Update

So we are still in B-E-A-utiful Golden Bay and loving it. The weather was rainy a few days ago but it has turned around and has been really exceptional for the past 3 days. I'm talking not a cloud in the sky, golden brown beaches and greenish blue crystal clear water that is just beggin' us to go for a swim. Yesterday Jesse and I hiked from Totorunui to Wainui bay. It is the very end of the Abel Tasman walk that is classified as one of NZ's 8 great walks. It was the first walk since I injured my knee and we took it slow. My knee is alright today only a little sore, so I think that it was good timing. We ate lunch on the beach and jesse went snorkeling and saw a sting ray and a bunch of sea life. We also stopped at a mid way point and played cards (Rummy) and just soaked up the environment. All in all it ended up being a 13.5 Kilometer walk.
On Sunday Jesse taught me how to drive motorcycle and I ACTUALLY DID IT!! I drove on my own for the first time ever and am in love with it=:) The oldest son (20-Amani) has a Suzuki that looks like it is from the 80's and it is the perfect learners bike. I found out later that it is really a 2004 and so I am glad I rode it thinking that it was older otherwise I would have been afraid to damage it! I was able to take it down the gravel road to the pavement and then I rode down the pavement for a while. Right before I left the boys showed me where the reserve gas tank was and boy was that lucky! I happened to run out of gas exactly when I was crossing a single lane bridge. Only my quick thinking allowed me to get accross the bridge and out of the oncoming path of traffic (there were cars!). You all would have been proud of me! I pulled over and flipped the switch on the reserve tank and then took off again. Didn't even think about it. I got up to 60 KPH and that was fast enough for me. I think that I will practice some more tomorrow=:) Jesse said that he could see me grinning all the way down the driveway when I got back from riding.
After the motorcycle lesson and riding Jesse and I went to the beach with Amani and we snorkeled and had a picnic. They saw another sting ray-eagle ray (doesn't have a stinger or not a poisonous one) and we had a great time in the sun. We had walked down the beach and so on the way back we had to pass the nudist beach and that is always an intereting thing to do. Mostly a bunch of men. I've never been on that beach without seeing at least one package that I was trying to avoid seeing!!
We have 6 days left here and I am already unhappy about leaving. We have plans on the 1st of March and then further plans for my birthday on the 3rd-train to Christchurch, and so I am glad for those because we cannot stay here longer. I could imagine myself staying here indefinitely. What a grand way to live your life!! The family that we are with are very eco conscious and they have composting toilets and no tv's and they use solar power to heat their water and power their homes. Are you all aware of the Earth Hour comming up near the end of March? It is a time for all people to shut their power off for an hour during the same time in order to show world powers that we are serious about the environment. I think it is happening in NZ on March 23 (Sunday) at 8:30 PM. Just google Earth Hour.
Ta for now,
Beverly

Back in Beautiful Golden Bay

Jesse and I are back in wonderful sunny Golden Bay. I am doing housekeeping for their 3 rental units and Jesse is doing maintenance around the property. No matter where we are on the property (with the exception of where we are all sleeping) we are able to see the ocean and the wonderfully gorgeous bay. The water is such a bright blue mixed with green. Antje is our host and she is such a good cook. Very healthy and hearty foods which are wonderful and delicious. We will spend the entire month of February here and I know that I will be sad once we leave. It is such a great place to relax and rejuvenate and to reconnect with nature.
One of their rental properties is the Little Greenie and it has been rated as the most energy efficient house in New Zealand. It is such a great thing to clean as the energy efficiency theme apparently translates to human energy during the cleaning process and is a breeze. They also have a house truck, which is a very Kiwi thing. The house truck is much smaller but does tend to take longer. Imagine that, cleaning a house truck and having it take longer than cleaning a whole house!! The third rental property is the Hippie House and that takes the longest. Check out their website at goldenbayhideaway.co.nz and see for yourself where we are!
It's not all been roses though, as we've had a few minor issues with our car. Actually Jesse is working on fixing some of those things now as I type. Hopefully we can get it all squared away and working properly before we leave and head south. We've booked a train ride for my birthday and so will be heading accros the alps. Really looking forward to that as we've not done a train ride yet. We will then spend 3 nights in Christchurch at a hostel that used to be a jail. Should be a fun time.
Cheers,
Beverly