From the moment I walked into our new home for the next 5 days I was smitten. It was late afternoon and the sun was shining on our treetop view of Tasman Bay. It was Wednesday and the small sailboats were gliding out of the marina and assembling for race day. Our landlady was showing me around, explaining this and that, but I’m not sure I heard very much of it – I was in sensory overload. It was a seaside summer cottage (except it wasn’t; it was the top floor of a renovated old house built on the slope of the hill), beautifully designed with lots of nooks and crannies, views from everywhere, balcony, decorated in all the shades of blue that make me happy. The landlady is an artist as is her sister and both their artworks were all over the house – the hand painted fabrics, wall art, sculpture, as well as pottery and other pieces from other local artists. Shelves of eye candy magazines, DVD’s – all the comforts. We had barely unpacked when we were thinking of calling Dennis and extending our stay.

We had picked up the (right) car at the ferry terminal in Picton and taken the scenic route along the beautiful coast of Queen Charlotte Sound, then through the mountains to this small city of Nelson, which boasts the title among others of “Craft Beer Capital of New Zealand”. It could just as easily be called the capital of beach going, biking, vineyard visiting, studio cruising, restaurant eating, garden visiting, boat hiring, kayaking, hiking, Saturday morning market visiting, festival going, vintage movie house viewing, gallery gawking, book store browsing, wine tasting… Lots of day trips through the surrounding countryside, planted in vineyards, orchards and hops, and golden beaches on the way up to Abel Tasman National Park which is accessible by trail or water taxi along the coves.

Saturday morning market is a great place to go in Nelson to really get a sense of the place. It reminded me a lot of our market here, although much bigger in scale of course. But it still had that sense of small town, as local farmers and crafters displayed their offerings and neighbours paused and chatted. Cafes and restaurants are full and people stroll along the shops of the town streets. The day we were there a Buskers Festival was set up in a section of blocked off Main Street. It was great fun to stop and watch Bendy Em, the charming contortionist who had everyone laughing as she joked her way through a performance that culminated in her wrapping up her body into a 16” plexiglass box. Nelson is also a big back packing town and all that goes with it, as a start or end point for those multi-day hikes through the park or further afield.

We had a fine few days scratching the surface of this region but finally it was time to go and we headed to the airport to catch a flight to Auckland and connection homebound.

But Nelson had a few more surprises in store.

The flight didn’t leave until early afternoon so we had time to stop on the way at the World of Wearable Art & Collectible Car Museum (the WOW Art Museum) that many had told me was a don’t miss. This strange sounding partnership evolved out of an art project started 17 years ago by a woman and her friends in Nelson – a wearable art show. Originally, a show of entries by local artists, over the years it has grown until it has evolved into an international competition and award show extravaganza, now held annually in Wellington.

The Nelson museum was showing an exhibition of many of the 2014 winning entries, and when I walked into the darkened exhibition rooms with spotlit mannekins wearing over the top costumes so intense in colour and texture, my chest tightened and my eyes welled. Overwhelming and a huge surprise. Once again in a dark room off the side, I sat through a video of the actual show held last year. It is so much more than a fashion show, it is a combination of music, lights, dancers, acrobats – hints of Cirque du Soleil. The costumes are completely over the top, constructed of every material imaginable – but – all wearable, as the show video demonstrates. Someone claimed the WOW Awards Show makes Lady Gaga look like a librarian.

Too soon, but finally, time to leave. Traveling was easy. The small regional Nelson airport has no security lines, no security at all it seemed. No xrays, no officials, no hassle. Water bottle? Sure, go nuts. We flew out of Nelson with every intention of returning one day.

As a matter of fact, even before we landed back in the homeland we were already planning a return trip to New Zealand. Next time…maybe the South?