March 19, 2005

West Coast New Zealand-Charlestown. For the past two weeks, we have been scaling the east coast of the north island, through Gisborne, Hawks Bay, through Wellington and then across the Cook Straight, through Picton, down to Bleimen, up and back across Nelson over the hill to Takaka back to Nelson, Richmond and Brightwater and Westport and now down to Charlestown looking for the perfect place to live. Along the way we have been making contacts for my fused glass and climbing many rock faces. We have met many many nice people as well as the odd lot. So far we love the Takak area for its remoteness, scenic beauty, its lack of chiropractors and its huge artists community. We could easily make a living there but the prices in the past few years for beach front properties has soared as well for large view properties inland a bit. It is a bit too remote but in the scheme of New Zealand south island topography not so remote to be impossible. The area swells to 10,000 people from its quaint 5000 in the winter months. This makes for a great avenue for the art as well as for emergency Chiropractic. The winter months are blustery but not as bad as what we were used to in Redding with the rain and the summer months are cool at night and balmy during the day. Two hours over a beautiful mountain pass is the city of Nelson where one can get everything. Time will tell-but for now it is our best pick.