Locals Abroad - California Dreaming

When well-travelled journalist and author Frank Nelson’s kids left home so did he and his wife


A quarter of a century ago, British-born immigrants Frank and Maria Nelson arrived in Blenheim with their two young children. Settling into a “great old villa in Murphy’s Road with a couple of acres” and Frank’s job at the Marlborough Express, the family quickly fell into a longstanding love affair with the lifestyle of the Marlborough region.

“We loved visiting the different vineyards, tasting wines and, where possible, eating at winery restaurants,” says Frank, before listing a few other fond Marlborough memories: “The people, who are so down-to-earth and friendly, the great local arts and crafts, the Wither Hills, the Wine and Food Festival.”

But for the last decade and more that love affair has mostly been a long-distance one.  Frank and Maria previously fed the travel bug pulsing through their veins with extended trips to Europe, South Africa, and Australia, but in the mid-1990s they craved a more substantial taste of the exotic. “When the kids finally left home it seemed like a good opportunity to do some more serious travel,” says Frank. “So we gave up our jobs, rented out the house and took off for a year, maybe two. That was 12 years ago.”

The Nelsons headed to the United States and “worked for two months in summer camps in Vermont and on Cape Cod”. Stints in England, Melbourne, England again, and Brisbane followed, before they returned stateside, armed with Green Cards. “We had a year in Colorado, a year in San Diego, and six months in Seattle, all with more trips back to work for a few months at a time in England,” says Frank. “We came to Santa Barbara about six years ago intending to stay a year but haven't yet been able to drag ourselves away!”

The appeal of the ‘small by American standards’ Californian city echoes some of what the couple loves about Marlborough; a picture-postcard natural environment of oceans and beaches against a backdrop of low hills and mountains, a fantastic climate, great food and arts cultures, and an eclectic mix of interesting people.

Although Frank – who initially wrote for the daily Santa Barbara News-Press before switching to freelancing for publications such as the world-renowned Los Angeles Times – says the couple intend to eventually return permanently to their Blenheim home (which they sporadically visit). For now, they’re happy basking in the California sunshine. “Living here is very stimulating and enriching,” he says. “The beach is about a one-minute walk from our place and in the mornings and evenings when we walk along the sand we are almost certain to see dolphins cruising along maybe 50 meters offshore.”

It seems that after years wandering an adventure-filled road, Frank and Maria have gone from one lifestyle paradise to another.