Camera and cyclones!

I realised I had lost my camera on ym trip out to browns bay and phoned around a few places but no-one had seen it. I had resigned myself that it was lost forever anf that no-one was going to see anymore photos of NZ! (and am so looking forward to taking photos of the fox glaciers and the sounds etc).
anyway, today I phoned the boat yard we stopped at on the way back.. and someone handed it in!!! YAY!! Sandy and I are going to get it in the morning before I go to my next job. I am so relieved!!
Pat and Stacey came to get a small bag of my stuff yesterday which was cool. Something less to carry! I could do with halving my stuff again, as when I go to the South Island I'll need to buy thermals if I intend to be there for the winter.
The last couple of days there has been a cyclone in Orewa so I haven't been out much, its hot and calm this evening but its meant to be bad tomorrow again. This is clearly my fault since in a recent blog I said "it hasn't rained in Orewa yet.." famous last words huh?!! Its been soooo windy and rainy!! the palm trees have been blowing about wildly!
The bright side is the backpackers has been busier!
She is trying to sell the place as well and someone came to look at it for the 4th time yesterday so shes hoping they will make an offer. I reckon a backpackers would be a nice business to have. I could picture myself with a little backpackers somewhere in the South Island!
So tomorrow will be the last time I clean the backpackers and then I'll be off to the next job...!

Big Waves!

I went swimming off Orewa Beach yesterday and my god there were big waves!! It really knocked the cobwebs flying!! I took this guy (Chris) as he hadnt swum in the New Zealand sea before..It was great fun!!
Then we cooked a yummy meal and I tried Ostrich meat for the first time! (Very rich - yummy)
Then Paul turned up last night to tell me he was back in the area! and strangely enogh he has found a woofing job in Dairy Flats! Turns out we will both be at the same sheep farm!! So thats cool! he says its great there!
Today Sandy took me to Browns Bay which was nice, its really close to Rangitoto island and theres plenty of shops. We went and sat in a cafe and she did plenty of shopping!
Chris hung around another day so he could spend it with me but I seem to have mislaid him somewhere so I guess I will head back to the backpackers and try and find him!
Has anyone heard of katchafire? they are my new favourite band! I would buy their CD but as I
a) am broke
b) don't have any space in my backpack, and
c) don't have anything to play it on, then I guess I'll wait and buy it another time!
I have been going through my stuff today trying to get it to be less stuff as Pat and Tony have agree to me chucking a few bits in their garage - so that will be relief for my back!!
Am not sure how often I'll make it into town living in the dairy flats so don't worry about me if I'm not updating my blog!

Hot sand!

Its a beautiful day here, it has actually been hot and sunny pretty much everyday since I got to Orewa. I walked along the beach to come into town to check my emails and the sand was so hot I burnt my feet! I shall go for a swim in a bit!
I am moving to the Dairy Flats on Tuesday 28th to stay with a lady who is a teacher and has sheep etc. I'll be helping with the sheep, cleaning and weeding. Its help exchange which includes food which is cool! will save me a bit of money for a while!
I am looking forward to Lou coming out on the 10th. Panning to stay at City Garden Lodge the night before she comes out and the night she arrives. Then we will probably go to Whangerei. I am looking for work for when she leaves on the 27th. I am in comtact with a family on Great Barrier island so I am hoping to go over there and work for them. they would like me now.. but of course I am not able to and if I am going to spend $100 to get over there then I want to make the most of it and stay out there longer than a week!!
Not much else has been happening. A group of English people stayed at the backpackers one night and as they were 17/18 made me feel very old when I told them I was 26! they were quite entertaining though, one of the boys decided to dance and strip on the coffee table! The videos and photos his friends took will be used as bribery for the rest of his life probably!! Made me laugh anyway!!
Other than that I've been baking bread and stuff!

Notice and moving on.

Yesterday I emailed my notice to Worthing Women's Aid. I got a response today. Obviously thery are not thrilled but I am glad I've done it! It feels a weight has been lifted from my shoulders!
As for Orewa I'm going to be handing in my notice here soon I think. I can't find paid work and the backpackers is so quiet I on't see 1 or 2 people a day staying there.
The options are Great Barrier Island or somewhere nearby. I just need to investigate how easy it is to get to Great Barrier, the times are very vague online.

