working in Gisborne

Manawatu Gorge

From Wanganui we crossed the north island and headed toward the east coast.  On the way we passed through the Manawatu Gorge.  It was amazing.  It made me glad Tom does most of the driving.  The road that passes through the gorge was narrow and winding, so he had to really focus on driving, whilst I was hanging out the window trying in vain to take a photo that would do it justice.  

Driving into Napier

The rest of the drive was almost as scenic, and then we arrived in Napier.  It’s by far our favourite city so far.  It was destroyed in 1931 by an earthquake, and had to be rebuilt.  They piled the rubble onto the beach, covered it, and made it into a lovely promenade.  They built new buildings, all in art deco style, and amongst all the lovely architecture are palm trees and nice gardens.  Tom said it reminded him of his mum’s photos of Miami, but I guarantee it’s a much more chilled out place, and although I’ve never been to Miami, I’m fairly certain I prefer Napier.  It’s lovely. 

Tom at the bottom of the waterfall

We drove to the top of Bluff Hill and could see for miles in all directions.  The sea was a lovely turquoise-green colour.  On our way back into town we stopped at a park filled with really nice flowers surrounding a waterfall.  One minute I was taking photos and then next I couldn’t find Tom anywhere.  Not surprisingly, he had climbed half way up the waterfall.  He said I couldn’t join him because I’m a girl, I was wearing a skirt, and probably wouldn’t be able to climb that high.  Anyone who knows me at all knows if you want to get me to do something, tell me I can’t.  5 minutes later I was also half way up the waterfall, taking photos of his first fresh water shower in 3 days.    

We had a lovely night camped out next to a vineyard on the sea.

 

We loved Napier, but unfortunately it was a bit disappointing in one very important way: surf.  They get plenty of waves in the area, but conditions have to be just right.  If I want to get good at surfing, I need to be able to do it consistently, and Napier didn’t quite have that on offer.

black swan somewhere between
Napier and Gisborne

We decided to head north toward Gisborne.  Once again, the drive was fantastically scenic.  The 207km drive took us about 3 1/2 hours to complete because it was up and down hills and around winding roads the entire way.  It’s funny because according to our road atlas we’re on “highways”.  If you looked at a map like that in the US or the UK you’d expect a highway or dual carriageway, respectively.  Regardless of what you call it, you’d think there would be two lanes of traffic in each direction, with a median/central reservation dividing them.  Not here.  The highways are one lane in each direction, with hardly a shoulder, and only an occasional passing lane.  In England, they’d be called an A-road; I’m not sure what we’d call them in the states, a “nice country road” maybe, but the assumed speed limit would be 45mph when there’s a straight enough stretch to get up to that speed. 

Highway 2

Poverty Bay and Gisborne from a distance

Sunset just outside Gisborne

Gisborne is a nice city.  It’s the first city in the world to see the light of a new day.  If we’re still in the area for New Years Eve we’ve decided we’re going to go camping and stay up ‘til the sun rises.  That way we’ll be able to say we were the first people to see 2011.  We’re 18 hours ahead of Michigan, and 13 ahead of the UK, so essentially we’re always a day ahead of most of the people reading this.  

Our first full day in Gisborne was devoted to trying to find work.  It was a bit discouraging at first, as none of the vineyards need workers, but we finally stopped in to a citrus orchard where a guy called Murray said he had oranges to pick.  The orchard surrounds his main business, which is a timber haulage company.  The citrus is hardly how he makes his living, it seems more like a bit of extra pocket money for him, but we’re sure glad he has it.  He’s been really good to us.  He told us where he keeps the key to his beach side flat so we had a night in an actual building, and he’s let us camp in his orchard (complete with a hot shower, a sink to wash our dishes in, and internet) since then.  We’ve spent the week picking his organic tangelos.  

The oranges, vineyards, and

mountains in the background.

I could romanticize it…

They’re the most amazing fruits.  A cross between mandarins and oranges, they’re the sweetest, juiciest pieces of citrus I’ve ever experienced.  We’re allowed to help ourselves to as many as we like, whilst working under the springtime sunshine.  The orange blossoms are really fragrant and smell amazing.  From our ladders we can see vineyards and farms stretching for miles, with mountains in the background.  Every now and then we come across a birds nest with pretty blue eggs or newborn babies, and do our best not to disturb them.  Tom’s been having fun learning how to drive the tractor/forklift.  

