So you get the idea i have just been hanging around a lot at the mo. Got in touch with a couple we met on the bus journey back from the Tongariro Circuit who invited to take us on a tour of Northland. The weather was awful but still they gave us the lowdown on the history of the Maori land and we saw the Cavelly Islands and the oldest stone building in NZ (!) built in 1880 or something crazy. We then went back to KeriKeri for dinner at their house with their son. they had an a-class catamaran, a boat, some GTO sports car and a paintball course all in their garden, boys paradise. Dain got to play paintball for a bit as he'd never tried it before. i stood and watched in the pouring rain...thinking of all the bruises i could be getting. Yvonne cooked Roast Lamb with roast potatoes, pumpkin, kumara, parsnips and carrot and cabbage from her garden. Oh and lets not forget a Feijoa sponge for pudding...they are my new addiction! They look a bit like limes, with a texture similar to kiwis and a taste of passionfruit! Delicious!
MOstly had quiet nights to save money and the weathers been awful anyhoo. So our time has been spent watching movies and eating popcorn. Decided to stay our last night wtith Dains friend Willy and his girlfriend Jenny. They live about 20mins out of Paihia in a little house with a lake. They were almost entirely self sufficient...washing water came from lake, drinking water from the rain, electric from a generator and solar lights, eggs from chickens, it was incredible. They also had a pet sheep. dog and had just acquired a Pigmy piglet called Truffle- so cute i want one!! We got up early after a night of strange ni\oises...heard Kiwis and opther animals wandering around outside. Went off to do an early morning charity hike for the Summits for Ed memorial campaign in memory of Sir Edmond Hilary. However it got cancelled when we arrived due to the Tongariro trgedy which happened this week (2school children were swept away in a outdoor pursuits cnetre) so we had a minutes silence at the bottom and went of to Mount Blesloe to the look out. We then went to the Waitangi Treaty grounds where the infamous treaty was made. Saw a huge Waka (canoe) hollowed from just one tree, that was one helluva treee!!
Then it was goodbye. Very emotional as i felt so at home in Paihia and knew ppl there. But hey next step of my adventure is beginning. ...xxx
