Akaroa - and now for something completely different.....

We've been whizzing around NZ for over 6 weeks now and have made the decision to base ourselves in Akaroa (1 hour from Christchurch) for the rest of our time here. Our aim is to try and get to grips with the area and also learn a bit more about the locals, who seem to be just as unfriendly and elusive as their national bird.

Through a website called help-exchange we have managed to organise ourselves a place to stay in exchange for a few hours of work a day. Mount Vernon Lodge is a venue for conferences and weddings and has a fantastic setting up in the hills. We've loved being in our camper but my word is it great to have our own chalet overlooking the harbour. It's a family run business with a real farm feel. Besides Jeremy, Victoria and there 3 kids there are 10 cows, 1 dog, a donkey that thinks it's a dog, a horse, a tame red deer, 4 peacocks, 2 geese with 4 goslings and a whole lot of ducks.

Our first day was spent herding cows, feeding birds, removing peacock poo from everything, making beds, a bit of clearing out of the garden and a lot of zooming around on a quadbike. The amazing thing was that the family went off to Christchurch for the day and left us to our duties. A bit crazy we initially thought, but after spending a few days with them we've realised that they are a really nice bunch. We've had a great braai at their place, attended Hugh's 3rd birthday party (where he decided to drive his quadbike into a dam), gone clay-pigeon shooting but done quite a bit of work too. Today I was fertilising all the paddocks with the boys and Jackie organised the entire venue for a conference on thursday. On saturday there is a big paintball event (which I am taking part in) which is being followed by a cheese and wine and then a braai.