Our return to Nelson (For now)

Stunning Kaikoura Coast

We had planned a couple of leisurely weeks to return to Nelson, taking our time up the East Coast. The weather was looking great to have a look around, and doing a few walks. Get back to Nelson, have a week in Golden Bay and then a week at our neighbour Kathryn’s to help her with a project and by then getting close to moving into our rental in Tosswill Road, with our Tenant moving out at Easter.

Our new (1996) Ford Courier Ute

But one text changed all that! Our Tenant was checking we had got her earlier text (No!) that she was moving out in two weeks. What!! Panic!!

Thankfully Bill had been keeping an eye on

Bill and Kathryn sorting who was Team Leader

( I was of course as I took the photo)

Utes around the South Island as we were going to need one up at the Rental (not a lot of room for a trailer, plus a steepish driveway), so a day later we had another vehicle – a Ford Courier Ute from Temuka. This was to be my vehicle for the next week as we returned to Nelson. Bill was driving the Bus towing the Suzuki. Three vehicles once again!

Tyler's taken over the neighbours property 👍

I felt a bit of a Bogan and needed a cushion to see over the steering wheel (it’s not that I’m short but the springs had gone in the seat). The radio didn’t work but thankfully the CD player did and we still happened to have a few CD’s with us.

Bill and Kathryn making a plan 😆

We drove around the outskirts of Christchurch as we headed north, only coming off highway 1 as we reached Hornby to visit Bill’s favourite shop (other than AliExpress) Trade Depot. We checked out a few ideas for the Rental and picked up a few basics. It was considerably depleted since our last visit and the impact of Covid 19 on China was starting to have on us with a shortage of items. Little did we know at that point how different life really was going to become!

Marfells Beach

Tyler's new fleet

We arrived at southern Kaikoura where the weather had cleared to a stunning day, so we decided to walk around the headland/peninsular that we hadn’t done for a few years. The views were stunning. The landscape had changed so much after the 2016 earthquake. Lots of visitors walking along the trail, all hoping to spot seals of course. They weren’t disappointed. It is still a stunning coastline.

We moved on to stay at the new NZMCA Camp once again. We did a 16km walk the next day from the camp up to town and then out to the Pier Hotel for lunch and a wine/beer or two. Very pleasant in the sun. Lovely relaxed day, Kaikoura was nice and busy with tourists once again.

We had our last night before returning to Nelson at the Doc camp at Marfells Beach in Marlborough.  Five and half years ago we first left Nelson back at the end of August 2014 when we began this adventure, we had our first night here. With 3 vehicles. Bill’s work van, Big Yella and a trailer. And here we are again with 3 vehicles before arriving back in Nelson. Funny how life goes sometimes.

We arrived at neighbour Kathryn’s for a week to sort a few things from our container and shed before moving up to our Rental.

Kathryn was ready to go with her ceiling upgrade – gib over the Michael Angelo Tiles come the weekend. As she works as a theatre nurse during the week, the plan was to spend the weekend putting up the gib that arrived just before the weekend. I was happy to keep them fed and have a wine ready at the end of the day of course. Great job Guys. Just waiting on the plasterer to come now.

And we were ready to move up to our Rental and begin the renovations.

Bill found a new bit of driftwood he wanted
to bring back to Nelson 😎

Not sure whether it was coming or going!