To Whangarei

.We said goodbye to our first hosts today, returned the rental car, and hopped a bus from Auckland to Whangarei.

We were excited to be moving on.  Very excited.

 It took just over two hours to drive here, and we saw some beautiful countryside on our way.

Unfortunately we also saw the devastation caused to the native forests to create farmland for sheep.  The people here feel such a loss for the old Kauri trees, and yet they are still clearing land in such a destructive manner.

Our new hosts picked us up at the bus stop and we got to know the town of Whangarei a little by running a bunch of errands with them.  It was opening weekend for a Home Depot-esque store, and we watched some prizes being won.

 Then drove about a half hour to the west to their farm where they grow olives and macademia nuts.  They have a unique home built with concrete.  The front porch is also a bridge over a fish pond.

The concrete construction allows for many curved walls.

Even the bathroom is made of concrete.  The shower is a neat spiral shape, with no door or curtain required.

We were pleased to see a real bed, with a real mattress and real pillows.  Heaven.

View from the room next door.

Aside from olives and macadamias, they also have many other fruit trees for personal use, including all the mandarins we can eat.