Moving North

Am doing much better now, have spent a few days in Wellington, doing the tourist thing and getting myself back together. An amazing contrast to the countryside and South Island of New Zealand with the bustle of a large town, high rises and 24hour living, multi cultural events and more shops and galleries than i knew what to do with. Spent my time visiting the botanic gardens, wandering the streets checking out art galleries and exhibitions enjoying the harbour views, watching the world go by in the sunshine and most of a day in the National Museum being fascinated by Maori artifacts, the history of immigrants, geology and natural history exhibits.

Have headed north now, up the east coast to Hawkes Bay, to stay with Graham and Annie on their citrus orchard on the outskirts of Wairoa. I met up with Graham just outside Wellington at a market selling a range of home produce and some bought in stuff too. We moved and set up stall in another town about 45minutes north until mid afternoon before heading off to his parents for a few pints and to stay overnight.

The drive north took over 8hours, he does it every fortnight, picking up fresh produce from nurseries on the way for the shop back at the nursery. A complete mad house, with 5 dogs, 3 cats, coutless chickens and roosters, a goose, 3 pigs and a cockatoo that comes to see whats going on whenever he can.

Have been here a couple of days now and am relaxing into the way of life quite effortlessly. Yesterday building some raised beds and fencing them off from the chickens for a veggie gardens and today inspecting bee hives in full apiarist gear and extracting honey for sale at the market. Annie has already filled the garden area with seedlings even though it is autumn, as things continue to grow right through the winter here.

This afternoon Graham showed me some of the local area and we stopped of at a hot springs for a soak in the hot baths way out in the bush. Think its going to be a good week here.....