Back to Middle Earth .. and ..Golden Bay Wonder

Tuesday, February 27th



Up at six o'clock this morning to board the Interisland Ferry, which leaves Welli docks at 08:25am. Must be there for check-in an hour earlier (07:25am)

I go outside my excellent, and now very familiar, B&B for an early morning breath of [eh-hem] fresh air!

Warren, my host, is ever true and faithful to his and Bev's [his wife's] time-honoured tradition of seeing each and every one of his guests off the premises to wish them farewell, no matter what time of day it is.

Without doubt, the Oriental Bay B&B is THE best place to stay anywhere in the country, with THE most charming hosts. It's just like 'home-from-home' .. except the majority of us, I suspect, simply couldn't afford to live in such luxurious accommodation.

Back to South Island .. for my third visit within the past 14 months, under an overcast but brightening sky

Arriving there three hours later at 11:30am, I again turn right just outside the Picton Ferry Terminal and ride around the twisty Queen Charlotte Drive towards the City of Nelson and thereafter to Richmond town, where I turn right onto SH60 and head northwest towards the Abel Tasman National Park and Golden Bay beyond; ultimately heading for the township of Takaka.

The ride up and over the Takaka Hill (aka the 'marble mountain' - because of the marble stone outcrops) was spectacular to say the least. The tight and sweeping twisting curves up and 'over the hill' provided me with some of the best and most challenging motorcycle riding since arriving in New Zealand back in early December last year.

I arrive in Takaka Township by around 4:30pm, but alas there is no obviously suitable accommodation displaying a 'Vacancy'’ sign. So I turn around and head out towards the nearby coastal Pohara area, where I check into an interesting central-European-style B&B, which at first view at least appears to cater mainly for Swiss, Austrian and German guests; all offered to naïve patronage like me with communal 'Naturally Composting Toilet' facilities - complete with buckets of sawdust (WTF?). Well, I did say that it was an 'interesting' establishment!

Despite my rather odd overnight lodgings, I must say that I am convinced that motorcyclists have just gotta love Golden Bay and especially its wonderful Takaka Hill gateway.