we stopped work @ the vineyard last Sat, did 4 days of WWOOFing at a 750-acre Anne-of-Green-Gables farm (quite tranquil & lovely, really) where we weeded the garden, ate fresh lettuce & milk from the cow, & scrubbed some pool tiles.
also, stopped in Havelock North, a tiny town w/ downright frightening public toilets. You had to push a green button to enter, the door slid open, the door closed, & a canned voice spoke, concerning the 10-minute time limit, after which the door would automatically open! elevator music then commenced; the toilet paper, soap, water, & dryer were all automatic. from the toilet, I could see the handprints on the stainless steel door, signifying to me that some poor soul wrestled desperately w/ the door, attempting to get it to open, before finally realizing (perhaps after 10 minutes?) that you had but to push another green button. Personally, I like to control the doors myself, especially if you're in a windowless room that has strange voices.
since then, we've moved a bit north, just outside Rotorua, on Lake Tarawera (we're getting the hang of these names now), staying w/ a lady & her 12-year-old girl, as well as a German WWOOFer, where we'll be through Dec. 22. went kayaking on the lake today, quite lovely, really. also have plans for more adventurous activities to come, not sure of holiday plans.
