The Spaceship - Nelson

     Beam Me Up

Pippy McCurdy

http://www.unusualstays.com/

http://italyoffthebeatentrack.blogspot.co.nz/2016/01/italy-off-beaten-track.html
https://www.facebook.com/Stay-Somewhere-Strange-273777766054597/

Ever thought about spending a night in a spaceship? This you can do if you choose to go to Nelson, because on a high hill overlooking the harbour entrance, aliens have landed! Well to be more factual this is actually a Futuro House produced in New Zealand in the 1970s - but it is surely as close to sleeping in a spaceship as anyone who hasn't been abducted by aliens is ever likely to get.

Futuro Houses were  designed by the Finnish architect Matti Suuronen and sold around the world for a short time. Of 96 altogether, twelve were fabricated under license in New Zealand. Only a handful remain.

The Futuro in Nelson is a gleaming white saucer but in the dusky light of  evening it glows a warm gold amongst the flowers and bushes of a charming hillside garden.

 Entry into the Futuro is by fold out porthole steps. The oval windows stare out unblinking but inside the cabin is comfortable and warm. Furniture remains almost unchanged from its original assembly, it would seem. Circular shaped furniture is of course not that easy to come by -  meaning that any change in style would necessitate custom made selections. Hence 70s style predominates.

The Nelson Futuro has great views. It has a generous garden and plenty of outdoor spaces. Slightly above is a second building - this time a small cottage with a sheltered deck overgrown with climbers laden with flowers and colour. With a barbecue handily situated on the deck this cottage is the ideal spot perched just high enough to look out over the Futuro and capture the harbour views below.




Staying in a spaceship is an experience not to be missed and has to be recommended. The Nelson Futuro only seems to be available occasionally. I would say make the most of the chance if you find it free on one of these occasions.

Golden Bay Hideaway

House Trucking It

Pippy McCurdy
 http://www.unusualstays.com/
http://www.stumbleuponcroatiaslovenia.com/

A hippie house-truck perched on a hillside overlooking the deep blue of Wainui Bay and inlet is a great place to be. The house truck  must surely have really been around since the hippie era. Inside it is  relaxed, well-equipped, comfortable. The truck that it is perched on certainly looks ancient -  I am no vehicle expert but surely it's no spring chicken. Nevertheless I'm not here for the driving. I'm here for the view, the outside bath, the forested surroundings and the nostalgia. And the hippie house truck delivers on all fronts.

The hippie house truck belongs to the Golden Bay Hideaway, which offers several other accommodation options as well including the Little Greenie - awarded 9 stars as NZ's most energy efficient home in 2009. Golden Bay Hideaway operates completely on green principles , with its emphasis on re-use , re-cycle, and in the case of the hippie house truck, restore.

In the house-truck  heating is primarily  a wood burner, the toilet is composting. But comfort is not lacking. In fact the bed with its view out over the bay is excellent. Added to this, the sound system has six speakers; the outdoor bath has plenty of hot water;  and there are even grounds for the coffee plunger. (This is in fact surprisingly unusual, - even in relatively expensive accommodation.)

With its oak panelled walls, its peace sign on the door, its stained glass windows, and its CD selection featuring Janis Joplin, Cat Stevens and Don McLean to name a few, the hippie house truck serves as a reminder as to why the sixties is the decade voted most popular to return to in  the past hundred years.  Not surprising at all really. This is a great place to stay.