The Banks Peninsula

Okuti Gardens

We arrived in Little River at 5:30pm on Friday and were met by Jane and her 5 year old son Sol who then drove us up the Okuti valley road to their homestead Okuti Gardens. Little River is gorgeous set in the rolling folds of an old volcano caldera. Their place is nestled against one side of the valley with gorgeous views of the hills across the way. Okuti gardens offers eco-accomodations to travellers in a yurt or a housetruck or in a room in their house.

Our accomodation is in a cute little caravan with a sunporch attached. There is a composting toilet for us and their guests to use as well as a solar shower which is the best shower Colleen has ever used! Amazingly hot and right outside to enjoy the lovely views!

Jim and Jane are seen eating here with us and Arthur in the middle a long term WWOOFer who is building a set of stone steps beside the newly completed Cobb Oven. Jim has various projects going on including building a platform for a 2nd yurt and also an outdoor campers kitchen. Jane manages the gardens and we eat fresh organic veggies with every meal out here on the porch!

Just check out the lovely mountain behind Colleen! Our first day here Jim and jane hosted a party and to help I dug a firepit while Colleen stitched together a badminton net and we got to meet some very nice folk including one gent who finally explained cricket to me!

Ambiana loves Sol and follows him about saying "...like Gaelen!", they play very well together and Yaya loves the selection of toys in his room. Sol goes to school during the week and Yaya misses him :(

There are no dogs on the property but plenty of sheep which of course Ambiana wants to spend all her time with when Sol is not around to follow about :)

Colleen has been helping out in the garden. Here her and Ambiana help themselves to some carrots fresh out of the ground!

New Videos

The Fiji Blog is now complete and I have added new video from Fiji and from New Zealand. Click on these links and check them out!!!

Grammy Nominees!!!

Remember these guys? The Pine Leaf Boys? They stayed with us in June while playing a gig in Northampton because our Alaska Contra Friend Providence is the lead singer's girl? Well they were just nominated for a Grammy for BEST CAJUN ALBUM! Whooo-hoo!!! Way to go Pine leaf Boys!!!