Holidays in Te Anau were a regular event for Val from a very young age. As a result, she is one of a handful of people with memories of summers on a section of land just a stone's throw from Lake Te Anau which was bordered by scrub and manuka and indented by makeshift wharves and boatsheds. By the late 1930s, the family had gone upmarket after being allowed to build a 'crib' on the same section. The dwelling, which was extended and upgraded over the years, was soon one of a motley collection of cribs along the lakefront. In this interview, Val reflects on some of the events and people that she remembers from those carefree days.