Back to Alans/Cheryl & Digs'

Two minutes down the road Grant reminds me about going to see the Alpackers that the elderly couple had invited us to see. We parked outside their house and walked down to their drive, the dog barking made the couple come out to greet us. They called the Alpackers to come up to us and they gave us a tub full of food to feed them. There were roughly 15 of them plus baby ones, they were fascinating. There were a couple that had dreadlocks which were so cool. We stayed for a little while then got back on the road. It felt good - I actually missed it. On the road we saw deer, with huge antelors, they were amazing! We made a quick stop at the warehouse shop where we got some bedding for when we would have to sleep in the car.

When we arrived at Taupo we looked around for a place to park up for the night. One place was too expensive, another place didn't allow cars to park up. We were just about to leave the area when we saw a sign for a campsite. We got to it & it was fairly cheap so we paid for the 1 night, drove down into town & found an Irish pub so had grub there. We got a backpackers meal deal - 2 burgers & 2 drinks for 20$...bargain! When we got back to the site we rented a film out & watched it in the games room where they had couches & a radiator. We played some pool too. After the film had finished we got back to the car & rushed to set up the bed as it was so cold outside. Where the back seats folded down it wasnt the most comforetable place to sleep, it was a total nightmare, I was so cold, I wore a hoodie plus a jumper. There was hardly any space as Grant took up most of it which left me with no room what so ever. The following morning I was unbelievably cranky. As we left we called Alan (the guy we'd stayed with before) & asked if we could stay with him again. He welcomed us no problem, we explained we were going to stop at a few places on the way so would arrive late afternoon. We stopped at a lookout that overlooked lake Taupo, it was beyond, we couldn't see the end of it. We then stopped at a place called crators of the moon. It was pretty cool - there were natural hot springs with steam rising from them. We seen signs for Huka Falls so stopped to go & see it. My 1st glimps of it was amazing, the colour of the water was just beautiful. We walked around to the bridge where we could get a closer look of the water flowing down over - it was flowing so fast it was scary! Watching it crashing down was unbelievable. It was a great experience, the best waterfall that we have come across.

Not too far from Alans we passed the wood museum that Grant wanted to visit. He paid to go in whilst I sat in the car reading. When he came out we then made our way to Alans. Went to the local shop to get some grub for the evening then went to watch Alan play darts with his team as it was their last match of the season. Him & his mate were a right pair. God they made us laugh all night!

The lady at the Wood Museum invited Grant back the following day to see all the woodturners at work. So we set out in the morning to go their club, when we arrived the receptionist seen me sitting in the car so she told Grant I was allowed to go in for free too. The teacher showed us around and gave us a bowl for free - which would be quite expensive to buy in the shops. When we got to watch them we were mesmerised - we stood there just observing. The teacher told us to go out to get some lunch & for us to come back so Grant could have a go at woodturning. When we got back he spent an hour with Grant & helped him make his own bowl, he had such a good time! He was even allowed to have the bowl he'd made. We arrived back at Alans where we got to meet his sister who was staying for the night. That evening Alan showed me how to make a Fijian Curry.

The next morning Alan & his sister went to the doctors & me & Grant packed then headed to our next job. The one job we were booked in to on Waiheke Island didn't work out as it was too expensive to cross on the ferry). We drove for 2 hours to Te Kuiti to stay with the Balme family on a huge 200 acre farm. Cheryl, Dig & their 3 kids - Joshua, TJ (Taylor) and Kyle, the 5 cats, 5 dogs plus 100's of cows, calfs, pigs & piglets, sheep & horses. When we 1st arrived we sat down to chat then got geared up into gum boots & overalls, we were straight out to the wool shed to pack a load of hay into a sack to get the area ready for lambs. We were introduced to Mary the white pig & her 8 piglets , they were adorbale! We had to then feed the pigs milk, water & bread. When the kids got home from school they insisted on taking me down to the padacs on the little truck to show me the other animals. That evening we had our 1st family dinner then all watched TV, when the kids got to bed the adults had milo & ate cake. When the weekend came round I took TJ to netball & stayed to watch whilst Grant went to watch Joshua play rugby. When we got back we made cookies & a chocolate cake. TJ & I then cleaned out the dogs water bowls which was discusting. I was then allowed to have a go at milking the cow. Sunday, we drove to Marokopa Falls where there was a huge waterfall, it was amazing - it had huge rocks right on the edge of the waterfall. Then on to Marokpa Beach that had black sand & the most stunning views of mountains that surrounded the area. On our way back we stopped at the Piripiri caves. As Grant, TJ & I walked up to the caves a couple walked down past us & asked if we had torches as we wouldnt be able to see anything without one. We hadnt taken one so they kindly suggested we take theirs & that they'd wait for us! We were so glad they'd lent us theirs otherwise the hard walk up to the cave would have been not worth it at all. Inside the cave the sound of the water dripping off the top was spooky. We walked right down to the bottom of the stairs then made our way back to the car park, gave the couple their torch back then headed to our last stop - the natural bridge. When we arrived we parked up & I saw a bridge & was confused & thought the bridge at the entrance was the attraction?!? We walked 5 minutes into the woods over a bridge that wobbled & swayed in mid air, I crapped myself when I walked over it. I heard Grant say "WOAH" & when I looked up there was a huge peice of land that had formed into a bridge & had a river flowing through it. It looked unreal, there were 2 rather tall trees that had grown next to the bridge - it was so high up. We walked under it to the other side. Got tons of pictures & then walked back.

