How I Almost Bought a Backpackers, Missed Out on a Charming B&B and Ended Up Sitting Pretty in Lovely Nelson, New Zealand
Many travelers arrive on the South Island of New Zealand on a ferry which originates in the lovely little city of Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. The ferry lands in Picton—a small town with a picturesque harbor. For many people this is just a gateway town to the numerous adventures on the South Island. But I knew that I wanted to spend a little time here. Friends from Porirua, just North of Wellington, suggested that the area was often overlooked and it was worth spending more time than the average traveler. One of the attractions in the area is the Queen’s Charlotte Track—which I took my mountain-bike on and posted about a little while ago. But this is a different story!
My friends from Porirua also suggested staying at a hostel in Picton called Juggler’s Rest which was not to be missed. As I can juggle a few balls and ride a unicycle, I was intrigued by the name so I booked in for 4 nights. When I arrived at the hostel I was greeted by a sign out front that got me thinking…A LOT! It was a For Sale sign and, while I was checking in with the charming and irrepressible proprietor, Nikki, I inquired about it. Eventually I got around to asking the price and was surprised how affordable it seemed to me. Keep in mind that I lived in one of the most expensive places in the U.S. for 20 years—the San Francisco Bay Area!
During my very pleasant stay at Juggler’s Rest, Nikki and I continued talking about the prospect of my purchasing Juggler’s Rest. At first it was mere whimsy on my part but the more I thought about it, the more I realized—the more we both realized—that this might be a good fit for both of us. We continued talking about the sale after I left and even met up in Golden Bay to discuss it further. I started mulling over the ramifications for my life of buying a hostel in the small town of Picton and, simultaneously, researching the path to residency that would make this a viable decision.
Unfortunately, I hit one roadblock after another. I became a bit despondent when I met with an immigration specialist who advised against buying. But in talking with Nikki my enthusiasm was renewed as she told me that she’d purchased it many years ago without knowing how everything would unfold and things worked out very well for her. She also reminded me that “experts” sometimes have tunnel vision and often can’t see the bigger picture.
After lots of researching, dreaming and pontificating about the idea of owning Juggler’s Rest, I came to the conclusion that it probably didn’t make sense to buy it. Actually, buying it was the easy part; I just couldn’t figure out how I could legally run it! And I wasn’t interested in turning it into a private residence. Of all the hostels I’ve stayed in around New Zealand (before and since than), Juggler’s Rest is clearly my favorite! Not surprisingly, it’s been the favorite of a lot of other people as well! In 2014 it was voted one of the “The 12 Most Awesome Hostels In The World” by the Huffington Post. http://bit.ly/2qSKjOG. It was also featured in an article titled: “10 Hostels That Are Cooler Than Hotels.”
I circled back to Juggler’s Rest a few times before I finally threw in the towel. While there I spent numerous enjoyable hours learning some new juggling skills, jamming on the guitar, singing, sharing conversation and playing games! I liked the fact that Juggler’s Rest made the conscious choice, like some of the other excellent backpackers in New Zealand, not to have a TV. This definitely encourages more interaction between travelers and makes for a more friendly, open vibe. There were numerous things I loved about Juggler’s Rest. I’ll enumerate a few of them in the picture captions!
Eventually, I moved on from this dream and continued my exploration of the South Island. Although I couldn’t buy Juggler’s Rest (and run it as a business), the process of considering it got me thinking about buying property in New Zealand. Since I visited New Zealand the first time in 1992, I often thought that if I was ever to live outside of the U.S. it would be in New Zealand. I started looking at listings wherever I visited and thinking about where I would like to live if I settled in New Zealand. I considered Wellington, Nelson, Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea. I talked with realtors and I looked at some homes. And while I was in Lake Hawea staying at an Airbnb—with some hosts I became fast friends with (more on that in another post)—I spotted an amazing property in Lawrence, a tiny town in Central Otago.
Neither Picton nor Lawrence were places that I’d considered living but the real estate I found in both places made me reconsider! In Picton it was Juggler’s Rest and in Lawrence it was the Lady of Lawrence. http://bit.ly/2HkQIwW. I was astounded by the price which was less than half of what I sold my Sausalito condo for a couple of years earlier! I had to see it so, just before it went on the market, I found a local realtor and took a look at it. Once I did, the wheels started turning! I envisioned what I would do with it and how I would change it. I wasn’t interested in running it as a B&B but I thought it had some Airbnb potential and I even imagined that it might make a great spiritual retreat center!
I was planning to do a 5-day bike ride in the region so I thought I’d spend a night there (a few days after my initial visit) before considering whether I wanted to make an offer. It’s not often that you can spend a night in the house that you’re considering buying! So I ponied up the $190 for a night—by far the cheapest rate for a night and looked forward to my time there where I could explore in much greater detail! I arrived and met the lovely host who showed me my room. Once again, I was getting very excited about the prospect of owning a property in New Zealand! Once I’d gotten settled I took a seat in the lounge—each of the main rooms had it’s own lounge—and let my mind daydream about the possibilities!
Less than 20 minutes into my stay I got a call from the realtor who had showed me the place a few days before. (She had no idea I was staying there). She told me that an offer had been made and it had been accepted! Not long after I received this call, my host joined me in the lounge and expressed her embarrassment. She said that it the offer was made not long after the open house happened, a day or so after I saw it. I was gob smacked as I took it in. So all my dreams and plans of the last few days go up in a p**f of smoke. My host was kind enough to let me off the hook for my impending stay and said she would refund me if I decided not to spend the night. I took her up on the offer!
Facing disappointment for the second time, I took the lesson to heart, summed up in the proverb: “He who hesitates is lost.” And I moved on again. I can’t remember if it was that same day, or perhaps it was the day after, but I decided to have a look and see what other real estate was available. As I told my embarrassed host at the Lady of Lawrence, I guess this means that something even better is in store for me. At the time I thought I was just repeating a tired platitude but, astonishingly, it turned out to be true. I found an amazing piece of property that I fell in love with and took action immediately. And now, a little over a month later, I am just a few days away from making a down payment on the place! When that happens and the deal becomes “unconditional” as the realtors say here, I will post some details about my new New Zealand home!
