The weekend in Nelson

 Hi,

What a busy weekend. Sally and Andrew picked us up around 7:15am on Friday morning. We dropped the car in the multi storey car park (pink level). Pre-flight brekkie: Mike and I enjoyed a bagel and Sally and Andrew enjoyed Koru buffet. We flew to Nelson on a regional flight at 9am or so and got in nice and early. 

Spotted "Skull Island" in the harbour as we came into land. I try to always take a pic for Toby. It has a way more boring name in real life:  Fifeshire rock

Nelson and Skull Island - for Toby

Skull Island - I must go there one day

Waiting for the rental car company

Omega car rentals picked us up from the airport and whisked us to their office slightly outside the airport. Before too long we were in a lowered Toyota Corolla. Nice enough but could not handle judder bars at all.

Off to inspect the houses. The reason for our visit. We like to try and keep across any issues before they become a headache for the tenant and us. Found a few things and Aimee-lee is onto it. We were inside a cloud for a lot of our visit so never got the gorgeous views this spot is famous for.

No view today

Rain on leaves

Exploring Mapua

After the house business, we drove to Mapua to a wee excursion. Always nice to potter around there.

Seagulls

Mapua port

Saturday saw me and Mike up for parkrun and Sally and Andrew walked to town from there. I did my best parkrun time of 2026 so far. The course was T shaped. 

Parkrun at Neale park

Parkrun photographers got a shot of me running ...

... and Mike throwing up his coffee, just on the left of the photo

Then into town to the market to find Sally and Andrew. I had a cheese toastie with brie and blueberries. it was so good.

Off to Nelson market

Iced latte at the market

Baguette purchased

Looking at a new subdivision

Poked around Aidan and Janne's house to check it was good. And wandered through some new subdivisions.

View of the boulder bank

Where are you going, Mike?

Wreck of the Janie at Motueka

Took our market baguette and drove to Motueka for some reason. Any excuse to explore. Good fun. Had a picnic near the Wreck of Janie Seddon and enjoyed the market baguette and some cheese and hummus. Mmmmm.

Picnic spot

Checking out the foundations of the old quay

Planning the NY tramp

Back to JR and Anita's house. Watched Deadloch and planned the New Years tramp. Well, got a lot planned. 

We looked up what on earth a Medlar could possibly be - because Anita left a note to say they were bletting. Turns out that a Medlar is a fruit, and bletting is a way to make it edible, by letting it rot change consistency to a paste inside the fruit. Interesting. A medlar is an ancient fruit like a cross between an apple and a pear.

Medlars are bletting

View from Mana Heights

Next morning we checked out Sally and Andrew's new house. We had never seen it yet. 

Then we wandered around Nelson a bit. The gardens. The Suter gallery.

In the gardens

Tahunanui beach

Sand dollar in Mike's hand

Bigger sand dollar in my hand

Patiently waiting

With a couple of hours to kill we chilled at Tahunanui beach. Mike and I got our step count up and Sally and Andrew enjoyed the sea views. Then dropped the car off at the long stay car park. Waited for our flight. 17:55 to Wellington. Super fast. Sally and Andrew dropped us home. The cats were very happy to see us - but Moxley only had eyes for Sally.

Up Monday for the normal routine. Mike to the gym. Me WFH.

Hope your week is a good one.

Love,

Angela