Surfing, working, camping, and Halloween

Upon arriving in Whakatāne, we unexpectedly ran into Jonny and Paula, who were also staying at the campsite. A group of girls I had met twice before was also at the campsite. This led to us playing cards in the following evenings and having a lot to talk about.

For Hendrik, Theo, and me, it was time for Kiwifruit picking again, this time the male flowers. We are paid 12 dollars per kilo. The work is tiring, but together it is more bearable and more fun than alone. Additionally, our supervisor “Aaron” is a really crazy guy, but so far he has been reliable. We can set our working hours more or less on our own, which is quite relaxing. We also met more Germans at the kiwifarm.

On Halloween, we celebrated together and had a lot of fun, as everyone was allowed to create a costume for someone else. The highlights were these costumes: clown, matchstick, homeless person. I got to dress up as a “cool” scout.

Other than that, after working, we surf in the afternoons/evenings and do some shopping. Once at the campsite, the biggest tasks are to keep the car organized and to cook something to eat. Just the so-called “basics”.

At the current campsite “Awakeri Hotsprings”, there is, as the name suggests, a pool with around 40-degree warm water. It feels particularly good after a day of work.

In the coming weeks, we want to continue with the tiring and annoying work while keeping our expenses in check. Besides surfing, a hike on “Mount Edgecumbe” is also planned.

Ps: I now also have a proper mattress with a blanket and a pillow.