and a super fast update since Auckland

WWOOFed in Palmerston North-saw a horse castration, helped in said castration-fed some pigs, some chickens-drove a tractor-collected goat poop for agri research-chased goats that got out of their pen-baked-washed-cooked-played with a 6 year old- got turned into chocolate by said 6 year old- played scrabble with the Chinese WWOOFer-won scrabble- started a puzzle- read a book- planned a canoe trip with Lan, the Chinese WWOOFer- went on said canoe trip, assimilated into a Jehovah's witnesses family also going on the same 2 day trip-avoided conversion-returned to Palmy- chased more goats- said goodbye.

Interrum: hitched a ride out of Palmerston North-convinced the driver to send her kid to Germany-hitched a new ride with a mother and dope-smoking son (who was smoking while driving, with me in the back without a seat belt in their rusty 4 door pickup)-talked to mom-got a final hitch from a couple into Wellington-also convinced them to travel.

Wellington: arrived at my hostel-talked to a novelist in the works-went to the Te Papa museum- got lost in Wellington-got lost again- ate a meat pie- got lost again- bought groceries- got lost again- made dinner- talked and wined and dined with a German couple and a Frenchie- went to bed- got eaten by ticks- got up early-grabbed the ferry to Picton- grabbed the bus to Nelson-grabbed the bus to Motueka, arrived, hey!

Motueka: arrived at my new WWOOF- soaked my tick eaten skin in vinegar- sanded a door- met a french WWOOFer- had some dinner- wandered Motueka with the French WWOOFer- lost my sandal in a pile of tires- lay on the grass-watched the stars- raced home to bed- drove to Mountain Valley in the morning.

Mountain Valley: unpacked-claimed a spot in the cabin-met the local hippies- met the other WWOOFers (6 of them)- made dinner-made a fire-watched the stars-bed.
next few days: learned about weeds-killed said weeds-got attacked by a blackberry bush-got made fun of for my scrapes and bruises-swam in the cold river-ate-weeded-cycled-swam in a less cold river-weeded-ate-swam-weeded-ate-swam-etc-did some silk screening-learned how to make a stove out of aluminum cans-learned a maori blessing-learned about permaculture and dragon dreaming-discovered dragon dreaming has a misleading name to suggest it is something interesting-ran-ate-weeded-swam-skinny dipped-said goodbye via a 'Hongi' (Maori parting ritual)

Kaharungi National Park: hiked with the French WWOOFers-ate-hiked-ate-talked to old male doctors about Canada-slept in a hut-ate-hiked-swam-ate-hiked-slept in a hut-ate-hike up Gordon's Pyramid-ate-hiked up Mt Arthur-breathed-met some crazy Brits-slept in a hut-arrived back at the car.

Interrum: returned to Motueka-showered at the hostel (first time in 5 days)-slept in a tent-used the library internet-used it some more-bought some groceries-drove to Abel Tasman with the French WWOOFers-camped.

Abel Tasman: booked a kayak trip-wandered on the beach-collected mussels-cooked the mussels-ate the mussels with creme fraiche and pasta-mmm-kayaked-swam-fell asleep on the beach-ate at the local chip shop-left Abel Tasman- said goodbye to one Frenchie-arrived in Takaka

Takaka: bought some ice cream-wandered the town-tried and failed to use the library internet-arrived at my new WWOOF outside town- said goodbye to my French friends-had dinner with my new hosts and their friends-scrubbed a shed-swam in the ocean-biked to a National reserve-talked to an old lady-biked to a monument-talked about everything and anything with my new host Saskia-painted the shed-swam in the ocean-painted the shed again-kayaked in the ocean-talked to some more locals-walked up the Cobb Valley with Saskia and friends-ate some local steak named Herbert (the cow's name)-typed 2 posts in this blog.