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Published: January 30th 2008
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Reflections
with the fisherman at dusk on Puheke Beach Two German backpackers, an Israeli backpacker, a camper van with three wheels.........the fourth wheel in a nearby field, all sat outside the house on a normal sunny afternoon here!
I was just getting out of the shower when auntie Judy shouted to me, I sent Ste down, who had looked out of the window moments before as he had heard a loud noise and wondered what it was. As he looked out he saw James making his way out to what he thought was a customer at the veg stall they have set up at the gates...........what he found was a bit different. All is he could see was a white clapped out camper van on three wheels inches away from the stall, as he looked to his right he could see three guys all searching in the long grass for there missing wheel! hmmmmmm.
As they returned with the retrieved wheel, they explained what had happened. These three guys had met randomly in Auckland.......one of the German lads had bought a camper van so the others tagged along to ease costs! They had been on the road for a week and were on there way to Cape Reinga,
Look at all the pretty colours..
We took a trip to Napier and this dusk sky was beautiful when as they slowed down for the corner one of the wheels flew off!
It was lucky really that they were going slow as if they would have been going along a straight road at a high speed they would have caused a serious accident.
Anyway one of these guys was convinced that he could fix it himself, so he set about taking everything apart! All of this drama was being overlooked by the usual crowd at the pub across the road, one of the blokes who looked like a big hairy builder with tattoos came over and explained that he could fix it........you just don't know if these people are being serious or not and to be honest I think he was drunk! Anyway the guys trusted him and decided they would let him fix it, in true New Zealand style the man explained that he was unable to do it there and then they would have to wait!
Before these guys had chance to think James has roped them into picking sweetcorn........there is just so much of it, much is going to go to waste. Only that day had James been making a sign for backpackers
Vine Fields
on the east coast there is more grapes growing than you could ever imagine! to come and pick, and there he had it right on his doorstep.
We all went along to pick sweetcorn, by this time Clayton and the kids had arrived so they were roped into it too! Once we were back home it was tea making time on mass, as we had extra mouths to feed, Auntie Judy and I whipped some bits up that included sweetcorn! We are sick of the sight of the damn stuff and neither of us like eating it either! The new editions to the mad house stayed around the next day and the van was fixed........in the meantime we went off for a snapper rock outing, this time it was so choppy and quite scary. Fish were caught for tea so at least the guys had a good feed before heading off for more adventures!
For the past couple of weeks we have been helping out with picking the fruit and veg that is coming on so quickly.......you go round one day pick heaps (NZ speak for lots or many!) then the next day there is double the amount.
We have also been helping to sell the produce, mainly beans, tomatoes, cucumbers
wee fella
he needed winding... and yes you have guessed it sweetcorn.......we take a trailer and drive to some spots on the east coast and just sell it at the side of the road, you meet some odd people I can tell you but it is all good fun! It seems to be the normal thing here to buy your fruit and veg off the side of the road which is fab.
For all of those people that know me you know what i am like with animals........well the pigs across the way have had piglets rhhhhh.....they are so cute and so pink! They are a couple of weeks old now, they grow so fast. I came in the other day and there was a crate that is used to put produce inside sat inside the washroom.......as i got closer i discovered that this crate was 'oinking'!!!! As I looked down i saw the cutest little piglet that had been rescued form its big brothers and sisters who had been bashing it. They are double her size as she is the runt of the litter. I just had to pick it up, it was so soft! I shouted Ste he had a cuddle then
Puheke Beach
another idyllic beach Northland has to offer we set about trying to feed her. As she is used to sucking from her mum, Auntie Judy went out and bought a bottle.......but she was having none of it!
She was very weak as she had been pushed around by the others. I ended up nursing her most of the day which sent her fast asleep, they are like human babies. To be honest we didn't think it would last the night but the newly named 'pinky' was alive and kicking the next morning. Auntie Judy had managed to get pinky drinking from a dish, she is like a new piglet full of life! The kids have been around and they love her as i am sure you can imagine. She squeaks when she wants feeding and you have to nurse her to sleep, then place her into her crate which is full of blankets as you need to keep them warm. Lucy the poodle is very unsure about this new arrival getting special attention, we let her run around in the garden and Lucy just chases her around, she just wants to be friends!
I love animals and could never be a farmer i would
Fruit Picking
Thousands of Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Watermelons,Green Beans to be picked never be able to let them go. We are now Mummy Bex piggy and daddy Ste piggy (well so pinky seems to think).Give us some practice anyway ha ha ha!
The time has now come to leave this beautiful country and head back to Australia to earn some cash and visit the West coast of Perth. We are so sad to be leaving a it feels like home now, we even know people in the supermarkets and banks its funny. After waiting nearly two months for our working visa it doesn't seem quite real yet that we are going......I am sure it will when we are trying to find a job and somewhere to live in a few days! We fly out of Auckland on Friday 1st and arrive in Perth in the afternoon, it will take us nearly 10 hours to get there between two flights so that should be nice......not! ha ha ha. We plan to find a room in a house or a flat somewhere to rent short term instead of staying in a backpackers so we will see what we can find when we arrive.
New Zealand has so much to offer, the way
Gavin's Jag
this classic Jaguar was Gavins pride and joy of life is one that we love and could see ourselves living in.....so relaxed unlike the busy British way of life that is over priced! We can not thank the Jones family enough for all of their time, patience and there comfy bed! We have been left with some unforgettable memories of Snapper rock, Peg's famous cakes and slices (that have caused a slight increase on the waist line), The kids in and out of the pool, James with his shop outside the gate, Little Lucy bouncing round, Auntie Judy's beer battered snapper and lessons in Veges growing along with her kindness and sense of humour. All of these things that we will miss and I am sure that we will be back very soon to experience
the kiwi way of life again!
So from me, Ste, pinky and our last New Zealand blog, we will speak to you all soon and update you on what we are up to xxxxxxx
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