This Christmas was the first one that I didn't spend with my family, and on top of that, it was also in another country. Although I miss my family a lot on these occasions, I had a lovely Christmas here at the farm in Te Kauwhata with some really nice people. There are many things that make Christmas here different. First of all, it should be darker outside. Second of all, there should be snow on the ground, which I understand can be quite difficult when the temperature is way over twenty degrees (positive twenty, that is). As decorations, the farmhouse featured a small Christmas tree and three socks (or stockings, as they call them) hanging over the fireplace. The food consisted mainly of turkey, ham and salad. Pictures are coming, but it will take a while, so this will have to do for now.
Ho ho ho, to the south island I go,
Simon :)
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Napier and lake Taupo.
After working on the farm for two weeks it felt good to be back on the road again. The road took us to Napier and Hastings. In these areas there vineyards everywhere you look. In general the east coast is very beautiful with lots of empty beaches (at least when we where there). Cape kidnappers didn't sound so appealing at first, but it turned out to be a very beautiful landscape.
Next stop was Taupo by the lake Taupo (New Zealand's biggest lake). I took a swim in the lake and it was not so cold that I thought it would be. The hot pools near the Huka falls by the way was so hot. You could barley go in there. One cool thing about it though is that the hot water flows into the Waikato river which is cold. That makes some parts cold, some lukewarm and some boiling hot. Just by taking a few steps you have the temperature you like.
I'm running out of ideas of what to write. If you have any, I would love to hear what you think. I'll do my best coming up with things I think you want to hear about.
//Simon
Next stop was Taupo by the lake Taupo (New Zealand's biggest lake). I took a swim in the lake and it was not so cold that I thought it would be. The hot pools near the Huka falls by the way was so hot. You could barley go in there. One cool thing about it though is that the hot water flows into the Waikato river which is cold. That makes some parts cold, some lukewarm and some boiling hot. Just by taking a few steps you have the temperature you like.
I'm running out of ideas of what to write. If you have any, I would love to hear what you think. I'll do my best coming up with things I think you want to hear about.
//Simon
Monday, December 16, 2013
Rotorua and much more!
Time for a new blog post!
We arrived in Rotorua, walked into the hostel and we got an instant surprise. There he stands, Max (who I met in Auckland) right on the doorstep. It was totally unexpected and I was happy to see him again. New Zealand is smaller than I expected. In Rotorua I walked in the redwood forest and enjoyed this amazing Maori feast. The Maoris showed their ancient training and fighting techniques and the weapons that they used. They preformed the Haka dance, which is a way to prepare themselves for battle. At the end of the evening I got to eat food cooked under the ground like they did long ago. The Americans were very happy about that because it was thanksgiving that day.
In town we met up with two Germans, Luise and Dardan, who we got to know in Auckland. We continued our trip to Tauranga, Whakatane, and finally to Opotiki where we spent a few nights. The hostel was just by the beach, and it was so quiet. We had a giant beach to ourselves. You could really let go of everything and just enjoy the moment. We drove by the coast and have visited places like Hicks bay, The lighthouse at the east cape, and Tokomaru bay. Watching the sunrise at the east cape makes you the first person to see the new day in the world. The view is not bad either.
Also, I have been working on a farm outside of Gisborne for two weeks. The work is mostly making firewood and burning brush up the rolling hills. I've met lots of new people here; on this farm we are around fifteen wwoofers at a time!
I'll try to write another post as soon as possible to make up for this very late one. :)
//Simon
We arrived in Rotorua, walked into the hostel and we got an instant surprise. There he stands, Max (who I met in Auckland) right on the doorstep. It was totally unexpected and I was happy to see him again. New Zealand is smaller than I expected. In Rotorua I walked in the redwood forest and enjoyed this amazing Maori feast. The Maoris showed their ancient training and fighting techniques and the weapons that they used. They preformed the Haka dance, which is a way to prepare themselves for battle. At the end of the evening I got to eat food cooked under the ground like they did long ago. The Americans were very happy about that because it was thanksgiving that day.
In town we met up with two Germans, Luise and Dardan, who we got to know in Auckland. We continued our trip to Tauranga, Whakatane, and finally to Opotiki where we spent a few nights. The hostel was just by the beach, and it was so quiet. We had a giant beach to ourselves. You could really let go of everything and just enjoy the moment. We drove by the coast and have visited places like Hicks bay, The lighthouse at the east cape, and Tokomaru bay. Watching the sunrise at the east cape makes you the first person to see the new day in the world. The view is not bad either.
Also, I have been working on a farm outside of Gisborne for two weeks. The work is mostly making firewood and burning brush up the rolling hills. I've met lots of new people here; on this farm we are around fifteen wwoofers at a time!
I'll try to write another post as soon as possible to make up for this very late one. :)
//Simon
Sunday, December 1, 2013
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