We didn't really know what to expect when we booked our time in Nelson. We'd heard enough to know it was worth a stop between our time in Abel Tasman National Park and our ferry out of Picton. But that about covered it.
As Doug wrote about here, we've got an amazing AirBnB home base with great hosts and have been blown away by the natural landscape & beauty of Nelson. Our second (and final) day in Nelson was jam-packed with more fun.
Morning of Routines
Our morning was nondescript by all accounts . . . long walk for me (insanely gorgeous views!), laundry, school workbooks for the girls and lunch out on the deck with stunning Nelson water views all around.
Lighthouse
Fun fact: I'm a massive fan of lighthouses. I find lighthouses & the life of a lighthouse keeper completely fascinating. A few months ago I checked out this coffee table book about NZ lighthouses from our local Queenstown library. As well as these two children's books, Lucy Goes to the Lighthouse and Ivan and the Lighthouse, both of which are based on true stories of NZ lighthouses & their keepers. Fair to say I love to geek out!
So when I saw the view of the Nelson lighthouse from our AirBnB room, I was determined to make a visit. It took a bit of effort, but we pulled it off and it was just gorgeous. Doug & the girls enjoyed it (but no more than they did playing with the rocks below). I was in hog heaven. Paige wrote all about it in this dedicated blog post - check it out!
Beer at a Church
Late afternoon we snagged a quick beer at a spot that a man we'd met at the lighthouse recommended. As a side note, the man is a city councilman for Nelson and was fascinating to speak with. Set in an old chapel, the Free House Pub was a super cool spot.
Happy Hour on a Boat
We've really enjoyed chatting with our AirBnB hosts these past two days. So much so, that when they kindly invited us to join them for a drink on their new boat on our last night, we jumped at the chance & said yes! Candy & Charlie have loads of experience in boats and had just recently swapped out their sailboat for a launch (power) boat. We had to hand a bottle of rose bubbly (planning to drink it over Christmas but just never got around to it), and happily brought that along.
We stayed docked in the marina (Charlie still recovering from a recent hip replacement surgery), but it hardly mattered. We had such a lovely time chatting, talking about life in NZ, their stories of ski seasons out on the slopes with their sons, and travels near & far. We toasted to Charlie's recent retirement and happy, healthy days ahead. The girls popped back & forth between joining us for nibbles and playing a card game, giggling inside the boat.
Full disclosure, the whole thing made me very nostalgic for my parents and all the times we've enjoyed on their boats together. Enjoying happy hour on a boat, amidst the company of good people, is 100% up the alley of my parents! I wish I had magical powers to transport them to the boat to share in the moment together. As much as we're absolutely enjoying our time here in NZ, being still away from family is hard - it doesn't get any easier as time passes. I miss my family dearly and moments like these - that you wish you could share together - really hit home. But my parents with with us in thought/spirit on the boat, as our family & friends are in so many moments, big & small.
Massive thank you to Candy & Charlie for showing us such kindness and hospitality! If we come back through Nelson on our way back home later this month, we'll be sure to stay there again!
Indian & Chapel Beer
We said goodnight to Candy & Charlie and snagged some absolutely delicious Indian for dinner at Indian Cafe. Doug & the girls whip up tasty Indian fare from time to time at home, but it had been ages since we stuffed our faces with the real deal. We left obnoxiously full, happy from a truly lovely day out & about in beautiful Nelson.
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