Or I could complain…

The sacks we fill get really heavy, so we’re both getting back ache.  The branches scrape your arms and legs unless you’re wearing jeans and long sleeves, and then it gets too hot.  The leaves and oranges that I thought were covered in dirt are actually covered in shit.  Literally.  It’s the poo of tiny white bugs (an invasive species from Australia) that look far too small to leave much of anything behind, but because there’s bazillions of them it starts to add up.  They’re not the only bugs in the trees.  I did well not to fall off my ladder the first time a cockroach scurried across my arm.  They’re harmless, unlike the occasional wasp with a nest, but they’re still not pleasant.  In the middle of the afternoon the sun becomes unbearably hot. We’re still not sure how much money we’re making.  We get paid by the kilo, but we’re not sure how much, or how many kilos we’ve picked, so we’re trusting Murray to pay us decently for a long week of work.  

The reality is somewhere in between…

ripe for the picking

We’re happy to have work.  We’ve started picking every morning, taking a long break and swimming/surfing during the heat of the day, and then coming back to work when the evenings start to cool down.  Fortunately, we both have mums who have taught us to work really hard, and I have the added motivation of wanting to get back to Michigan for my best friends’ wedding in August, and that’s enough to keep us grateful for the work. 

I took this photo of Tom whilst testing my new wetsuit

Tom with the sea to himself

IThe surf here has been good.  It’s often small, but perfect with light winds.  Considering the size of Gisborne, the waves aren’t very crowded, so it’s not uncommon for there to only be 4 or 5 people in one spot.  Last night Tom was the only one in the sea.  

Publish Post

The citrus will only last a few more days, and then we’ll have to find somewhere else to “make a living”.  Murray thinks he may be able to find us work.  If not, there are kiwis to be picked in the Bay of Plenty, apples in Hawkes Bay, and hopefully plenty of other places in need of a couple of modern day hippies to do some odd jobs...

off to a good start

Before I conclude my bit on Taranaki, I have to mention the sister peak of Mount Taranaki.  My American friends will not find this as funny as the English, but oh well.  There’s a smaller peak that’s part of the same volcano, and it’s named after the first woman who ever climbed it: Fanny Fanthom (pronounced "phantom").  Not a joke; it was her real name, and a part of the volcano's named Fanny Fanthom as well.

Mt. Taranaki and, just to the right, Fanny Fanthom

my "closet"

The van is finished.  I don’t mean to brag, but it’s pretty amazing.  We’re going to have so much fun in it.  I even managed to fit all my clothes for the summer into a painfully small space.  We left Taranaki last night and travelled south along the coast to Wanganui (Wong-ga-NEW-ee). 

the road we camped on,
lined with honeysuckle

We didn’t have to search long before finding a great camping spot.  The road we ended up camping on is lined with honeysuckle that smells fantastic.  Just ahead of us was black sand dunes covered in nice bushes and flowers, and beyond that was the sea. 

Tom in the "kitchen"

Tom made a really nice dinner last night, the first of many to be prepared on our little Campmaster gas stove.  After a short and cold walk on the beach we ended up going to bed at about 8:30 because it was dark and we don’t have any candles or lights yet, so we didn’t really have many other options. 

When we were eating breakfast this morning a couple of shark fisherman stopped and gave us a few of pieces of Gurnard.  I’ve never had it before, but Tom says it’s great fish.  Between that and the few things we have in the chilly bin (US: cooler, UK: cool box) we’re set for food for the day.

I’ve been having fun learning yet another version of the English language.  Sometimes Kiwis use the words and phrases that the British do (mate, mum, wicked, skint, etc.)  Other times they use American lingo, like “go figure”, dollars are also “bucks”, and clothing words (pants are pants, not knickers; vests are vests, not bodywarmers; tank tops are tank tops, not vests)

Then there are times the Kiwis have their own words for things.  Flip flops are “jandles” (rhymes with sandals).  Rain boots (US) or Wellies (UK) are “gum boots” or “gummies” for short.  Charity shops are called “op shops”.  One of my favourites is another one of their words for a four wheeler or quad bike.  They use both of those terms, but they might also call it a “farm bike”.

After spending a few hours sorting out insurance, AA cover, and finding some sheets for the bed, we’re planning to begin our journey to Napier.  We’ve heard the east side of the island will have fruit to pick, waves to surf, fish to catch and plenty of sunshine.  I’m not sure we’ll make it all the way there today.  We may end up making camp before we get there.  This is partially because we have a fair bit to do today, and also because a comfortable cruising speed for the van is about 80.  Kph.

adjustments

I have a few adjustments to make:

I haven’t worn makeup in nearly two weeks.  I can’t say I miss it.  That one will be easy.