Baking Bread and Time Difference

It is VERY quiet here at Marco Polo Backpackers, but evry couple of days or so someone interesting comes though and stays here for a night!
I have been talking to alot of people who do reiki. Back in England I had intended to do my reiki level one traning but hadn't got round to it because of a lack of money and the chance hadn't come up. I intend to do it out here as soon as I get the chance.
I have been taking this opportunity of peace and solitude to experiment with my cooking. I've been doing pretty well. I'm also trying to eat healthier so am trying to wean myself off certain foods! Last night I cooked venison and roast veg! I also baked my own bread! It was trail and error as I had no recipe - but my bread rools turned out pretty well for a first time!
I've read 4 books this week - yesterday "Man and Boy" which was good!
I've been phoning around for jobs but not getting anywhere. I've got to phone the rest homes back tomorrow but if i don't get anything then I'm considering moving on to somewhere else soon. It will be letting my host (owner of Marco Polo) down but I guess thats life!
The clocks changed during the night so we are now only 12 hours different from the UK rather than the 13 it has been since I came out here!

Chilled!

I've had a good few days. Been hanging out with Paul. (Amanda went to Whangerai) We went to Auckland the day before yesterday with his friend Brynt and I tried Japanese food. I ate with chopsticks which I've realised slows down how fast I eat dramatically! (People are always saying I eat really fast and I know I should slow down but never do!)
Sorry Eva I did try to get your stuff from the IEP but by the time we got to Queen Street after Mount Eden and swimming etc it was 8pm.. I'll try to get it another time.
We went swimming in the sea (a daily event) but still much enjoyed! Its great how beaches in NZ are so quiet and you can be the only person on the beach, yet they also have great facilities and usually have a chnaging room and shower tucked away somewhere!!
I also tried Liquorice tea which I really liked so have bought some today. Thats two types of tea I like now, that yummy one Eva made and liquorice tea. I've decided its a cheap drink so thought it was a good idea to buy some! Maybe its just the English normal tea with milk that I don't like!?
Yesterday after cleaning the hostel I just sat around reading on the beach and around the hostel. I finished the Da Vinchi Code which was in a hostel bookswap. The bookswaps are really good here - a cheap way to have lots of different books to read!! since its so popular and its been in the book charts forver I thought it was about time I read it!! It was good, not the best book I've ever read or anything but still absorbing! Today I have started The Curious dog at midnight. Which I'm guessing you have read mum since it about aspergers? Its very good so far!
I am still looking for paid work and trying to live on nothing so I don't spend any money! So I try not to come into town - but then if I don't come into town I won't get work!
I've filled in an application for New World but not heard anything, and am about to take an application into Hola a restaurant / bar. If I don't find anything its not the end of the world I can live cheaply until Lou gets here - but it would have been nice to have more spending money for when she come over! When she leaves I'll have to find some paid work fast or at least a job that includes food!! (which some woofing ones do). Have seen a couple on the islands surrounding Auckland - which I have ben wanting to go to for ages!! But for now I'll stick to the hostel I'm in as I agreed to stay for the month - and its probably good for me to spend some solitary time. (since Paul's gone it has been VERY quiet there - so quiet that I barely speak to anyone all day!
Have realised I desperately wan to learn to drive so that I can buy a campervan and live and travel in it..have a feeling lessons might be expensive though so I guess I just need someone to give me some free lessons!! - either that or I only pick up hitchhikers who have their liscence so they can get a lift at the same time as making it legal for me to drive!!
Have drafted out my letter to Worthing Women's Aid to resign from my job.. will read it through a few times and then send it!
I can't afford to put my photos on disk at the moment so you'll all have to wait for more photos!!
I also want to say a huge THANK YOU to Pat for picking me up at the airport the other day. It is really so kind of you. Its strange thinking of you living so nearby to where I am now I keep expectng you to drive past when I'm walking along the road or something!! (the walk from my hosten to Orewa town centre is about half an hour which is good to keep me healthy! its nice as I can walk along the beach and stuff!)

