Day 159 - A farm, Onerai

I'm here! I managed to catch my bus ok in the end.
Last night I stayed at a lovely hostel in Whangerai (called Bunktown lodge, highly recommended). This morning David, the owner of the place I will work, picked me up and drove me out to Onerai, where the farm is located. It's a small place really, run by David and his partner Lyndsey (who I haven't met yet, but seemed lovely over the phone).

This afternoon David showed me around the house, and then we drove down to visit a neighbour, Mike, to help him out with his irrigation. I say help; Mike, David and another neighbour (some funny old American guy with lots of facial hair) spent about an hour trying unsuccessfully to fit the bits of plastic together whilst scratching their heads and saying things like "dunno mate, dimn company sint us the wrong beets". Meanwhile Mike's young daughter and me scrambled over the fence to pick ripe peaches and scoff them down (well, it was listed as one of the required tasks!).

This evening we ate a v. healthy meal and chatted away about this and that. Turns out that David used to work in IT, and actually worked in Milton Keynes for 9 months on a contract (not EDS though, that would be really wierd). Funnily enough, he used to catch the 33 bus to N'pton on the odd Saturday to go shopping, and I pointed out that he had therefore driven right past our house several few times. It's a small world! He was addicted to Grand Designs when in the uk, and his house is like a grand design project itself - still in progress but very swish, and overlooking the bay and forested hills. I've got my own room, with it's own lovely terrace that I can sit on and watch the sun set behind the sea. Will put photos on to make you all jealous as soon as I get round to taking them.

Anyway, just watched Midsummer Murders and I'm now going to go to bed. Tomorrow I will be feeding the woodchipper and mulching some fruit trees. Also keeping my eye out for some wholesome kiwi farmer's sons, though our neighbours are so far off I don't think I should raise my hopes.

Day 158 - Auckland (not for much longer)

Another week gone, time flies when you are having fun!

This week has been much like the last; stripping beds and cleaning in the morning and job hunting, sightseeing and hanging around with guys at the hostel in the afternoon.

Yesterday I decided that I was sick of doing the above when I had a whole great country to explore, so I contacted a few farms in Whangerai (place up in the north) to see if I can help out for a week. One in Onerahi came back quickly, so that's where I'm going (pic below). Apparently my duties will include weeding, feeding a tractor powered mulcher, harvesting in-season fruit, general orchard maintenance, eating macadamias & fruit. I'm liking the sound of the last one!

After I work for a week or so (depending on how I like it) I'm going to do some exploring round the North bit; tramping through forests, quad biking down 90-mile beach, sea kayaking - it all sounds good.

Unfortunately the plans have already had a bit of a, urm, hiccup. I was meant to catch a 1.30 bus to Whangerai today, but unfortunately lingered too long over lunch, completely lost track of time, and totally missed it. Durr, I never change :-). Anyway, I'm going to catch a later bus at 6pm, which gets in after 8. What a palaver!