I get about 2 hours of internet every few days.  This one will take some getting used to.  The closest wi-fi connection is about a half an hour away, and only open during business hours.  In some ways it really frustrates me.  At the same time, it’s kind of nice.  Granted, I don’t know what everyone’s up to according to Facebook, but I’ve fed chickens and pigs, spent time on the beach, drank nice wine, seen some absolutely amazing sunsets, and worked with power tools.  Part of me wishes I could “update my status” more frequently, but an increasingly bigger part of me is realizing that, if I was constantly updating my status, I wouldn't be out doing the things that make my “current status” so exciting.

I have to downsize.  Again.  I thought I was packing light when I came here with two suitcases and a carry on.  Now, to fit into the van, I have to leave most of it with John and Angela and fit my entire wardrobe for the summer and my laptop into a space that’s about 50cm long, 10 cm wide, and 43 cm deep.  It’s kind of like having to fit all my clothes into one drawer, but at least a drawer would be easier to get to; my clothes space is going to be under the bed.  I have a feeling I’ll be wearing the same few things over and over.

It’s November.   According to everything I’ve ever known, this is the time of year when the days are getting much shorter.  In America it’s almost Thanksgiving.  Nearly time to eat nice food, spend time with family, and take note of all the things in life you’re thankful for.  If you’re an American in England, this is the time of year when everyone asks you, “what exactly is ‘Thanksgiving’?”.  (So…you just get together with your family and eat a big meal?  So…it’s like Christmas but without the presents?...)  I have a feeling the holiday will come and go just like Halloween did.  Back home Halloween is one of my all time favorite holidays.  The most recognition it got here was when we were working on the van and I asked, “Isn’t today Halloween?”  Tom checked his watch and said, “Yep.”

If it hasn’t yet, it will probably snow soon in Michigan.  I thought of the Michigan snow the other day when the sun was blazing down on the beach at Kumera Patch.  The sand here is volcanic and black, but it reflects the sun and sparkles the way the snow does on a crisp winter day. 

volcanic sand on our way out to Kumera Patch

As much as I like crisp winter days, I’m not exactly gutted to be missing out on all the really cold, short, wet days in between.  I’ll happily take sparkling black sand instead.

In New Zealand, spring has sprung.   It still gets quite cold at night, but if the sun’s shining during the day it heats right up.  When the New Zealand sun is blazing down it feels like we must be near the equator.  Any time I comment on the heat of the sun, Angela says it’s only just beginning.  “Just wait ‘til summer,” she says every time.  Everyone here is adamant that the sun is really intense and we need to be careful.  Tom didn’t heed the warnings and the back of his neck got fried just working on the van.  Apparently we’re underneath the hole in the ozone, which gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “direct sunlight.”  This is not exactly great news for an Irish/Polish/Dutch girl with a family history of skin cancer.  Hell, I burn on a cloudy day in England, and have to be careful in Michigan in May.  I should have invested in sun screen before I moved here.

The van is nearing completion.  The frame for the bed is established, along with the fold out kitchen and space for surf boards.  All we need to do now is finish partitioning off our storage space, screw down the plywood, cut the foam mattress to fit, and add the finishing touches (duvet/comforter, cooking stove, curtains, etc.)  

Speaking of curtains, I miss my mum.  The edges had to be sewn to keep them from fraying, and then the sleeves for the bamboo rods had to be sewn.  I tried, on a couple of different occasions, to work Angela’s sewing machine, but it just didn’t agree with me.  I rarely get homesick, but mom, I was missing you to the point of tears.  It got to the point I took all the thread off and followed the instructions on the user manual to a tee, but still managed to jam the damn thing.  At one point I was convinced I had broken it.  Angela sat down, fixed the thread, and sewed the edges as if there was no effort whatsoever involved.  To be fair, she did say that the machine gave her some trouble, and it didn’t help that the material is quite thick.  Either way, I hate sewing machines and miss my mom.

Next on the agenda: find me a wetsuit, and research seasonal work in New Zealand so once we have the van sorted we can hit the road and find jobs.  

First week in NZ (my fellow Americans: it's pronounced N Zed)

 Tom and I arrived in the Taranaki region of New Zealand almost a week ago.  Since then we’ve bought a van, came up with a plan, and met some really great people.  All the while we’ve been in constant awe of the scenery.

