Tasman - 2015

One of the great things about being in Tasman this year is owning our own bicycles.  The off road Tasman Great Taste Cycle Trail has great paths with great views.  Our favorite part of the trail is on Rabbit Island.

Pit stop on Rabbit Island

Rabbit Island views toward Mapua

Tasman Great Taste Cycle Trail
Waimia Estuary - Great for viewing shorebirds

B biking on Rabbit Island

Tasman Great Taste Cycle Trail in Richmond

Tasman Great Taste Cycle Trail near Nelson

We are enjoying our second year in Wisteria Cottage.  The fantails and bellbirds sing and entertain us outside the cottage.  The sheep in the paddocks around the property have enjoyed the tractor loads of hop leaves brought in several times during each day of the hop harvest.  The sheep on the hills come running down bleating making sure they don't miss out on their share of the hops.

"Here's looking at ewes!"

Black fantail out our cottage window

Ewes come running to get their feed of hops.

When we were in Fiordland, we met a young couple from British Columbia.  Ioana and Kyle are in New Zealand on a 1 year work visa.  They are traveling around NZ seeing all the sights and working when they have to.  When they made their way to the Nelson area, we got together and enjoyed an afternoon and evening with them. 

B and G with Ioana and Kyle

Nelson Lakes National Park has some great hikes.  You do need to remember Goodbye Sandfly, an herbal insect repellant, as the sandflies are relentless near the shore of the lakes.

Lake Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes National Park

Lake Rotoiti with immature lancewood tree

Falls on Braeburn Walk

One of the new cafes we have tried is the Jester House in the town of Tasman.  They have created wonderful gardens with an area for children with several wooden animals. The elephant was our favorite.  They also have tame eels that one can feed.  

Tame Eels at The Jester House Cafe

Floppy eared elephant at The Jester House Cafe

When we went to Tinline Bay on the Abel Tasman Coastal Track we hit it at a very low tide. This enabled us to explore around the rocky shore where we found another nice beach.

Cave at Tinline Bay

Beach near Tinline Bay in Abel Tasman NP

Inline Bay at low tide

We went to two shows at the Theater Royal in Nelson.  This 19th century theater has been completely renovated to look as it did 100 years ago - although they put in more comfortable sitting.  We saw a London Westend theater troupe perform The Buddy Holly Story.  We also saw a local theater group perform a 1930s play called Glorious.  We enjoyed delicious Thai food at Chokdee's across the street before the shows.