Ey peops….yes I know, it's been a while, but have been busy. Yeas, real busy...but will get to that. Last blog was written in Christchurch, so I will get from there.

Coz Karlyn flew back to Auckland we had a new driver, Lucky, who normally drives up North from Auckland, to the Bay of Islands. But she is heaps cool as most of the Stray drivers. She took us to Kaikoura, where I met up with Lotte, who works at Adelphi Lodge for free accomodation, and at the local bakery for money. And met with Michelle again, who is the manager of the hostel, and is heaps cool as well. Lucky went seafishing with anothr passenger, and brought back enough fish to have a group meal. Mjummie, with crayfish and whitebait, normally way too expensive for backpackers !!!! Two expensive Kiwi delicacies. Whitebait is basically tiny little fish, a bit worm like, and they are really nice omelette stylie. The only funny thing is that their eyes keep staring at you, hahaha.

After the meal we ended up in the backyard with a couple of beers, and I had a very good chat with Michelle, about ...well...some interesting facts of life. Always good after a couple of beers. I will definitely get back to Kaikoura to hang out there again, and see Saw two (and 3,4, and 5). Ow, and I got a kind of a joboffer at a local restaurant, as a cook, but only for the summer, so that would not change the fact I still would have to go home in June. And got the phonenumber of the owner of the local skifield, Mount Lyford. So I'm definitely gonna apply for a job there. I decided not take up the cooking job, because I can't extend my visitorpermit if I have worked in the meanwhile.

Ow, and alsohad an interesting bike workshop session at the local sportshop. Coz Karlyn kinda wrecked the frontwheel of his bike. And because I was a bit in charge of his luggage and he didn't have a lot of good things happening lately I thought I might as well fix his bike. Got a good deal, got a second hand wheel and changed the tyre and stuff myself. To the amusement of the guys working at the shop. Hey, I love fixing bikes ! Still don't know if K actually figured out who repaired his bike though...or that it is repaired at all.

Had to say goodbye to Lotte and Michelle the next day, up to Picton to take the ferry to the North Island again. I just had enough time to say hello and goodbye at Atlantis Backpackers and to Tina and Noortje in the icecream shop. Checked in all the luggage at the ferry terminal and managed to get K's bike through without having to pay for it, maybe my female charme is finally paying off haha). Up to Welly again ! But man, it just always feels sad to leave the South Island....I'll be back though.

Checked in at Nomads Capital, and stayed in Welly for a couple of days. Contacted Camp Kaitoke, and decided I would come over on Monday, right on time to help out at the kid's holiday camp that would start on Tuesday. I spent the time in Welly applying for my NZ drivers licence and taxnumber (to be picked up at Nomads this week), going for a run, checking out the shops, and catching up some sleep (always hard in a 10 bed dorm). Managed to get free internet (I love people who don't put password security on their internetserver !).

Got picked up from the Wellington trainstation on Monday by Emily and some other staffmembers who spent their day off in the city, and drove up to Kaitoke, which is north of Upper Hutt. Great start, went for a swim and a BBQ in the regional park. Awesome !

On Tuesday we started off with a briefing, and I was assigned as Instructor, sowas going to be responsible for a couple of activities at the camp. The kids arrived around 2.30, and so the next couple of days I was one of the camp staff members. And it just felt so good to be involved into something usefull. I helped out washing dishes, serving food, guiding activities like building bushbivvies, group games, camp fire, slept a night at Pioneer camp with the older kids, joined their skitnight ("Bonte Avond"met sketches), getting kids into bed, going to the regional park with a group for a swim, was in charge of the waterbomb activity on Carnival Day, when all the Wellington Out of School Care Programmes came over. Busy, busy, and tiring, but rewarding. I had my own cabin to sleep in, and got three meals a day, just a break from standard backpacker life. Long days, from 6.45 till about at least 10 pm, but sweet as . Also interesting to see the diferences between the NZ and the Dutch YMCA. Basically all Dutch camp staff members are volunteers, here they get paid, but it's a small group and most of them are from overseas. Really nice and cool people though ! And cool to be around Kwi kids.

Really enjoyed the Saturday off after the first week of camp. Well, actually I spent the whole day writing application letters.... and helping the others out with crocheting their beanies (they bought wool in Welly).

On Sunday the Y-camp started, wiht almost 60 kids arriving, and being at camp till Friday. I wasn't rostered in, but basically jumped in wherever an extra pait of hands was needed. And had another great week ! Became " Master of the Dishpit" (afwashok) together with Pania, one of theinstructors, and a really nice girl. We were joking that we would finish doing the dishes before the kids would have finished their diner on the last day haha.

Was a guest on the morning news show, performed by staff (Jen and Emily who basically run camp) after each breakfast. Had to act in a play, lead campcooking as an instructor, madecampfire, helped out with horse camp, played bushgames, went to the regional park with a group again for a swim, lead games, supervised the pool,danced during lunch and diner, sang a lot of camp songsan d had a great time with all the kids. A long week again, but my hard work paid off, because I had to hear how fabulous I was a couple of times which made me feel shy. But I got asked to stick around for a while, and attend staff training (which i started today) !!!! Cool as !

Needed my weekend off to relax and catch up some sleep, man, I was tired ! Had staff BBQ on Saturday, so couldn't head into Welly. But it was a nice day. Went for a swim after the BBQ at Rivendell...yes, where they filmed Lord of the rings,. Cool spot, apart from the sandflies who like me and eat me alive....You seriously shouldn't forget to put on some (read: heaps of) insect repellent.

Yesterday I went to a second hand clothes store in UpperHutt with Emily and Jen (the masters of fun aka camp chiefs) and a friend of Jen from the States. And then to the movies. "Yes man" with Jim Carrey. Not the best, but funny. Had diner together back at camp and went to bed on time, ready for another week of "work". To be continued.....