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FEATURENIGHT OUT IN WINTERBY ASHLEIGH YOUNGWhen he got home at six in the morningthe sky looked just like his grandfatherstanding in a doorway, arms crossedface dark with warning.Even when he drew the bedroom curtainsand poured himself into bedthat sky’s face weighed on himlike his grandfather gloweringthrough a closed door after dinner, the big cloudof him sat in a corner of the kitchen, wheezing, his chestfull of weathering sparrows.Hours passed until the sky occupied itselfwith duties: wind, rain. You see? I am needed.He heard it rummaging in the cutlery drawerof the trees, pointedlyand was glad that somebody was still busybeing disappointed in himbut when the daylight thawed outas snow that leaves only wet black roadsthe early dark grumbled at himto pull himself together and turn a light onput on something warm; he was forgiven.WINTERMOTORING TIPAside from navigating you fromA to B, GPS units can also pinpointthe exact coordinates of your location.If you break down you can relay thatinformation to advise AA Roadservice ofyour whereabouts. Alternatively, iPhoneusers can download the AA Roadserviceapp, which will also tell us exactly whereyou are if you happen to break down.For instructions on downloading the appvisit aa.co.nz/mobile-appNIGHTTERRORSBY DAVID FARRIERIN WINTER THERE’S nothing I like morethan extreme midnight walks in the bush,preferably up a raging riverbed.One of my favourite walks is west ofAuckland at Karekare. I don’t really want togo into specifics of locations, as it’s probablyquite dangerous just talking about thisridiculous pastime.When it comes to around June, my friendsand I purchase headlamps for $20 a popand meet up at about midnight. Tuesdaysare good. So are Sundays. We take whisky,nuts, water, togs, spare batteries (nightmarescenario: headlamps run out) and a changeof clothes.The aim of the midnight bushwalk issimple: hit a riverbed and walk up it.Leaving the river for land is a sign ofweakness. Eels are out at night and thebeam of the headlamp can catch them attheir most terrifying – when they’re big,close and curious. Your vision is alwaysdictated by the narrow beam of your lamp:it’s claustrophobic and exhilarating.Some parts of the river are a simple walk,with water barely passing over ankles. Otherparts – the fun parts – are more challenging.You climb up small waterfalls, all slipperyand uneven. You scale rock jutting out ofmurky pools, imagining what lies beneath.At certain points you encounter hugekauri – once felled and transported by river– wedged between the river walls. Theycriss cross up the rock face like giantclimbing frames. It’s quiet, mostly, but nowand then a scream will pierce the air, aspossums fight or make love or do whateverthe hell they’re doing.We emerge from the bush about three hourslater. We’re wet and cold, but feel alive, happyand tired. You always sleep well after one ofthese missions. And the whisky helps, too.30 AA Directions Winter 2013