For one more day I stayed with my generous hosts. Igi, sadly, didn’t join Eri and me to Parauwanui Beach for a morning dip into the South Pacific. So we braved the cold water without him. And cold it was, indeed: 15ºC the water, about 18ºC the air. What a start to the day!

When we came back to the farm, Eri gave me a crash course in riding and steering the quad bike. We left the race course for another time, but Igi could use our help at the site of the new shed. He was distributing and planing new gravel with an enormous excavator. This meant crash course number two for me: lifting and emptying a shovelful of gravel. Holy smokes! Am I ever glad I don’t have to do this for a living!

Giving the goats their feed and the horses a generously sized carrot each was fun, as was the leisurely Saturday afternoon Jass when the day’s work was done.

Thank you!

My stay with Erika and Ignaz showed me a number of things. For one, their love of and commitment to the land they have called their own for many years now. Also, they live their dream, although it hasn’t been like cherry picking all the time. I’d love to see them build their new home – with ocean view. Who knows when I’ll be able to come back. For now: my deepest thanks for having welcomed me whole-heartedly into your world!