It's only a hill - get over it!

We've said our goodbyes to Golden Bay and the hippy town of Takaka and headed east! Via some climbing and afternoon tea with the family of my Grandad's war time buddy!

But before all that we spent an hour in the town of Takaka. It was Saturday market this morning, which had a very 'alternative living' feel. We declined some healing shells, but did get some nice organic avocados. Next to the market was the town museum, where Clare took me to see the 'History of Scouting' section. I was pleased to see (and still remember) the Scout Law, which although a few years old now, has served me well and is still just as relevant and applicable to life in 2015. Clare also managed to get a few new clothes, shopping at one of the funky stores in town. I made do with my Baden Powell Hat!

Next stop was back at Paynes Ford where we ticked off a few more of the classic rock climbs, before heading back over the hill to Motueka and what is generally regarded in Golden Bay as 'the outside world'. Because Takaka is near the end of a dead end road at the top of the South Island and said road involves the passing over a sizeable hill (it takes an hour to cross), the town's cheeky slogan to outsiders is "It's only a hill - get over it!"

We did some pretty good climbs and upped the grade a bit too. The temperature was cool and the sky overcast so we could have stayed longer, but we had other places to go and people to see. 

With 'the hill' successfully negotiated, we stocked up with supplies in Motueka. We tried to go for a famous New Zealand pie (apparently they are 'a thing' here?) which we'd been told we should get from 'Patisserie Royale', on the high street, but arriving there on a Saturday afternoon we sadly found it closed! We need not have worried though as we soon found ourselves eating delicious cakes and enjoying my first cup of 'English Tea' this year.

Looking at our route over to the west coast, we'd discovered that the journey would take us past 'Lakeside Lodge' -home of the Anderson family who had offered us to call in if we were ever passing. 

The link to this meeting goes back to the 1940's when my grandad was in the war with a chap know to me as 'Uncle Ian'. Uncle Ian, (whom I've never met!) lives up in Aberbeen. All I know about him is that he was my Grandad's buddy during the war and would send postcards to my mum from his various post war travels (and still does aged 92!). Anyway, to cut a long story short, we spent a lovely hour chatting with Graeme and Lisa at their beautiful Lakeside Lodge, learning a bit of family history and getting some more NZ travel advice. From their grape clad terrace there were wide views over their land which included lake, forest and hillside. Very nice indeed! 

After tea, we bid our farewells and continued westward where once again the scenery began to change. The land became more hilly and forested and the road weaved it's way along the banks of the Motueka River. Pulling into a riverside camping spot, we got our first real taste of the infamous 'New Zealand Sandfly'. The clues were all around us before we had even ground to a halt -fellow campers had hoods up, trousers on, and socks tucked in! Once again we thanked our lucky stars that for once we were able to 'seal ourselves in' to our campervan and stay safe!