It's the Little Things

There's an addictive element to this mobile lifestyle. The thought of new places to explore, getting back to basics, waking up to a different view, meeting new people ... there are so many positives. 

For me, at the top of the list, is having time to enjoy the simple things. Such as ...

Watching sunrises.

Being at the beach, with my dogs.

Bush walks. 

Birdlife.

Finding wild flowers and having time to study their colours and patterns.

Listening and watching waves. 

Knowing my dogs are happy. 

Watching sunsets.

And something I really, really appreciate, is going to bed knowing I don't have work the next day, and there will be no alarm to wake me. 

What do you enjoy about this lifestyle?

Seeing Red

People stopped in their tracks to watch this evening's sunset. Logs that had been washed ashore made great front row seats. 

It was Valentine's Day, and nature acknowledged it by painting the town beach red.

And ... just when I thought it couldn't possibly get any brighter, it did!

The tide was on its way out and the shallow channels of water looked like rivers of lava.

I thought the sky would gradually fade to diluted shades of red but instead it changed to amber.

And never far from my side were my shadows - my dogs. They sat beside me, enjoying the cool night air.  

Such a special way to spend Valentine's evening.

A Tropical Paradise

About an hours drive from Nelson is a little seaside settlement named Marahau. Its golden beaches and blue skies make it feel like a tropical paradise.

The dogs and I loved the beach. There are two beaches, one at the beginning of Marahau (on the right as you reach this popular holiday spot) and the other is past the rocky lined foreshore. The second beach runs towards the National Park. Both beaches are dog friendly.

The tide was out when we arrived and as it came in, the water heated up as it traveled over the sand. It truly felt like a bath.

Oakly couldn't get enough of being in the water, he just swam and swam.

As I was wading about knee depth, I noticed quite a few crabs doing their sideways scuttle across the sand. I didn't particularly want one to walk over my foot so I reassured myself that they'd be more scared of me than the other way around.
But as Murphy's Law had it - that tickle on my foot, did turn out to be a crab! No screaming occurred - hahaha

We had lunch watching the kayakers coming in from a day of paddling around Abel Tasman. One company owner, said he was picking up 60 kayakers in the next half hour! And that was only one of the many companies that we saw collecting them.

A line of tractors were parked along the foreshore with their boat trailers attached, waiting to collect the boats as they came back. It's surprising how far out they go. Imagine what the sea water would do to them!

And then there were the tourists arriving in water taxis after a day walking the Abel Tasman. Marahau thrives with tourists and holiday makers - tourism is now its main focus. Years ago tobacco farming and hops (for beer) were the main source of income for the area.

We parked the bus a few hundred metres further along, and walked along the northern beach, which was also super warm! The photo below was our view when we opened the door of the bus.

Not only was the view spectacular, we had some tunes to back it up. Sitting up on the rocks was a guy strumming his guitar.

I just couldn't get enough of the golden sand, the colourful shells, warm water and awesome views.

Close to 4pm, the water became a hive of activity - a busy time for kayakers and water taxis.

Before we left, I walked along the path that borders the foreshore. Seats are placed at regular intervals providing spots to enjoy the scenery.

I mentioned to Bernie how nice it was to see kids out biking and playing (instead of being indoors in front of a device/screen). One particular boy kept popping up. I first saw him as he was dropped off by the school bus, I noticed him because his Dad was there to meet him and they were obviously pleased to see each other. Ten minutes later I saw him racing around on his bike with his mate (or brother?). Then he appeared again with his buddy playing on the end of the pier. As we were driving out, I spotted him again with his sister - they'd taken a blow up paddling pool down to the beach and were using it as a boat. Fun times! So good to see.

When it was time to leave, we'd barely driven a hundred metres before Boo found herself a cosy spot, snuggled up on the couch. After a busy day exploring, swimming and rolling in the sand she was ready for a serious nap.

If you're thinking of staying in Marahau, there are a couple of campgrounds to choose from. The first you'll come across is the 'Marahau Beach Camp' which is about 100m from the foreshore and is close to the departure point for sea kayaking and water taxi trips.

The second is 'Old Macdonalds Farm Holiday Park,' which is located along the Marahau River, in a farm setting. Dogs are allowed between 1st March to 1st December. 'Old Macdonalds Farm Holiday Park' is close to the start of the Abel Tasman Track.

Amberley Beach Reserve

Amberley is a town located in the Hurunui District, that I've often driven through. Perhaps I've stopped once or twice for fuel, but it's an area I've never spent longer than a couple of hours.
The other day, Bernie was chatting to the owner of the Hurunui Hotel and said we were heading south. The hotel's owner mentioned that 'Amberley Beach Reserve' was a good place to stay. It's dog friendly and suitable for larger campers. 
It was easy to find. Heading south, turn left off SH1 down Amberley Beach Road, then right into Grierson Ave - keep driving, until basically you get to the end of the road.
The Amberley Beach Reserve can be accessed from the left and the right side of the road. We went right as the southern side is the area for campers with dogs.

There were only a few other campers parked in the area, which was flat, hard and spacious enough to manoeuvre.

The Reserve also has fresh water, a dump station and a place for rubbish. All this for only $10/night for the two of us. And better still - the beach is a two minute walk away. You can hear the rumbling waves from inside the rig. 

Once set up, I took Oakly for a walk. Near the beach was a stand of pine trees, with a soft, carpet of pine-needles underneath.

The rain stopped long enough for a walk. I had the beach to myself - Maybe the cool breeze had kept others indoors?

Watching waves pounding onto shore and hearing thousands of stones rolling and rattling with the receding sea was captivating. No wonder we can hear the sea from inside the rig.

In another couple of weeks the shoreline will be blanketed in wild yellow tree lupins. Some had already begun to flower. It won't be long before a stretch of golden blooms will be bordering this coastline.

Clusters of thriving, mauve, seaside daisies (purple groundsel) were dotted about.

Every few hundred metres there are wooden benches - perfect for viewing the sea or possibly watching a sunrise.

Nestled amongst the pine trees was a dinky little caravan with a million dollar view.

Visiting during spring has meant I've been able to enjoy all this season's flowering plants. And despite growing in sandy soil, there were a variety of healthy plants flourishing.

On our walk back from the beach we came across a pet pig in someone's yard. I spoke to owner. Turns out he caught her as a piglet when pig hunting. She was small enough to be held in his hand. Now she's four months and is best mates with the dogs and loves going for walks along the beach.

Oakly loved her - I think he wants one as a pet. Although I don't know how Bernie would react if I came home with one.