip, Jane felt an obligation with her co/worker/good friend. Billy and Montana Mark, who both love to Fly Fish, can do what they want, and fish their way up to Nelson.

A few hours later everyone was up, packed, and ready to start the journey North. Jane and Kelly in the Land Cruzer, and behind them in the fish mobile, ( Taurus Station wagon) Montana Mark and Billy brought up the rear. Jane, ” I’m glad we will be together for the last week of our trip, you know, I have a lot of questions about being married, and you, recently divorced, who better to ask”. Kelly, ” well girl, ask away, we have nothing but time”. Jane opens the glove box to find the pipe and just a small amount of the redbud that was left over from the trip down. Jane, ” Oh goodie, there is plenty for us to get really stoned, this will be a blast, after last night, I need this, after the long hike and last night, I’m a little beat up, this is just what the DR ordered”. Montana Mark exclaims, ” Bender, look man, the girls are getting stoned, I could really use a few hits to ease off this hangover, let’s pull them over”. Billy, ” Mark don’t worry”, and opens the armrest on the right side of the driver’s seat. Inside is a half ounce of big, fat, long, green buds with Red hairs, that are completely covered with a fine white dusting. Montana Mark, ” wow, that’s just a beautiful vision, my friend”. Mark loaded a small pipe,  the cab of the rental car filled with the smell of sweet smoke, the occupants took turns, then Bender said, ” Mark, lets fish, I’m into it, do you have any spots near here, it’s the perfect time of the day”. Mark, ” you know, there is a Spring Creek, not too far from here and, it’s on the way, nice big browns”. Bender, ” Nice, let me know where, and when we are getting close, we should tell the girls, let’s pull them over”. As the light blue ford catches up to the Land Cruzer, Mark motioned the girls to pull over and they do. Just as the four arrive at Lake Wanaka, there is a split in the road. Highway 6 heads to the west coast, and Highway 8 heads over to the East coast  After the girls get the info, they say see’ya and keep going North-East. The boys take a left ( West) and head toward this secret Spring creek, that has huge brown trout that like to eat hoppers and cicadas…..