Dreamy days _{by Madelaine Empson}

Nelson/Golden Bay (Summer 2017)

On a Friday morning we hopped on a plane to Nelson/Golden Bay for a weekend of exploration and adventure.

We arrived in Nelson around 11am and, knowing we wouldn’t be picked up until 3pm, had no idea what to do with our bags. Thankfully, we discovered we could leave our luggage at Nelson City i-SITE, and proceeded to explore the city unburdened.

Our day in Nelson began with a mouthwatering lunch at the picturesque River Kitchen. After relaxing with a coffee (or two) by the riverside, we perused the shops and galleries of Trafalgar Square and stopped to enjoy a local wine at Cod & Lobster Brasserie. This upmarket restaurant is wonderfully placed at the foot of the steps to Nelson’s landmark cathedral. Our waiter, Jake, was cheeky and mischievous – he kept trying to add truffle fries to our order, and wore an outrageous feathered headband for no apparent reason. His spark was the highlight of our experience here. I do so regret not trying those truffle fries now.

We were then picked up by Golden Bay Coachlines for our trip to Takaka. The views from the top of Takaka Hill are astounding, and our driver Diane was engaging, lovely, and informative. She went out of her way to make sure we were taken care of, and dropped us off all the way back at the depot in Takaka so we could collect our rental car. Thanks to Lorraine of Golden Bay Coachlines for organising this impeccable rental!

Dean and I hopped in the car and drove… straight across the road! Our accommodation, Anatoki Lodge Motel, was literally a stone’s throw from the town centre. We arrived and met Lynley, who showed us to our spotless, comfortable suite and recommended the best spot for tea that night.

Heeding her advice, we dined at Brigand Café and Bar. What an excellent restaurant! I’m told that it turns into the local joint every Thursday in the summertime thanks to an open mic night that attracts the whole community. Both starving, we ordered the Bone-in Rib-Eye, which came out perfectly cooked amidst sautéed rosemary potatoes and tasty seasonal veggies. Following our evening at Brigand, we returned not once, but twice over the two days we spent in Takaka.

After a great sleep in a comfy bed, we headed to Ngarua Caves on Takaka Hill first thing the next morning. I’d recommend this affordable activity for families – there were heaps of kids on the tour and they had a blast exploring the stunning caves. So did we! Our tour guide Ben was a young and animated fellow who led us through the caves with ease. We learned all about stalagmites and stalactites; finally, after 25 years and all thanks to Ben, I now know the difference! Highlights of the tour included holding a real moa bone and standing in the pitch darkness of the ‘cathedral’ (a cavernous, resonant section of the cave) after Ben turned off all the lights.

Following our journey through Ngarua Caves, we were all set to embark on a Farewell Spit Eco Tour. Unfortunately, the tour was cancelled due to the weather. We were really looking forward it, as I know the tour company is one of the select few that has permission to take visitors to Farewell Spit, where awe-inspiring sand dunes overlooking 35 kilometres of coastline await. On the tour, you can enjoy a cup of tea at a historic lighthouse and get up close and personal with NZ Fur Seals, Godwits, Knots, and other Northern Migratory birds. I know all of this because my parents have been before and said it was fantastic:

“We felt as if we were the only people on Earth”, Frances told me when I returned home, making me extremely jealous. On her tour, Frances says she got closer to a seal than she’d ever been before, and that she and my father felt “transported to another world; a world untouched by human hands. It was New Zealand’s scenic beauty at its rawest.” Well! Needless to say, we’ll be taking a tour with Farewell Spit Eco Tours the next time we’re in Collingwood.

After a spot of shopping in Takaka (such sweet little boutiques!) we retired for the evening to recoup for the next day’s adventure at Anatoki Salmon.

Now, I must warn you that I am not a fishing girl (in fact I’m quite afraid of fish), nor do I enjoy eating salmon. However, that has all changed after my experience at this amazing freshwater fishing destination.

