On the road: Week nine round-up

Feb 20

Feb 20 On the road: Week nine round-up

Distance travelled: 145km (2.5 hours) from Motueka to Pakawau and back down to Pohara.

Audiobook on deck: Mistborn: Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson got finished, as did Kath’s The Parable of the Sower (Octavia E Butler). Next up: Dr Strange and Mr Norrel.

Currently watching: Fullmetal Alchemist - it’s a work in progress.

We were grateful for: Icy cold waterfalls. Well, at least Dan was. I could’t go in as my feet hurt too much from the cold. Ah the joys of a hypersensitive body.

We missed: Seeing the Starlink satellites, despite sitting up and looking for them as we were too low (at sea level). Ah well, it made for a romantic evening.

We learned: That some members of the NZMCA have made quite a name for themselves (not good) by loudly expecting everyone to bend to their version of reality. They learned that Teeboons can’t be bent.

Funniest moment: Being hit by a cyclone for the second time as we made out way to Pohara! Feels like the weather didn’t want us to discover this place. Alas, weather, see above comment about the bendability of Teeboons.

Best save: Use of the fab NZMCA campsites at both Motueka and Pohara. For $3 per person per night, with dogs allowed, it’s pretty hard to beat.

Best campsite: NZMCA Port Tarakohe in Pohara. It’s right on the water’s edge as it’s attached to the Pohara Boat Club. Absolute bliss.

Most interesting fact we learned: That 14,000 litres of water PER SECOND are pumped up through the Te Waikoropupu Springs! Also that they allowed diving in the area until 2007.

We recommend: The burgers at Steve-o’s Street Food in Collingwood, Kiwi Spirit Distillery in Golden Bay, and asking the locals for the top swimming hole tips - they know.

Number of wrecked cars on the roadside: None!! Huzzah! Although that was no thanks to the huge truck which decided to drive just one car length behind us in a 100km/h zone.

Progress made towards our 20 in 2020: A swim in the Aorere River, and Dan and Kratos swimming in the Salisbury Falls waterfall. We also visited the northernmost point of the South Island at Cape Farewell. We couldn’t see much though, as the weather was balls.