NZ

Tuesday, 4 November 2025 The last full day of our holiday. We left Hanmer Springs just after 8.30am to retrace our drive along State Highway 7A to the intersection with State Highway 7, where we had the choice of driving to the West or Nelson or to the East and Christchurch. Bernie turned the Car […]

Monday, 3 November 2025 We did not get up at 5.30am to say our farewells to Robin before he headed off with his boat this morning. We were much wiser than that, and said our farewells last night! We rose at a much more reasonable hour, had a breakfast, packed our bags, packed the car,

Sunday, 2 November 2025 This morning we drove to the Boulder Bank Scenic Reserve at Glenduan Beach. The Boulder Bank is an internationally significant coastal landform created by a combination of sea currents and rocks from MacKay Bluff in a process known as long shore drift. Despite its robust appearance (i.e. rocky!) it has a

Saturday, 1 November 2025 This morning we drove into Nelson to check out its famous Saturday Market. The market has been running for almost 40 years and showcases the best that the Nelson region has to offer in arts, crafts and produce. In more recent years the market has introduced a wide variety of food

Friday, 31 October 2025 After a lazy morning catching up on the travelblog, we headed over to Māpua with Robin and Sandra. We have been over to Māpua before but it’s a quick drive over and a pretty spot to visit sitting just across the channel from Rabbit Island. We wandered through the gift shops

Thursday, 30 October 2025 This is our third visit to Nelson, which is on the doorstep of the renowned Abel Tasman National Park and yet, we have never managed to go tramping (NZ word for hiking) in the park. I think when we visited in 2018, we got as far as the Department of Conservation

Wednesday, 29 October 2025 We woke this morning to see that snow had fallen overnight on the mountains across Tasman Bay. THAT resulted in a very chilly breeze blowing down over Nelson, so it was cold, even though we had beautiful blue sky and brilliant sunshine. Today, we finally got out of the house taking

Tuesday, 28 October 2025 Well, if we thought the weather was bad in Nelson (top of the South Island) it was nowhere as bad as it was down in the south of the South Island where we came from on Sunday. This morning on the NZTA Journey Planner, nearly all the roads south of Christchurch

Monday, 27 October 2025 Exactly as forecast, the weather today is wet and gloomy … even here in sunny Nelson! After being on the go for the last three weeks, and with the bad weather forecast, we had made no plans for today. We declared it a rest day and took care of some washing.

Sunday, 26 October 2025 A beautiful morning this morning to precede the shocker that is forecast for tomorrow! Today was all about relocating ourselves to Nelson for the all important Trans Tasman Bolivia Ashes Tournament. We’ve seen scenery – let the games begin! We were on the road just before 9.00am, refuelled around the corner