And so we reached the East Cape. My goodness its relaxed out here! Nobody wears a watch - apparently if you're caught wearing one you have to down a pint. I haven't seen anyone but backpackers doing any work since I've been out here. Firslty we stayed just north of Gisborne where there is some great surfing spots. Nat and I had another lesson and got a great view on the sunset at the same time. We weren't as good as in Peru but we're blaming it on the really tough waves that are about. I got told I don't need lessons - just practice. Cool, maybe I'll buy a board when I get home! Ha ha. There really was nothing else to do but surf there so one day Nat, a girl we've been travelling with called Jess and I decided to hitch into town. That was quite fun and we got picked up very quickly. All the people around here live just along the beach and they all know one another so its all very safe. Then we moved up to Rangitukia right out to the East where Nat went horse riding and we both did some bone carving. We woke up here at 5.30 on my birthday and headed up the nearsest hill to be the first few people in the world to see the new day in before later visiting the lighthouse at the most Easterly point. We drove to the place I'm in now - Te Kaha and were welcomed by the whanau (family) with a song and a dance (which I've now learnt and will be singing shortly to the next bus). Again its so relaxed here - this time the only thing to do is fish! The locals have all been competing in a National competition this week so it was fish for dinner each night. I stayed here with Nat, Jess and a girl named Debbie who all left yesterday, but I was enjoying the east so much I decided to stay on an extra couple of days. They've got me working here - cooking and cleaning and I even went to an orchard yesterday and picked some kiwis! I don't mind as they're feeding me and I don't have to pay to stay here these extra nights. Yesterday was the last day of the fishing tournament and there was a big party down at the Apanui RSA (which is the local fishing club). It was good fun except they made the 4 backpackers that have been staying at the house sing the Apanui tribe's welcome song to them all which was a bit embarrassing. Paul, the guy who owns the house is very cheeky but we do pretty much anything he asks us to - hence the singing and dancing last night! I'm really sad to be leaving tomorrow but I'm sure Wellington and the South Island has a lot to offer!