The next day I took the kids to their bus stop & when I got back to the house I cleaned around the house & when Cheryl came in she told me that one of the cows had had 2 baby calfs, one was alive & the other was dead. It had been raining so Grant & Dig had to go to get the baby calf for it to stay in the shed where it would be warm & dry - as it was 2 weeks premiture. Later on that evening we went out to feed it its milk. It was the most cutest thing ever, it stood up & its back legs were wobbling. It gave an adorable moo & went to cuddle into its mother. I nearly cried - it was such an experience. Cheryl & I went out to their other farm that they had on lease. We had to shift a large group of cows from one paddock to another. Cheryl called them & when the 1st moved they all followed. I had to walk down to the gate to lead them through & when I looked back that's all I could see was a ton of cows stampeading towards me. I s*** myself so started to run down the hill. 3 of them didn't go through the gate so I had to run behind them & make them turn direction & on the 1st go they ran straight into the new field - thank god. Our next stop was the butchers where we dropped off 2 pigs to be slaughtered & cut up to the buyers needs. We then dropped another 2 pigs off to a new home & got 1000 litres of milk. It took quite some time to fill up the tank, we waited around then paid a visit to the market to get ingredients to make pizza for dinner. After dinner I made hot chocolates for everyone then got to bed & watched Forest Gump.

Got up to take the kids to the bus stop. Kyle got distracted when I walked him from one car to the other & screamed. Joshua came to help, kyle was pulling down & I was worried he was going to sit on the floor & get dirty. We got him in the car & he settled down. We left him sitting their on his in the car - I hated leaving him but the kids told me he'd be fine & that the woman who drove him would be out any second. The kids argued over a cassette which was a lovely start to my day. When I got back I put some laundry in & attempted to make cookies which turned out completley different. When Cheryl, Dig & Grant got in we had lunch then Cheryl helped me get the skin off the milk for me to make butter. It was great fun! The next day I picked a load of lemons off the lemon tree out in the garden & squeezed them all to make lemon juice for dinner that evening. Cheryl had to pick the kids up after their practice so I waited for Kyle to be dropped off. When the car pulled up - I got him out with no problems!!! We watched bob the builder over and over (like 100 times). It was an interesting afternoon watching bob, I got Kyle his cheese that he has everyday. The following day I didn't feel too good, I had a blocked nose so drunk a lem sip which made me worse then sorted through TJ & Joshuas rooms. I made banana muffins then got lunch ready for everyone. After lunch Kyle arrived home so I went to get him. It wasnt so nice today - he had a compete screaming fit and I didn't know what the hell to do! His autism tantrum scared me as I didn't know how to deal with him and his special needs. To my rescue his dad Dig came over to get him as I was on duty for picking the kids up. Grant helped with Joshua's homework then they both went out to play basketball whilst TJ showed me her piano songs. The next day Grant & Dig layed bricks & cement for a path then we had the new Au Pair turn up. The men were busy until the evening, we had dinner, they watched the rugby then went out shooting possums! The girls stayed in and watched dancing on ice. When Grant got in from shooting - it turned out that Dig had bought the wrong size bullets and could only find 6 laying around so Grant shot them all & out of 6 he shot 4! Cheryl didn't want us to leave, but we had to tell her that we were leaving the next day!

We packed our bags & got them into the car, left the room nice & tidy for Julia to move into then we were off at last!