Update

[TheWaters]

Hi there,

Well no luck mending the lappy yet hence the disappearance from the forum. Not all our hosts have broadband, or even the internet full stop, so emailing home, writing blog and generally keeping up with things is a bit of an issue. Just spent several hours while we house sitting for current hosts typing up our last 2 months here. If you interested go to http://mikeandhelen.bolggers.co.nz I warn you tis very long but can navigate by place using the menu down the right hand side.

In short, the last time we updated we were in Katikati. We have since met with Fisheress and Maggimoo; that was great. We then headed to Rotorua but not in time to catch Lil Amy and Stu. We weren?t sure about Rotorua to begin with but over time t grew on us. We quite enjoyed our time and our hosts took us to a schools speech competition final where we met the dept mayor. Also to an agreement signing of a new nature reserve being run by the local environment group, hunters and anglers and Maoris. Our hosts were very active in the community so I think this was very beneficial to us to see what the place had to offer.

Next we headed to Opotiki (where we are now) for 4 weeks. First two with hosts and the second two house sitting for them. We have been looking after their organic fruit/veg venture, packing small orders, planting veg, much weeding and keeping an eye on lamb triplets and a calf which have been born since they left. We also took 3 days to tour the East Cape, well worth it! Lovely from Opotiki to the top but quite rough and ready from Hicks bay round. We also had a day in Gisborne which we thought was all right. Clean and friendly but far from anywhere. We?d be happy here if we were offered a job but not a home of high choice.

We have climbed Mt Maunganui, been to several of the thermal activity parks in Rotorua (dead cool and scary!), been in the cab of the Wahi Goldfields Railway, climbed to East Cape light house (watch your calf muscles on the way down?and for several days after), been swimming in the sea, driven the Motu Road (the old coach road to Gisborne, 48km of unsealed road clinging to the mountain edge, very cool and VERY scary at times!), been taken by our hosts to a river in the back end of beyond and built a fire to cook lunch over, been to the Kaweru wood skills festival, been to the local college to see the Kapa Haka called the Delamere Cup (competition between schools of Maori dances and songs including the Haka, very intense, very competitive and quite moving, not at all like what is put on for tourists), done a gorge walk where we had to cross a small river twice, in bare feet and thigh deep, taken heaps of photos, and generally seen as much of things as we can and living with locals is great for seeing stuff tourists don?t.

Well that?s it for now, other info in other threads. Bye for now, HFW.

[MotherBear]

Good grief, Helen. What an amazing time you've been having. Absolutely great to hear all about your adventures. You'll know NZ inside out before long and will certainly be a credit to the tourist industry when you get your job.

.

Off to read your blog now so I can get all the details. :D

[Glenda]

Wow, the amount of things you have done since you have been here sounds amazing! What an unusual but effective way of seeing the country. :)

[selchie]

Wow, what a way to experience the country. I wish we were young enough for the WHV. I look forward to reading more about your adventures.

BTW, the link to your blog has a typo - "bolggers" instead of "bloggers".

[Glenda]

BTW, the link to your blog has a typo - "bolggers" instead of "bloggers".

Wondered why I couldn't get on! :-? So it is www.mikeandhelen.bloggers.co.nz ... will go on there now!
:)

[TheWaters]

We're still here

finally found a backpackers with free wifi, such a rare find!! internet access is proving harder than we thought so catching up while i can.

we headed to south island today on the ferry which was dead cool even tho weather was crap. saw dolphins alongside and the scenery was even more breathtaking than so far. where the ferry goes through the narrow channel the real steep cliffs covered in dense bush either side that just plunge into the water. we drove this really windy road all along the queen charlotte sound and it was so cool.

going to our next host tomorrow, an almond orchard. hope it is good. just came from an emu and blueberry farm. odd combination. the family were real nice but we spent most of our working time sewing fruit netting together to cover the 100m2 of blueberries. wellington was quite nice but think i prefer auckland. to be fair didn't see much of it tho and the weather was crap. stayed in this hole of a backpackers last night so dead miserable but more cheerful today with new land to explore and a nice hostel.

hoping to get some vineyard work next week for a few weeks and then maybe we can travel a bit of South island with out having to stay with hosts. they all seem a bit weird down here.

also worked with a host in hastings that wasn't so good but we loved the area, esp havelock north. also the mountains inland. did some cool walks here. masterton was also nice and we liked the less severe countryside. again, cool mountains. decided we want a lifestyle block and to grow our own fruit, veg and meat. hme kill stuff tastes sooo much better than the supermarkets. well thats us in short but again there is tons more in the blog. i had hoped to be of more help describing areas but with the lappy breaking and limited internet access things didn't really pan out. i will try to do better!!

helen.

[TheWaters]

ps, just read ur post selchie, thanks for the sharp eyes and sorry for my apalling typing. :)

[MotherBear]

Hi Helen,

Comforting to know you're still on your epic tour of NZ, despite the ups and downs of bad weather and dodgy hosts. Been reading your blog - quite a read and I haven't finished it yet. Very interesting. Will be something to look back on in years to come.

Thanks for keeping us up to date.

[LilAmy]

Hi helen,

Sorry we missed you when you were in Wellie. We've not had internet much since moving to Wellie. Just got broadband installed in our flat now which is cool so I can catch up with everything.

Hope you enjoy the South Island. We're thinking of doing a week there over New Year and seeing some places we missed out on when we visited last year.

Have fun and keep in touch when you can.

Sorry to hear you didn't like Wellie. The weather has been awful but it's picked up something today and is lovely.

Take care

[Dawn]

Helen, sounds like you#re having a great time. We would also love to have a few acres and stuff so we'll be plying you for info when you get yours.

Happy trekking ;)