South Island - Pohara & Takaka Bliss.

South Island

Pohara & Takaka Bliss.

After a smooth sailing across "The Straight" I headed home to pick up my darling wife and off we headed over the Takaka hill to park up somewhere. No stops & grinding up the hill was a test for this VW 6 berth Apollo. I knew where to go, as I've played tennis out at Pohara and swam between games and thought this a place to try!

This is what we woke up to!

At 7am, I walked about 100m, across the road, turned left and walked west. For one hour I pottered about, took photos, drew in the sand, watched the sunrise, juggled, and sang. This was total bliss and I recognised it too!

Fantail shaped scollop shell.

Clever blue Penguins, they can cycle too!

I returned to the camper, gee, 8.30am very mild and sunny, so I went for a swim.

My standard porridge breakfast followed by our own free range scrambled eggs. Followed by more photography, sitting in the sun waving to passing cars, it was a tough life, but somebody had to do it.

Classic old school NZ preparing for some Bowls on a mean machine. 

Public toilets mural by Chris Findlayson, clean, with paper and even a TAP!

After playing with the awning, and pretending to be RV'ers....we decided to check out the market day in Takaka township.

Takaka for those who don't know is "laidbackville" Full of creative colourful people and kids (young and old) of the alternative variety.

I live over the Nelson side but have friends "over the hill" and sort of fit in without being a GB'er.

Testing my future out, I donned on my clown nose, me clown hat and jacket, me clown jugglling balls and off I swaggered. I felt totally at home, free and loose, the weather also conducive, I had nearly all day to play, my wife chose to wander separately, perfect freedom with only a cell phone link away. 3 hours went in the blink of an eye...more photo's tell of my focus, though not the childlike fun I had.

My friend and jeweller with some of his work below.

Nice work mate ...... another Japanophile.

 All the work below is by Golden Bay artist Chris Finlayson, he has had quite an impact in the Nelson region, a good musician too!

This one is a community project, list bot right of the contributors.  

This little beauty sells "Out there Interplanetary Coffee"

Perhaps I should rename this blog "The Chris Finlayson Blog"

A Gallery Exhibition featuring Golden Bay Artists, the theme... Doors and Doorways, had me adding my mark (public participation) with the supplied pencils.

They had no rubbers, so I left all those nasty smudge marks in.

Eventually I got "The Call" and after buying lunch from Nytaya our thai friend at the market, and extra gifts from next doors stall from Colletta.

I'll definitely be a returning customer one day 

Only in Golden Bay would you see a truck like this.....IMHO

We cruised out heading over the hill, which seemed a much easier drive, after my wife had read the manual on the vehicle, advising me how to drive an automatic. Funny that! 

Only hiccup was loosing the top cutlery drawer, coming out and scattering its contents at the drivers feet.

Getting home I left the now showery weather and made a start towards Christchurch, parking up near the Owen River Pub, off the road but in view of passing traffic, with the occasional honk on the horn from hoons.

I had planned to check out the Maruia Springs Japanese bathhouse, I had visited long ago and had heard that real Nihongins are now running it! Yes the Noren curtain on the entrance and the kimono style clothing of the reception staff with little neat name badges all brought more Japanese flavour, an old 1955 Austin A30 in the foyer, a bit odd, was also Japanese in it's oddity!

The outside pools were too cold for me with the weather change in the 10 - 15 degree range so off I headed to the Onsen, Ofuro, his and hers separate bathhouses, nice to see a sign saying in accordance with Japanese tradition, it is not necessary to wear togs. The Japanese system is to sit on the low stools, in this case plastic, looking like cedar wood, soap up wash yourself clean, no soap and head for the large bath.  I was the only and probably first person of the day, more photos...the stools all alined up on the tiles exactly the same way.....till I came along.....I shifted them around and took more photos...then shifted em back before I left. 

Its a feat to have beautiful feet.

Somethings a bit fishy!

A nice relaxing break from the Motorhome world....next stop was Culverdon for tucker and to stretch my legs, the Gallery was worth the visit, talking to the local owner before my cell phone stopped that conversation (blasted phones), the weather now a chilly 10 deg.

Arriving in Chch for the 3pm delivery time and the Apollo Chch depot is huge. It took some time to pack up my gear and sweep out & make sure of nothing left behind. I hadn't emptied the Tanks (water & sewage) and was therefore told to visit the motor camp just down the road, which I did...first time I've paid $3 per deposit to visit the loo! Back to Apollo for final payments and checks, they use a mirror on a long pole to check for damages on the roof, which they won't need for my thai friends (from my previous blog, its pretty obvious) though that could change at any time!

I walked down the road to another camper place at Airpark Canterbury to relocate a  previously arranged two berth Camper to Nelson, this was fresh from a dropoff so not clean and rougher in condition and was glad my wife had stayed at home.

I motored through Christchurch towards my sisters red zoned home in Shirley, driving down the still broken bumpy roads, allot of road works, still the vibe of bleak tough times, my sisters house was no different, I knocked on their door, no reply, I rang my sister to find they had moved out of town near Lincoln, there settlement had come through (they were in the first 10% of people paid out) and within 2 days had found and bought a nice place out in the country. What a relief for them to be moving on from the last 3 years of Earthquake City stresses.

Heading home now on the return road to Nelson less than 24 hours ago was easy and famliar.

Before heading home I handed in my soprano sax to our local repair man and drove my wife home from work.

All in all a good intro to motorhoming, I think 7.7m is too big for us, the table heights were far to high (at shovel it in height) or the cushions too low.

To be able to switch on and off the gas from inside, a better system than the loose curtains for blackout and heating. This Appollo's electric gadgets, ie toaster, microwave (not that I'd ever use it) and heater, was all powered off 240vts so an inverter is pretty much a must have!

Reading lights with switches near reading and bed areas would also be a nicety.

I found the Luton is not great for "Grey Power" people.

Blog improvements is to take more photos of the transitions of a trip, information reminders, and general views along the way with every day happenings on the road thereby connecting the trip from go to woe.

So If you've read this far (even if your like me, just looks at the photos) thanks for your interest and patience.

Stay safe & dry this coming Easter break & beyond.

Jimu & Christine.