The scene before me conveyed a sense of isolation and quiet stillness. In the distance a solitary, tall tree stood in the middle of an open, fog-covered field. The tree’s bare branches and the landscape around it appeared empty and quiet. The dense fog muted the background, creating a dreamy, atmosphere that only emphasised a lone presence in the vastness. Taking a last look at the silent, dreamy expanse I turned back towards my car before continuing the journey home.
Fog On The Maniototo
I had left Naseby under the assumption I would drive straight home. Well, as straight as you can when you have to cover a distance of 135 kilometres and travel on two different state highways! Retracing my drive through the Pigroot, it wasn’t long before I was once again engulfed in brainsucking, apocalyptic fog. It also wasn’t long before I came across the turn off to Danseys Pass. Located in the Kakanui Ranges, the mountain pass was first used in the 1850’s to link rural towns in the Maniototo region with rural places on the other side of the ranges like Duntroon and Kurow. For a moment I considered taking this a very major detour of venturing up through the pass and returning home to Dunedin via Oamaru. While I was pondering this option on the side of the road, I became aware of the presence of a farm shed lost in the mist and fog that made the decision for me. There, standing alone in the fog, was an old, weathered metal barn. A power pole stood nearby, its wires cutting through the misty air, the ground damp from the heavy dew stretching into the fog.