It feels like another country!

after Akaroa, Orewa feels like another country. The North Island is so completely different from the South!
I have met some cool people though which is good!
Theres two of us cleaning at the backpackers Chintaro and me. He's from Japan and will be leaving Wednesday when it will just be me cleaning the whole place (which is apparently normal!). The language barrier makes it hard to have a conversation though but he's very nice. Its very different from Chez La Mer but I think I'll be fine! I don't know about a paid job yet. I had a look today but its Sunday so alot of places are shut, so I will try again tomorrow afternoon after cleaning!
I am hanging out with a Scottish girl called Amanda and an English guy who has been travelling for 25 years called Paul today. They are both very into the natural healing so am hoping to have some reiki and shiatsu tonight!!
There is no internet at marco polo so I have to come into town to check them, so be aware I am not going to be checking them nearly as regularly now I have pay for it!!
Eva I miss you sooo much, it was so sad leaving you yesterday!! The flight went well and evrything. I am clearly not meant to be in Christchurch though - as last time I went to Chritchurch I twisted my anke and this time I was wondering around the Botanical Gardens yesterday twisted it again and just fell to the floor!! I had to lay there for over an hour and thought I was going to miss my flight!! I just had to hobble to the airport shuttle!!
Pat and Stacey picked me up from the airport again!! They are so lovely!! Thankyou!! It was really nice to see you again!

C'est La Vie

Last night was Erika's, Stu's and Lewis's last night so 11 of us went out for a meal at the best restaurant in town which is called C'est La Vie. Its expensive, hence me not having been before but it was absolutely scrummy!! Its a little place, only seating 24, and they have two sittings 6:30pm and 8:30pm, its sold out every night. We had the 8:30pm booking which is better as then you can take much longer over the meal!
I had the Canard a l'orange which was absolutely scrummy, but we picked and tried each others foods. So I tried these scrummy oysters (I don't usually like oysters but these were very good!), venison, chicken stuffed with brie, salmon, and beef fillet! It was all fantastic!!
The place has a really good atmosphere and all the walls are covered in messages people have written!
I'll put the photos up of the evening when I get round to it!!
Tomorrow is my last day working and my replacement has started at Chez La Mer. I'm trying not to think about the fact I'm leaving as I may well cry but I'm also excited at seeing another town. I reassure myself by telling myself that I can come back to Akaroa when I have seen the rest of New Zealand! I'll certainly be coming back to the South Island after I have travelled the North Island with Lou. Apparently the North Island is alot warmer than the South but I am still going to look for a bigger jacket/fleece when I'm in Christchurch on Saturday (I've got a few hours there before I catch my plane). I'm also planning on looking around the Botanical gardens which are meant to be lovely. I didn't get to see much of Christchurch when I was there last as my ankle was so painful I couldn't move. about all I saw was the hospital, the supermarket and the backpackers!!

Onuku Farm

Eva and I had a lovely night at Onuku Farm, we got picked up in town (By town I mean Akaroa) and got taken up there, its really steep track 6 kms up!
Its a beautiful tranquil place in the middle on nowhere! I loved it! It was quite cloudy so we couldn't see much out of our stargazer but Eva did wake me up at 4am ish to have alook at some. I kind of put my glasses on and had a quick look but then just rolled over and went to sleep again!
But anyway it was great and we were very lucky as when we got there we were told we didn't have to pay as Sarah out boss at Chez La Mer had paid for our night there! How lovely of her!
We went on one hike down to the mauri village and the yoghurt farm, and exploring the campsite. The rest of the time we mostly sat around chatting. I met a guy from Brighton, who had a van he lived in, he is travelling the world but had got caught up in Onuku for a couple of years!! I don't blame him! he had caught a huge kingfish which was very yummy!
Then last night Gary had brought another huge salmon over for Anna's birthday, we went to the chip shop and bought loads of chips and kumara chips and Ronan cooked the salmon on the bbq. I cooked up some veg. I have been eating alot more veggies over here - alot healthier a diet! and as I gave up crisps and fast food for lent thats even healthier!
Now its Tuesday already and my last day working is Friday.

The marai, a meeting place for the mauri, which we are not allowed in.

The little mauri church, wedding and funerals are held here.

Me looking at the views from Onuku Mauri village

The little chicks running about at Onuku Farm - I like this place so much I might come back in 6 months or so and work there!

Onuku Farm at a distance

We stopped here to buy fresh home made yoghurt. I thinbk this would be the sort of place that you would come and stay at mum and dad if you were comeing over!

The walk down from Onuku Farm to the marai, we stopped here at this farm to buy fresh home made yoghurt

The star gazer

Me and Eva in our little hut!

The view from our Stargazer at Onuku farm
www.stargazer.co.nz
or it might be
www.stargazer.com
Try either if you want to look at their website!

