Boulder Bank

The rain overnight was something else. It sparked rainie to send me a text early doors to tell us that a campervan and occupants had to be rescued from our part of the world when the water reached the sills, thankfully not us but I had to paddle to the shower block first thing!
It's been a welcome leisurely day, we packed up at Motueka and drove south and then east to Nelson to stock up on shopping for the Easter weekend. After the fridge was filled and we had a bit of lunch, we drove out to spot Choi's school and to climb the hill to the centre of New Zealand. Choi's schoolchildren do this every Thursday, lunching at the top and then returning for afternoon school. If they complete several successful climbs they earn their places on a camping and walking trip to Mount Arthur, good stuff. Choi's school was fronted with a beautiful early building and looked a super place to teach, an opinion she confirmed when we met up with her and Chris later in the day.
After enjoying the superb views of Nelson and surrounding countryside from the centre of New Zealand, we drove out to the coast and Boulder Bank which is a lengthy natural spit of boulders extending across the bay, creating Nelson Haven behind it. We walked along the spit for some distance enjoying the views back to the town, and then drove a little further along SH6 to Glenduan where we watched the surfers making the most of the exceptional conditions following the previous night's storm, and generally chilled out for a couple of hours before moving on to Chris and Choi's smashing home in Hira. Chris and Choi were our neighbours for several years back home, but emigrated to NZ when the children were pre school age. Those boys are now fine young men and a credit to their parents. It was lovely to do some serious catching up with them and to enjoy their home set in their own woodlands with baby Guinea fowl in the shed and many varieties of fruiting trees in the garden plus some serious gymnastic equipment for those boys very dedicated to their sport!
My blip is taken from our walk along Boulder Bank through a driftwood shelter (or art installation, take your pick!)