The van is a 1988 Mitsubishi L300 Cyclone. 

She’s a beauty.  It will take some getting used to, as it’s a 5 speed with the shifter on the column and doesn’t have power steering.  Driving on the left also makes it a bit tricky, but I reckon 2 years in England has me fairly well prepared.  The back door’s been replaced and is therefore a different shade of red, but I think it adds character.  I mentioned to Angela that maybe we should call her “Big Red” but apparently that’s another word for “period” to Aussies, so I changed my mind.  We’ll come up with a name eventually.  There was room for 11 when we bought it, but not anymore.  We’ve taken the back seats out and are converting it into a storage unit/kitchen/love shack on wheels. 

The plan is a good one. 

New Zealand is one of the only places in the world where you can park just about anywhere and camp for free.  When we see a good fishing spot or some nice surf we’ll park the van, catch some dinner or some waves, stay the night, wake up to a lovely view of the sea, and start again. 

Unfortunately, we also have to work.  I’m still hoping for a teaching job, so I’ll spend a fair bit of time stopping into schools and searching for positions online.  In the meantime, we’ll be finding as much seasonal work as possible.  There are quite a few vineyards and fruit orchards near Gisborne, as well as plenty of coastline, so we’re thinking of heading in that direction once we get the van sorted. 

The people and scenery here are amazing.

Everyone in New Zealand has been really lovely so far.  It’s a very chilled out place where people are friendly and keen to help out.  Tom’s friend John and his girlfriend Angela have been especially good to us since we’ve been here.  They’ve given us a room, loads of really nice food, great advice and the local’s tour of the area.  They’ve shown us fishing spots, surfing spots, and even drove us 3 hours to Hamilton to find our van.

John, Tom and Angela on our tour of their property

Their place is amazing.  It’s over six acres and comes complete with a stream running through it, three cows, three really cute pigs, a lemon tree, veg garden, four hens and a rooster.  Randy, the rooster, has a great set of feathers and an even better cock-a-doodle-do.  We woke up this morning, like every morning we’ve been here, to his call amongst a chorus of New Zealand sparrows, and cows mooing in the distance. 

Randy the Rooster

Randy, the veg garden, and Mount Taranaki

From John and Angela’s kitchen we have an impressive view of Mount Taranaki.  You can see it from just about anywhere in the Taranaki region, provided it’s not covered in clouds.  Our first day here we caught a glimpse of it, and then unknowingly drove along the base of it to John and Angela’s.  The next morning the clouds had cleared and we couldn’t believe such a massive volcano had been so close and we hadn’t noticed it.  It’s spectacular.  All of the scenery here is. 

The view from John and Angela's kitchen window

Tom

Just about everywhere we’ve been in the Taranaki region we’ve had a volcano to one side of us, and the sea on the other. The main road that goes between the two is called Surf Highway 45.  No joke.  It’s on all the road signs and maps.  Because it’s a relatively round peninsula, there’s always somewhere that is getting swell and sheltered, no matter where the wind is coming from.   As you drive around the peninsula, there seems to be millions of rivers and streams, wild white lilies, and punga trees (trees that look like giant ferns, with a trunk and shape similar to a palm tree).   

Another thing you see a lot of in Taranaki is cows.  Loads and loads of cows.  You know how everyone thinks New Zealand is full of sheep?  Not here.  Cows.  Lots of them.

I’m well impressed with John and Angela.  On top of taking care of all their animals multiple times per day, they also manage to be out planting a vegetable garden, burning bramble, fixing up the stream in their backyard, chopping wood, etc.  They also find time to live well.  They prepare and eat some really amazing food, drink nice wine, play board games, and enjoy the simple life.  I don’t think it’s mere coincidence that they don’t have tv or internet. 

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I love how nothing goes to waste in their house. The pigs eat everything, including tea bags, excessively rotten food, chicken carcasses, you name it, and all from a trough that they piss and shit in whilst they’re eating out of it. As you may have guessed, the pig shed smells awesome. A small part of me finds them completely revolting, but a much bigger part of me thinks they’re fantastic. They’re cute, they’re friendly, they eat all your food waste, and they’re delicious. One of them is missing the nose ring that keeps her from rooting up the garden. Tom will have to pin her down whilst John puts the ring through. Apparently she'll be squealing like crazy. I'll be cracking up, camera in hand.

Now off to work on the van...