Pig hunting with Mike

Mike is not your typical friendly new zealander. About 90% of the time he looks like he wants to rip your head off. I knew i needed to get on his good side from the beginning or it would be an unpleasant work environment.

I am really enjoying it here so needless to say Mike and I get on well. Its been hard but gratifying work. Wood cutting/trimming, garden tilling, rock collecting among much more.

There is a lot going on here in the Bay of Plenty. Mike has 13 dogs, a horse, probably 75 head of cattle, 2 goats, 2 sheep, 15 chickens, 4 duck and 3 cats. I look out from the back porch over Mike's 50 beautiful acres with a river running through. I have never seen so many different animals in on area. All the ducks and chickens with their head to the ground in search of food in close proximety to the house. Its quite the sight to see.

So I went on my first pig hunt with mike in the hills behind mike's place. No pig but something new.

All meals are cooked on his potbelly stove. For lunch, we eat the eggs the chickens give us and for dinner we will have either venisen, pork, or trout. Those are the options because thats what Mike hunts.

Went on a nice kayak trip a few days ago down through the gorge among a number of pleasant trail walks.

I will probably be here for only a few more days then I will continue my nomadic journey south down the east coast.