“Look at the grass all around me, it’s green as the smile on my face. Look at the trees, they astound me! Wow, what a byootiful place!” –Kermit the Frog

You know how sometimes you have romanticized visions of how a place will be?  For instance, in Paris you will have a whirlwind romance with a millionaire or in Athens the locals will offer you dates and ask you to charter their sailboats to remote islands.  Well when I pictured Kerikeri I dreamed of lush, tropical forests, a river through my backyard, and a town where every shop is charming and chains are few and far between.  The locals are happy and healthy and there are outdoor activities aplenty.  It turns out that vision is in fact Kerikeri.  At the moment I’m sitting in a quaint yet spotless cabin with a porch looking out on the river and there’s a cat named Harry sitting on my doorstep.  Every kind of strange flower, cactus, bug, and bird is thriving around this place and I can’t help but think that this is too good to be true.  Did I mention there are free kayaks to paddle around in?  Hope they have a little life vest for Harry because the fella’s growing on me.

Here are some pics from town:

Local library = free wifi!

Hands down the best pizza place in NZ

the police station

And some pics of the backpackers/campground where we are staying:

Our room and nightly visitor, Harry

Our room 2

Our room 3

Our room 4 and Harry's bathtub

Entrance to our place

Kitchen with outdoor eating area

Our little river (free kayaks!)

Thought these were limes but cut one up and it was fruitless and full of bugs... NOT for cocktails...

The little playground outside of our unit

Now the one drawback, which is so utterly unfair I can barely stand it: I have to work.  I know, right?  As far as work goes, we poke into reception in the morning between 7:30 and 8, put our names on a list, and if there’s work available that day, they call us.  It can be anything from fruit picking, to cleaning, to waitressing, to working in the factories. When they make a movie about how glamorous my life is I hope to be played by Megan Fox. 

Waiting for the work phone call

So far Brad has gone to a guy’s house and dug a trench.  Yes, a trench.  I spent the day blissed out reading in bed when I heard a knock on the window and looked up to see this:

 I asked him if it was as bad as he looks and was answered with a dirty look and a jutted out hand wanting a bar of soap, as he was too filthy to be allowed inside.  Meanwhile, I have been loving my little job which is cleaning at a French-inspired four-room boutique B&B just outside of town.  I start off ironing, make a few beds while chatting with the insanely lovely owner, Lousia, wash a few dishes, and clean a few bathrooms. All in all, it's an easy day, and I'm out of there by noon.  Sometimes at the end of the work day, Louisa's husband, Cliff, runs out for coffees and the three of us plus the other cleaner Diane sit in the garden and schmooze.  It's a great morning and the pay is pretty decent too.

Bed of Roses where I work

 So overall, loving it here, but super excited for my parents, sister, and bro in law's visit in 4.5 weeks!  Keep your fingers crossed that Brad keeps getting these amazing jobs so we can stay until then :)