The Heeding of Signs (Whangarei, NZ)

Before I left North America I decided I would like to get to know New Zealand by living among Kiwi families and experiencing typical organic agricultural life, contributing to the responsibilities of a farm in exchange for room and board. I decided to join WWOOF. I emailed and faxed my application no less than 4 times before it was successfully received. Right then and there, I should have taken this repeated failure as some sort of sign. Apparently WWOOF New Zealand hates me. Last weekend I excitedly made my way to a Kerikeri citrus orchard claiming year round fruit production and a swimming pool at the north tip of the Bay of Islands. I figured at the very least it had to be warmer than my first dirty weeding experience in Clinton. Indeed it was warmer. However, the citrus orchard itself apparently was only ever purchased by its current owner in order to be subdivided and sold off in pieces for the development of private McMansions. There is no longer a citrus orchard on the premises. For the record, there never was a swimming pool. To top it off, I think the lying owner may have been the least plesant human I've ever encountered. Upon arrival he told me he doesn't like Americans (he knew I was American before I arrived) and then proceeded to spend the next 2 days grunting minimal direction regarding the weeding and watering of the flax plants along the driveway, and otherwise ignoring me entirely. When I told him I'd be leaving a day early, he told me it was a relief as it would have been a hassle to give me instructions for the following day's work. Why exactly he agreed to have me in his home in the first place I don't think I'll ever determine, though I don't suppose I care. It was comical really. I took 3 tasty mandarins with me from the couple of straggling trees thus far spared bulldozing. Sadly, my farming days are over. I am going to try to learn to heed signs.

From the non-citrus orchard citrus orchard, I spent a night in the town of Kerikeri and then moved south to an itty bitty town called Russell, accessed by ferry. I spent 2 days and nights there climbing up various hills for amazing views of the bluest water and greenest hills, lying on beaches, reading, relaxing, and essentially doing nothing. It was lovely. This morning I took the bus to Whangarei which as an average, busy, generally unattractive city comes as a bit of a shock to the system. Its saving grace however is that it serves as the access point for diving at Poor Knights Islands, which Jacques Cousteau named as one of the 10 best places to dive on the planet. So now you know my plans for the next couple of days. I'm very excited. From here, it's back to Auckland (where I'll post more pictures - really I will) and a week from today I'll be in Bangkok. Wow.

One quick aside, those of you familiar with my sunburnt eyeball/hatred of sunglasses problem will be happy to know I actually wear sunglasses here. Have to. The sun is crazy bright even when it's overcast and I end up all squinty otherwise. Aren't you proud?

Happy Veteran's Day. Isn't it Veteran's Day?