Worth A Stop...

 After leaving Amberley this was my next stop. I had driven

past it several times before but this time it was a lovely

day and I time to dilly dally...

 I spent ages poking around in all the different shops.

Didn't try the cafe coz I'd just had breakfast... Next time.

There is a lovely gallery of jewellery and glass...

A gift shop... I succumbed to a bright green silk scarf...

A gallery of paintings and old restored furniture...

I wandered on into a retro clothing shop then

into an amazing place with old bric a brac and household

memorabilia. A real treasure trove and trip down memory lane.

I bought an old 1/4 pint cream bottle and a beautiful little

brass coal shove with a turned oak handle...

Old things just right for my old bus!

This is a wool place... More a classing and

grading place than wool products.

Lots of parking and a great place to spend some hours

pottering and sitting in the sun with lunch or coffee.

Its on SH 1 directly opposite the turnoff to Waikuku

Beach... About 40km north of Christchurch.

Years ago... When I was a child... This place was Donaghy's
Rope factory (I think). We would drive past here on our way to
holidays at Waikuku Beach and there would be flax that
had been combed or teased all hung over the fences to dry
to be made into rope... Different today!

Brunch at Amberley... Mmmm

 When I left Amberley Beach I stopped in the little

town... The main street looking north...

 And south... Nobody around...

 And plenty of room to park...

 Over the road from Nor-Wester Cafe...

 I have read quite a lot about this cafe in local magazines

and papers. It has recently changed ownership

and been taken over by a couple with a very successful 

cafe in Christchurch suburbs... So I thought I would try it.

 Much to my surprise it was totally empty...

 I should have known better than to stay there...

But I did!

This was my breakfast... It looks very nice but tasted quite

ordinary... The waffles were soft, the bacon ok. The menu said

bananas but I don't like bananas so was told there was

nothing else, but it came with berries. The coffee was good.

While I was there several people came in for 'coffee to go'...

Two men and the chef sat at a nearby table and

drank coffee. Their conversation was very undesirable.

I would not recommend this cafe and won't be going

there again... Pukeko Junction not far down the

road is much  nicer, warmer and much better food and service.

'What's The Story'... Read Here!

 While I was at Amberley I met Sandy and Maurice Chappell...

And their cheeky little puppy...

 Living in 'What's The Story'... So named because

this 1969 SB3 Bedford bus chassis with a Wallis

purpose built body... In a different life

was an ex Auckland library truck.

 Sandy and Maurice have owed it since 2000...

And being a typical 'Beddie' man Maurice has fiddled

and built and fixed bits and pieces over the years.

 A great name and a great picture on the back...

And there's shelves of books inside.

The thriving little garden.

Sandy and Maurice have lived on the road for

seventeen years in various vehicles... They work their way

 round New Zealand... Currently at a pine seed

 place just down the road.

For Sandy living on the road is all about seeing places

and meeting people and not leaving it till

it's too late... Do it now!

For Maurice living on the road is all about the

freedom and the lifestyle.

The future? Carry On Regardless...

Their favourite areas are Kaiapoi and Blenheim...

And in the North Island Pikiwai and Matata.

Keep a look out for them... Good company, lots of

fun and knowedge... And what does Maurice sell?

 Fuel 360... Fuel Treatment

 Read about it here...

 Little aluminum containers of 10 tablets of

innovative fuel conditioner... Each tablet treats

60 litres of petrol or diesel...

 

The come in handy 10, 200 or 60 litre tablets.

The 60 litre tablets are scored so you can break

them easily into halves or quarters to suit

the amount of fuel being added to your tank.

Brrr... T'was Frosty This Morning...

 I woke up this morning knowing it was cold...

I could feel it even tucked up in bed!

7.30am... -2 deg... I look at other places

as well, my children in Taipei and Miami,

friends in Whangarei... Where I am going tomorrow.

 I ventured outside just as the sun was rising...

Motor homes sitting in frozen isolated spendour...

 Everything was spectacularly white...

It seems colder and frostier and whiter in open spaces...

 Even my plants on the back of my bus were glistening

with white frost...

 My mint and parsley... They're looking happy in the sun now though.

 White grass...

 White everything...

And then the sun on the glittering snowy mountains...

I lit my fire... Had a hot shower...And into the day...

Amberley Beach...

 Amberley is about 50km north of Christchurch on the east coast.

The road to the beach is a straight road 5km east from SH1.

It ends at a car park on the beach or... Turn right...

 Along South Street... and there is the camping ground.

It is in two parts... This is the 'South' end.

 It's flat and open... Basic... Power if you want it... Toilets

and cold water... Also dogs allowed at this end.

 It was just on dark when I arrived so I parked 

but moved the next morning to the dog free

'North' end where there are also toilets and

water and a play ground.

 Past the south end of the camping ground is an oval...

Houses around both sides and at the end through the

pine trees a track...

 Suitable for 4 x 4 wheel drive only...

 That goes out to the beach... Stony and rough.

 This is at the north end... Turn left at the end of the road...

 There is a walk way through the trees. There have been very

strong winds and storms and many of the trees have

blown down or snapped and been cut down. There

are piles of pine branches and pine cones... Enough to

last the community for years.

 There are some short streets...

 A mixture of old and new well maintained houses...

 But all roads lead to here... the road that goes to the golf course.

 On a sunny day the beach can look alright but it's not a

swimming  beach and I didn't see anybody fishing...

Looking south back to Christchurch...

 And north towards Kaikoura. The stones are soft and very

hard to walk on... Although the sun was out it

was very cold and not a place to loiter...

Amberley was interesting to go and look at. I haven't been 

there for probably 55 years and didn't remember it at all.

It's quite a scruffy beach and, for me, not a

destination but a good stop over for the night.

My Dad... 96 Today...

 Well another year has gone by and it's another birthday...

And another bottle of whisky!  Dad is 96 today.

He has recently moved from independent living in a villa

into the rest home... It's 5 star ***** accommodation

and he is looking better than he has in recent months.

 This is the banner on  his door... He lives at Woodcote. a

Ryman Village in Christchurch. He is looked after so well.

A great fuss was made today and when I arrived at

4pm (whisky time!)  some of his mates had beaten me

too it and he was surrounded by cards and gifts and more

chocolate than he will eat in a month.
He didn't want to go out anywhere so my cousin and her
husband came for dinner... Fish & chips, whisky and
red wine in his room!

 Here he is with Cath... She has popped in to have a chat and a

laugh. She asked him if he's going to make it to 100...

Well of course said Dad... According to Cath he better

behave himself because she will still be working there then!

 Dad is fortunate enough to have a double room... So his bed and

chest of drawers at one end... The bathroom door in the middle...

And his big lazy boy recliner and walker and clock and

TV and whisky cupboard at the other end

 I made him a photo board... Mum and Dad

in the middle and all the family...

His notice board on his wardrobe door with

the menu, the activities, an advertisement

for the weekly market and his calendar...

That's got his  pay days on it so most important!

I'm so pleased for him. After all the indecision then

hard work of moving him and downsizing... He

has settled in and is happy and in the best

of health.

Many Happy Returns to my Dad. XXX