Accomodation:  Riverlodge Motel - A repeat stay for me, nice rooms with kitchens and the owners, Chris & Cathy are great. It's for sale now so if you're looking for a new lifestyle...

Dining: Some of our best meals yet!

Bardelicious - a creative menu with some nicely presented options. Laura continued her romance with Salmon while I opted for the pork belly. Outstanding food!

276 Trafalgar Street, Nelson
Tel 03 546 9400
Email debbie@bardelicious.co.nz
Open Monday-Sunday 9am-late

Hopgoods - Just two doors down from the aforementioned, a first rate menu with some nicely designed plates. The focus is fresh & local and this region's offerings may rival No. Cal's.  

www.hopgoods.co.nz

284 Trafalgar St
Nelson 7010, New Zealand
(03) 545 7191

Picton may be my favorite visit, but Nelson is where I want to live. I love this town. Great weather, nice people, culture, good restaurants, wine tasting, small enough to feel cozy but big enough to not feel stifled. If my job skills were needed in NZ and a job waited for me in Nelson, I'd move tomorrow!





We spent a good amount of time wandering around the downtown, filtering through the farmers markets and looking at residential real estate ads to scope out a rental for eventual retirement we like this place so much. The main reason for our stop though is the Abel Tasman track.



A repeat visit for me, but Laura's first we arranged for the first bus out & the last one back to spend a full day on the track. We picked up a water taxi from Marahau and got dropped off about ten mile into the track. I gave Laura the grand tour of my previous year's bunk house and we set off for our hike back to Marahau. If you get sick of a day of postcard perfect views from a lush forest Abel Tasman is not for you. For me, I could never get sick of them. The pictures say it all. We hiked our way back and arrived in Nelson for our fantastic dinner at Hopgoods.