Hi From The Top Of Takaka Hill

Wow... It was a hot grind up the hill... It's a long way in 3rd gear at 30kmh... And it was hot. We... That's Licorice Allsorts and me were glad of a stop and a rest to cool off...

The top of the hill is an amazing place with lots of contorted rock formations and caves...

Where I had come from...

And where I'm going... Amazing view isn't it?

A Busy Cafe And A Crowded Carpark...

I returned from Tarakohe to Totally Roasted and my familiar spot in the carpark. 

Over the weekend I was surrounded by cars and trucks and ute's... People all wanting the excellent coffee and good food.

Today I'm packing up and driving to Nelson... A few things to do there and I'm thinking about stopping at the Motueka River on the way back and trying out my trout rod.

It's the most perfect day so I will say 'Hello' again from the top of 'The Hill'...

Did I Say Fishing At High Tide?

The high tide was perfect, the day was cool but sunny...  What

better to do than go fishing in this wide open Golden Bay... So

off I went... But the only catch of the day were multiple

Sand Sharks... Various sizes but mostly babies...

 The seagulls are welcome to them, they're not good eating... Or bait.

This is what they look like and they do grow quite big...

 The expert local fishermen round here... In other words

my grandson... Tells me if there are Sand Sharks around

you won't catch anything else after catching one of them...

Pack up and go home! So I did.

 

 Not that 'home'  was far away. Tarakohe used to be the port

for Golden Bay Cement. When they stopped operating they

sold the port that they had built to the Tasman District Council

for $1 for the use of the community. Well... The Council

are trying to take it over for commercial mussel farming

and ultimately profit... Of Course! So it's now divided into

two parts, on one side the local boat club who offers the

freedom parking and has one arm that has two launching boat ramps.

In this photo I'm standing at the end of this arm looking back to

where my bus and others are parked...On the left is the mussel wharf.

It's also a mooring place for boats, out of the tide and wind...

Around both sides of the commercial wharf. People live

 on their boats here... Paying rent to the council!

 The boat club side... Building on the right...

 It's a great spot...

Looking back across the tide to Pohara Beach...

And across to Farewell Spit...

Tarakohe... Golden Bay

I decided I needed a change from being parked in a cafe carpark... Nice as it has been... So I have driven about 3km round the road to Tarakohe. It's one of the few  freedom parking spots provided by the local boat club for a donation... So it's popular. There are hot showers for a $2 donation, washing machine and dryer $4 each and toilets... And of course the company and chat of others parked here and the busy activity on the wharf. It's a full moon so extra high and extra low tides and I'm told there are snapper about... So... Tomorrow high tide is 11am, a very civilised time for me to be out and about. These photos are where I am parked and all the fascinating rocks... And the view from my doorway.

Fresh Snow... In November!

 When I woke up early this morning, I knew it was cold...

I could feel it on my nose!

Beautifully sunny but only 1deg! A high for the day

of 14deg. My fire is going.

Am I expecting summer?  Gosh I hope so and that this

is the last cold snap.

 This was the view from my bus... Cold but quite spectacular...

This is looking behind the Takaka Hills... Up the Anatoki Valley

to the Dragons Teeth... The northern beginning of

the Southern Alps. Brrr...

This post is particularly for two of my (adult) children who

live in Taipei and Fort Lauderdale USA where the temperatures
today are 19deg and 23deg as they cool down from their
very hot summers. I often compare and
have a chuckle and sometimes am envious... But
at the same time although I don't like the cold I
do enjoy the changing seasons in New Zealand.
 

My Sales Table...

Feel like some Allsorts or some Licorice... All colours,

shapes, sizes and tastes. Assorted bags... Even some salt

licorice for my Dutch customers and hard licorice

for the German people and regular allsorts and

licorice together for New Zealander's.

Just come on by... Have coffee and cake at the cafe...

 And buy some goodies to take home or eat on your bike ride

or walking on the beach...

Music CD's and DVD's for the holiday evenings...

I started my sales table selling licorice as a bit of a laugh and some fun.

I had so many people stopping because of the name of my bus,

thinking I sold it... so why not?

It's happening wherever I am, one person approached me when

I was parked on the side of the road outside the  laundromat 

in Takaka... And went munching on his way a happy chappy.

Keep a look out... I could be anywhere...

Back In Pohara... Again!

After a slow and lovely trip north up the east coast from Christchurch I arrived at Pohara... Finally there!

It was great to be back with my daughter and her family and catch up with them all and how they're doing. Fishing was on the agenda and walking the beach again and back on my bike... Well that

lasted five days then... I flew back to Christchurch to see and make sure my father was alright

after a very nasty fall... I just found out today there is a small write-up about a man at Woodcote Resthome... 'Firefighters To The Rescue'... In the Christchurch Star. I stayed with him for six days then

thought I could safely leave... Till next time!

So here I am back at my bus in the cafe car park... Enjoying the sun and green paddocks...

It's interesting living in a car park once the cafe is open... Cars and people come and fill it

up and stop and chat...

It's a very hit and miss affair doing a post on my iPad... But I'll get better... It takes such good photos.