Stuart doing the fire poi! You can't actually see him but I promise he's there! I have been practising with them without the fire!

One of Eva's pictures of Tree Crop Farm fire place

Eva and I in a hammock at Onuku!

Hammocks and little huts at Onuku

Onuku Farm eating area

A photo I didn't see Eva take in our Stargazer hut at Onuku Farm!

Isle of Mull?

Have met lots of people from the Isle of Mull (see photos of salmon night) and its sounds lovely! they have an Eco Tourism Company which I might like to work for sometime in the future when I go back to England. I'd like to see more of the beautiful places in the UK that I haven't seen yet, and maybe stay / live in them for a while. After all it was going to Cornwall which made me decide to come out here! But will not be heading back there yet, don't worry, am having too good a time out here!
Am on my break between jobs att he moment and packing for our night out tomorrow night in Onuku. As we are sleeping in a hut I really hope the weather improves! (It has slightly.. its not hailing as much today!)

Now I know what a Southerly is!

A few weeks ago I was wondering what a southerly is, locals would be warning each other that a southerly was on its way..
Now I am just like them, telling cutomers that one is on the way!
A huge Southerly came in and has lasted a few days! the rain and hail has been terrential, the wind is apparently up to 120 (Kms?) an hour on the peninsular, its freezing and often the power is out! I wear two jumpers and have 2 quilts on the bed at night! People are walking round with hot water bottles! (which of course we can only fill when the power comes back on!) so I'm taking my chance while its back on and writing this!
so the pharmacy was pretty quiet today, no-one is going to venture out in this in their right mind!
Its given me a chance to think a bit about what I want from life. The one thing I do know so far is that I don't want to go back to my job in the refuge in England. They asked me to let them know by May if I was coming back or not. I shall give myself a the next couple of months to make sure - but really I know I don't want to go back, even if I was going to go back to England for June (which really I have little intention of doing. I will stay as long as finances will allow!
Yesterday a guy I went to primary school with emailed me from Friends Reunited (Kenneth Williams) and said he's living in Whangarei and visits Auckland all the time! So we are going to meet up when I go to Orewa! Its such a small world!
Anyway had better go before the power goes again!

Stuart flinging the poi about (I'm sure theres a special name!)

Stuart lighting the poi

Our Salmon and Pancake Feast evening!
On the left.. Eva, Stuart and Erika, on the right, Bek, Anna, Lewis and Ronan.

The Fish and Chip Shop in Akaroa

Me relaxing!

Me relaxing in the hammock!

Yum! the food and drink at Tree Crop Farm!

Me enjoying myself at Tree Crop Farm!

One of the little quotes!

At Tree Crop Farm there are hundreds of quotes written evrywhere which have actually been made into a book! It takes ages to read and is so interesting!

Tree Crop Farm - all the seats are covered in sheep skins - which makes it very cosy!

Isn't this the best place ever to have a bed?! this is tree crop farm. Its a romantic retreat and there are little huts outin the middle of nowhere with a big double bed in and an outdoor spa... they look divine! The farm bit people can visit but must buy something to eat or drink as a kind of entrance fee..

Saw lots of these on our walks!!

I cant stop taking photos of Akaroa - its just so beautiful!

Me at the top of a mountain!

Me on a walk up to Tree Crop Farm - Akaroa

You can just see the fox ship between the trees!

Views from up in the volcanoes of Akaroa

Me eating the famous Akaroa fish and chips! (the serving are so huge we split them, as you ask for one fish and you get 2, half a scoop is more than enough for one person too!) I have learnt to take my bottle of heinz ketchup with me wherever I go though as I can't stand NZ/Oz ketchup! (Yuk to Watties)!

I took this photo of us by holding the camera out, hence the angle but I like it as it shows how much fun we are having! (On the Fox - the boat our boss owns that people pay $50 to go on - but as we already work for them we get to go on for free!) yay!

The Caves not far from Onuku which are sometimes called the Cathedral caves as when you sing in them it sounds like a cathedral.

Hectors Dolphins (the smallest and rarest dolphin in the world). This is a mother and baby!

Me pulling sails up!

Akaroa

The top sail that I pulled up! (am proper sailor!)

Akaroa

Me on "the fox" sailing ship

India (my bosses daughter) who I have babysat for on the fox

Eva on "The Fox" sailing ship in Akaroa.

The lighthouse in Akaroa