Which would you prefer sleeping with? - cats or cockraoches? Unfortunately for me, neither really appeals..

I'm writing this in sunny Napier (Hawke's Bay) and my lodging with a local family was (until last night) in a cosy little caravan parked in their back garden.  After two disturbing nights killing lots of nasty roaches (it's horrible thinking you've exterminated all the bastards when you hear them sprinting around in their hobnail boots and have to get up to squish some more), I was forced inside - only to be greeted by the prospect of sleeping in the living room with 3 house cats.  You see I'm not the biggest fan of cats - at a distance I don't mind them, but when they jump up on me when I'm trying to sleep it really bugs me.  And it makes me really grumpy when I don't get enough sleep!

So here I am up on the North Island and currently on the East Coast in Hawke's Bay (the kiwifruit capital of New Zealand so I'm told) - it's quite nice up here although nothing I've seen on this island is as beautiful or dramatic as down South (admittedly there is still plenty to see and do so I won't jump to conclusions!).

After leaving Golden Bay I went and did some wwoofing (willing workers on organic farms - basically you work for your lodging & food) in the Marlborough Sounds. Stayed with a really nice family (in my very own cottage!) on their lifestyle farm & work was pretty varied - from weeding to cooking to feeding their animals. I had lots of opportunities to go fishing & swim in the beautiful waters.. After lapping up the luxury there, I dragged my ass up to Picton where I caught the ferry northward to Wellington.
Wellington is a really nice city with plenty to see & do - initially I had planned to get a job here and start saving (for my ticket home!) but with the summer in full flow the city really wasn't for me. So after five great days spent in a mate's place (cheers Brian!) I decided to move on.

Next stop was Palmerston North, where I worked on another farm in a remote valley not too far from the city itself.  The family were pretty interesting - all musicians - and had plenty of time to play the guitar and piano with them.. They also had this awesome little swimming hole on their land and the creek never got too cold.  Wow it was such a relief jumping in after working outside for four hours.

Next up is a road-trip around the North and on the list of things to see are Rotorua, the Coromandel, Raglan, Lake Taupo and as many volcanoes as possible! I should get a chance to upload some more photos this week to make you all a bit more jealous.. Till then, ciao ciao!