Takaka

This weekend has been a bit of exploring around Motueka area. I went from Motueka into the mountains to a little place called Takaka. I mean little. The high street is part of the Route 60 road. Anyway it was nice to stop somewhere. I ended up there on Saturday and of course there was an amazing rainstorm passing through. Let it be said that I got very wet!! I ended up talking to a British Guy (Ed) who had been traveling for the last 11 months and was on his last leg before returning home. We found solace in a Cafe drinking coffee in the warm. - Until 4:00pm when everything decided to shut because the weather was so bad! After that I drove out of town and found a lay-by to park up for the night. I ended up meeting another couple who I'd met earlier in the day and we got talking. She had been traveling for 6 years and he had been traveling for 2 years. Italian and Israeli. Interestingly enough she has been through the 'Passport being stolen' deal, which made me feel a bit better.

I set up a tarp. from my Van to the Trees so that they could do some cooking and have a little bit of shelter to do it in. We were wading in mud pools though. Anyway since they had a car they really appreciated it. We decided to pool food and make a feast for everyone. We had leek pasta (my addition), peas and onions, and a boiled Egg each (their addition) and then sat inside my van where it was dry. The tarp kept collecting water and it was a case of pushing the water off the tarp. so that it didn't collapse! All good fun.

On Sunday (yesterday) I went to The Farewell Spit and Cape Farewell. A Very pretty area. At least it had stopped raining and the visibility was more than a foot!

Last night I stayed outside PuPu springs which is the largest natural Spring in the Southern Hemisphere. Apparently it has the purest water in the world seconded by Antartica. Pretty cool! I met a Dutch Couple and we ended up talking until the late hours (10:00pm!). It's a hard life!! ;-)

Today I've been to the post office in Motueka and I've received my Passport replacement! Yipee!! What a relief.

By the ocean (near Totaranui) with a $million view by day!


Here's the view of Tortaranui on a windy day


Cape Farewell


PuPu Spring