We arrived in the morning in the pouring rain to be greeted by Dan, who gave us all the info we needed and geared us up for our fishing experience. We were left to our own devices and caught a huge (1.14kg to be exact) salmon within three minutes! I’ll admit to letting Dean take the reins on the actual fishing part of the morning, but I did (rather bravely I thought) hold the fish after we caught it. We handed our catch over to the staff, who hot smoked it in basil and garlic in under 20 minutes. While we waited, we went down to the quaint onsite café and ordered accompaniments to eat with the salmon (ciabatta and garlic butter). When it arrived, impeccably presented, I gingerly took the nibble that would change my perception of salmon forever. If you’re not a fan of salmon, I can’t even describe the taste of Anatoki’s to you (it’s just too good), but you absolutely must try it. Despite a valiant effort, we couldn’t finish our 1.14 kilos, so Dan vacuum-packed it for us to take away – an awesome service, and perfect for travellers.

We had a wonderful time at Anatoki Salmon. In fact, I think it was the highlight of our whole trip. It is fun (the kids will totally love it), the staff are so friendly and accommodating, the salmon is divine, and the locale is stunning to boot. We even saw a live peacock!

Feeling satisfied and joyful, we boarded the bus back to Nelson and were delighted to find Diane in the driver’s seat again. That evening we checked in to Tahuna Beach Holiday Park, which would prove a fantastic spot for a summer holiday for the whole family. Giant trampolines, mini golf, go karts, the beach at your doorstep… what more could the kids want? Brekkie the next morning at the onsite café was delicious. We could have happily relaxed here in the sun all day drinking the superb coffee, but alas! It was check-out time, as Rodd from Vintage Wine Tours had just pulled up to reception to collect us.

Rodd had arranged a five-stop tour of Nelson’s vineyards for us that included lunch. He had also very helpfully offered to drop us off at the airport straight after the tour, as we were due to fly home that day.

Our first stop was Seifried Estate, where we were led through five varieties by our engaging host Jacqui. The Aotea Sauvignon Blanc, which is widely distributed in the UK and Europe but only really available at Seifried’s cellar door in New Zealand, is exquisite. Even though we would soon be boarding a plane and had no room in our bags, we couldn’t resist buying a bottle! We repeated this somewhat unwise process at two other vineyards along the way – Brightwater Vineyards, whose 2017 Sophie’s Kiss Rosé is irrefutably the best Rosé I have ever tasted; and Waimea Estate, where a 2016 Albariño (one of Spain’s most distinctive white wines) with notes of white peach, jasmine, and the seaside captured my attention.

The highlight of our tour was the incomparably stunning Kina Beach Vineyard. Tastings at Kina Beach are by appointment only, and Rodd is one of the only tour operators who takes his guests here.

Kina Beach Estate sits atop a hill and overlooks the Tasman Sea. It is completely private; Dean, Rodd, Lou (the site manager and our host), and I were the only ones on the premises. The second we arrived here I felt at peace with the world – like time had stopped. We also discovered that you can stay onsite in an historic Old Schoolhouse, or a boutique romantic cottage for two, and were permitted a sneak-peak into both.

While in the purpose-built tasting room with Lou, who I took an immediate liking to, Rodd had what I can only describe as a lapse of judgement. In the middle of our tasting, he spent a solid five minutes “talking shop” with Lou about a future booking, which clearly made her uncomfortable – she wanted to get back to the wine, which is what we were there for! Dean and I sat in awkward silence and stared at our empty glasses while we waited for Rodd to stop talking at (not to) Lou. I felt that this was not appropriate and certainly put a damper on an otherwise blissful experience. If you want to talk business with someone, ring them after you’ve taken your clients on a private tour that cost them $370!

Though friendly, chatty, and well-organised, we really felt that Rodd could have been more engaged with us as individuals. However, we will definitely be going back to Kina Beach Vineyard the second the accommodation becomes available. I can’t think of a dreamier holiday destination.

Special mention must go to the café we lunched at on our tour: Jester House Café, where you can feed eels while you eat! Jester House offers an awesome environment for families, replete with a playground, huge garden, and fairy tale-like accommodation – think a night in a giant boot!

Sadly, it was then back to the real world for us. We’ll never forget our trip to Nelson/Golden Bay, and maybe I’ll even start sneaking salmon into my diet – only if it’s Anatoki’s though.