Landscaper Sounds like "turf" work! Maybe Skinny Dan will hire you when you get back. You'll have experience! Keep up the great blogs. Have you taken a peek at Randi's posts recently? If you need the link let me know, she has about 5 now. At the bottom of the page there is a grey box. The one on the left mean previous, if in an earlier post there will be a box on the right to go forward (Dutch). Take care of yourself! Love, Dad
Hamsterman (agree with Stan) Eric, Zorbing looks like something I would not have turned down in my youth. Looks like it was a lot of fun! I am glad you are going on all these day trips to see the country, it also looks as though with all the chosen hikes you must be getting fit, those views from the top were fantastic! Looking forward to chatting with you tomorrow the GH. Stay safe and keep upi the geat blogs! Love Dad
I'm So Envious! Hi Eric, we just got a new computer and so have not been keeping up with your travels but tonight when I logged in I noticed "Rotorura". Back in 1981, John and I went there and spent a lovely day, rented bikes to get around and went to a "spa" or natural hot bath place and the thing I remember the most is that we went into several hot "tubs", each hotter than the last and when we finished and I went to get dressed, I was so RELAXED it was like I had smoked several joints!!(not that I would know what THAT felt like!!)
It seems like you are seeing a lot more of NZ than we did which just confirms my belief that it is a fabulous country to visit and reading about your travels just makes me smile (and more than a little jealous!!) Take care, much love, Aunty Dar and Ron
I'm truly speechless! Well rolling down the hill in a oversized hamster ball is something akin to jumping off a bridge with a rubber band tied around your feet ,hoping your fall will stop before hitting the ground!I think there may have been a few beers and a dare you could not resist! But you are having fun and thats the bottom line ,so good on you for at least trying while the "never do,just talkers" stood and took pics.Looks like a very nice resort area to visit.Nice view from the mountain top.Lucky you went there before trying the "spin dry, scramble my brains" experiance.We had the sheep shearer here yesterday to give Bo and Peep their annual trim and he asked if you were going to learn sheep shearing while you were there.I assured him you were not there to learn the sheep buisness ,but wouild know how to roll down hill in a ball.(I think he is probably still laughing)
Be safe,look before you leap!
Stan
Yeah Zorbing! That's great, I'm so glad you tried it as it is something that maybe is only done in NZ? Do you want that to be a BDay gift or have you thought of something else? Let me know,
Love you, Mom
Birthday Wishes Belated 23rd birthday wishes. Nice to hear you are wiser and more responsible now that you are 23.
Sounds like you had a fun birthday celebration. What a great opportunity to develop your English.
We enjoyed your great pictures. Have a fun-filled long weekend. The Clarks from Langley.
The Weather Eric,
I am just catching up with your travels and am impressed with all that you have been up to! The farm experiance at the kiwi orchard is of interest to me as we have both small and large kiwis here. I will be picking you thoughts when you get back on the right way to prune these fast growing vines. As to your comments on the weather be glad you are not here trying to garden in the cold and wet.It seems to be more like March than June!I'm getting the big push from Deb to get started on the bathroom addition(not sure if the shower or the toilet is the push,afraid to ask!)but will get started soon.Your pics are great and don't be shy about farm one's (not farm animals being farm animals)more about the vines and plants on the farms you visit.Sounds like your companions are great folks and i'm sure they will be so for many years to come.Gramma has plans for her summer gathering next door in early July,I will get Kathy or some other young relly to post pics on facebook for you.If you need home coastal pics to compile bragging rites let me know and I will email some from the North Coast and the farm for you to flaunt around!Keep the kiwis comming north as we need the vitamin "c"(maybe you should sign a few and the two Grammas will be out buying up the kiwi stocks hence increasing you employment opp's)any way enjoy your stay,have SAFE fun!!!
Stan
Hi! Hans is glad that he got to talk to you! Happy Birthday!
Grandma and the family sent you birthday cards to the Counter Mail address that you had before.
Maybe they could forward your mail.
We also gave that address to Cass and your mom, before you moved.
The pictures are great!
Leslie
Wow! Eric, that place is gorgeous.
Have fun with the work.
Is your German improving.
Grandma wants to know if Kerstin is working too are if she is a tourist.
cheers
Leslie
Great blog Eric, really enjoy reading your posts! Sounds like you are having a great time...gaining any weight with all the fish and chips? Keep up the great work! Love, Dad.
Wet Rat? Hope you did not partake of any of the Rat poison. And by the way, tell Penny a little water never hurt anyone! Keep up the great postings! Love, Dad
Hey its good to see you still alive! The place looks beautiful, i love the beaches and how green the grass looks. Its sucks its rainy... its been hot and sunny here in Bamfield, haha. I am jelous that you got swimming though.. i went swimming a pachena the other day and got a brain freeze from the cold water!! Well i hope all is well and i wish you luck with your job search and hiking! im looking forward to pics of your hike :)
Looks great Hi Eric, looks and sounds as though all is OK. I hope you continue on till you find what you want...I know you are able to tie oyster lines :). I read Stan's posts about the close locality of aquaculture there. Just be aware that 3 months of time is 1/4 of your planned trip. Plan wisely....Stay well, healthy and keep us all posted.
Love, Dad
The Southern traveler is doing well up in the warm North of the South! I'm heading out to Russel tomorrow (which is on one of the islands) and will spend most of the day there. The weather predictions are for the sunny clear skies we've been waiting for all week which I plan to put to good use.
