Northland

Hi everyone!

I spent a lovely few days on Waiheke Island visiting with wwoofing contacts. It reminded me a lot of the Gulf Islands in BC.... quite an artsy community, lots of vineyards, but only 35 minutes by ferry from downtown Auckland. Every house has its own water tank and they rely on rainwater collection (or have to get water delivered), so seem to be a little more water conscious (moreso than Vancouver's 300 litres per person per day usage, anyways!)

I returned to Auckland and stayed a couple days with Leah, a yoga contact, which was nice, and gave me some more recuperation time. I'll probably stay with her just before leaving New Zealand as well. Then I spent a few days on the Coromandel Peninsula at Whitianga. What a beautiful spot. I rented a bike one day and biked 50 kms to Hotwater Beach and Cathedral Cove. Hotwater beach is a spot where natural hotsprings seep through the sand. At low tide, one simply digs a hole in the sand and voila.... your own personal hotpool! Cathedral Cove is a beautiful limstone arch surrounded by azure waters. The walk down to it passes along the clifftops with beautiful views of the sea and islands. Magnificent.

I'm now in Whangarei (Northland) planning my next stops. I found out about an Introduction to Permaculture workshop on April 30th that I'm looking into, and between seeing the Bay of Islands, Kauri trees, Cape Reinga, woofing and planning Australia, my last three weeks should be interesting!

It's gotten quite cold here.... Christchurch and Dunedin on the South Island had snow yesterday, and Northland is one of the few places in the country with highs in the double-digits! Brrr! Because houses here don't have central heating, it actually feels much colder than equivalent temperatures in Canada would. I'm looking forward to summer at home!

I'm flying to Australia May 20 and have confirmed that I'll be back in Penticton on June 20th. It's passing very quickly, but I've seen and experienced a lot, and am looking forward to being home amongst family and friends.

I hope that your lives continue to be full and happy!

Love,

Kristi