Saturday, 7th January i flew to Wellington, New Zealand. I arrived at 11.30pm and lou was waiting for me. She then drove me back to the farm where she is staying, 2and a half hours away!! We got back to the house at around 2am and just went straight to bed.

Sunday 8th jan lou woke me up at midday saying that the family we were staying with were waiting for me to have some breakfast (late i know!) and to meet me so i got up and met them. Theres Berny, Mary and anna (7yrs old) a lovely family who were very welcoming and friendly towards me which was good! After the meeting and some breakfast lou and i went to the nearest town, Marton, and bougt a few things before getting back and milking. i went along and picked up a few tips. When we got back we got ready quickly and went out with the family for a meal as there were bithdays nocking around. It was bernys sisters and sister in-law's birthday that week and so 15 of us went out. it was really nice, everyone was really freindly and it was interesting to talk to them all (berny, mary, anna, me, lou, bernys sister, her husband and their two kids, and bernys brother, his wife, their son tim (30) and their daughter and he husband (late 20's)) the meal was fantastic and the first proper (non bland) food id eaten since being ill in over two weeks!

Monday 9th and Tuesday 10th nothing much happened thru the day. i milled around with lou and then went milking at night with her. On the tuesday berny and mary had some people over who were potential new managers for their other farm and i was told that i was to cook a pork roast. great!! it was actually very nice and everyone enjoyed it which was nice. its never good cooking in someone elses kitchen, especially when its an old school one!!! Tht night ida came back. she is the nanny for anna and is 19 from germany. she seems really nice and is giving us lots of advice on our trip!

Wednesday 11th Jan lou woke me after milking and then we all had breakfast together. Lou went off with Mary to be shown some things and i went off wiyth berny to help out. first we played with one of his tractors that had broken down and in the end he towed it with another as i steered it to his shed (steering a tractor with no power or power steering is hard!!) he then showed me (and let me try!) how to use the back of the tractor to picki up bails of hay and distrivute them over a feild for the cattle! then he showed me a few things to keep my eye on as they were going away for 10days. after that we went on the quads (they have 3) and we moved a bull from one field to another before showing me all of his stock and the felds they own. we then unblocked a few pumps that had blocked up due to the rain, reinforce the lane as it was crumbling away due to the rain and then i went and milked with lou! a good days work. only thing is it got hot thru the day and i took the top half on my overalls off and just had my vest on...i burnt...alot!! That night when they had gone myself lou and ida had a bbq and some friends of ida came around mirika and tony (both german) from a farm down the road. they were really nice and we had a cracking bbq!!

Thursday 12th Jan i went milking with lou in the morning. after that we had breakky and then talked to ida about where she had been in new zealand and where she recommeded. i fell asleep after lunch and when i woke she had gone off for a few days. that night we milked, had tea and watched tv!

Friday 13th Jan lou woke me after milking and we had breakky. then we went to the shops for some groceries and then came back to milk. we had some tea (bolognaise and wraps!) and then watched tv beofre hitting the hay.

Saturday 14th January i was up at 5 and went milking with lou. we spent the day doing a few chors, booked our ferry crossing to the south island napped and had lunhc before going out and miling again. that night we went to palmerston north (out equivelent to manchester) and watched side car and stock car racing. it was really good and something i would do again. we met mirika tony and another erman lass there and then went for a drink afterwards. well, we tried to but the other girl was only 16 and didnt have ID so we could go anywere so ended up going back home. i didnt mind as i was shattered!!

Sunday 15th Jan lou woke me at 9am after milking and we had breakky before talking about our trip, sorting out the pony, dogs and hens and then chilling before lunch. today i prepared spag on toast mmmm. after lunch we carried on with plans for travelling and then went milking. when we got home berny was back and had said that they were sick of the weather and came back early. i was gived the task of cooking for everyone again so i made spag bol! now were packing and getting ready to go off for a day/night trip to new plymouth!!

The weather so far hasnt been great, apart form the day i burnt we've had rain and wind. worst start to a summer in years. sounds like australia!! this afternoon cleared up and it was nice for a couple hours so hopefully that will be it for rain...touch wood!