I missed my buddies by a single day which was unfortunate, but I've been keeping in contact with them with the evil Facebook.
I am envious of Will and Sarah as I had hoped to get out to the west coast trail before I left, oh well, I 'll have to make time to get out there when I get back.
Please wish well to Grandma and everyone else back home and good luck on the construction, maybe I'll actually be in the same hemisphere next time you plan an addition!
Where is my helper? Hey, hows the southern traveller ? I'm about to start on the addition for our bathroom and got to thinking that my carpenter apprentice is of trecking somewhere! Oh well don't worry Eric the work here is never done. Have you got out to the Islands yet?( assuming theres islands at the Bay of Islands)Grannys truck went back to Bamfield with Will and Sarah,she hopes to drive out to Pachena Bay when back in the summer.Her cast is off and now finding not much strength after 6 weeks of being in the cast.Did you connect back up with your new freinds?It will be very interesting for us back home to follow your season as winter closes in and we move towards summer.Mind you its not yet looking like summer around here ! Still quit cool but the grass is growing as fast as usual.Well I'm digging in the footings out back and hope to finnish today so best get at them! Be safe.......Have fun Stan
Wrong Direction? Good to see you on the move,but as winter is approaching a quick look south before settling in the north may have been a thought. Oh well at least it is sandal weather,you can't complain about that! Deb is chatting with Emily in Calgary and its snowing there!Looking forward to next set of pictures,being on the water's edge is my kind of place. I think there's some mussel aquaculture near there,you can always stretch the job experiance a little and say you have worked at your family's shellfish farm in Canada.You never know what may get you in the door! Good luck with the IRD, I hope they work better than those in Victoria!Use us as a reference if needed ,it won't cost you much when you get back.Safe travels.... Stan
Glad you are not known as 'the American guy!"
My name on facebook is 'A. Clark' as I like to be anonymous.
I will show my account to your dad too so he can see your pictures, taken with your aved camera!
Hope the Bay of Islands is great.
cheers
Leslie
Hi Hi Eric,
We are freezing here! Our high in Bamfield today was 7 degrees! Can you believe it! My calendar says it is May 3rd but it sure doesn't feel like it!
We saw Danielle yesterday in Port Alberni. She and 6 friends were there for the down hill mountain bike race. She decided not to race in the end because she wasn't feeling well. Logan did well. I think this was his second race. Syd was shocked at the trail they were riding on. He couldn't believe that Danielle races on trails like that! It was really cold up the mountain too. Grandma was going to come for the race too but didn't make it. I'm so glad because she would have been freezing.
Danielle's work (B.C. Bike Race) will be in Cumberland on June 28th so Syd and I will see if we can stay with your Mom and get a visit in with Danielle there. She won't be riding as she will be working (and getting paid) so we will take a picnic lunch and have a lovely visit with her. Maybe your Mom will have the day off too.
Glad to hear there are honest people in this world. I, myself, have been very fortunate with things being turned in. One time in Zihua I lost my purse and it had my credit cards and the money to pay the construction workers. Then I got an e-mail from a young girl who had found it. Everything was in the purse and she showed me where the handle had broken. This girl was working in a hotel and only made $10 a day. She could have retired off what was in my purse! LOL!
I'm looking forward to your pictures. Keep your fingers crossed because Danielle is going for her Photography Program interview and show and tell (her portfolio) on Wed. I'm sure she will do well but extra good vibes help!
Travel safe!
Love,
LaRae
just being there is great..... Don't think for a moment that time spent not doing something exciting is wasted! Just being there is special! Soak in the differences between home and your current locale. Sounds wonderful! Sorry to hear that they let McD's past the customs barrier to proliferate like vermin. Maybe it would be a good place to experience the worst possible lamb burger. (they serve lobster burgers in maritime canada, horse in France, so why not lamb in NZ?) At least everything would taste better elsewhere. When we were in Hawaii I was uncomfortable with being on a speck in the middle of a vast ocean - too far to a large mass of land. No logical reason for that, hell, they have all the requisite trappings of civilization: Hyundai dealerships, homeless people, McD's, and freeways going everywhere. I wonder if you've felt this vague sense of discomfort about NZ? After all it too is a speck in themiddle of a pretty large expanse of water. Hope not, or if you do, just remember that it's temporary. I can't wait to see pix of the Bay of Islands! Have a relaxed, interesting time!
Lucky Guy Hey, glad to hear you aren't down a camera. We got cut off on Skype last Wed, did your battery run out? How's the cold, hope you are feeling better. Talk to you soon. Love you, Mom
Aukland is nice but lets get to the farm Good on you Eric, sounds like you have got the true spirit of travel. Make freinds as some will turn into life time freinds , the part of the world you hail from is actually where everyone wants to come to! As you travel you will be answering as many questions as you ask.Keep a good list running of aquaintances as you go,Deb and I still get notes from travel mates from back in the 70's.The pics are openning on my Iphone ,they are great so dont lose the camera and more pics please.We are just letting go from Port Hardy north bound with a midnight stop at Bella Bella,up the inside passage to Prince Rupert. So travel safe we're all waiting for the next post......Stan
Dad
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Landscaper
Sounds like "turf" work! Maybe Skinny Dan will hire you when you get back. You'll have experience! Keep up the great blogs. Have you taken a peek at Randi's posts recently? If you need the link let me know, she has about 5 now. At the bottom of the page there is a grey box. The one on the left mean previous, if in an earlier post there will be a box on the right to go forward (Dutch). Take care of yourself! Love, Dad