Warkworth, Matakana, and Leigh

When I first started "planning" for my trip to New Zealand, I had an idea we would only stay about a week or two at any given place. Well, four weeks later, we're finally moving on to our next host near the Bay of Islands.

Of course, spending four weeks in a single place gives you lots of time to explore around.

Brick Bay Vineyard and Sculpture Park. A beautiful place with bits of artwork spread out along a walking path. After exploring the art, you can settle down in their beautiful cafe for a glass of wine and something sweet. To be honest, I was reluctant to go because you have to buy a ticket to walk through their park! Being not so into art, $12 seemed like a lot to pay per person, but it turned out to be a nice walk. It's only an hour long, but there are some steep hills and stairs to climb, as usual. You'll get to see some interesting art pieces (all outside, which is cool and adds a different element than indoor exhibits), grape vines, green scenery and a little workout.

I love their cafe building!

Zombie ladybirds attacking a cork oak

Listening to the sounds of the forest

Tori gates with bells

Crumpled paper sculptures

Parry Kauri Park. This park has a lot of kauri trees! And the path is a raised wooden boardwalk - I love those kinds of paths! Short and easy, 25 minutes or less.

Warkworth Museum. Located right beside Parry kauri park is the Warkworth museum. We didn't go inside, but there were a few exhibits outside.

Telephone booth and a post office 

Giant kauri log - 5 tonnes 

So many places named Warkworth!

Not too far from Leigh is Ti Point. Another nice wharf you can walk around. Also, it's right across from Omaha beach. You can literally just swim over.

Crazy awesome trees 

That's Omaha Beach over there

Right before Ti Point is the Leigh Reptile park - the only reptile park in New Zealand. Most of the habitats are outside and are located along a walking loop through a little forest. They have geckos, skinks, lizards, iguanas, chameleons, spiders, TURTLES, alligators, and, just cause, a monkey. When we walked by, the baby turtles were all clamouring over each other to eat. So cute!

Baby turtles!

Snake neck turtle with piercing eyes!

Even unsuspecting "little" parks inside towns and cities turn out to be quite nice. This is Lucy Moore Memorial park located inside Warkworth.

I mentioned HelpEx before. It is an exchange of help with various tasks for accommodation and sometimes, food as well. This is what BF and I have been doing the past four weeks for our hostess:

• transplanting various plants: looots of flax and manuka trees, cabbage trees, and other small plants
• gardening: killings slugs and snails, planting vegetables and flowers, laying mulch, spreading out coffee grounds, composting with worms and spreading their poo, never ending weeding
• domestic cleaning: vaccuuming, window cleaning, wiping down sinks, cleaning window sills (bug graveyard!), cleaning a bbq (mouldy!)
• moving furniture and other items between her two homes
• other: chopping wood, collecting kindling, covering mud paths with ferns

A little manuka tree 

Panorama from one of our hostess' windows

Work will vary from place to place. At Aio Wira, our tasks were mostly domestic cleaning and meal prep. The hours were also much shorter simply because there not many guests to cater to while we were there and there were more helpers.

I can say though, transplanting huge plants for 4-8 hours a day really gives you muscle!

Flax leaves

Northwards!