Nelson

We have spent the past week WWOOFing outside of Nelson. Our hosts there were a nice couple and their teenage daughter. The setting there was incredible! The garden was just getting underway while we were there, but the outcome later this summer is sure to be amazing. Our accommodation was top notch. We had our own private sleepout with a kingsized bed, furniture, tv and some gorgeous views. Our hosts were friendly, eager to engage in conversation, or to share advice for good tramping in the area. We ate delicious fresh food during our stay, and on Sunday night were able to make an Athens, GA style meal for the family. Our Sunday feast became almost like a mini Thanksgiving, since we decided to prepare generous portions of everything. The meal consisted of our version of “Hot Buttered Soul Chicken,” Hoppin’ John, cornbread, mac n cheese, and NZ silverbeet served like collards. Our hosts even asked everone to state what they were thankful for as we sat down to eat. It really flt like home. We were reluctant to leave on Monday, but they had another WWOOFer on their way, so we had to move on. We plan to come back soon, though.
For now, we are staying in Nelson with some people that we met in town. Our current accommodation is our tent, which we have pitched in the front yard of a house built in the 20’s. The home belongs to a local organic coffee roaster who is the sole owner/operator of Kush Coffee in Nelson. The house used to be the caretakers property for a mental institute, which is now in ruin. The propety we are camping on is now the overgrown remains what must have been a very beautiful asylum.