Places that showcase
QUIRKY KIWI HUMOUR
They might bemuse tourists, but they tickle us. Immaculate gardens scattered with ducks, ponds and humorous signs, expect a giggle around every corner at Ngātea Water Gardens near Thames. There are dilapidated row boats offering ‘cheap rates’ and fairy tale castles stating: ‘No witches, sorcerers or insurance salesmen’. Thame’s Bugger Café comes with the tagline: Laugh a little. And you will. There’s a tractor out front poised to look as if it’s driven into a ditch, and the interior is brimming with the same dark wit. Don’t miss the toilets (lauded on Tripadvisor) and the ‘Bugger’-branded napkins. 56
To get from Golden Bay to Tākaka, one must venture over the hill that stands in between. Thus explaining The Bay’s catchphrase: ‘It’s just a hill – get over it’.
